Hot Air Balloon Rides in Stillwater and the Twin Cities, Minnesota: 2 Operators Compared

Quick picks

Private flight Stillwater Balloons $1,107.45 per group for Private Hot Air Balloon Rides
Smallest groups Aamodt's Hot Air Balloon Rides Up to 8 passengers

Every option side by side

Operator	What you get	From	Length	Group	Min age	Cancellation	Book
Stillwater Balloons	Standard Hot Air Balloon FlightIncludes Champagne toast on landing, Engraved keepsake champagne flute for each passenger	$369.15 per person	3 hours total, about 1 hour in the air	up to 14 people	All ages	Says about 75% of rides are cancelled for wind or weather; certificates nonrefundable, weather cancellations rebook; 48 hours' notice to change or cancel.	Check dates
Stillwater Balloons	Private Hot Air Balloon RidesIncludes Champagne celebration after landing, Engraved keepsake champagne flute for each passenger	$1,107.45 per group	About 3 hours total, about 1 hour in the air	2 passengers	All ages	Says about 75% of rides are cancelled for wind or weather; certificates nonrefundable, weather cancellations rebook; 48 hours' notice to change or cancel.	Check dates
Aamodt's Hot Air Balloon Rides	Small Group FlightIncludes Champagne toast in the restored barn after landing	Not listed		up to 8 passengers			Check dates

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

Lakeland's balloon port and Aamodt's Apple Farm

Stillwater Balloons launches from its own balloon port in Lakeland, three blocks off the St. Croix River, and guests meet at 135 Saint Croix Trl N in Lakeland Shores. The company describes an hour over the St. Croix River Valley, with water views from above the treetops. Stillwater itself sits on the west bank of the St. Croix, across the river from Houlton, Wisconsin, according to Wikipedia.

Aamodt's Hot Air Balloon Rides takes off from Aamodt's Apple Farm and Saint Croix Vineyards in Stillwater. Owner Scott Aamodt told Minnesota Monthly that the area's lakes, river valleys and bluffs make for scenic flying, and that because balloons go with the wind, no two flights are alike. Launches can cross the state line: a 2022 CBS Minnesota report followed an Aamodt's group that took off in Houlton, Wisconsin, hoping to land near Stillwater.

Autumn color along the St. Croix River at Stillwater — Photo: Holly Landkammer, Unsplash License

Sunrise launches, engraved flutes and a barn toast

Stillwater Balloons launches at sunrise and again two hours before sunset, all year. The outing takes about three hours, with about an hour in the air. After landing comes a champagne celebration, and each passenger keeps an engraved champagne flute. Its standard flights carry up to 14 people, while private flights are sold for two.

Aamodt's chase crew brings passengers back to the orchard after landing for a champagne toast in the farm's restored barn. Before the flight, guests can get hot apple pie from the farm bakery, sample wine at the winery or walk the orchard. Testimonials on its site describe both sunrise and evening flights, one at 3,000 feet above Stillwater. The company publishes no meeting time or flight length, so ask when requesting a price.

Year-round flights and a 75% cancellation rate

Stillwater Balloons offers rides all year and says it cancels 75% of them for wind or bad weather. Scott Aamodt told Minnesota Monthly that he usually flies passengers from April through October but flies all year, and that Minnesota's weather often means rescheduling, so customers need patience. Aamodt's site says the pilot's first job is making sure conditions are safe. Neither operator publishes wind limits.

The Hudson Hot Air Affair, a winter balloon rally in Hudson, Wisconsin, is set for February 5 to 7, 2027. Mass ascensions leave EP Rock Elementary School at 7:35 am on Saturday, February 6, and Sunday, February 7. An optional 3:00 pm Saturday launch becomes the main one if the morning flight is cancelled. Organizers say no balloon rides are sold during the festival. Travel Wisconsin listed the 2025 edition as free, with about 30 balloons.

Stillwater Balloons or Aamodt's small baskets

Stillwater Balloons, which says it was established in 1976, lists its standard flight at $369.15 per person in balloons carrying up to 14, open to all ages, and a private flight for two at $1,107.45. It books through FareHarbor, by phone at 651-439-1800 or by email, and considers special requests such as proposals, weddings, anniversaries, picnics and tether rides.

Aamodt's flies smaller balloons for couples and small groups, up to eight passengers, and does not fly large groups. Its private flight puts two passengers and the pilot in their own balloon. It posts no prices; quotes come by email at [email protected] or by phone at 651-351-0101, and it takes cards, checks and cash. The company names owner Scott Aamodt among its FAA-certified pilots and credits him with more than 25 years in ballooning.

Before you book

Leave several mornings free: Stillwater Balloons says wind or bad weather cancels about 75% of its rides.
Come early to Aamodt's Apple Farm for hot apple pie from the bakery, a wine sample at the winery or a walk in the orchard before the flight.
The Hudson Hot Air Affair is for watching only; its organizers say no balloon rides are sold during the festival, so book a flight with a local operator on another day.
Getting there. Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) lies within 10 miles of both downtown Minneapolis and downtown Saint Paul, near Interstate 494 and Minnesota Highways 5, 62 and 77.

The operators

Stillwater Balloons

from $369.15 per person

Standard Hot Air Balloon Flight and 1 more option

Length: 3 hours total, about 1 hour in the air
Group: up to 14 people
Age: All ages

Family-owned since 1976

Check dates All details

Aamodt's Hot Air Balloon Rides

Price on request

Small Group Flight

Group: up to 8 passengers

Uses smaller balloons and does not offer large group flights

Check dates All details

Stillwater and the Twin Cities questions

How much is a hot air balloon ride in Stillwater?

Stillwater Balloons lists its standard flight at $369.15 per person and a private flight for two at $1,107.45. Aamodt's Hot Air Balloon Rides gives prices by email or phone.

Can you take a hot air balloon ride in winter in Minnesota?

Yes. Stillwater Balloons says it flies all year, and Aamodt's also flies year-round, although its usual season is April through October.

More hot air balloon rides in the Midwest

Chicago area and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin from $380
Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, Michigan from $299
Howell and Brighton, Michigan 2 operators
Columbus, Ohio from $425
Indianapolis, Indiana from $335
Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas from $275

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.