Float over saguaros as the sun comes up, then toast the landing in the open desert. Which
flights really serve breakfast, how the morning works and which one to book.
Breakfast, checkedWhich flights serve a meal, and which a toast
Real guest ratingsLive Viator & Tripadvisor figures
Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, on every flight here
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Flights
Choose your Phoenix balloon flight
The sunrise flight with a catered breakfast, in the centre. Beside it, the two other
sunrise flights over the desert: the lowest price, and the best rated, both ending with a champagne toast.
Arizona Balloon Safaris flies a very large balloon at sunrise and ends with a champagne toast. The cheapest well-rated flight, but breakfast is not part of the listing.
What's included
About 45 minutes in the air at sunrise
Van from the meeting point to the launch site and back
Champagne toast, orange juice and bottled water after landing
Landing and facility fees, taxes
Not included: breakfast, hotel pickup, gratuities, souvenirs
Hot Air Expeditions' sunrise flight over the Sonoran Desert, then a champagne toast and a catered breakfast set up at the landing site. The one Phoenix flight with a real breakfast.
What's included
A 45 to 60 minute sunrise flight with an FAA-licensed pilot
Champagne or sparkling cider toast at the landing site
Catered breakfast in the desert, served at tables
Commemorative flight certificate
Hotel round-trip transport only if you pick that option; gratuities not included
Rainbow Ryders' shared sunrise flight from Glendale, with live commentary on board and a champagne toast with light snacks. The best rated Phoenix flight on Viator.
What's included
Sunrise hot air balloon flight of about 45 to 60 minutes
The three sunrise flights are $40 apart. What separates them is what happens after landing,
which side of the Valley you check in, and how big the basket is.
Children 5 to 12 pay less with Hot Air Expeditions ($189 on its own site); Arizona Balloon
Safaris takes children from 6. Hotel transport is an option only on the Hot Air Expeditions flights. Every flight
here cancels free up to 24 hours ahead, and weather cancellations are rebooked or refunded.
The breakfast question
Most flights end with a toast. One ends with breakfast.
Search for a Phoenix balloon ride "with breakfast" and you will find several. Read what each listing
actually includes and the picture changes. Hot Air Expeditions is the one that sets up tables in the
desert after landing and serves a catered breakfast with a champagne or sparkling cider toast. Rainbow
Ryders pours champagne with light snacks. Arizona Balloon Safaris, whose Viator page still carries "with
breakfast" in its web address, lists a champagne toast, orange juice and water.
None of that makes the cheaper flights worse: the balloon, the sunrise and the saguaros are the point, and
all three rate 4.8 or higher. It just means the $40 gap buys a meal. If breakfast matters, book the
breakfast flight; if it does not, save the money and eat in town afterwards.
45-60
Minutes in the air on every flight here. The rest of the
three to four hour morning is check-in, the drive, inflation and the landing celebration.
Champagne toastCatered breakfastFlight certificateSunrise only
The view over the basket edge: saguaros, washes and your own shadow.
01
How early is it?
Very. Check-in is about an hour before sunrise: 4:30 AM in summer, around 6 AM in winter.
02
Will it fly?
Only in calm wind. Pilots decide on the morning; a cancelled flight is rebooked or refunded.
03
Is it comfortable?
You stand for about an hour in a shared basket. Landings in open desert can bump.
04
Who should skip it?
Anyone pregnant, with back or heart problems, or unable to climb into a tall basket.
The morning
How a sunrise flight unfolds
Three to four hours from check-in to drop-off, and the best part happens before most of Phoenix is awake.
01
Check-in in the dark
Meet at the operator's check-in point (or get collected from your hotel) and ride out to the day's launch site, chosen by the wind.
About 1 hour before sunrise
02
Inflation
Fans fill the envelope with cold air, then the burner stands it upright. Some crews let you help.
About 20 minutes
03
The flight
A silent drift over saguaros and desert washes as the sun clears the mountains, broken only by bursts of the burner.
45 to 60 minutes
04
Toast and breakfast
The traditional champagne toast and balloonist's prayer, a flight certificate, and breakfast on the breakfast flight.
Getting there, prices and ages, the rules and what to bring: one tab each.
Hot Air Expeditions checks in at Deer Valley Airport in north Phoenix; hotel round-trip transport is an add-on.
Rainbow Ryders checks in at its Glendale office near Loop 101 and Northern Avenue, in the West Valley.
Arizona Balloon Safaris meets in a Safeway parking lot at 4005 E Chandler Blvd in Ahwatukee, south Phoenix.
From every check-in point a van drives you to the launch site, which changes daily with the wind.
Driving yourself at 5 AM is easy: roads are empty. Allow extra time to find the check-in in the dark.
Sunrise flights on Viator: $199 (Arizona Balloon Safaris), $209 (Rainbow Ryders), $239 (Hot Air Expeditions, with breakfast).
Sunset flights cost more: from $250 with Rainbow Ryders and $269 with Hot Air Expeditions.
Hot Air Expeditions charges $189 for children 5 to 12 and $39 per person for hotel transfers on its own site.
