Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride
Traveler rating
4.8/5
Based on 613 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride worth booking?
Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride is a 4-hour experience in Cairns & the Tropical North, Australia, from $354 per person. It scores 72 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Strongly Recommended”, based on a 4.8/5 rating across 613 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 72 / 100
- Rating
- 4.8/5 (613)
- Duration
- 4 hours
- From
- $354 per person
Don't miss the chance to go for a hot-air balloon flight over Far North Queensland's Atherton Tablelands. It's one of the "must do" activities when visiting the tropics. You have the choice of pick-up from Cairns, the Northern beaches or Palm Cove hotels.
What you get
About this experience
Don't miss the chance to go for a hot-air balloon flight over Far North Queensland's Atherton Tablelands. It's one of the "must do" activities when visiting the tropics. You have the choice of pick-up from Cairns, the Northern beaches or Palm Cove hotels.
What's included
Included
- Insurance Levy
- GST (Goods and Services Tax)
- Digital photo package
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Hotel pickup and drop off
- Commemorative flight certificate
- Glass of Bubbly or Juice
Not included
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup from Yorkeys, Holloways, Kewarra
What you'll see and do
Hot Air Balloon Cairns
You will be met by our professional driver at your pick up location to be transfered to your Hot Air Balloon ride. As the day begins, you will experience a wonderful hot air balloon flight above the Atherton Tablelands, Australia. After your flight and landing, enjoy games and lots of laughs as your pilot, crew and driver lead the fun of packing up your hot air balloon. Your hot air balloon experience finish time varies with the seasons. Your driver can drop you back to your Cairns accommodation or, with prior notice, we can drop you off to the Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal, Skyrail, Tjapukai or perhaps a Cairns cafe or restaurant if you would like to have breakfast at your own arrangements.
Pass by without stopping
Atherton Tablelands
The Atherton Tablelands is the area over which we fly our hot air balloons. You will experience this area at dawn - the best time of the day to spot wallabies, kangaroos, many different species of birds, and other wildlife. In addition, you may fly over many different crops as The Tablelands are known for their fruit and vegetable produce. Keep an eye out for crops of mangoes, bananas, lychees, avocados, pineapples, limes and more.
120 minutes here · Admission included
Where it starts and ends
Hotel pickup
Pickup is included for all travelers.
Options you can book
Cairns Classic Ballooning
Trsf from Cairns Hotels Pickup included
Private Charter balloon for 2
Private balloon flight: Enjoy experienceing ballooning in your own private balloon with one of our experienced pilots. Gourmet beachside breakfast: 5 star gourmet breakfast at Palm Cove Private return transfers: Enjoy private chauffered return transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle with your own driver as your guide Pickup included
Cairns Luxury Balloon package
PalmCove Beach side breakfast : 5 star gourmet beachside breakfast at Palm Cove Private return transfers: Enjoy private chauffered transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle with your own driver as your guide Pickup included
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 9 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Hot Air Balloon Cairns
Know before you go
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there is not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
- All passengers must be able to get into the balloon basket unaided to the satisfaction of the pilot, or they will not be able to fly
- Children aged 3 years and under are not permitted to fly
- Mobile phone contact required when booking
- Pregnant women unable to travel
- Please provide mobile phone number or email address at time of booking
- Flight time is minimum 40 minutes
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 613 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
6 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
4 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Organization
3 mentionsPickup, timing, and logistics are described as running smoothly.
Photo opportunities
2 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Value for money
2 mentionsTravelers feel they got more than they paid for.
Traveler reviews
613 verified traveler reviews for Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
A wonderful sunrise
A very enjoyable balloon ride. We were very pleased especially since we had to get up at 3:00am to depart our lodge and get to the launch site before dawn. Our driver Mike is a very informative and pleasant chap. The balloon pilot Neil is ultra-skilled at flying these baskets. Our balloon was the largest in the fleet and accommodated 18 passengers. It was all we expected and very happy with the experience.
via Tripadvisor
Mike our hero
Mike our driver picked us up a group of us (13) this am. He was outstanding the entire day as were Bob our balloon driver Bryan and the rest of the team. Additionally Mike shared some of his magic tricks as well as pointed out sights as he drove us back to the hotel. An outstanding day with the great operator
Response from the operator: What a fantastic review - thank you! 🎈 We're delighted your group had such an outstanding experience from start to finish! Mike will be absolutely stoked to hear he's your hero! 😊 From his magic tricks to sharing interesting sights along the way, it sounds like he kept everyone entertained throughout the morning. 🪄 Bob, Bryan and the rest of the crew will also love hearing your kind words. Thanks for joining us and sharing such a wonderful experience! ✨
via Tripadvisor
A fantastic introduction to Australia.
