Colorado Springs hot air balloon: a sunrise flight over the foothills
A Colorado Springs hot air balloon flight is a morning activity. Flights leave at sunrise, when the air is calm, and the pilot follows the wind from a launch field that can change from day to day. The route is not fixed, so Garden of the Gods may come into view or may not. What you can count on is the Front Range in the early light, with the red rocks and Pikes Peak as the backdrop on a clear day.
Both rides below cost $290 per person, current as of November 2026. The time in the air is about 45 to 60 minutes, and the whole outing takes 3 to 4 hours once you add the van ride to the launch field, the inflation, the landing and the celebration afterwards. Plan the rest of your day around a late start, not a full morning.
Our picks: hot air balloon flights
Both rides cost the same. Choose by what you want at the end: a champagne toast with breakfast and a flight certificate, or champagne, orange juice and fruit.
Hand-picked tours, booked through Viator and GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Sunrise hot air balloon flight in Colorado Springs
- Sunrise hot air balloon flight
- Light breakfast
- Champagne toast
- Flight certificate
Up to eight travelers per flight. If the weather stops the launch, you can rebook or get a full refund.
Check availability →Sunrise hot air balloon flight over Colorado Springs
The flight depends on the weather, and the whole outing takes three to four hours. Champagne, orange juice and fruit follow the landing.
Check availability →Hot air balloon flights in Colorado Springs
Two sunrise flights over the Colorado Springs area. Both cost the same, so choose by how you want the morning to end.
Sunrise flight with breakfast and a flight certificate
This ride meets in a hotel lobby at 1645 Newport Road. The price of $290 covers the balloon flight, a light breakfast, a champagne toast and a flight certificate for each first-time flyer. The group is limited to eight travelers, so the basket stays manageable, and a van takes everyone to the launch field.
The flight itself lasts 45 to 60 minutes, and the whole morning runs 3 to 4 hours. Wind and landing options decide how far you travel. The pilot makes the weather call, and if the flight is cancelled you can rebook or receive a full refund. Keep your phone on, because the message about an early start or a cancellation arrives that morning.
Sunrise flight with champagne, orange juice and fruit
The second ride is also priced at $290 per person and takes about three hours, with the start in the airport area of Colorado Springs. After the landing you get champagne, orange juice and fruit. It depends on the weather as well, and the full outing again runs 3 to 4 hours.
The two rides cost the same, so the choice comes down to the finish. If you want a breakfast and a certificate to take home, take the lobby-meeting ride. If you would rather end with a toast and fruit on the field, take the airport-area flight.
Who a balloon flight suits
A balloon ride is calm, with little sense of speed, and the burner is the loudest part of it. Children need to be over 46 inches tall and able to climb into and out of the basket on their own. The flight is not wheelchair accessible. It is not recommended for guests with back problems or during pregnancy, and it is not for anyone with heart conditions or serious illness. You need moderate fitness and a steady stance, with no fresh injury.
Wear closed shoes and dress in layers, because dawn is cold on the ground and warms quickly. A camera and a reusable water bottle with a lid are allowed. There are no toilets at the launch field, so plan for that before you set out. Everyone signs a waiver.
Fitting the flight into a Garden of the Gods day
A sunrise flight ends mid-morning, which leaves the rest of the day for the park. Entry to Garden of the Gods is free, and the formations are covered on our trails page. If you want to walk the rocks on the same day, read about the best time to go and parking first, because the lots can fill up on summer days. For more rides and guided options, see our Garden of the Gods tours.
Colorado Springs balloon flights: questions and answers
How much does a hot air balloon ride in Colorado Springs cost?
Both sunrise rides cost $290 per person as of November 2026. One includes a light breakfast, a champagne toast and a flight certificate. The other ends with champagne, orange juice and fruit.
How long does the flight last?
The time in the air is about 45 to 60 minutes. The whole outing, including transfer to the launch field, inflation and landing, takes 3 to 4 hours.
Will the balloon fly over Garden of the Gods?
The route follows the wind from a launch field that changes, so a flight over the park is not part of the plan. Depending on conditions, the red rocks and Pikes Peak can come into view.
What happens if the weather is bad?
Gusts, strong winds aloft, rain and low clouds stop a launch, and a cancellation can come on the launch field. On the first ride the pilot decides, and you can rebook or receive a full refund.