You're Most Likely to See a Rainbow on These Flights

The flight between D.C. and Toronto passes right over Niagara Falls, North America’s most famous display of natural waterworks. If you didn’t know, Niagara Falls is actually the name for a group of three distinct but adjacent waterfalls: Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls. Together, these waterfalls produce near-constant mist, meaning sunny days are often replete with rainbows.

Karersee, Italy

Best routes: London Heathrow (LHR) to Dubrovnik (DBV); Munich (MUC) to Palma de Mallorca (PMI); Frankfurt Airport (FRA) to Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO)

This small alpine lake in the Dolomites is like glass, and is known to produce rainbows against its mountain backdrop after rainfall. There are three flight routes between various European countries that pass straight over, so keep an eye out.

Owens Valley, California

Best routes: Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX) to San Francisco International (SFO); Dallas/Forth Worth International (DFW) to Fresno Yosemite International (FAT); San Jose Mineta International (SJC) to Harry Reid International (LAS); San Francisco International (SFO) to Harry Reid International (LAS)

Framed by the Sierra Nevada and White Mountains, Owens Valley is a rainbow hotspot in summer, when thunderstorms are followed by bright blue clear skies—the rainbows here often stretch across the entire valley. There are several routes passing through here, including two heading to or from Las Vegas, where you’ll need all the luck you can get.

Rolling showers create the perfect storm for rainbows on Scotland’s Isle of Skye.

TomasSereda/Getty

Isle of Skye, Scotland, United Kingdom

Best route: London Gatwick (LGW), England to Reykjavik (KEF), Iceland

The Isle of Skye, Scotland is a destination in its own right for its misty, mysterious landscape—coastal waterfalls, jagged cliffs, and wide expanses of green and brown. Rolling showers create the perfect storm for rainbows, with features like Mealt Falls, the Quiraing, and the Old Man of Storr often framed by color.