Visiting Australia for the first time and I wanted to make great use of my time here. Having landed at 5pm yesterday the prospect of having to be up at 3am today wasn’t something I was looking forward to. However when the bus arrived at my location it all soon became highly enjoyable when Brownie stepped of the bus, introduced himself and away we went. After an about an hour we met up with the another bus we passengers from other resorts and we headed off to our take off site. A brief safety video played and shortly after we arrived. Getting out from the bus you are greeted by this enormous balloon being filled. Brownie and the other ground crew kept up entertained until Neil the pilot was happy for us all to load up. As we floated across the the skyline Neil was pointing out Roo’s and telling about the area we were travelling above. We dropped down for better view of the wildlife and to wave to some of the locals. Being up high and seeing the sun rise over this beautiful landscape was amazing and the perfect start to my Australian adventure. All too soon it was time to come in to land a nice smooth land in a small paddock. Precision parking from Neil! A few small snacks and a glass of fizz to celebrate the moment. All too soon it was time to head back onto the bus and head back to be dropped back off. A quick bathroom stop and a chance to grab a coffee on the way and another safe and enjoyable journey. Be the time we had arrived back at my drop off point a link to the complementary photos which had been taken throughout the experience was in my inbox. Thank you to Brownie, Neil and the other members of the Hot Air Ballon Cairns team.
Response from the operator: What a fantastic way to kick off your Australian adventure! 🎈 We're so glad that despite the early start and a long day of travelling, the experience turned into such a memorable morning 😊 Brownie and Neil will be absolutely stoked to hear your kind words! From spotting kangaroos and waving to the locals to Neil's precision landing, it sounds like there were plenty of special moments along the way 🦘 We're delighted you enjoyed the post-flight snacks, bubbles and complimentary photos too. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful, detailed review - we hope the rest of your Australian adventure is just as memorable! ✨
via Tripadvisor
Another perfect day in Australia!
Mike Koch, our guide, made a fantastically memorable day even better. Our first time in a hot air balloon, the morning was absolutely perfect…weather, crew, photography…simply outstanding. Mike was knowledgeable about everything Australia as well as being fun and funny. Pilot Neil and his crew were stellar. Great camaraderie! Mike’s Magic tricks, not to be missed!
Response from the operator: What a wonderful first ballooning experience! 🎈 We're thrilled that everything came together for such a memorable morning, from the beautiful conditions to the fantastic crew and photos 😊 Mike will be absolutely stoked to hear your kind words - especially that his humour, local knowledge and magic tricks added that extra bit of fun! 🪄 Neil and the crew will also love hearing how much you appreciated their teamwork and camaraderie. Thank you for sharing such a lovely review and for flying with us! ✨
via Tripadvisor
Balloon ride with EFTours
Wonderful time!! Would do again in a heartbeat. Our driver, Mike, was fun and very informative. Our balloon pilot, Frank, was skilled, fun and made everyone feel at ease as he shared his knowledge and years of experience. If you get the chance - DO IT!
Response from the operator: Thank you for such a fantastic review! 🎈 We're thrilled you had such a wonderful time and would happily do it all again! Mike and Frank will be stoked to hear your kind words 😊 It's great to know their humour, knowledge and experience helped everyone feel comfortable and made the morning even more memorable. Thanks for the enthusiastic recommendation - we'd love to welcome you back someday! ✨
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 4 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $354 to $4,000
- Hotel pickup
- Included for all travelers
- Booked in 30 days
- 215
- Verdict
- Strongly Recommended
Why this scores 72
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Cairns & the Tropical North.
How much does Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride cost?
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Prices start at $354 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Cairns & the Tropical North usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride take?
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Plan for about 4 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Cairns & the Tropical North is not rushed.
Is Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 72 out of 100, which we label "Strongly Recommended". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.8/5 across 613 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Cairns & the Tropical North, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 4-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride?
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Around 215 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Cairns & the Tropical North can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Cairns & the Tropical North and add a light layer if any part of the 4-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Cairns & the Tropical North within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Cairns & the Tropical North?
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On Outty we rank every Cairns & the Tropical North experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Fun, Falls and Forest Day Trip from Cairns, Passions of Paradise Great Barrier Reef Cruise by Catamaran, Tully River Full-Day Rafting: Cairns, Mission Beach or Self-Drive. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Cairns & the Tropical North?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Cairns & the Tropical North?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
What is included in Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride?
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Included: Insurance Levy; GST (Goods and Services Tax); Digital photo package; In-vehicle air conditioning; and Hotel pickup and drop off. Not included: Gratuities; and Hotel pickup from Yorkeys, Holloways, Kewarra. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Does Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride include hotel pickup?
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Yes, pickup is offered for every traveler from 64 listed pickup locations in and around Cairns & the Tropical North. You can also enter a custom pickup address when booking.
What languages is Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride offered in?
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It runs in English. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride?
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Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
Is Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride wheelchair or stroller accessible?
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The operator notes: Not recommended for pregnant travelers; and Pregnant women unable to travel. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.
What happens to Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride if the weather is bad?
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This experience depends on good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you are offered a different date or a full refund.
What do travelers say about Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride?
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Across 613 reviews averaging 4.8 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, knowledge and storytelling, organization. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
What booking options are available for Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride?
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There are 3 options to choose from, including Cairns Classic Ballooning, Private Charter balloon for 2, Cairns Luxury Balloon package. Prices and start times differ by option, so compare them on the booking screen.
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