FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We have been safely and professionally giving high quality hot air balloon rides since 1994. With over 60,000 passengers flown under our belts with zero accidents, you can rest assured that you are in the best hands possible. We have a perfect safety record, A+ insurance and all our balloons are impeccably maintained and are inspected regularly to ensure maximum safety for our passengers. Plus all our pilots are FAA Commercial Certified. We have the highest level of customer service possible as we want you to love hot air ballooning as much as we do.

Our pilots are FAA certified and each have at least 12 years of flight experience. We have successfully flown over 7,000 flights without incident including high profile people such as Mitt Romney and his whole family as well as the author Nicholas Sparks. We have one of the best safety records of any balloon company in the entire United States.

Normal flights for sightseeing are about an hour in length or six miles in distance depending on the particular winds of the day. The entire adventure takes about four hours from meeting time until you are returned to your vehicle.

A reservation is required. Get in touch or book online to reserve a spot on the balloon on the day you wish to fly. We do have gift flight tickets available for a gift or use it yourself on a future date. Reservations can be made online, with a major credit card. Reservations are confirmed upon receipt of 100% payment.

Please visit our directions page for more information and directions from major cities. If you are unsure, please call us on 1-760-602-0295.

Ballooning is an outdoor sport activity; wear the type of clothing you would expect to wear on a walk in the great outdoors. We don’t usually recommend open toed shoes or sandals. Flat-soled shoes are recommended. A light sports coat or jacket would be a good idea for after the flight. We do not recommend women wear dresses or skirts. For taller guys we advise wearing a good cap to protect you from our burners.

Yes, yes, yes! Due to our usually great weather here in California we are able to fly throughout the year. We are only closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Our European baskets range in size from 4 to 16 passengers. In the larger balloons we have separate compartments which provides comfortable space for all passengers.

Of course! We highly advise you bring along a camera to capture this once in a lifetime experience. We wouldn’t want you to miss anything. You may bring a video camera also. Do not forget to bring lots of films and extra batteries!

Certainly. We do not have any age restrictions for our guests. Our oldest passenger celebrated his 103rd birthday going on a balloon ride on February 28, 1999.

Hot air balloons operate on the basic principles of gravity and heat transfer. The propane burners warm the air inside the balloon envelope to as much as 250F allowing the pilot to take the balloon up to whatever altitude they desire based on the wind direction. The pilot navigates via the different wind directions and speeds at different altitudes. Gravity pulls us back to earth as the temperature cools down. Of course the pilot can continue heating the air to prolong the flight or to control the rate of descent.

Balloons are only able to fly at certain times of the day due to the air being at its most stable point both early in the morning or late in the afternoon. This then enables passengers to have longer rides and of course more favorable landing conditions as the wind speed is generally under 10 knots.

A normally loaded passenger balloon will fly from just above the trees to as high as three or even four thousand feet. Your experienced pilot can easily control the altitude so whether you’d like to be closer to the clouds or nearer to the action on the ground, just let them know!

Although your pilot cannot turn a balloon right or left, given their wealth of ballooning experience they can usually maneuver in various wind currents. So you’ll be able to glide in several different directions so you won’t miss out on any of the spectacular views!

We have flown many passengers with physical disabilities, some confined to wheelchairs. We are able to offer bench seats to such passengers for an additional fee of $50. Get in touch and we will do everything possible to accommodate your needs. This bench seat is only available for flights at the Temecula and Del Mar locations.

Yes, any aviation activity requires a waiver to be signed. We would request that you arrive on the day of your flight with your waiver already signed. You will be sent the waiver via email when your booking is complete.

Unlike standing on a cliff or the edge of a building, the baskets 52″ sides and sturdy floor offer you a safe and secure feeling; there is none of that vertigo feeling. There is no motion, swaying or vibration as the balloon moves with the wind. As such, people who suffer from any kind of motion sickness will not be affected while in the balloon.

In addition to having a commercial pilot license issued by the FAA, most of our pilots are balloon instructors and have over 12 years flight experience each. You can learn more about each of them and their experience here.

Unlike online web-based hot air balloon booking agencies, Sky’s The Limit is a family-owned and family-run company. When you make a reservation with us you will be dealing with us directly. We pride ourselves on our high standards of commercial service so you can rest assured your whole experience with us will be of the highest quality.

Yes we have! We have flown Mitt Romney and his family as well Nicholas Sparks and many more. Our pilot, Ferell has flown many big names including Will Smith, Cameron Diaz and Michael Jackson. Learn more about him here. We have also been featured on the hit TV show, The Bachelor.

Should you wish to cancel, you must give 48 hours notice prior to the day of your flight if you are unable to make it. For all private flights as well as bookings for 6 or more as groups, we require 7 days notice of your wish to cancel.

All passengers must be in good health when they fly. For safety reasons, pregnant women or children under the age of 5 may not fly. You must be 21 years of age or older to consume alcohol. Our weight limit is 240 lbs. per person, 480lbs combined. Please call if you are over this weight limit. It is each passenger’s responsibility to telephone our office and discuss all health and physical concerns they may have for themselves and/or their guest(s).

Yes, a portion of our proceeds are donated to charity.

COVID-19 Protocol

State and local government are now easing restrictions to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the California Department of Public Health concerns and recommendations regarding COVID-19, we have modified our operations to account for CDC workforce and customer protection guidance. Modifications include:

•Staff will wear protective face shields or cloth masks, and gloves
•Customers are required to wear personal protection and masks when around our staff, other guests and on our shared basket flights.
•We will all practice social distancing outside of the aircraft & chase vehicle.
•We implemented electronic waivers that you can complete using your smart device
•We implemented contact free payment on our online reservation system.
•All of our equipment is disinfected between flights by our staff.
•Hand sanitizer will be provided as needed.

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