Booking a balloon flight requires balancing several factors. Since planning a balloon excursion is unfamiliar to most people, please review the following considerations prior to booking. Call if you have further questions and we would be happy to talk to you about your specific situation.

Ballooning is incredibly sensitive to weather, and weather is notoriously difficult to predict in advance, so the best approach is to build flexibility into your plan. In the Northeast US, the cancellation rate for balloon flights is over 50%, so the necessity to rebook your flight is very likely. It’s obvious that weather conditions like thunderstorms or rain require cancellation. But to those unfamiliar with ballooning, it’s much less obvious that so many days that are ideal for other outdoor activities are in fact unsuitable or unsafe for ballooning.

Among the different types of aviation, ballooning is one of the safest. Our pilots are all FAA certified pilots with hundreds of hours of flight time logged. Each pilot must pass a Class II aviation medical exam annually. Our ground crew are experienced and enthusiastic, and dedicated to the safety and comfort of our passengers. Our balloons and equipment are diligently maintained. Each balloon is inspected annually by a certified inspection station. Our policies are designed to keep all involved safe and comfortable for the duration of the experience.

While a balloon ride is not an extreme sport, there are certain physical requirements in order to participate. Passengers must be able to:

1. Stand unassisted for the duration of the flight
2. Climb over the edge of the basket to enter/exit the balloon
3. Steady and brace themselves during a landing where the basket may tip on its side or drag/bounce on the ground before stopping View videos of windy landings
4. Be tall enough to see over the edge of the basket during the flight

More about Physical Requirements

Booking as far in advance as possible is always recommended. In particular, availabilities late in the season as fall approaches tend to book full, and it can be difficult to find an opening for a rebooking. Weather-related cancellations tend to accumulate, and rebookings are on a first come, first served basis. This does not mean that we never have last minute openings, but your best chance of reserving a desired date is to book in advance.

The cancellation deadline for all bookings is 72 hours. This means that if you are booked for a flight, you may cancel your booking for any reason up to 72 hours in advance. Once we are within the 72 hour window, the only cancellations that qualify for a refund are weather-related safety cancellations by the pilots.

We offer two types of balloon rides: Shared basket rides and private flights. Shared basket rides are the most common and most affordable. Private flights are more expensive because the entire balloon and crew are dedicated to your group. Most people that opt for a private flight do so simply for convenience and exclusivity/privacy. However, there are certain conditions where a private flight might be the best option to accommodate an unusually delicate physical condition, or in a situation where additional equipment must be carried on board.

As explained in the section about weather, a balloon flight is almost always a last-minute decision. This can make traveling from a distance challenging. Our advice is to always, always have a backup plan in place if you are traveling from more than 2-3 hours away. The final flight decision will likely be made no more than 2-3 hours in advance of the scheduled launch time.

A surprise balloon ride can be delightful for the right person in the right circumstance. If the recipient does not receive the surprise with the enthusiasm you anticipated, we will not force anyone to go in the balloon that does not wish to. However, if this situation occurs the 72-hour cancellation policy applies. No refunds will be issued for passengers who opt out at the last minute. Plan accordingly.

We cannot allow pets of any type on a balloon flight. There are several facilities near the park where pets can be boarded during your flight if necessary.

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The minimum age for passengers is 7 years old. We have no maximum age, but there are important physical requirements that may affect passengers of any age.

Balloon flights happen early in the morning just after sunrise or in the evening just before sunset. These times are the most likely to be conducive to flying balloons safely. We have been asked many times which one is better. In terms of likelihood of being cancelled for weather, over the course of the season the split is just about 50/50. The experience is slightly different. Morning flights are more likely to be misty and the light of sunrise is different than the light at sunset approaching golden hour. Many opt for evening to avoid that early alarm, but morning flights have the magic of stillness before the rest of the world awakes. Morning flights have a slightly higher chance of a calm launch and windier landing, where evening flights generally the reverse is true.