Minimum age is 5 with Hot Air Expeditions and Rainbow Ryders, 6 with Arizona Balloon Safaris; champagne is 21+.
You must stand for about an hour and climb in and out of the basket unaided.
No flights for anyone pregnant; not advised with back or heart problems, broken bones or recent surgery.
Weight is asked at booking; Rainbow Ryders asks guests over 300 lb to buy a second space.
Shared baskets: 10 to 16 people with Rainbow Ryders, up to 24 with Arizona Balloon Safaris.
There are no restrooms at the launch or landing sites: use the one at check-in.
Layers: a light jacket for a cold desert dawn, a T-shirt for the warm landing.
Closed-toe shoes for scrubby, uneven landing sites.
A cap or hat: the burner's heat hits the top of your head.
Sunglasses, sunscreen and a phone or camera with a strap.
A little cash to tip the pilot and ground crew.
Every flightSunrise over saguarosThe Sonoran Desert from a few hundred to several thousand feet up.
Every flightChampagne toastThe balloonists' tradition on landing, with juice or cider for under-21s.
Breakfast flightCatered breakfastHot Air Expeditions sets tables with linens in the desert after landing.
Most flightsFlight certificateA commemorative certificate for first-time flyers.
Some crewsHelp inflateRainbow Ryders offers the option of holding the envelope open with the crew.
Extra costHotel transportOnly on the Hot Air Expeditions flights, booked as an option.
Where the morning starts
Balloon check-in points
Deer Valley Airport, north Phoenix
702 W Deer Valley Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85027
The breakfast flight checks in here: enter at 7th Avenue and Deer Valley Road, turn left at the T and
follow the white "Balloon Ride Parking" signs to the Civil Air Patrol building. From there the crew drives
you to the launch site in the northern desert. Rainbow Ryders starts at 7934 N Glen Harbor Blvd in Glendale,
and Arizona Balloon Safaris at the Safeway lot, 4005 E Chandler Blvd, in Ahwatukee.
4.8★★★★★ 2,168 reviews · Hot Air Expeditions sunrise flight with breakfast live Viator & Tripadvisor figure
★★★★★
Timely pick up at hotel. Friendly staff. Quick hop into balloon from van. Amazing pilot, views, and sunrise! Champagne breakfast was delicious!
★★★★★
Experience was fabulous! I have “height” issues and my daughter has “stomach” issues. Neither were a problem. Did the morning ride. Watching the sun come up was special.
★★★★★
At age 80 I went on my first hot air balloon ride. The pilot was experienced, professional, knowledgeable and friendly. The crew members provided excellent support, including taking pictures.
★★★★★
Our pilot, Jonathan, was skilled, friendly, and made the entire ride feel both safe and exciting. Floating above the landscape was breathtaking. After we landed, the brunch was terrific.
★★★★★
It was one of the coolest things I've ever done! It's so peaceful. And smooth. It didn't feel like we were floating in a basket almost 8,000 feet in the sky!
★★★★★
Our experience was amazing and SO worth the early wake up call! The crew was so friendly and our pilot was knowledgeable and made the experience feel safe and fun!
★★★★★
Our experience was Top Notch!! Ethan our driver was very knowledgeable. Tommy our pilot was so funny and easy to talk to. The breakfast was amazing as well.
★★★★★
First class operation. Would recommend to anyone looking to add to their bucket list. Wife was hesitant, fear of heights, and cannot wait to fly again!
★★★★★
So peaceful! The crew was super helpful getting my elderly mother in and out of the basket! The champagne celebration at the end was great.
Another morning?
Make the next day bigger
The balloon is over by mid-morning. For a full day of Arizona scenery, the classic is red rocks
and the big canyon in one trip, with someone else driving.
Sedona and Grand Canyon Small-Group Day Tour
★ 4.9 · 246 reviews · 14 hours
Landed by 9 AM and want something bigger for the rest of the trip? This small-group day leaves Phoenix for Sedona's red rocks and the Chapel of the Holy Cross, then at least two viewpoints on the Grand Canyon's South Rim, in a group capped at five with hotel pickup. A long day, and reviewers say it is worth it.
A hot air balloon ride over Phoenix is a quiet hour above the Sonoran Desert at first light,
bookended by a very early alarm and a celebration on the ground. Here is what you are paying for, how the
morning really goes, and how to choose between the flights.
Why Phoenix is good balloon country
Balloons need calm, stable air, which is why they fly at sunrise and sunset and never in the middle of the
day, when the sun heats the ground and stirs up thermals. The Phoenix area has a lot of those calm mornings, and
operators fly sunrise flights every day of the year, weather permitting. Below you is the Sonoran Desert: forests
of saguaro cacti, dry washes, ranches and the edges of the city, with mountains such as the White Tanks on the
horizon and, on some flights, Lake Pleasant. Arizona does not use daylight saving time, so sunrise, and your
alarm, moves by more than two hours between June and January.
Inflation starts with fans and cold air before the burner stands the balloon up.
