Hot Air Balloon Rides in Howell and Brighton, Michigan: 2 Operators Compared

Every option side by side

Operator	What you get	From	Length	Group	Min age	Weight limit	Cancellation	Book
Majestic Adventures	Private balloon rideIncludes Champagne or sparkling cider toast after landing	$1,040 per group	About 2.5 to 3 hours total, about 1 hour in the air	Priced for 2, 3 or 4 passengers		700 lb combined passenger weight (pilot not included)	Weather: rebook or full refund less card fees. Yours: full refund 15+ days out, $100 fee 4 to 15 days, nothing under 4 days.	Check dates
Michigan Hot Air Adventures	Private ride for two	Not listed		2 passengers; several pairs can fly together in additional balloons				Check dates

From each operator's own website, checked October 21, 2026. How we compare.

Livingston County lakes and Kensington Metropark

Neither Howell operator publishes a fixed launch field. Majestic Adventures, based in South Lyon, says its flights over southeast Michigan can take in Kensington Metropark, the region's many lakes and the Detroit skyline. It climbs past 1,000 feet and also drops to treetop level. Because the balloon goes with the wind, the pilot cannot choose a landing spot in advance and looks for an open area as the flight nears its end.

Michigan Hot Air Adventures lists a Howell address on Villa View Lane and says it has flown around Howell for more than a decade. The Brighton Howell Area tourism bureau places the district between Ann Arbor, Detroit and Lansing, with more than 180 lakes and 50,000 acres of parks. Once a year the field behind Howell High School becomes the launch ground for the Michigan Challenge Balloonfest.

Majestic Adventures evenings and Howell sunrise rides

Majestic Adventures plans about 2.5 to 3 hours for an evening ride, roughly one hour of it in the air. Its website describes evening flights only and posts no meeting time; the person who books is responsible for passing the time and place to everyone in the group. Each rider signs a release on the day, and minors need one signed by a parent or guardian. After landing, the company serves a champagne or sparkling cider toast.

Michigan Hot Air Adventures flies twice a day, according to its listing with the Brighton Howell Area tourism bureau: mornings within the first two hours after sunrise, and evenings starting two hours before sunset. Rides are booked first come, first served. The company says its FAA-certified pilots have thousands of hours of flying time, but the listing does not describe the length of the outing or what happens after landing.

Last weekend of June at Howell High School

Michigan Hot Air Adventures says it flies in every season when the weather allows a launch. Majestic Adventures does not list months, but its website is taking bookings for a 2026 season. Its FAQ calls a sunny day with light winds ideal, and it reschedules when rain or strong winds are expected. Neither company publishes wind limits or how often flights are cancelled.

The Michigan Challenge Balloonfest takes over Howell on the last weekend of June. The 2026 edition, the 41st, ran June 26 to 28 at Howell High School on West Grand River, with a Saturday night glow of more than 20 balloons, a carnival and fireworks. Admission was $5 a day or $10 for a weekend wristband, and children under 3 got in free. Launches and the glow depend on the weather and can be delayed or called off.

Passenger rides are not sold during Balloonfest, because the pilots are flying competition flights, so a ride has to wait for another weekend. The festival began in 1985 as a state hot air ballooning championship. As of late October 2026, its website had not posted 2027 dates.

Private baskets only, from $1,040 for two

Neither company here advertises shared seats, so a booking buys a private basket. Majestic Adventures charges $1,040 for two, $1,350 for three and $1,600 for four, with a combined passenger weight limit of 700 lb, not counting the pilot. The toast is included, and the company sells customized gift certificates. A purchase can be transferred or given to someone else. Its pilots do not expect tips, the company says, though they appreciate them.

Majestic Adventures wants full payment at least 7 days before the ride and will not take personal checks within 10 days of it. Cancellations must be in writing: more than 15 days out brings a full refund less card fees, 4 to 15 days out costs $100, and inside 4 days there is no refund or reschedule. A weather cancellation moves to a date both sides agree on, or the rider can take a full refund less card processing fees. No-shows forfeit everything.

Michigan Hot Air Adventures posts no prices in its Brighton Howell Area listing, which gives (517) 376-2141 for bookings. The listing does not mention basket size, weight rules or refund terms either, so those are questions to ask when calling. The company says it has more than a decade of flying in the Howell area behind it.

Before you book

The air in the basket is about the same temperature as on the ground, Majestic Adventures says. Shorts and a T-shirt work on hot days; on cooler evenings wear pants and bring a light jacket, with closed-toe shoes either way.
Call Majestic Adventures if you are running late. It says it will try to accommodate late arrivals, but missing the meeting time can mean a reschedule or cancellation.
Balloonfest launch and glow schedules are posted at the Information Booth beside the launch field, and both depend on the weather.
Pets and drones are banned at Balloonfest, and alcohol, grilling and smoking are not allowed on the school grounds.
Getting there. Howell is the county seat of Livingston County, close to I-96, in the South Lyon, Howell and Brighton urban area, which counts as an extension of metro Detroit.

The operators

Majestic Adventures

from $1,040 per group

Private balloon ride

Length: About 2.5 to 3 hours total, about 1 hour in the air
Group: Priced for 2, 3 or 4 passengers
Weight: 700 lb combined passenger weight (pilot not included)

All rides are private

Check dates All details

Michigan Hot Air Adventures

5.0 on Tripadvisor (1)

Price on request

Private ride for two

Group: 2 passengers; several pairs can fly together in additional balloons

Offers only private rides for two passengers

Check dates All details

Howell and Brighton questions

How much is a hot air balloon ride in Howell?

Majestic Adventures, based in South Lyon, lists private flights at $1,040 for two, $1,350 for three and $1,600 for four. Michigan Hot Air Adventures in Howell doesn't publish prices; check its booking page.

Can you ride a balloon at the Howell Balloonfest?

No. Passenger rides aren't sold during the Michigan Challenge Balloonfest, held in Howell on the last weekend of June, because the pilots are flying in the competition. Book a flight with a local operator on another date.

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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.