Arizona is easily one of the most underrated states in the US in terms of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. If you want to instantly (and literally) elevate your Phoenix experience, taking a hot air balloon ride should be at the top of your list.

Floating over the Sonoran Desert at sunrise, with panoramic views of rugged mountains and endless cacti – there’s simply no comparison. I’ve gone ahead and reviewed the 5 top Phoenix hot air balloon rides that are well worth your time and money, so you don’t have to do the searching. Let’s jump right in!

Be see our reviews of Grand Canyon Tours From Phoenix and Scottsdale Jeep & ATV Tours.

Best Hot Air Balloon Rides in Phoenix

	Phoenix Morning Hot Air Balloon Ride	Sunset Hot Air Balloon Ride Over Phoenix	Phoenix Afternoon Hot Air Balloon Ride
Duration:	3 to 5 hours	3.5 hours	3.5 hours
Departure:	Hotel pickup and drop-off included	7934 N Glen Harbor Blvd, Glendale	702 W Deer Valley Rd, Phoenix, (or hotel pickup and drop-off )
Start:	5:45 AM	2:30 PM	3:45 PM
Includes:	5-60 minute hot air balloon flight, round-trip transport, breakfast, champagne	Local taxes, alcoholic beverages, post flight snacks, live commentary on board	Champagne, snacks, commemorative flight certificate, transport
	Tour Information & Booking	Tour Information & Booking	Tour Information & Booking

Quick Answer: The 5 Best Rated Phoenix Hot Air Balloon Tours For 2026

1. Phoenix Morning Hot Air Balloon Ride
2. Sunset Hot Air Balloon Ride Over Phoenix
3. Phoenix Afternoon Hot Air Balloon Ride
4. Phoenix Hot Air Balloon Ride at Sunrise
5. Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride in Phoenix with Breakfast

Phoenix Hot Air Balloon Tour Reviews

1. Phoenix Morning Hot Air Balloon Ride

If you’re on the hunt for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, the Phoenix Morning Hot Air Balloon Ride is a must-do. There’s no better way to start your day off than rising up above the gorgeous desert scenery, quietly observing the world around you.

From the moment you’re picked up to the final champagne toast, this sunrise ride delivers everything you could hope for, and much more. You’ll be picked up right from your hotel by your guide in a private, comfortable car or coach, depending on your group size.

You can also opt to meet there, but I personally think the pickup is MUCH easier. While you’re absolutely going to have to wake up early, seeing the soft glow of the morning sun rising up over the mountain ridges is truly unremarkable.

Not only that, but you have a generally higher chance of catching desert critters like jackrabbits and javelinas! The organization of this tour was top-notch, with everything going off without a hitch, and friendly staff there to guide you every step of the way.

They answered all of our questions and gave us a safety briefing, as well as a briefing as to what to expect – an essential, considering most of us hadn’t gone on a hot air balloon before. Our pilot was FAA-certified but also super passionate about what they do, making us feel safe and hyped up all at once.

Once we landed, we had a celebratory toast and even got to sit down for a delicious, picnic-style breakfast smack dab in the desert. It’s truly a one-of-a-kind experience that I’d recommend to anyone and everyone.

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2. Sunset Hot Air Balloon Ride Over Phoenix

Now we’re on to the hot air balloon experience that happens at the opposite end of the day – sundown. The Sunset Hot Air Balloon Ride Over Phoenix is quite possibly the best way you can experience golden hour here.

Balancing jaw-dropping views, peaceful vibes, and just the right amount of adrenaline, this is an experience you’re never going to forget. The only potential downside for me with this tour was that it didn’t include a hotel pickup, though the offices were still quite easy to get to.

Once you get to the check-in office, you’ll have all of your questions answered and fill out all necessary paperwork, which only takes a few minutes. Afterward, you’re transported out to the launch site location, where you can either choose to help the crew with the balloon or just observe as it comes to life!

After the balloon is all ready to go, your pilot will meet with you and go through a safety briefing to make sure everyone’s on the same page, and you can just focus on the fun at hand.

Then it’s time to board – our group had some kids along and our pilot did such a great job of making sure they were engaged and having a great time. Seeing the sun start to set and envelop the desert in a golden glow was simply magical, to the point that I actually forgot to take photos and videos.

After landing, we of course celebrated with the traditional champagne toast and even received a commemorative flight certificate, which was a nice touch (and memento!). If you’re bringing kids or teenagers along, I highly recommend this Phoenix hot air balloon tour!

