A hot air balloon ride with kids can be the best morning of a family trip, but check the rules first. Balloons have stricter child rules than most helicopter and seaplane tours. On our listings, the minimum age for a hot air balloon ride with kids runs from 4 to 7, and several flights add a minimum height as well.
Below are the real minimums from the balloon flights on Fly Over The World, plus what the early start and the basket mean for children. Rules can change, so the tour page and your booking confirmation are always the final word.
Why there is a minimum age for a hot air balloon ride
In a balloon you stand in an open basket for the whole flight, which on many of our listings is about an hour. A child needs to be tall enough to see over the edge, steady enough to stand that long, and old enough to follow the crew’s instructions, including the landing position the crew briefs you on before take-off. There are no seats and no lap option.
That is why heights appear next to ages. On the Napa Valley flight, children aged 6 and older should be at least 48 inches (4 feet) tall to see over the basket.
Minimum ages and heights on our balloon listings
- Mallorca: minimum age 4. An adult must book.
- Teotihuacán: not suitable for children under 4. The minimum height is 120 cm (3 ft 9 in).
- Cappadocia: children from 5 years, on their own booking. Infants on a parent’s lap is not how this flight is sold.
- Albuquerque: minimum age 5. An adult must make the booking.
- Phoenix / Scottsdale: minimum age 5 and minimum height 48 inches (about 122 cm).
- Serengeti: children under 5 are not taken, and ages 5–7 fly with a responsible adult. You must be at least 1.2 m tall.
- Napa Valley: not suitable for children under 6, and 48 inches tall from age 6.
- Tuscany: children aged 0–6 are not permitted on these listings.
- Annecy: not suitable for children under 7.
- Hunter Valley: not suitable for children under 7, and everyone must be at least 120 cm tall.
Height can rule a child out even when age does not. A small 7-year-old may meet the Hunter Valley age rule and still be under 120 cm, so measure before you book.
Child prices
Some flights price children separately. On the Mallorca Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride, children aged 4–11 are priced as children and adults are 12 and over. On the Albuquerque Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride, children aged 5 to 12 pay a child price. Elsewhere, check the price shown for each passenger when you book.
If you would rather have the basket to yourselves, Mallorca also offers private group flights for 4 or 6, and Teotihuacán has a Teotihuacán Private Hot Air Balloon (optional transfer). The shared Mallorca baskets hold up to 15 people.
The early start with children
Most balloons fly at sunrise, when the air is calm, so the day starts in the dark. Plan around these times:
- Cappadocia: hotel pickup is about one hour before sunrise, and the time changes with the season.
- Albuquerque: meeting times are around 5:30–6:30 am for sunrise, depending on the month. You can help the crew inflate the balloon, which keeps children busy while they wait.
- Napa Valley: meeting times are typically 5:30–7:00, with coffee and pastries at check-in. Allow about 4.5 hours.
- Serengeti: pickup is before dawn from your camp or lodge, with tea and coffee at the launch site and breakfast after you land. Allow about five hours from camp to drop-off.
- Hunter Valley: you meet at Peterson House in Pokolbin and return there for breakfast after the flight.
If mornings are hard for your family, look at a later flight. Phoenix has the Phoenix Afternoon Sonoran Desert Hot Air Balloon Tour in its seasonal window, and Albuquerque has the Albuquerque Sunset Hot Air Balloon Ride.
Keeping kids warm and comfortable in the basket
Early mornings are cold, even in places that are hot by lunchtime. Dress children in layers they can take off, a hat and closed shoes for the walk across the landing field. Use the toilet before you leave the meeting point, because there is none in the basket or the field. Tell children before take-off that the burner overhead is loud and warm in short bursts, so it does not surprise them. Bring a snack for the drive back, since breakfast or a toast often comes after the landing.
When a helicopter or seaplane suits younger children better
If your children are under the balloon minimum, a helicopter or seaplane is often the easier family flight. On the Vancouver classic panorama seaplane flights there is no hard minimum age, and infants sit on an adult’s lap. The Bergen seaplane flights take ages 2 and up. On Oahu helicopter tours, children under 24 months may sit on an adult’s lap. For more general advice, read Flying High with Kids.
Not sure whether your child meets the rules for a balloon flight? Email us at hello@flyovertheworld.com and we’ll check it with you.