Frequently Asked Questions

More information about balloon joy flights over Melbourne

Q. Why Balloon Flights Over Melbourne?

A. You will be flying with Melbourne’s most experienced team. You can rely on our Chief Pilot – Chris Shorten a Melbourne native to show you the best that Melbourne has to offer.

Q. How much does a balloon joy flight cost?

A. Your hot air balloon ride over Melbourne followed by a fully cooked breakfast at the Observatory Café in the Royal Botanic Gardens per person is $330.00.

Q. Do you sell gift vouchers?

A. Yes, the perfect balloon surprise for that someone special. For full details of our balloon ride gift vouchers and gift packs read our gift vouchers page.

Q. How long does the balloon ride last?

A. Our flights over Melbourne average an hour in the air most mornings. An exact flight time or flight path cannot be guaranteed as hot air balloons fly with the wind.

Q. Are family and friends welcome to join the adventure?

A. Absolutely, whether they want to watch the balloon take off or join us for breakfast, ask our staff as to how we can best accommodate your needs.

Q. How long does the morning take?

A. From the time we meet you in the Royal Botanic Gardens to when we get back to our champagne breakfast, you are with us for about 4 to 4.5 hours.

Q. Where and at what time do we meet?

A. The meeting time is one hour prior to sunrise on Birdwood Avenue in the Royal Botanic Gardens only minutes from the Melbourne CBD. Please keep in mind that sunrise times vary throughout the year; exact meeting times will be clarified the day prior to your flight. We will call you on the morning of your flight usually one hour before the meeting time. Remember you can ask for an early wake-up call if you are travelling from a little further out.

Q. Do you take bookings 7 days of the week?

A. Bookings are available 7 days of the week, we fly when the weather permits.

Q. How many people can you take in one basket?

A. We regularly take ten passengers per basket, every body gets a window seat, there’s plenty of room to move around and swap places during the flight. The basket is padded with suede to enhance your comfort during the flight.

Q. What happens if the weather is unfavourable and the flight is cancelled?

A. If Chris decides that the weather is unsuitable for taking you up in the skies then everybody is entitled to re-book their balloon flight for another convenient time or they may receive a full refund upon request.

Q. Where does the balloon take off from?

A. Take off points are only determined on the morning of your flight when Chris has a full understanding of the prevailing weather conditions in Melbourne. Balloons fly with the wind so Chris with his local knowledge will determine the most appropriate launch site to take in the best of Melbourne on the day of your flight. Transportation is then provided from our meeting point for you to the selected launch site.

Q. Where does the balloon land?

A. From the moment we launch the pilot is manoeuvring the aircraft through the various layers of air currents to determine the most suitable flight path. Only in the first ten minutes of the flight do we really make the decision as to exactly where we will be choosing to target for a landing. This mystery is what makes modern hot air balloon rides such an exciting adventure.

Q. How high do you fly?

A. Generally up to 1500 feet. It all depends on the different layers of wind directions on the day – Chris can steer the balloon by altering his altitude in search of the best direction on the day.

Q. Can we have the flight without the champagne breakfast?

A. We thoroughly recommend the ambience and delicious food at the Observatory Café, the perfect way to celebrate your flight and chat with Chris your pilot for the morning. It is OK to book a flight without the breakfast at a discounted rate – please enquire at time of booking.

Q. Is it any colder up in the balloon?

A. No, you won’t feel any colder during your balloon flight than you feel on the ground. In fact because we have three enormous gas burners right above us in the balloon and you fly with the wind, you won’t feel any wind chill. That’s why we say hot air ballooning should be compulsory in wintertime.

Q. What if I need to cancel my balloon flight?

A. If for any reason you need to cancel or change your flight date, Balloon Flights Over Melbourne requires a minimum of three (3) full business days notice to refill your places on that date. A business day does not include weekends or public holidays. Group bookings of four or more passengers require a minimum of five (5) full business days notice to cancel. If we cancel a flight due to unsuitable weather, you are welcome to re-book your flight for another day or receive a full refund.

Q. What if I do not show up for my scheduled flight?

A. Passengers failing to turn up for their flight are considered ‘NO SHOWS’ and will not be re-booked or refunded.

Q. How long are the flight vouchers/tickets valid for?

A. Tickets are valid for 12 months for use from their date of purchase.

Some flights donated by Balloon Flights Over Melbourne may have limited validity and certain conditions on their usage.