Cascade Balloon Company
from $250 per person
Balloon flight (passenger)
- Length
- 50 minutes to 1.5 hours in the air, usually about an hour; plan for 2.5 to 3 hours
- Group
- up to 5 passengers per balloon
Based in Bend
Quick picks
- Lowest price Cascade Balloon Company $250 per person for Balloon flight (passenger)
- Smallest groups Cascade Balloon Company Up to 5 passengers per balloon
Every option side by side
| Operator | What you get | From | Length | Group | Min age | Weight limit | Cancellation | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Balloon flight (passenger)Includes Pre-flight briefing, Ground crew support |
$250 per person |
50 minutes to 1.5 hours in the air, usually about an hour; plan for 2.5 to 3 hours |
up to 5 passengers per balloon |
Check dates | ||||
Scenic hot air balloon flightIncludes Pilot safety briefing, Shuttle back to the launch site, Toast after landing |
$295 per person |
About 50 minutes to 1.5 hours in the air, averaging about 1 hour; plan for 2.5 to 3 hours |
up to 8 passengers depending on weight and weather (generally 6 in July and August) |
8+ | Policies page: $150 fee within 5 days, full charge within 72 hours; free changes until 72 hours. No weather charge. | Check dates |
From each operator's own website, checked October 21, 2026. How we compare.
Terrebonne, Smith Rock and the Three Sisters
Big Sky Balloon Co.'s FAQ gives Terrebonne as its departure point, while its homepage says Redmond. From the air, the FAQ lists Smith Rock State Park, the Three Sisters, Mount Bachelor and Mount Jefferson, along with old lava buttes and the canyons of the Deschutes and Crooked rivers. The homepage counts at least ten Cascade peaks on a clear day and describes high desert of juniper and sage, volcanic rimrock and farmland.
Big Sky says its flights range from treetop height to about 2,000 feet above the ground, depending on wind direction. Its FAQ mentions deer, foxes, coyotes and birds of prey, and its homepage names bald and brown eagles, red-tailed hawks and great horned owls. Cascade Balloon Company, based in Bend, does not publish a launch field. It says passenger flights can stay anywhere from 50 to 5,000 feet above ground, set by what passengers want.
Just after sunrise, time sent the night before
Both Central Oregon operators meet just after sunrise, so the time shifts through the year, and both send the exact time the evening before. Big Sky also texts a check-in that night; reply to confirm, because an unanswered text means a full charge. Its weather call that evening decides whether guests meet at the launch field. Guests can help set up and inflate the balloon, which takes about 15 minutes after the pilot's safety briefing.
Big Sky's flights last 50 minutes to 1.5 hours, about an hour on average, and the whole outing runs 2.5 to 3 hours. Deflating and packing take 20 to 30 minutes, guests can lend a hand, and the morning ends with a customary toast and a shuttle back to the launch site in the chase vehicle. Big Sky calls tips optional but customary at 10 to 15%, paid to the pilot or added to the card.
Cascade Balloon Company's morning starts with a greeting, a preflight briefing and setup, followed by 50 minutes to 1.5 hours aloft, most often about an hour, inside 2.5 to 3 hours in all. Its ground crew stays close at landing to deflate and pack the balloon for the trip back to the launch site. A camera fixed to the basket records the whole flight.
May to October and Balloons Over Bend
Big Sky flies all year when weather allows, with its main season from May through October, and schedules every flight for early morning, when temperatures are low and winds calm. It carries up to eight passengers depending on weight, temperature and weather, and usually six in July and August. The final call rests on the forecast and actual conditions the night before. Cascade Balloon Company publishes no season, and neither operator lists specific wind, smoke or rain limits.
Both operators warn that temperatures change sharply between sunrise and mid-morning, and Cascade says the air aloft is usually no colder than on the ground. Balloons Over Bend, run by Lay It Out Events, held its 2026 festival July 24 to 26. Sunrise launches went up from R.E. Jewell Elementary School, with liftoff estimated at 6:45 to 7:00 am. Night glows were held at the COCC athletic field in Bend and American Legion Park in Redmond, and Visit Bend listed tickets at $13 to $15.
Big Sky Balloon Co. or Cascade Balloon Company
Cascade Balloon Company charges $250 per person, the same price for passengers and balloon skydivers, and flies up to five passengers depending on weight, temperature and weather. It books through its contact page and publishes no minimum age, weight limit or cancellation policy. Skydivers need at least a B-License and must bring USPA membership details and a reserve packing card; jumps average about 5,000 feet above ground. It also lists tethered flights.
Big Sky Balloon Co., which says it is celebrating 30 years of flight, charges $295 per person or $275 each for four or more on the same flight. Payment usually comes after the flight, by cash, check or card. Singles and couples are typically paired with another couple. Private flights for two or more cost extra, but no price is posted. Its FAQ sets a minimum age of 8, and its policies page allows younger children only with prior approval.
Big Sky's FAQ says changes or cancellations are free until 72 hours before the flight. Its policies page instead charges $150 for cancelling within 5 days and the full fare within 72 hours. Weather cancellations cost nothing under either. Guests who miss the check-in text are charged in full, and every passenger must sign a flight waiver at booking or bring it on the morning of the flight.
Before you book
- Answer Big Sky's check-in text the night before the flight; the company charges in full when a booking goes unconfirmed.
- Cascade Balloon Company requires sturdy closed-toe shoes, with no sandals or high heels, and recommends long pants, a hat and sunglasses.
- Big Sky suggests booking at least two weeks ahead, especially for weekends, though it can sometimes fit in a last-minute request by phone.
- Carry a camera on a neck or wrist strap and stow it in a padded bag for the landing, as Big Sky advises.
- Getting there. Redmond Municipal Airport (Roberts Field, RDM) in Redmond serves both Redmond and nearby Bend, with airline service from cities including Seattle, Salt Lake City, Denver, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix.
The operators
Big Sky Balloon Co.
from $295 per person
Scenic hot air balloon flight
- Length
- About 50 minutes to 1.5 hours in the air, averaging about 1 hour; plan for 2.5 to 3 hours
- Group
- up to 8 passengers depending on weight and weather (generally 6 in July and August)
- Age
- 8+
It is celebrating 30 years of flight
Bend and Redmond questions
How much is a hot air balloon ride in Bend?
Cascade Balloon Company in Bend charges $250 per person. Big Sky Balloon Co., which launches near Redmond, charges $295 per person, or $275 each for groups of four or more on the same flight.
When is hot air balloon season in Central Oregon?
Big Sky flies year-round when the weather allows, with its main season from May through October. Flights meet just after sunrise, and both operators send the exact time the evening before.
Head to head
More hot air balloon rides in Oregon
Sources
Prices and policies come from each operator's own pages, read on October 21, 2026. Seasons, rules and local details come from the pages below.