THE BEST hot air balloon rides give you a view of the world you just can't get anywhere else.
And while this often means that hot air balloon rides can be a little expensive, that doesn't have to be the case if you're on a budget.
Across the UK, there are a wide range of luxury to affordable hot air balloon ride experiences to choose from.
So, whether you're planning on getting on top of the world yourself or you want to buy a gift for someone else, we've picked out some of the top-rated options you can find online.
Red Letter Days
- Hot air balloon ride for two, £359.99 from Red Letter Days - buy here
This hot air balloon experience for two from Red Letter Days is available in locations around the country (predominantly in the Midlands) at 12 of the UK's most beautiful locales.
The entire experience is around three hours long, with an hour in the air - takeoff is planned to coincide with sunset or sunrise, depending on the weather.
You’ll be joining a small group of others for the ride, then to finish the experience, you’ll enjoy a glass of champagne.
The vouchers are currently valid for 12 months, with the experience valid on selected dates between April and October.
Number of launch sites: 12; Time in the air: 1 hour; Voucher validity: 12 months; Price: £359.99
- Sunrise hot air balloon ride for one, £155 at Red Letter Days - buy here
Or, if you're booking a hot air balloon ride for one, this sunrise experience could be your best bet.
Available Monday-to-Friday in 25 locations, you'll get an amazing 360 degree from 2,000 feet in the air.
Plus there's a glass of bubbly upon landing to cap off a memorable day.
Again, it's only available between April and October and valid for 12 months, so you should set a date ASAP if you do decide to book.
Number of launch sites: 12; Time in the air: Can vary on the day, normally an hour; Voucher validity: 12 months; Price: £155
Virgin Balloon Flights
- Weekday morning flight, £129pp from Virgin Balloon Flights - buy here
Virgin Balloon Flights offer some of the best value balloon rides and they have launch sites from over 100 places around the UK.
Their baskets are bigger - accommodating 12 to 16 passengers split between different pods.
On the morning flights, you’ll enjoy a three to four hour experience with an hour in the air plus a glass of prosecco when you land.
The vouchers are currently valid for 18 months instead of the usual 12.
The weekday morning flight is the cheapest experience, but you can pay extra if you want to experience the balloon ride at night or on a weekend.
Number of launch sites: 100+; Time in the air: 1 hour; Voucher validity: 18 months; Price: from £129 per person
Virgin Experience Days
- Any day flight for two, £350 from Virgin Experience Days - buy here
If you don’t want to take a day off work just for the hot air balloon experience, Virgin Experience Days also offers an any day flight for two package.
You’re free to pick any morning or evening flight from Monday to Sunday, including Bank Holidays, to suit you. The ride will be shared with other people who have booked the same date.
The experience is provided by Virgin Balloon Flights so it’s also available in over 100 locations around the country and you get a glass of prosecco to finish the ride.
The voucher is valid for 12 months for this one.
Number of launch sites: 100+; Time in the air: 1 hour; Voucher validity: 12 months; Price: £350 for two people
Buy A Gift
- Sunrise hot air balloon ride for two, £309 from Buy A Gift - buy here
Buy A Gift’s sunrise hot air balloon package has 33 launch points around the UK — so you've got a lot of options.
It's a ride for two people, but you'll be joined by a small group.
The whole thing lasts for three to four hours with a full hour in the air.
Most locations also offer a glass of champagne to finish, but the ones that don't — Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Chesire, Shropshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire — offer an extra 10 to 15 minutes in the air instead.
The vouchers are currently valid for 12 months and can be redeemed Monday to Friday for morning flights between April and October.
Number of launch sites: 12; Time in the air: 1 hour; Voucher validity: 12 months; Price: £305 for two people
Experience Days
- Hot air balloon experience for two, £344 from Experience Days - buy here
Experience Days offers hot air balloons experiences for two around the UK for £344.
As the rides are hosted through different providers, the availability and timings vary. Some will include a glass of bubbly at the end and some will offer extra time in the air for example.
You should allow three to four hours for the experience, plus an hour in the air.
The vouchers are currently valid for 18 months and the season runs from March to October. It's advised that you book your flight at least three to four weeks in advanced.
