Colorado
Shared sunrise flights cost $225 before fees with Adventures Out West, which says about 30% cancel for weather; Rainbow Ryders flies June through September. Labor Day weekend brings the free Lift Off to Memorial Park.
| Operator | What you get | From | Length | Group | Min age | Weight limit | Cancellation | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Colorado Springs Hot Air Balloon RideIncludes Van transfer to launch field, Champagne toast, Breakfast in the field, Flight certificate |
$225 per person |
3-4 hours total, 45 minutes to 1 hour in the air |
up to 10 guests per balloon; at least 4 guests needed to fly |
Children must be over 46 inches tall | 250 lbs maximum per person (FAQ); balloon page asks guests over 225 lbs to call ahead | Full refund if cancelled 24+ hours ahead; no refund inside 24 hours. About 30% of flights cancel for weather. | Check dates | |
Private FlightIncludes Champagne toast, Breakfast in the field |
$1,500 per group |
3-4 hours total, 45 minutes to 1 hour in the air |
Children must be over 46 inches tall | 250 lbs maximum per person (FAQ) | Full refund if cancelled 24+ hours ahead; no refund inside 24 hours. | Check dates | ||
Sunrise Hot Air Balloon RideIncludes Celebratory toast, Post-flight refreshments, Chase crew return to meeting point |
Not listed |
3 hours total, 45 minutes to 1 hour in the air |
5+ | No limit; passengers over 300 lbs pay for an additional seat | 48 hrs notice to cancel or reschedule; later cancellation forfeits 50% (usable as future credit). Weather cancellations rescheduled or refunded. | Check dates | ||
Labor Day Lift Off Sunrise Balloon RideIncludes Celebratory toast, Chase crew return to Memorial Park |
Not listed |
6am to 10am total, 45 minutes to 1 hour in the air |
10 to 14 passengers per shared basket |
5+ | No limit; passengers over 300 lbs pay for an additional seat | 48 hrs notice to cancel or reschedule; later cancellation forfeits 50%. Launch depends on weather. | Check dates |
From each operator's own website, checked October 21, 2026. How we compare.
Adventures Out West launches from fields on the Great Plains east of Pikes Peak, picked each day by wind and weather, and drives guests out by van from the Radisson lobby. It says views of the Front Range, Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods can reach up to 100 miles, and that antelope and deer are common sightings, though not promised. Some of its flights climb several thousand feet.
Rainbow Ryders meets at 4389 Tutt Boulevard, in the lot near Hurts Donuts off Barnes Road beside Powers Boulevard, then moves passengers to a roomier launch site nearby. Its list of sights names Pikes Peak and the Front Range, Garden of the Gods, Red Rock Canyon Open Space and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Labor Day Lift Off balloons go up from Memorial Park, at 1605 East Pikes Peak Avenue.
Rainbow Ryders asks sunrise passengers to meet about 30 minutes before sunrise and quotes 3 hours in all, with 45 minutes to an hour in the air. A traditional toast follows the landing, and the chase crew drives everyone back. Adventures Out West meets in the Radisson lobby, where guests sign waivers and use the restroom, since there is none aboard. The van ride to the field takes 5 to 30 minutes, and inflation about 25.
Adventures Out West tries to fly at least 45 minutes and warns that landings are rough. The basket can bounce, drag across a field for hundreds of yards in strong wind and often finishes on its side, and the chase crew can take up to 30 minutes to arrive. A champagne toast and a light breakfast in the field follow, then packing, the drive back and a certificate ceremony, for about 3.5 hours when all goes to plan.
Rainbow Ryders flies Colorado Springs in summer only, June through September, and launches after official sunrise under FAA rules. Adventures Out West also flies at sunrise and says weather cancels about 30% of its flights, sometimes after the group has reached the field. It asks guests to keep a backup day for rescheduling, and refunds in full for cancellations made 24 hours or more ahead.
The Labor Day Lift Off fills Memorial Park over Labor Day weekend. In 2025 it ran Saturday, August 30 to Monday, September 1, with balloon launches at 7 am each morning and glows at 7 pm on Saturday and Sunday. General admission was free, and a limited number of parking passes sold online. Hot Apple Productions produces the event with the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation, and Rainbow Ryders is its official ride operator.
Adventures Out West lists its shared sunrise flight at $225, down from $249, plus a 4% environmental fee and a 6% booking fee. A private flight for two costs $1,500, with each extra guest at $249. Balloons carry up to 10 in compartments of up to three, and at least 4 guests must be booked for a balloon to fly. Children need to be taller than 46 inches, and adults have to climb over 4-foot rails.
Adventures Out West states its weight rule two ways: under 250 pounds in the safety section, and a call ahead above 225 in the ride details. Cancelling 24 hours or more ahead brings a full refund, and inside 24 hours there is none. The family business has flown since 1973. Rainbow Ryders shows no Colorado Springs price on its location page, takes passengers from age 5 and charges an extra seat above 300 pounds. It keeps 50% for cancellations inside 48 hours, usable toward a future flight.
At the Labor Day Lift Off, Rainbow Ryders checks riders in at a tent west of the main launch field and sometimes offers a wheelchair-accessible basket, for one wheelchair and 2 to 3 guests. Its shared Lift Off baskets carry 10 to 14 passengers, and the morning runs from 6 am to 10 am.
from $225 per person
Colorado Springs Hot Air Balloon Ride and 1 more option
Family-owned, established 1973; calls itself the oldest commercial balloon ride company in America
Price on request
Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride and 1 more option
Official ride operator of the Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off
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.