Frequently asked questions

What to Expect

Your day will begin with an early start. Ballooning is best at sunrise, when the weather is calmest and to make the most of the beautiful morning light. Start times vary depending on the time of year. 

Due to all flights being weather and minimum passenger number dependent, our pilot will contact everyone who has booked the evening prior to their flight, to advise if the flight is going ahead and to reconfirm the meeting time and place.

Wear warm clothes and sensible footwear – we take off and land in fields or paddocks. 

On the day, you’ll meet at the designated location, where you can leave your vehicle before transferring with our team to the launch site. After the flight, we’ll return you to your vehicle. Where we launch from, how far we fly and where we land is different every day and all depends on the weather. Hot air ballooning is a hands-on experience and you will be encouraged to assist with the set up and pack away of the balloon itself.

Before leaving the ground, the pilot will give you a briefing. It is important that you listen carefully and follow your pilot’s instructions. Prior to landing it is particularly important that you are prepared and that you know what to expect.

At the conclusion of the flight we serve a light snack of seasonal fruit, muffins, orange juice and bubbly in the paddock where we land. Free photos of your flight will be posted daily on our Facebook Page.

Balloon Flight Over the Canterbury Plains – Ballooning Canterbury flights operate all year round, depending on passenger numbers and weather conditions. See our Flight Schedule for an indication of availability. Allow approximately 3 – 4 hours for this remarkable experience; the actual flying time is approximately one hour.

We are located at 2136 Bealey Road, Hororata, just a 30-minute drive west of Christchurch Airport. It is a rural property; there will be an orange flashing light on at the gate above our Ballooning Canterbury sign to help you find us in the dark. Turn into the gateway and follow the parking signs into our yard.

Balloon Flight over Christchurch – Our flights over Christchurch are not on a fixed schedule. They are weather dependent and released only in ideal conditions. You need to register your interest on the booking page. When a suitable flight window becomes available, we’ll email registered guests with a booking link. Spaces are limited and allocated on a first come, first served basis. 

Flight details, including meeting time and location – will be provided at the time of booking. These vary throughout the year in line with sunrise. On the day, you’ll meet at the designated location, where you can leave your vehicle before transferring with our team to the launch site. After the flight, we’ll return you to your vehicle. Please allow approximately 3–4 hours for the full experience.

Who Can Fly?

Ballooning is suitable for all sorts of people. We have no upper age limit, but ballooning is an outdoor sport requiring a degree of agility. We recommend that people should be fit enough to climb in and out of the basket and to stand for the duration of the flight. Hot air ballooning is a hands-on experience, and you will be encouraged to assist with the set up and pack away of the balloon itself.

If you are unsure you can fly due to being pregnant, have any form of disability, or have recently had a surgery, please email to see if we can accommodation you.

If you are a first-time flyer or are slightly nervous, don’t worry – we will look after you. We want you to have the most fun and enjoyable experience possible.

We use partitioned baskets specially designed to ensure safety, comfort and a superb view.

Weight restrictions:

Because a hot air balloon is a lighter-than-air aircraft, it is limited to the total number of kilograms it can lift. Weight limitations vary according to the outside temperature, humidity, and the number and total weight of the passengers and pilot on board. It is extremely important for flight planning that we have accurate weights; it is a legal requirement that each person must be weighed before the flight.

Please note the maximum weight for each passenger is 130 kg. If you are heavier than this, please contact us directly to discuss the options to accommodate you.

Children:

Children are welcome and must be accompanied by a paying & consenting adult. The child must be able to see over the edge of the basket. Their height must be a minimum of 1.1 m high. Infants are not permitted. A child is aged 12 years and under.

Cancellation Policy:

If you cancel within 24 hours or fail to turn up for your flight you forfeit the full fare. 

If your cancellation is due to having a new medical condition which raises concerns about completing the flight safely and comfortably, or which poses a risk to other passengers, we will consider a refund upon presentation of a medical certificate. Cancellation must be made directly with Ballooning Canterbury.

A $100 per person cancellation fee applies if you cancel with 48 hours for small groups or within 7 days of flight for large groups.

If we cancel the flight due to weather, for safety reasons or not meeting the minimum number requirement, a full refund will be given or you can change your booking to another date if space is available. 

(Conditions apply to flights booked using a voucher).