Arizona
Sunrise flights go daily all year, while Hot Air Expeditions and Rainbow Ryders fly afternoons only from November to March, when the heat eases. Shared sunrise seats start at $179 on sale with Aerogelic.
| Operator | What you get | From | Length | Group | Min age | Weight limit | Cancellation | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arizona Sunrise (Group) |
$179 per person |
Balloons carry up to 20 passengers |
6+ (no babies or toddlers) | Surcharge over 250 lbs; over 300 lbs buys an extra ticket | Check dates | |||
Phoenix Morning (shared)Includes Transfer to desert launch site, Champagne toast, Catered breakfast (morning) by Vincent's on Camelback, Commemorative flight certificate |
$239 per adult |
3-3.5 hours from check-in (4-4.5 with hotel transfer), 45-60 minutes in the air |
5+ and at least 48 inches tall | No limit; weights collected at booking | Free changes or cancellation 48+ hrs ahead; full charge within 48 hrs. No charge for weather cancellations. | Check dates | ||
Arizona Sunrise (Private) |
$550 per person |
6+ (no babies or toddlers) | Surcharge over 250 lbs; over 300 lbs buys an extra ticket | Check dates | ||||
Phoenix Morning (private)Includes Champagne toast, Catered breakfast, Commemorative flight certificate |
$649 per person |
3-3.5 hours from check-in, 45-60 minutes in the air |
5+ and at least 48 inches tall | No limit; weights collected at booking | Free changes or cancellation 48+ hrs ahead; full charge within 48 hrs. No charge for weather cancellations. | Check dates | ||
Sunrise Hot Air Balloon RideIncludes Celebratory toast |
Not listed |
About 3.5-4 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%. Weather cancellations rescheduled or refunded. | Check dates | ||
Private Sunrise Hot Air Balloon RideIncludes Celebratory toast |
Not listed |
About 3.5-4 hours total, 45 minutes to 1 hour in the air |
Minimum 2 passengers |
5+ | No limit; passengers over 300 lbs pay for an additional seat | 48 hrs notice to cancel or reschedule; later cancellation forfeits 50%. Weather cancellations rescheduled or refunded. | Check dates |
From each operator's own website, checked October 21, 2026. How we compare.
Launch fields change every day with the wind. Aerogelic names the Phoenix metro and its Chandler sites as its two most common launch areas, with nearly 100 possible spots between them, and also launches from Scottsdale, Glendale, Mesa, Tempe and Queen Creek. Hot Air Expeditions drives guests from Deer Valley Airport in north Phoenix to sites in remote parts of the Sonoran Desert. Rainbow Ryders meets in Glendale, off West Northern Avenue near Loop 101, and its crew drives from there to the launch.
Rainbow Ryders lists saguaro cacti, the White Tank Mountains and Lake Pleasant among the sights over the Sonoran Desert and Salt River Valley, and says Camelback Mountain comes into view on occasion. Aerogelic flies most trips at 1,000 to 3,000 feet above the ground, covering about 5 miles on average with roughly 1.5 to 2 hours of fuel on board. The White Tanks rise on the west side of the valley, and Camelback sits near its center.
Rainbow Ryders asks sunrise passengers to meet 30 minutes before sunrise, or roughly 2.5 hours ahead of sunset for evening flights, and its Phoenix page plans on 3.5 to 4 hours in all. Hot Air Expeditions posts check-in times on its booking calendar and departs promptly. Park in the marked Balloon Ride Parking Area by the Civil Air Patrol building at Deer Valley Airport and arrive a few minutes early. The Hot Air Expeditions tour runs 3 to 3.5 hours from check-in, or 4 to 4.5 with a hotel transfer.
Time in the air is about 45 to 60 minutes with Hot Air Expeditions and Rainbow Ryders, and Aerogelic puts its average near an hour. Hot Air Expeditions follows the landing with a champagne toast, a flight certificate and a breakfast catered by Vincent's on Camelback, served on tables with linens and china. Rainbow Ryders serves a toast and refreshments, then its chase crew packs the balloon and drives everyone back. Aerogelic sells seats in its chase vehicle for $20 a person when there is room.
Phoenix averages 111 days a year at 100°F or hotter and 21 days above 110°F, and the average July high is 106.5°F. Hot Air Expeditions limits afternoon flights to November 1 through March 15 because of the heat. Rainbow Ryders flies sunsets from November through March, launching about an hour before sunset and landing before the sun goes down. Sunrise flights go daily all year, and Aerogelic says its summer flights run somewhat shorter than winter ones.
Calm air sets the schedule. Aerogelic schedules flights for the hour after sunrise and the last one to two hours of daylight, when the wind is calmest, and prefers winds under 10 mph. The National Weather Service dates the monsoon from June 15 to September 30, a season that can bring dust storms, hail, flash floods and damaging winds. Hot Air Expeditions charges nothing for weather cancellations and suggests booking early so a backup date is open. The next Arizona Balloon Classic is set for January 15 to 17, 2027, at Wild Horse Pass Festival Grounds in Chandler.
Aerogelic lists its shared sunrise flight at $179 on sale ($199 normally), Phoenix sunset seats at $199 and Chandler sunsets at $230, with private flights from $550 on sale ($800 normally). Its ride balloons hold 105,000 to 275,000 cubic feet of air and seat as many as 20. It adds a surcharge above 250 pounds, sells a second ticket above 300, and does not take babies or toddlers. Aerogelic warns against buying through third-party sites such as Groupon and Viator.
Hot Air Expeditions charges $239 plus 9% taxes and fees for a shared morning flight, $189 for children 5 to 12 and $259 for an afternoon flight. Private flights are $649 a person, and hotel transfers add $39. It sets no weight limit but needs riders to be 5 and 48 inches tall, holds a card without charging it, and bills in full for changes inside 48 hours. Rainbow Ryders shows no Phoenix prices on its location page, keeps 50% for cancellations inside 48 hours and sells a second seat to anyone over 300 pounds.
from $179 per person
Arizona Sunrise (Group) and 1 more option
Offers night flights and full-moon flights in Arizona
from $239 per adult
Phoenix Morning (shared) and 1 more option
Flies 363 days a year (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas)
Price on request
Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride and 1 more option
Sunset flights November through March, launching about an hour before sunset
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.