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3. Phoenix Afternoon Hot Air Balloon Ride

The Phoenix Afternoon Hot Air Balloon Ride is the perfect way to instantly amplify your Arizona adventure. What I love about hot air balloon rides is that they somehow seem to simultaneously offer adrenaline and tranquility – endless beauty and lots of laughs.

If you’ve never seen the desert from the perspective of a cloud watching the sun set in 360-degree cinematic color, this tour is basically a dream sequence coming to life. This is actually one of the most budget-friendly tours of its kind, so if you’re looking for a fantastic experience without spending a ton, check this one out.

You can choose to either meet at the Deer Valley Airport, which isn’t too hard to get to, or you can opt for the round-trip hotel transfers (I personally recommend doing this!). Upon arrival, the friendly staff is there to make sure everything is squared away before you go to the launch site.

At the launch site, you’ll meet your pilot, who’s there to go through a safety briefing and answer any and all of your questions before setting off. Ours had been doing this for over 2 decades and was certified, so that, combined with his fun and friendly demeanor, definitely put everyone at ease.

It was just me and a couple more of us, so we had plenty of room to move around and get comfortable, setting off high in the air. Getting to see the Sonoran Desert from this perspective will definitely have you thinking differently about the US and just how expansive (and beautiful!) it is.

It’s also a wonderful way to get to know the desert better, with our pilot pointing out various wildlife and plants from above, as well as the iconic Camelback Mountain.

It was super cool getting to see sunset over downtown Phoenix, and then being welcomed back with a delicious gourmet meal was just the perfect ending to any day.

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4. Phoenix Hot Air Balloon Ride at Sunrise

Next up is the Phoenix Hot Air Balloon Ride at Sunrise, which is one of the most magical ways to start your Arizona morning. I’m not particularly a fan of waking up at 5:00 am – like most people – but I can promise you that it’s definitely worth setting that alarm clock early for this experience.

In fact, if I got to do this every morning, I’d probably make it a habit to wake up at the crack of dawn! This was actually the tour that made me realize why going on a hot air balloon ride is such an important bucket-list item for so many people.

Things started off great right from the get-go with a friendly welcome upon arrival to the offices, where we were greeted by kind staff and did some fast paperwork before making our way to the launch site. The briefing went over all safety aspects and what to expect, to ensure we were all on the same page.

One thing that some of the people in my group were a bit concerned about was a rough landing or takeoff, and it was so nice to confirm that everything went off without a hitch. Our pilot was super fun and passionate about what he does, and was there to answer any and all of the questions we had.

Oh, and the actual operation was super smooth and easy, so you can relax and appreciate the amazing views when you’re up there in the sky rather than worry about how gnarly the landing may be.

Getting the chance to see the sun peeking over the mountains and enveloping the entire desert in light is a truly spiritual experience that I hope everyone has at least once. It’s something I’ve grown addicted to – although the celebratory champagne toasts and light snacks afterward didn’t hurt, either!

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5. Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride in Phoenix with Breakfast

Last but certainly not least, is the Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride in Phoenix with Breakfast. Trust me when I say that the balloon experience alone is worth it, but when you throw in a delicious, hearty breakfast afterward, you’re taking things to a whole new level.

This, interestingly enough, was one of the most educational hot air balloon experiences I’ve had, and that’s saying a lot, considering I’ve done a ton of them! Things start off early in the morning – while we didn’t get an included pickup and drop-off from our hotel, we met at a Safeway about 30 minutes outside downtown Phoenix.

It’s not bad at all at this time, as you’re so early that you’re not battling at all with traffic. Once you get there, you’ll board a coach with your guide and the rest of your group – our guide was insanely knowledgeable and experienced in ballooning, it made me only appreciate it more.

Once we got to the offices, we went through a bit of paperwork and some briefing, which is always a green flag with these kinds of experiences. We went out to the launch site, where we decided to help the crew with the balloon, watching it become inflated while learning all about what goes into the preparation of a flight.

I have to go on and say that this was quite possibly the best crew and pilot I’ve ever encountered on a hot air balloon tour – everyone made us feel safe and excited to be there.

The views were marvelous, and seeing the sunrise is something that I’ll remember for a long time. The ending toast to celebrate everything made everything that much nicer, though the breakfast was what sealed the deal for me.

Please do yourself a favor and book this tour, no matter what your age or experience level is!

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