What it really costs
On Viator in 2026 the shared sunrise flights are $199 with Arizona Balloon Safaris, $209 with Rainbow Ryders
and $239 with Hot Air Expeditions, the one that includes breakfast. Sunset flights start at $250. Buying direct,
Hot Air Expeditions lists $239 per adult and $189 per child, plus 9% taxes and fees and $39 per person for hotel
transport, so compare the final checkout totals rather than the headline. Private baskets for two cost several
hundred dollars more. Gratuities are never included.
The honest small print: balloons do not fly in wind, and the decision is often made on
the morning itself, sometimes after you have checked in at 5 AM. Flyers who were cancelled are the least happy
reviewers, even though they get their money back. Book early in your stay so you have a second chance, and
treat the flight as weather-permitting until the basket leaves the ground.
Breakfast or just a toast?
Every flight ends with the balloonists' champagne toast, a tradition said to go back to the first flights in
France. What follows varies. Hot Air Expeditions sets up tables, linens and china in the desert and serves a
catered breakfast; guests describe it as brunch. Rainbow Ryders adds light snacks. Arizona Balloon Safaris
serves champagne, orange juice and water, and you are back at your car by mid-morning, free to eat wherever you
like. All three are rated 4.8 or above, so the choice is really about the meal and the location.
Only the breakfast flight sets a table in the desert; the others end with a toast.
Making the most of the morning
Go to bed early, set two alarms and leave time to find the check-in point in the dark. Dress in layers, with
closed-toe shoes and a cap, because the desert is cold before dawn and the burner is hot overhead. Keep your
phone on a strap, listen to the landing briefing, and if you are nervous about heights, know that most nervous
flyers say the take-off is so gentle they did not notice leaving the ground.
Layers, closed shoes and a cap: the balloon flyer's kit.
Straight answers to what people ask most about Phoenix balloon rides.
How much is a hot air balloon ride in Phoenix?
Shared sunrise flights on Viator run from $199 (Arizona Balloon Safaris, champagne toast) to $239 (Hot Air Expeditions, with breakfast), with Rainbow Ryders at $209. Sunset flights cost more, from $250. Hot Air Expeditions charges $189 for children 5 to 12 on its own site and adds $39 per person for hotel transfers. See the price guide.
Which Phoenix balloon rides include breakfast?
Only one of the Phoenix sunrise flights we compared lists a real breakfast: Hot Air Expeditions, which serves a catered breakfast at tables after a champagne toast. Rainbow Ryders includes a toast and light snacks, and the Arizona Balloon Safaris listing (despite "with breakfast" in its old web address) includes a champagne toast, juice and water. Read balloon rides with breakfast.
What time do Phoenix balloon rides start?
Before dawn. Flights launch around sunrise, so check-in is roughly an hour before it: Rainbow Ryders gives 4:30 to 5:00 AM in summer and 5:45 to 6:30 AM in winter. Arizona does not use daylight saving time, so sunrise moves from about 5:20 AM in June to about 7:30 AM in January. Your confirmation gives the exact time.
How long is a hot air balloon ride?
About 45 to 60 minutes in the air, inside a morning of three to four hours: check-in, the drive to the launch site, inflation, the flight, then the toast or breakfast. Add about an hour if you take hotel transport.
What happens if the flight is cancelled for weather?
Balloons only fly in calm winds, so cancellations happen, sometimes on the morning itself. The operator decides; you can rebook or get your money back. On Viator you can also cancel free up to 24 hours before. Book early in your trip so there is a spare morning to rebook.
Is a hot air balloon ride scary if you are afraid of heights?
Most nervous flyers are surprised. The basket rises so gently that guests say you barely notice leaving the ground, and you move with the wind so there is almost no breeze. Many reviews come from people afraid of heights who loved it. The burner is loud and hot overhead for a few seconds at a time.
How high do balloons fly over Phoenix?
It depends on the wind and the pilot. Hot Air Expeditions says up to about 5,000 feet, and guests report anywhere from 3,500 to around 8,000 feet, with lower drifts just above the saguaros.
Can children ride in a hot air balloon?
Yes, from age 5 with Hot Air Expeditions and Rainbow Ryders (Hot Air Expeditions also asks for 48 inches tall), and from age 6 with Arizona Balloon Safaris. Children must be able to stand for the whole flight. See balloon rides with kids.
What should I wear on a balloon ride?
Layers, closed-toe shoes and a cap. The basket is about as warm as the ground, so winter dawns are chilly and summer ones warm, and the burner throws heat on your head. Landings are in open desert, so no sandals or heels. See what to wear.
Sunrise or sunset: which balloon ride is better?
Sunrise for most people: it runs every day of the year, the air is calmest and the breakfast flight is only in the morning. Sunset flights run only from about November to March and cost more, but there is no 4 AM alarm. Compare sunrise vs sunset.
Who should not take a balloon ride?
Operators will not fly anyone who is pregnant, and do not recommend it for people with back or heart problems, recent surgery or broken bones. You must be able to stand for about an hour and climb in and out of a tall basket, and landings can be bumpy.
Do you tip the balloon crew?
Gratuities are not included in any of the listings. Tipping the pilot and ground crew is customary in the US if you enjoyed the morning; bring a little cash.
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