Our balloon ride operator’s experience spans over ten years and in some cases 20. We know then that you will fully enjoy our balloon ride experiences.

Such experience within the balloon industry is not matched by other operators, this level of experience has inspired standards within the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) This is a place where all balloons over britain members obtain their air operators certificates.
With such an extensive range of hot air balloons we can accomodate from 2 to 16 passengers. Remember also that the UK coverage is wide, so there is bound to be a balloon flight near you. We presently have a fleet of over 40 balloons that have daily scheduled flights from dusk till dawn in our main flying season which runs from March until October.

At Balloons over Britain we have been offering hot air balloon flights form locations near you since our establishments in 1991. With our operators you can relax and enjoy the thrill of a lifetime, help with the preparation of the hot air balloon and tell your friends and work colleagues about your flight.

Finding some one who has the depth of experience and has been operating commercial hot air balloon flights for some time is not something that you should do by just flicking through the Yellow Pages. Balloons over Britain should be you first and only stop, it is here that you will be able to buy a gift certificate and find out all the information that you need to enjoy your Hot Air Balloon flight.

Hanging virtually motionless over a patchwork of fields or a lake, seeing the reflection of the Hot Air Balloon in its still waters, silence being broken only by the occasional sound from the gas burner keeping us safely in the air, such is the delight of the early morning Hot Air Balloon flight. Setting off from your local launch site at the crack of dawn, the sun rising above the horizon as we help the chase crew assemble the balloon and watch in awe as the giant highly coloured envelope fills before our eyes and then we are up and away.

Lighter than air was the first choice of flight over 200 years ago and is still first choice for many, there is no need for a runway or an airport to lift off from, just a field or a pre-arranged park, when you quietly drift without too much sensation of movement and then when the time comes and your pilot has found the right place, land probably before most people are out of bed, but think about what they have missed!

Balloons over Britain operate dawn and dusk flights from a locality near you and we guarantee that it is an experience that you will never forget and will certainly want to repeat.

The best way to find out about the sport of Hot Air Ballooning is to buy a flight, help with the inflation of the balloon and packing this away after landing, this is a part which most passengers enjoy and gets them totally involved.

At Balloons over Britain we have more companies than any other who can offer a flight from your locality, without the need to travel miles away from home. Your flight will take between one to three hours for the whole adventure and will be either at dawn, or dusk as these are the most suitable times for Hot Air Balloon flights when the wind is calmest. We believe that once you have taken your first flight you will become hooked and want to follow this up with more involvement in this exciting adventure activity, even joining a local club or ballooning association.

Have you ever wondered what keeps a hot air balloon flying? It is really quite simple and it’s a very basic principle, hot air rises and cold air sinks, the hot air in a hot air balloon pushes up, keeping the balloon floating.

A hot air balloon has three major parts, the envelope, the burner, and the basket. The basket is where passengers’ ride this is usually made of wicker, which is lightweight and flexible and carries and protects the occupants. The burner is positioned above the passenger’s heads and produces a huge flame to heat the air inside the envelope, when the air inside the envelope is heated, the balloon rises. For the Hot Air Balloon to descend the pilot allows the air in the envelope to cool down and the balloon gradually falls. At all times the pilot has complete control of the up and down movements of the balloon.

A frequently asked question is; how much does a Hot Air Balloon flight cost? Well this can be compared to the “how long is a piece of string” question. What we can say at Balloons over Britain, is that you will always get a good deal from us and our operators, but the cost of a Hot Air Balloon flight can vary due to a number of reasons.

Prices are likely to be higher for summer months and for weekend evenings, which are the most popular times.  We may be able to negotiate a discount for you with an operator if you agree to fly mid week. It pays to shop around to get the best deal; similarly out of season balloon flights are usually cheaper than summer flights. One thing that we can be sure of is that you will remember your first Hot Air Balloon flight long after you have forgotten the cost.

When you choose to take your Hot Air Balloon ride through Balloons over Britain, your local operator will usually issue you with a voucher, normally valid for a number of months from the first chosen date of your flight. Under normal circumstances this period is long enough to take into account weather delays and dates when you or your guest cannot make the flight.

Because the operators within Balloons over Britain are independent the conditions of the vouchers can vary from one to another so it is not possible to say exactly what these may be. We always suggest at the time of booking, that you contact the chosen operator to check with this hot air balloon ride company, the conditions that are attached to your voucher and if it can be extended at no cost at the end of the validity period, this is normally the case. Most operators will actively try to arrange for alternative flights for you if one has been cancelled due to poor weather, others may put the onus on you to call and enquire about the next likely flying date. Always make sure that you are happy with any time limits and discuss this with the local operator.