FAQ

Hot Air Balloon Australia Frequently Asked Questions

Hot Air Balloon Australia frequently asked questions are answered here. Balloon rides happen in almost every state of Australia, they float over different scenery, some cities, some tropical, some outback landscapes. The rides vary depending on the seasons, in northern and southern Australia. Below are answers to the most popular questions asked of Hot Air Balloon Australia.

Hot Air Balloon Australia ride Terms & Conditions

Whether its hot air ballooning photos of your morning, or hot air balloon caps or souvenir shirts, maybe a video, click the links of the hot air balloon australia ride that suits you, buy your ballooning ticket and add all the extras you want.

Due to the weather conditions that vary enormously between the tropical north, where hot air balloons fly every day from Cairns, to the mild weather of the Hawkesbury  Valley, west of Sydney and to the four seasons that Melbourne city experiences, balloon rides also vary in time, dependent on location.

Consider that all hot air balloon rides in Australia, offer a sixty minute flight experience. In addition the weather in northern Australia, particularly in Cairns, allows a choice of thirty minutes or sixty minutes flying.

Generally hot air balloon rides in most parts of Australia go for one hour. In Queensland there is a choice of balloon rides for either 30 or 60 minutes. For all hot air ballooning tours in Australia, allow 3 to 4 hours for the entire experience.

Every day for every hot air balloon ride is different, often the pilot and his team do not know how many for each balloon basket, until an hour before lift off. Consider that ballooning in Australia is regulated by the Australian Government’s Civil Aviation Authority and every balloon basket is classified as an aircraft and inspected every year. Balloon baskets in Australia often fly passengers with 6 or 8 or 12 or parties of 20, in one flight.

Every hot air balloon company in Australia, is owned by a different family. Please check each website for payment options. Often you can pay on the day or you may wish to pay by credit card but ask if there is a surcharge or not, or you can pay by direct deposit to the individual hot air balloon companies Australian bank account.

Mostly in Australia, hot air ballooning is done from private property that the balloon pilot decides only on the morning, based on weather forecasts. Each balloon firm can advise you of the best meeting spot. Remember too that times change seasonally in Australia, whether it’s winter or summer.

Due to the specialist nature of ballooning and as most hot air balloon australia businesses are family owned and operated, payment for most balloon rides is at the time of booking.

Hot Air Balloon Gold Coast and Hot Air Balloon Brisbane do offer a pay on the day of the flight option.

This website gives direct links for consumers to access the most comprehensive list of hot air balloon rides in Australia. You will see that balloon rides here are rarely discounted, this is due to the government requirements of each company listed here, to uphold very strict aviation safety standards. If you’re tickets are not purchased directly from a balloon company, check the fine print, as discounts are often misleading and not at the correct retail price, that the balloon firms sell.

Every balloon ride is a different price, check not only the price directly on the hot air balloon owners websites but also check all the inclusions they offer. Prices in Australia for hot air ballooning for adult tickets start from $250 Australian dollars. Rides in major cities often cost more, due to the complexity of the balloon operations, with prices up to $470 per person. Know that hot air ballooning is of a very high standard and passengers always enjoy the best value, when they book direct.

Yes you can change the date, especially when you book your ballooning tickets directly with the balloon owner. Often they ask for a few days notice. Check with each balloon ride. Be especially careful if you book through an international web agent, often they do not communicate changes due to their different time zones. Some balloon companies ask 48hours notice with no penalty to change dates, others ask 5 or 7 days.

Yes you can get 100% refunds with some balloon rides, check what the notice period required is for refunds for each different balloon ride. Note that most online travel web agents do not refund in full but require a cancellation fee.

We suggest book 7 or 14 days in advance if you want a specific date to go hot air ballooning. If you are travelling from overseas to holiday in Australia, definitely book your hot air balloon ride before you leave home. Most balloon companies are flexible on changing dates when you arrive in Australia but due to different Australian and international travel peak periods, dont miss out on your ride but book it well ahead.