Resurrecting this thread for a question....

We're considering a trip to Fairbanks to watch the aurora during either Thanksgiving or Christmas, with a preference for Christmas.

The plan involves flying to ANC (better award availability than Fairbanks), driving up to Fairbanks, staying for about 2-3 days to maximize our chances, then return to ANC for the flight back to Seattle.

The lunar cycle is mostly dark for both periods...being Plats, we can book reward seats then cancel or postpone the trip without cost if the 28-day cycle shows little-to-no aurora activity during our stay period, so there is some flexibility.

So - question to our Fairbanks experts - which holiday period offers the best combination of clear skies, reasonable prices, and small crowds?