Balloon flights take place approximately 1 hour after sunrise and 2 hours before sunset, and so the times vary throughout the year as the days get longer or shorter. In summer it can be 6am and 7pm, whilst in winter it’s more like 8am and 2pm! Balloons are not flown during the middle of the day because the sun heats the ground creating thermals and unstable flying conditions.

Ballooning is a highly weather dependent activity and therefore more flights occur from March to the end of October.

The flight itself lasts between 60 and 90 minutes, however please allow 3 to 4 hours for the whole adventure. It is not an experience to be rushed.

Balloons are directed by the wind and as a result we do not know how far we will go! To put it simply, if the wind is stronger we will go further. On average we travel approximately 10 miles from our launch site.

There is no ‘best’ time as it is a totally personal preference! Frosty winter mornings are just as beautiful as warm summer evenings. Generally, flights are more likely to go in spring, summer and autumn but they are not necessarily better!

Ballooning requires light winds, good visibility, dry weather and firm ground conditions in order to operate. Without these specific parameters it would be dangerous and irresponsible to go flying. If pilots cancel a flight it is because they are putting your safety first.

When going ballooning you should dress for a countryside adventure. We recommend stout shoes or boots, long trousers and sleeves, and also a hat! This will help to protect your head from the heat of the burner. Please keep in mind that it is no colder in the balloon than on the ground, so you don’t always need your big coats in the summer months!

Yes! Bring your camera and plenty of memory card space! Please be aware that you are bringing these items at your own risk.

Balloons cannot be steered and every flight is different. We cannot guarantee that we will fly in a particular direction, such as over your house or town.

Wherever the balloon lands, we are picked up by our ground crew. After the balloon has been packed away, we all travel back to the launch site by road and return you to your cars.

We don’t know! That’s part of the adventure – balloons cannot be steered and we never know where we are going to end up! Usually we end up in a farmer’s field or similar terrain.

The landing is the most unpredictable part of the flight but also the most exciting and often people’s favourite! Flying in a balloon is very serene and gentle whilst in the air, but when landing the basket occasionally tips or drags along before coming to a halt. This is perfectly normal and how balloons have landed for hundreds of years. You will be in a particular safety position (which will be demonstrated at the pre-flight safety briefing) in a basket specially designed for commercial balloon flight passengers.

Spectators are more than welcome to watch the balloon launch, but do not need to follow the balloon. You will be transported back to the launch site by our team.

Virgin Balloon Flights operate hot air balloon rides from a variety of launch sites across the UK.

We meet at the designated launch site around 30 minutes before takeoff. You are more than welcome to arrive earlier than this to watch the team prepare the balloon. The exact meeting time will be confirmed on our flight line number prior to your flight.

At a prearranged time prior to your flight you will call our flight line telephone number where your pilot will have left a message with full instructions. You call this number on the morning of your flight for sunset flights, or the night before your flight for sunrise flights.

If your flight is cancelled then simply get rebooked for another date! You can do this on the Virgin Balloon Flights website or by calling the office. Many passengers fly on their first attempt, and most fly within a few, but if you are unlucky enough to have 5.

Our vouchers are valid for 18 months (or 24 months for our Plus vouchers) from the date of purchase or, for gifts, from the gift date.

We request at least 72 hours notice if you wish to reschedule your flight date, so just give our office a call or drop Virgin Balloon Flights an email! We will make exceptions at shorter notice for extenuating and extreme circumstances, such as medical emergencies – in which case we would require documentation from your doctor.

Beyond the 14 day cooling period our vouchers are non-refundable (except for the Plus voucher), please be aware of this before purchasing a voucher, particularly when buying for others.

Our baskets vary in size from 12 to 16 passengers.

Our balloon baskets do not have doors, instead we require you to climb into the basket. This is similar to climbing over a five bar gate and requires some agility. Assistance may be given to those who require it.

Children must be aged seven or over and at least 4ft 6in (1.4m) tall, with children under the age of 16 accompanied by a responsible adult.

We know that our passengers come in all shapes and sizes but due to weight and space restrictions of hot air balloons and baskets, anyone who is 20 stone or more will be required to pay a supplement.

This is also the case for anyone who is over 18 stone and under 6ft tall. You can call our customer service team on 01952 212750 to discuss this before booking and they will be happy to explain our policy in more detail.