Circle City Balloon Rides vs Indy Hot Air
Two balloon operators in Indianapolis, Indiana. Circle City Balloon Rides starts at $339 and Indy Hot Air at $400. Here is how their options line up on length, group size, age rules and cancellation.
Circle City Balloon Rides
- Flies a special-shape elephant balloon called Ellie (up to 300 lbs, price on request)
- Can fly from your own site, at $2 per mile beyond 25 miles from Indianapolis
- Says about 65% of its flights get rescheduled for weather
- No seats in the basket; passengers stand for the whole flight
Shared Flight
- From
- $339 per person
- Length
- Allow 3 to 4 hours, about 45 minutes to 1 hour in the air
- Group
- Typically 4 to 5 guests in the basket
- Min age
- 5+, at least 42 inches tall
- Cancellation
- Cancels for wind over 10 mph, nearby rain, fog or low clouds; reschedule as often as needed with price lock, or deposit refunded.
Private Flight
- From
- $1,099 per group
- Length
- Allow 3 to 4 hours, about 45 minutes to 1 hour in the air
- Group
- 2 to 5 guests, only your group and the pilot
- Min age
- 5+, at least 42 inches tall
- Weight
- 850 lbs total
- Cancellation
- Cancels for wind over 10 mph, nearby rain, fog or low clouds; reschedule as often as needed with price lock, or deposit refunded.
Indy Hot Air
- Shared basket flies only once 4 riders are on the list; a specific date is not guaranteed
- Shared flights on Saturday and Sunday mornings and Monday and Tuesday evenings
- Balance is collected after the flight
- Will bring a balloon to your property for a homestead flight
Shared Ride
- From
- $400 per person
- Group
- Shared basket for 4 passengers
- Cancellation
- Weather or wind cancellations pick a new date; you stay on the list until you fly, final payment due after the flight.
Private Ride
- From
- $1,150 per group
- Group
- up to 5 passengers, basket to yourselves and the pilot
- Weight
- Weight limitations apply (no figure given)
- Cancellation
- Wind or weather cancellations rebook through an emailed link to current availability; the $50 deposit is non-refundable.
Homestead Flight
- From
- $2,000 per group
Both checked against the operators' own pages on 2026-10-21. See every operator in Indianapolis, Indiana.