Flight Details

Please call BalloonMan on 1800 HOT AIR (1800 468 247) or +61 3 9427 0088 the day prior to your flight.

We will take this opportunity to speak with all our passengers on what to expect on the next morning.

At this time, we will confirm your flight meeting time, verify your correct mobile contact number, and provide a weather forecast from the Bureau of Meteorology.

The final decision to proceed with your flight will be made by our Duty Pilot on the morning of your flight.

We meet passengers in the lower lobby of the Grand Hyatt Melbourne, located at 42-44 Russell Street, one hour before sunrise. Please refer to our Passenger Guide for full details, including a map and parking information.

Please note that sunrise times vary across the seasons, so meeting times will also differ—very early in summer and much later in winter.

Your confirmed flight meeting time will be provided during check-in.

For guests visiting Melbourne and locals staying at a CBD hotel, complimentary hotel pick-up is available upon request.

Hot air balloons travel with the wind so much of our navigating actually takes place prior to take off. With Chris’ wealth of local knowledge and experience in Melbourne, careful consideration will be taken for our choice of take off site to give you the best flight available on the day of your hot air ballooning over Melbourne.

We then leave as a group to the launch site by mini bus to one of Melbourne’s many parks to inflate the hot air balloon ready for take off.

The choice is yours, roll up your sleeves and help prepare the balloon for flight or sit back and enjoy the spectacle as your Pilot fires up the balloon. Either way it’s great fun.

The excitement builds and anticipation mounts as the time draws closer to a sunrise lift off for your hot air ballooning adventure over Melbourne.

It’s time to climb aboard the wicker basket under instruction from pilot and ground crew. Your pilot will provide a full passenger safety briefing at this time as to what to expect throughout the flight and landing.

With a burst of flame from the burners it’s up, up and away!

Sunrise is flight time. The balloon will climb slowly to cruising altitude; you will drift silently with the wind and take in the most magnificent perspective of Melbourne available only from a hot air balloon.

Generally we average over an hour in the air each morning.

Often we fly over the city, however this cannot be guaranteed on any particular day. Hot air balloons travel with the wind therefore our flight paths each morning are quite different day to day.

You are likely to take in many of Melbourne’s landmarks such as the Yarra River, MCG, Arts Centre, Rialto Tower, the Royal Botanic Gardens and many more of Melbourne’s lovely parks and gardens.