- February ranked as the most searched month for visiting Iceland with 3,570 average monthly Google searches, followed by December with 3,508.
- “Iceland weather in February” is the most popular search term related to Iceland visits, with 2,018 average monthly searches.
- Summer months rank at the bottom, with September seeing the least interest at 1,566 average monthly Google searches.
A new study by Iceland car rental Cars Iceland has determined that February is the most popular month for British travellers researching trips to Iceland.
The study analysed Google search trends over the past five years to identify when potential visitors are most actively searching for information about visiting Iceland.
Winter months dominate the top of the rankings, with February recording 3,570 average monthly Google searches, December coming in second with 3,508 Google searches, and March ranking third with 3,478 Google searches.
Cold-weather months show the highest level of interest, with November and October completing the top five with 3,343 and 3,136 average monthly searches, respectively.
This winter preference was further highlighted by the specific terms people search for. “Iceland weather in February” was the most popular search query with 2,018 average monthly searches, followed by “Iceland weather in November” with 1,948 searches and “Iceland weather in December” with 1,928 searches.
Weather-related queries dominated the top search terms for each month, showing it’s a primary concern for potential visitors planning their trips.
Months with highest average search volume for visiting Iceland:
| Rank | Month | Average Monthly Google Searches (UK) |
| 1 | February | 3,570.00 |
| 2 | December | 3,507.71 |
| 3 | March | 3,477.92 |
| 4 | November | 3,342.92 |
| 5 | October | 3,136.25 |
| 6 | April | 2,738.33 |
| 7 | January | 2,647.50 |
| 8 | July | 1,927.71 |
| 9 | August | 1,844.58 |
| 10 | May | 1,617.08 |
| 11 | June | 1,597.71 |
| 12 | September | 1,565.63 |
The five months with the lowest search volumes all fell during the traditional summer holiday period, with September ranking last with just 1,566 average monthly searches.
The data revealed that July and August, despite being traditional holiday months in Britain, ranked only eighth and ninth in search interest. June showed particularly low interest, ranking second from bottom with just 1,598 average monthly searches.
Northern Lights-related searches drop significantly during summer months, with June and July having only 55 and 46 average monthly searches, respectively. This correlates with the midnight sun during these months, making aurora viewing impossible.
Alberto P. Carmona, Co-founder of Scandinavian Travel Group and spokesperson for Cars Iceland, commented on the findings:
“These search trends match what we see in visitor patterns. The Northern Lights are a major draw during winter months, particularly February and March, where searches for ‘Northern Lights Iceland in March’ and ‘Northern Lights Iceland in February’ rank highly.
“Winter visitors get the dual benefit of potential aurora sightings and unique landscapes. The shorter daylight hours actually work in tourists’ favour for Northern Lights viewing, which might explain why ‘Iceland daylight in December’ appears in the search rankings.
“British travellers are clearly drawn to Iceland during its most atmospheric months. The data shows visitors want to experience the country’s unique winter landscape and natural phenomena, rather than seeking warmer summer conditions.
“For those planning visits during popular months like February, I recommend booking vehicles and accommodation well in advance. The search volumes we’re seeing translate directly into visitor numbers, and availability can become limited during these peak periods.”
