Experiencing A Hot Air Balloon Flight
30th October 2025 - New Experience Number 18
Experiencing a hot air balloon flight had been sitting on my list of new things to try for a long time. An item on many people’s bucket lists, it was one of those bigger experiences that I always thought I would get around to but had never actually pulled my finger out to get organised.
Circumstances brought an amazing new friend into my life. Not only is she an incredible human, she also ended up with a spare ticket for a hot air balloon flight and invited me to join her on an incredible journey over our home city of York.
Booking The Flight
Buying a ticket for a hot air balloon experience is the easy part. Booking the flight, however, is not so straight forward.
Our hot air balloon flight was over York with Yorkshire Balloon Flights. Our close proximity to the launch site gave us lots of flexibility in the dates we could be available to fly. For anyone with a distance to travel it isn’t always quite so easy and needs a bit more planning.
To book the flight, we checked their availability calendar for a date that suited us and signed up. Then it was a waiting game.
Checking The Forecast
The forecast gives a good indication of whether you’re likely to be going up, but the only official way to know if you’ll be flying is by ringing the flight hotline the night before your scheduled take off.
We knew rain meant there was no chance of ballooning, but there were so many other nuances that impacted whether we would get to fly.
At one point, the forecast looked perfect — clear skies, and not a whisper of wind. Yet when we rang the hotline, we were told the flight was off because there wasn’t enough wind. We’d always assumed too much wind would keep us grounded, but it turns out a completely still day isn’t great for flying either.
We’d made several attempts at booking and were nearing the end of the season. Fully expecting that we would have to wait until the following year for our flight, we gave it one last try.
The Flight Was On
The evening before our fifth booking, we received a text to ring the hotline. We were on!! The forecast was giving all indications that we’d be able to go up!
Cue rapid deleting of unwanted images and apps on my phone to free up some space, and the charging of camera batteries ready to hopefully capture some pictures from what was going to be an amazing experience.
An Early Start - Experiencing A Hot Air Balloon Flight
The darkness of night had lifted and whilst the sun wasn’t yet visible, it was making its presence known with a beautiful dusky pink glow. Throw in the light mist, and our 7am meeting time felt pretty magical.
Twelve of us arrived, wide eyed and ready to take to the skies and see York in a way we’d never seen it before.
Helping To Prepare For Take-Off
Our pilot gave us a warm welcome and an overview of our experience, which was going to be much more hands on than I had anticipated.
From getting the basket off the trailer, to inflating the balloon, we were all given jobs to prepare us for take-off. There’s a lot to get ready, and this was definitely not a one-person job.
Large fans roared as they pushed cold air into the canvas. The colourful tapestry of the balloon rippled into life in front of us. Once it had opened up enough, we got our first experience of the burners.
The cold fans had been loud, but the burner was on a different scale. Despite standing well back, we could feel the heat coming off the flames and welcomed the warmth as it took the edge off the chilly morning.
Climbing Aboard
Once the balloon was fully inflated, there was no time to hang around. Quickly using the foot holds in the sides of the wicker basket we climbed up, and into our allotted places.
There was plenty of space in the section of the basket I shared with another couple, including seating which was needed for landing, but was optional throughout the flight. Everyone was so mesmerised by the views that nobody sat down until our descent.
Lifting Off - Experiencing A Hot Air Balloon Flight
Leaving the ground was incredibly gentle. In fact, I might not have even noticed that we had lifted off if I hadn’t been looking at the grass and seen it slowly floating away from us!
There was no jolting or jerking, just a smooth and seamless take off.
The car and trailer beneath us gradually got smaller as we steadily ascended. The lingering haze of mist below us, and the cloud above us, made us feel cushioned between the earth and the sky, as the rays of sun gave a golden glow to whatever they touched.
Spotting The Landmarks
An Autumn morning looked good on the racecourse, as the curve of the tracks came into view, and the buildings gleamed in the morning sun. We saw signs on top of some of the buildings that we would never have known were there, solely for the eyes of people in the air.
Looking eastwards, The Minster proudly stood out from the centre of the city, with the hills of the North Yorkshire Moors just visible beyond it, and below us was the red brick of the former Terry’s factory.
Just visible in the distance was the river Humber, the sun shining on it as though to highlight its location.
And there, I managed to find it. Following the lines of terraced roofs and the curves of familiar streets, I spotted our house in the distance.
Seeing York From A Different Angle - Experiencing A Hot Air Balloon Flight
Looking dark and still beneath us, the river Ouse looked as though it was snaking through the city. Millennium bridge straddled the banks between Fulford and South Bank, tiny dots of people making their way across the water.
The university lake which I regularly run around looked so small as we silently floated above it before many people had tucked into their breakfast.
I’ve always appreciated how much green space York has in the centre, but I was surprised by how much greenery there is surrounding the city. Like a green patchwork, fields and forests blanketed the landscape, the dual carriageway of the A64 carving a line around the outskirts.
The colours below were beautiful, the visibility was fantastic, and the mist brought some autumnal atmosphere as we tried to spot places that we recognised. I’d hoped this new experience was going to be an opportunity to see York from a different angle, but I hadn’t appreciated just how spectacular it would look from above.
A Smooth Flight
Drifting along through the sky, there was no real sensation of moving. It really was that smooth.
We followed the Virgin balloon which had taken off just ahead of us. It seemed to gently rise up and lower down as it floated along. Yet when I thought about it, I couldn’t tell whether it was the other balloon that was changing height, or if in actual fact it was us; it really was that gentle.
It never felt scary, instead the slow movement and the stillness created a calming atmosphere as the world passed by beneath us.