Number of launch sites: 23; Time in the air: 1 hour; Voucher validity: 12 months; Price: £344 for two people
Crazy Bear
- Balloon Flight with Champagne & Breakfast, from £129 per person from Crazy Bear Group - buy here
The stylish Crazy Bear hotel offers hot air balloon rides with Chief Pilot Spencer Craze, who has been a CAA approved pilot for more than 20 years. The rides take off near the Crazy Bear Hotel in Oxfordshire on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between April and October. You'll need to allow up to four hours for the whole experience.
There are three different packages available, and all of them include tea, coffee and pastries on arrival. The most affordable is the Balloon Flight with Champagne, which starts at £129 per person and includes a glass of champagne in the hotel bar after your flight. The Champagne and Breakfast package goes a step further and includes a full a la carte and continental breakfast for an extra £30.
With both of these packages, you'll be joined by a small group of people (the balloon's capacity is 10-16 passengers). But, the basket is split into four compartments to ensure you have plenty of space.
If you really want to impress someone — whether it's for a romantic proposal, an important celebration or a corporate event — and you'd rather a private balloon flight, these are available from £1,290.
Number of launch sites: 1; Time in the air: Unspecified; Voucher validity: Unspecified months; Price: From £129 per person
How much is a hot air balloon ride?
Hot air balloon rides can vary in price depending on which company you use, what time of the day and what day of the week you travel and what’s included in the experience.
In the UK, they typically start from £124 but can go up to a couple of hundred pounds for packages. You could spend thousands on a luxury ride, though. For example, Crazy Bear's private balloon ride package starts at £1,290.
Where to buy hot air balloon experiences
You can buy hot air balloon experiences from a range of different companies, including:
How long is a hot air balloon ride?
The length of the hot air balloon ride will vary from company to company but typically you’re in the air for around 60 minutes. It can however vary depending on the weather.
The whole experience can last for upwards of four hours, including safety briefing and time to take photos.
How do hot air balloons work?
Hot air balloons are essentially just wicker baskets attached to a parachute (balloon) with burners inside it. Hot air rises, and by heating the air inside the balloon with burners, it becomes lighter than the cool air on the outside and the balloon then floats upwards.
To steer and land the balloon, the pilot has to manipulate the temperature of the air and catch different air streams and different heights.
Are hot air balloon flights safe?
Like all modes of transport, you'll always hear horror stories about accidents and safety concerns. However, according to the Aviation Accident Database put out by the FAA, hot air ballooning is actually the safest form of air travel. There are rarely any aviation crashes involving hot air balloons.
This is partly down to the fact that all hot air balloon flights in the UK are regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority, so there are regulations to do with safety, insurance, training and licensing. All equipment must be regularly checked and maintained, and all pilots must be thoroughly trained.
The main safety concern regarding hot air ballooning is weather. However, your flight will be cancelled if the conditions are unsafe and pilots will only fly if winds are below 10mph and there's good visibility. If your flight is cancelled, you'll usually be able to rebook within a certain timeframe.
How high do hot air balloons go?
The highest a hot air balloon has flown is 22,000 feet. However, to fly this high, you'd need oxygen and special gear.
On regular hot air balloon flights and experience days, your hot air balloon will go anywhere between 2,000 and 5,000 feet.
Specifically how high you'll fly depends on where you are, the weather conditions, and the time of year.
What to wear for hot air balloon rides
Wrap up warm! The hot air balloon season runs from March to October in the UK and most rides are either morning or evening, which means it can get cold, especially up in the air.
Make sure you have warm, comfortable clothes that are suitable for the outdoors, even if it rains or gets muddy.
You may also want to bring a hat as well, but make sure it’s not one that will be easily blown away.
As for shoes, anything flat, sturdy and comfortable is good, like trainers you don’t mind getting muddy.
How many people can ride in a hot air balloon?
The number of people on a commercial hot air balloon ride will depend on the size of the balloon and the size of the baskets, as well as of course how many people book the experience.
On the smaller end it can be six to eight people, but it can also be as many as 20.
Who invented the hot air balloon?
The hot air balloon was invented in 1783 by two brothers, Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier from Annonay in France.
Their first version, which they demonstrated in public in June that year, was made using cloth and paper, with heat coming from a straw fire to lift the balloon. It, like several versions that came after it, was unmanned.
But in just a few months, they created a version that was big and strong enough to carry people.
Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent, marquis d’Arlandes, then became the first people to go on a manned hot air balloon in the November of that year.
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