Read our FAQs

Once you’ve booked your flight online or by calling 214-733-9915, you will receive an email with your flight details and important information. We will contact you the day before (for morning flights) or day of (for evening flights) your flight to confirm meeting location and time. If the weather is unfavorable, you will be able to reschedule or cancel at that time.

On the day of the flight, you will meet your pilot and crew and travel in the balloon vehicle to the launch location (it’s rare to inflate and launch the balloon where you meet).

The pilot and crew will begin to setup and inflate the balloon upon arriving at the launch location. Once you receive your safety briefing and sign a liability waiver, you may participate in the inflation process at the pilot’s discretion and direction.

Once the balloon is upright, the pilot will direct passengers on how to board the balloon basket. It is important to put your phones away at this time for everyone’s safety.

Once everyone is on board and the pilot has done a pre-flight check, you will start to lift off the ground and have approximately 1-1.5 hour flight, enjoying the scenery from different altitudes. The crew will follow the balloon in the chase vehicle to pick you up after the flight.

When it’s time to land, the pilot will choose the best possible option and instruct you on what to do. Once you land, the crew will pack up the balloon and drive you back to your car.

If your flight is cancelled due to high winds or other weather conditions the pilot deems unsafe, you may either reschedule or cancel your flight. Due to the unique nature of hot air ballooning, the scheduling often changes on a whim. It is important to know that the pilot makes these decisions based on decades of experience and weather knowledge for everyone’s safety and to ensure a pleasant experience.

The entire experience can take approximately 2-3 hours. The actual flight time usually lasts for 1 hour or longer, depending on many factors such as temperature, balloon size, weight in the basket, landing opportunities, and many other factors.

Please allow as much advanced notice as possible if you need to cancel your flight. Rohr Balloons reserves the right to charge a fee of $100 per passenger for cancellations with less than 72 hours notice. A full loss of the flight cost is applicable for failure to show for the scheduled flight with less than 12 hours notice. If your flight is cancelled due to weather, there is no charge assessed. However, we are very flexible and will do our best to accommodate your rescheduling needs.

• Dress for an outdoor adventure and for the weather.
• Be prepared to walk in grassy fields as the balloon generally launches and lands in grassy areas.
• Wear stable footwear such as sneakers or work boots – sandals and open-toed shoes are not permitted
• In cold weather, wear multiple layers of clothing or a windbreaker.
• Hats or ball caps are encouraged (but not mandatory) to help shield you from the sunlight and radiant heat from the burners
• Reasonably sized cameras are welcome
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen

We travel with the wind, so you won’t feel much of a wind chill. The burner puts off heat similar to a fireplace. Don’t bring anything too bulky or fragile.

Meeting times vary by season and time of sunrise and sunset.  The meeting times are generally 1/2 hour before sunrise and 2 1/2 hours before sunset. This time may vary by 15-30 minutes depending upon the day of the month.  Times to be confirmed prior to meeting.  See below for approximate meeting times:

• January: 7:00 am | 3:00 pm
• February: 6:45 am | 3:30 pm
• March: 6:45 am | 5:00 pm
• April: 6:30 am | 5:30 pm
• May: 6:00 am | 6:00 pm
• June: 6:00 am | no sunset flights due to heat
• July: 6:00 am | no sunset flights due to heat
• August: 6:15 am | no sunset flights due to heat
• September: 6:30 am | 5:00 pm
• October: 7:00 am | 4:30 pm
• November: 6:30 am | 3:00 pm
• December: 7:00 am | 3:00 pm

The confirmation email sent after scheduling outlines the specific meeting information.  The default meeting site is Market Street Starbuck’s, 985 W. Bethany Dr, Allen, TX 75013.  If any change in the meeting time or location is necessary, the pilot will be in touch with that information approximately one day prior to your flight. Please check your voicemail and/or email prior to the flight meeting time or call 214-733-9915 with any questions.

The pilot will choose a location to launch the balloon based on wind speeds, direction, and past knowledge of the area. Typically, we fly in and around the McKinney, TX area.

There is no built-in seat in a hot air balloon basket. However, we can make accommodations for those who need to sit during a flight with some planning. Please call to discuss this with your pilot.

The number of people in the balloon basket depends on the type of flight you booked. Rohr Balloons has multiple balloons of different sizes to accommodate the situation.

• Shared flight balloons hold up to 12 people, including the pilot. This number depends on the weight of passengers.
• If you booked a private flight, the basket will be smaller and will accommodate up to 4 people, including the pilot.

The number of people in the balloon basket depends on the type of flight you booked. Rohr Balloons has multiple balloons of different sizes to accommodate the situation.

• Shared flight balloons hold up to 12 people, including the pilot. This number depends on the weight of passengers.
• If you booked a private flight, the basket will be smaller and will accommodate up to 4 people, including the pilot.

Hot Air Balloon Flights are a service, and like all service providers, a gratuity is always appreciated. A typical tip would be 15-20% of the total price.

After your flight, we provide champagne mimosas for the celebratory balloonist prayer/toast, water, as well as hors d’oeuvres.

Most people who have a fear of heights don’t have the same fear of flying in a hot air balloon. Because you are attached to the ground of the basket and enclosed, it’s not the same sensation as you get standing on the edge of a cliff, for example.

Yes! We have advertising programs and can put a banner with your logo on the basket of one of our balloons. We also offer custom envelope builds and corporate advertising programs! Check out more – click here

Our chase crew are the people who help the hot air balloon pilot with inflation, follow the balloon in the “chase vehicle” to where the balloon lands, then helps deflate and pack up the balloon, loads it onto the vehicle, and accompanies the passengers back to their cars.

Upon liftoff, you will gently float upward, then we try to provide a variety of fun experiences throughout the flight, including skimming the trees, maybe even a “splash and dash” (where we slightly dip the basket in a pond or lake). We also ascend to approximately 2,000-3,000 ft high so you can really see the area from a birds eye view.

Yes!* You can find pictures of your flight on our gallery site, which will have your flight pictures listed by date under “morning flights” or “evening flights” where you can download, share, or purchase prints.

*We do not provide professional photographs. Providing a safe and fun flight takes priority over taking pictures, but our pilot and crew will do our best to provide quality pictures throughout the flight experience.

You will put your foot into a slot in the side of the basket, swing your leg over the top, and then crawl into the basket. There is no graceful way to do it, but our pilot and crew are available to help! If you have special needs, please discuss this with your pilot prior to your flight. We are able to accommodate the elderly and people with disabilities.

Unfortunately, we will not allow pregnant women to fly with us for safety reasons.

Rohr Balloons will not fly children under 7 years old. We provide discounted rates for children 7-12 years old. Click “book now” and select your flight type to learn more.