The panoramic views across the countryside were spectacular. Getting a bird’s eye view as we serenely glided over country houses and large fields is something I’ll never forget. It was an incredibly special hour of enjoying York from a seldom seen viewpoint as it gradually woke up to the day.
High In The Sky - Experiencing A Hot Air Balloon Flight
It was so peaceful and quiet as we floated along at around 2000 feet. This was a definite ‘pinch me’ moment as I felt so small in a basket hanging up high in the vastness of the sky.
The occasional thrust of the burners gave us a welcome blast of warmth. It was marginally warmer high up in the air than it had been on the ground, but I was still grateful I’d layered up and taken my gloves.
This was one of those experiences that reminded me why trying new things matters—because the effort and uncertainty always lead somewhere unforgettable.
Crossing over the cars hurtling along the A64, we could see the grounded planes at York Air Museum, and the tarmac runway of Elvington Airfield. This was where we were going to land.
Coming In To Land
Landing was the only aspect of a hot air balloon flight that I was slightly apprehensive about. There are no wheels that can be deployed, and no brakes, and I had no idea how we would actually set back down onto the ground.
We were given instructions before take-off, that when it came to landing we needed to sit down in the basket and hold on to the straps.
There are usually two methods of landing. The one I kept my fingers crossed for was where the basket nice and gently lowers down and comes to a soft upright stop on the grass. The alternative could happen if there was more of a breeze which drags the basket across the ground until it tips onto its side, taking the passengers with it.
Luckily for us, the wind was our friend. Elvington Airfield was getting closer. A disused runway about 8 miles as the crow flies from where we had launched, it was a perfect place for landing; a big wide-open space, no traffic, no overhead cables, and no farm animals.
Preparing To Touch Down
As this was the last flight of the season, our pilot wanted to try and keep the balloon as dry as possible so that it would be easy to pack away and wouldn’t need drying out later.
Aiming to set the basket down on the edge of the grass so that the balloon would fall onto the tarmac, we all took our seated positions for landing, clinging on to the hand holds tightly and bracing for impact. I was amazed at how much control our pilot had over the balloon.
Although I couldn’t see over the edge of the basket from my seated position, it felt as though we were moving in slow motion. The wicker gently creaked; the sky slowly moved past us, and the next thing I knew was that we had come to a standstill. What an incredibly soft landing.
Packing Up
Just as we had all helped to get the balloon ready for take-off, everyone chipped in to help pack it away.
Deflating a balloon takes time and patience. Whilst gravity does some of the hard work, it still requires quite a bit of rolling and squishing to get the air out of the canvas. The bag to put it in didn’t look big enough for all the material, but with plenty of firm handling from us, and some brute force from the pilot, everything was neatly packed up.
Celebrations - Experiencing A Hot Air Balloon Flight
The trailer had followed us along the ground and met us at our landing position. Once everything was tidily away, the cork was popped, and we celebrated with a glass of fizz in the sunshine. It was such a lovely moment for us all to take in what had been an awe-inspiring morning.
Handing out personalised certificates to recognise our unique journey, our pilot told us all about his passion for ballooning. He has been obsessed with hot air balloons since a young age and has taken to the skies all around the world. He’s a safe pair of hands, keen to share his enthusiasm, and perfectly organised making him a brilliant choice for taking you on a flight.
We had been lucky that we had managed to fly on our fifth attempt at booking in the same year. One of the couples had been trying to book their flight for 5 years! They’d had two children since they’d bought the tickets but agreed it had been well worth the wait.
The minibus arrived to take us back to the launch site. It was a fairly quiet journey as we all reflected on the phenomenal experience we had shared.
An Adventure Of A Lifetime
I feel so lucky and grateful to have been able to experience a hot air balloon flight.
Soaring over the city where I live, it was such a magnificent morning as we tried to identify places we know and love so well, whilst trying to absorb everything that we saw, and commit the views to memory.
It really is a breathtaking way to travel and a stunning way to see a part of the world.
If you’re considering taking to the skies in a balloon, I can highly recommend booking it. Whether it’s for a significant birthday or a particular celebration, it’s an amazing adventure and a memory that will last a lifetime.
Want To Try It Yourself?
- If you’re considering a hot air balloon flight, I can highly recommend it!
- Our experience was with Yorkshire Balloon Flights. The whole process from booking, to flying, to landing was so well organised. They are a family run independent business and offer a first class experience.
- There are many companies offering hot air balloon flights across the UK and around the world, so take a look on line to find one that suits you.
Cost Of Experience
- The price will depend where you book your experience, and the company you book with.
- On average, the price is around £199 per person.
- There might be several pricing options. For example, a week day flight may be cheaper than one at a weekend, and a private flight will be more expensive than sharing the basket with others.
- There may also be additional add ons that you might like to buy, such as in-flight photos.
Recommendations For Experiencing A Hot Air Balloon Flight
- Check the FAQs of the company you book with. Different companies may operate in different ways, so check their process for bookings.
- Check terms and conditions of the voucher. If you buy a voucher, check the expiry date and any stipulations. Our voucher was valid for 12 months. As long as we attempted to book a flight 5 times through that period, it would automatically roll over to the next year. Alternatively, if we didn’t use it within the year, and hadn’t tried to book the experience we could pay £40 per person to roll it over.
- Check the forecast. It’s worth looking ahead at the weather, but ultimately the company you fly with will decide if you’re able to fly or not.
- Follow the instructions. Your pilot will want you to have a great experience, so make sure to pay attention to what they tell you to do.
- Wear layers. It can be quite cool early in the morning, so it’s better to have layers that you can take off if you get too warm.
- Don’t forget your camera. Whilst you may be able to buy pictures from the company, you’ll definitely want to capture some photographs for yourself.
- Have an amazing time! Let me know how you get on if you give it a go!