A Guide to Taking Your First Hot Air Balloon Flight

17 January 2025

1. Pre-Flight Preparation

The very first thing you need to do is book your flight. You can choose between four stunning locations in New South Wales ( Hunter Valley, Camden Valley, Byron Bay, or Mudgee) and one near the Gulf of Carpentaria in far North-West Queensland ( Burketown).

Once you’re on the website, click the ‘book now’ button to start a booking. Here, you can choose from available dates, select a ticket type and the number of passengers, and enter your payment details to complete your booking.

Next, you’ll receive an email confirmation with the details of your upcoming flight and a little bit about what to expect on the day (including the possibility of rescheduling due to bad weather). You will notice that your confirmation does not show an exact meeting time and, instead, shows an estimated time range. This is because your pilots will set an exact meeting time the evening before the flight, based on the weather forecast for the next morning.

Then you need to plan your clothing. It’s best to wear casual clothes that are both comfortable and easy to move in. Remember that you will need to climb aboard the balloon, so shorts, jeans, or trousers are best. Avoid wearing skirts and dresses if you can, as these will be much harder to climb aboard the balloon in. It’s also important to remember that this is an adventure activity. There is a good chance of getting a little dirty, so don’t wear your very best clothes or shoes.

Since temperatures can vary as the morning progresses, layering is key. Start with a lightweight base layer and add a fleece or jacket just in case. Ultimately, the temperature while flying in the balloon won’t vary by more than a few degrees from the temperature on the ground, so dress in those layers. Dress warmly enough for the early morning ground temperature, and you will be warm enough in the balloon.

Pair your outfit with flat, closed-toe shoes – waterproof if possible. It is very important that you do not wear heels. Ballooning is an adventure activity, so shoes or boots with a heel or platform are not suitable.

2. The Check-In Process

Your balloon flight is weather-dependent. The evening before your flight, you will receive an SMS and email advising if your flight is proceeding, based on the weather forecast. If the weather is unsuitable for a safe flight, you will be able to rebook using the booking link provided. If we have the weather all-clear and your flight is proceeding, you will be provided with an exact meeting time, as well as a link to your pre-arrival check-in form where you will be able to place your breakfast order. Please try to have this form completed by 7pm the evening before your flight.

On the morning, you’ll start your hot air balloon adventure by arriving at the designated meeting point (you’ll find the address and map on your confirmation), at the time provided to you the evening before (usually 60-120 minutes before sunrise).

That’s Peterson House Winery in the Hunter Valley, Camden Valley Inn in Camden Valley, The Farm Byron Bay in Byron Bay, Gigi’s Restaurant in Mudgee, and the Burketown Visitors Information Centre in Burketown.

It’s good to get there a little bit early to meet the pilot and crew. Once everyone has arrived, the pilots will take you through a very important safety briefing. If you require the safety briefing information in larger print format or another language, including braille, please let a member of your flight team know and they will provide safety briefing cards for you.

This can also be a good time to go to the toilet as there are no toilet facilities available again until we return to the meeting location in approximately 2.5-3 hours’ time.

We have dozens of potential takeoff locations throughout the region, and your pilot will determine the best spot on the morning of your flight based on the wind direction and conditions. Take a seat aboard our comfy coach and remember to pop your seat belt on. Your driver will give you an idea of drive time, but it will usually fall between 5-25 minutes.

Once at the launch site, it only takes around 25-30 minutes for your balloon to be inflated and standing upright, ready for boarding. Make sure you get some great photos or videos of the spectacle – you might be surprised by how big the balloons actually are, close up. Once the balloon is upright, it’s time to climb aboard. The pilot and crew will also demonstrate the all-important landing procedures during this time.

3. The Flight

Now comes the exciting part, lift-off, which feels like a gentle, smooth ascent rather than a sudden jolt. You may not even notice you have left the ground.

As the balloon begins to rise, you will experience little or no sensation of movement at all, but you will start to see the views in all directions appear below you. Your balloon may be travelling just above the tree tops one moment and 2,000 feet in the air in the next. Inside the basket, you’ll feel very safe and stable with virtually no movement at all!

Our hot air balloon flights usually last 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the weather conditions and the area.

During your hot air balloon experience, you’ll glide over stunning landscapes, with amazing panoramic views stretching across treetops, valleys, rivers, vineyards, and mountains (depending on your location). So, make sure you’ve got a camera ready to snap the sights.

Don’t forget to just enjoy the moment, and feel free to talk to the pilot too and ask them any questions you may have.

4. Landing

After floating above scenic views, the pilot will find a safe landing site, which could be an open field or similar location to where you took off from. Most balloon landings are typically soft, but there can be a bump as the balloon touches down. Ballooning is an adventure activity, so remember to read the Fitness to Fly requirements before you book, and book an Accessible Flight or arrange cushion seating for landing if you think that you may have issues standing through the landing.

Your balloon can touch down in two different ways.

  • The first is with the basket upright and the balloon above your head.
  • The second, in the case of a breeze, is when the basket drags a short distance before tipping onto its side before coming to rest.

Both landing types are completely normal and lots of fun. All you need to do to prepare is listen to instructions and hold on to the handles inside the basket. Stay inside the basket until the pilot confirms it’s safe to exit.

The Balloon Aloft ground crew will be on hand to greet you and deflate the balloon. This is done by squishing the air out, so feel free to join in or take photos.

5. Post-Flight Celebrations

All of our hot air balloon rides (except Burketown) end with a celebratory gourmet breakfast for all passengers.

Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free meals are available upon request. If you have other specific dietary requirements, please give us a call after booking your ticket so that we can let the restaurant know in advance.

Our breakfast venues are Restaurant Cuvee in the Hunter Valley, Camden Valley Inn in Camden Valley, Three Blue Ducks in Byron Bay, and Gigi’s Restaurant in Mudgee.

A Digital Flight Certificate and complimentary digital photo album of your flight experience will be sent to your phone during breakfast.

So, if you want to take a ride in a hot air balloon, choose Balloon Aloft for a truly unforgettable experience. Book your first flight with us today!

Book Now Call: 1300 723 279

Hot Air Ballooning is a weather dependent activity. The Flight Voucher option you have chosen can be rescheduled to another date in the event of a weather cancellation but is NON-REFUNDABLE in the event of weather or pilot determined cancellation, passenger cancellation or change of mind but does not exclude the purchaser from their automatic guarantees under the Competition and Consumer Act, as set out in our terms and conditions. With this ticket type you cannot cancel or reschedule your flight within 72 hours of your flight time.

If you require a refundable ticket option, please take a look at our Flexi Ticket.

Hot Air Ballooning is a weather dependent activity. The Flexi Ticket option you have chosen can be rescheduled to another date in the event of a weather cancellation. This ticket option is 100% REFUNDABLE in the event of a weather or pilot determined cancellation. An admin fee may apply to any cancellations before your flight date but this ticket cannot be cancelled/rescheduled within 72 hours of your flight time.

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