FAQ

Frequent Questions

Table of Contents

Who, What, When, Where?

Who: We are happy to offer this adventure to mature, able-bodied people, ages 6 and up!

What: A mountain hot air balloon adventure!
Length: The flight lasts about an hour, give or take. Since our flights are weather-dependent, certain variables may affect the length of the flight. Regardless of length, the memory lasts a lifetime! The whole adventure, from inflation to post-landing celebration, lasts about 3-4 hours.

When: Daybreak
When the first pink rays of the sun are bathing the Tetons in marvelous pastel. The winds are the calmest of the day, the wildlife is often seen, and there is not a better way to start the day.
The adventure starts between 6:15-7:15 a.m. and often finishes around 9:30 a.m.

Where: Jackson Hole, WY
Meeting: We request our passengers meet with us at a designated location in Teton Village, where we provide a shuttle to our launch location down the road. Specific meeting details will be made clear upon booking.

Flights: We fly over the largest remaining private open space in Jackson Hole: a working ranch bordered by Grand Teton National Park, the Bridger-Teton National Forest, and the Snake River. The Teton Mountain Range rises five thousand feet right from our launch site. Our flights command views of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Teton Village, Jackson Hole, and seven mountain ranges (including the Yellowstone Plateau).

What physical condition does a passenger need to be in?

Taking a hot air balloon ride is an exciting outdoor activity and it is not the right choice for everyone.

  • Each passenger must be able to enter the baskets (which do not have doors). This movement is similar to mounting and dismounting a horse.
  • For this experience, passengers should be able to stand for an hour’s length and be able to jump off a bench.
  • Unfortunately we cannot fly any passenger who is pregnant in order to comply with insurance regulations. If you become pregnant after a booking is made, we can offer you a refund as long as you cancel your flight with us 72 hours in advance.
  • Although we wish to be accommodating, we are not able to meet ADA standards of accessibility.

We ask passengers that are recovering from an injury, or have any inhibiting condition to let us know upon booking, or at the soonest possible point.

Am I too tall or short to ride in the basket?

Our baskets are between 3’10.5″ and 3’2.5″ feet deep. Our uprights hold the burners and burner shields above the top rim of the basket between 3’1″ and 3’9.5″ feet. For anyone concerned they will not be able to see out of the basket, we have step stools on hand that are about 9 inches high and usually do the trick! For our tallest passengers, we recommend wearing a hat so that you don’t get too warm when we use the burners.

What about children?

We love families, and although we would love to accommodate children of all ages, we can only accommodate children at least 6 years of age. Our child rate can be applied to children ages 6-12.

One reason for our age restriction is to make sure our passengers have the emotional maturity to understand the risks and importance of safety directions during flight. Another reason for our age restrictions is to protect the hearing of our youngest passengers. In order to keep hot air in the balloon, our pilots utilize the balloon’s burner system throughout the flight. This action causes a noise which can be too loud for some children’s ears. Our pilots generally keep ear plugs on hand that you may request for your child before the fight.

What about weather?

Since our pilots work with the winds to maneuver the aircraft, weather conditions are particularly important for embarking on a safe flight. There are a number of weather and wind conditions that our pilots consider before deciding to fly, always in the interest of giving our passengers a safe and enjoyable experience!

To give as much of a window of possibility for flights as we can, the final weather call is generally made the morning of the flight, around 5 a.m.

What about the pilots?

Our very experienced commercial pilots have over forty years of ballooning experience combined, on several continents. All of our pilots and balloons are fully certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. With the Wyoming Balloon Company, safety is always first.

How high do you fly?

Each flight is custom tailored to the weather conditions of the day by our experienced aeronauts. Depending on the weather conditions of the day, we might soar between 1500 to 4000 feet above the ground. Whether your flight takes you high above the clouds or low across the ranch to see wildlife, the memory of flight will last you long after a gentle landing.

Where do you land and what are landings like?

Soft winds, gentle landings.
We fly on the lee side of the Tetons, where winds are generally light and marvelously varied. Differing winds may occur at different altitudes, which our pilots navigate deftly. Our landings take place upon Snake River Ranch, specific location varying by the winds of the day.

How many people can you take?

We have several different sized hot air balloons whose baskets can hold a range of party sizes. Each balloon flies dependent on weight, with our largest holding up to 16 people. We can accommodate parties of 1-16 people within the same balloon, split in compartments of 3-4 people.

What should we wear?

Summer mornings in the mountains can be in the low 40s F early on and warm up to the 60s-70s F. We recommend dressing in layers that will keep you warm at sunrise and can be shed once the sun is out.

We recommend wearing the type of footwear you would use for hiking. As this is an outdoor activity we fly over a ranch and shoes suitable for walking across it are ideal.

Our burner systems shoot tall flames into our balloons. Because they emit heat above the basket, especially tall passengers might prefer to wear a hat to stay cool during flight.

What are the prices?

Group Flight Prices (per person):
Group adult: $425
Group child (6-12): $325

Private Flight Prices: Pricing varies based on party size. Call (307) 739-0900 for details and booking!

Included in the price:

  • The whole balloon flight experience – witnessing (and optional participation in) the inflation process, and the flight itself
  • A post-flight celebration toast and beverages for all ages
  • A shuttle ride from our parking location to our launch site
  • Fantastic photo opportunities!

Prices are subject to change at a later date if reservations are not previously confirmed, due to expenses that must be accounted for, such as employees, gas, and propane.

How long is the trip?

Hot air balloons float on wind currents not unlike rafts float on rivers with currents. The speed of these currents (which change from day to day), determine the speed of our balloons as they travel over our six mile landing zone. For this reason, flights are not ensured to be a specific amount of time. Although not guaranteed, our pilots aim to provide 45 minute to an hour long flights from launch to landing.

Keep in mind the whole experience (including transportation, inflation of the balloons, flight, and a traditional post-flight toast) is longer than the flight time alone! Please budget a four hour window for this experience!

What is the cancellation policy?

Cancellations for parties of 6 or less made 72 hours or more in advance will be fully refunded.
Weather cancellations made by the company will also be fully refunded.

Cancellations for parties of 6 or less within 72 hours of the flight may not be refunded. However, if you are showing symptoms of sickness, please let us know immediately.

Cancellations for parties of 7 or more made within 30 days of flight may not be refunded.

What if I get altitude sickness?

Altitude sickness is a concern for all activities in Jackson Hole. We are no exception as we can sometimes reach elevations near 12,000 feet. We recommend guests who are sensitive to high elevations bring water and eat a snack prior to the flight. pany will also be fully refunded.

Cancellations for parties of 6 or less within 72 hours of the flight may not be refunded. However, if you are showing symptoms of sickness, please let us know immediately.

Cancellations for parties of 7 or more made within 30 days of flight may not be refunded.