Michigan
Shared seats cost $299 to $300 from mid-April or May into October, launching from Flesher Field in Kalamazoo or northwest of Battle Creek. Both companies fly only around sunrise or from about two hours before sunset.
| Operator | What you get | From | Length | Group | Min age | Weight limit | Cancellation | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shared group rideIncludes Flight photos by a photographer, free, Chase crew ride back to the launch site |
$299 per person |
About 2.5 to 3 hours total, about 1 hour in the air (40 minutes to 1.5 hours) |
up to 6 passengers per balloon |
No age limit; must be 42 inches tall or able to see over the basket | No passengers over 280 lb; capacity based on a 180 lb average | Weather reschedules are free and the deposit carries over. Reschedule up to 7 days out; later cancellations owe the full balance. | Check dates | |
Shared Flight ExperienceIncludes Champagne or sparkling grape juice toast after landing, Chase crew ride back to the launch site |
$300 per person |
About 3 hours total, about 1 hour in the air |
up to 6 passengers |
10+, flying with an adult | Weather cancellations are rescheduled. Changes or cancellations need 48 hours' notice, or the full balance is charged. | Check dates | ||
Private flight, 2 passengersIncludes Flight photos by a photographer, free, Chase crew ride back to the launch site |
$449 per person |
About 2.5 to 3 hours total, about 1 hour in the air (40 minutes to 1.5 hours) |
2 to 6 passengers plus the pilot |
No age limit; must be 42 inches tall or able to see over the basket | No passengers over 280 lb; capacity based on a 180 lb average | Weather reschedules are free and the deposit carries over. Reschedule up to 7 days out; later cancellations owe the full balance. | Check dates | |
Private Flight ExperienceIncludes Champagne or sparkling grape juice toast after landing, Chase crew ride back to the launch site |
$1,400 per group |
About 3 hours total, about 1 hour in the air |
2 passengers |
10+, flying with an adult | Weather cancellations are rescheduled. Changes or cancellations need 48 hours' notice, or the full balance is charged. | Check dates |
From each operator's own website, checked October 21, 2026. How we compare.
Michigan Balloon Corporation usually takes off from Flesher Field on 9th Street in Kalamazoo, a mile north of I-94. The site can move for weather or when a sporting event is using the field, and the company may phone on the day with a new takeoff spot. Pilots begin hunting for a landing site 45 minutes into the flight. Depending on what the wind offers, that might be a hayfield, a big backyard or a parking lot.
Altitude Endeavors meets at 1255 Hunter Ridge in Battle Creek unless its flight notice says otherwise, and it normally launches northwest of the city. It can also fly from other locations or events for an extra fee it does not publish. Passengers only have to reach the meeting point, since the chase team brings everyone back from the landing. Both companies point out that a balloon moves only with the wind, which is what decides the landing field.
Michigan Balloon Corporation's morning flights meet at sunrise itself and its evening flights 2 hours before sunset, with the exact time on the reservation. Allow about three hours from inflation to heading home, roughly one of them in the air, plus travel time from out of town. Foot holes in the basket wall work as steps, and the crew offers a hand. After landing the company serves a champagne toast, with sparkling grape juice as the alternative, and a van carries the pilot and passengers back to the launch site.
Altitude Endeavors asks passengers to arrive at the scheduled time and not more than 15 minutes early, because the crew may not be there yet. Its flights last at least 40 minutes, average about an hour and can run to 1.5 hours, within an outing of 2.5 to 3 hours. The company warns that landings can be bumpy, something like stepping down from a kitchen chair. A photographer records each flight and the photos are free, and the chase team drives passengers back to the launch location.
Altitude Endeavors flies from about mid-April to mid-October, and Michigan Balloon Corporation from May through October. Both go up only in the early morning or from about two hours before sunset. Michigan Balloon Corporation says the wind is calmest then and thermals (rising currents of warm air) are less active. It suggests reserving two to three weeks ahead, and earlier for fall flights.
Wind is the most common reason for a scrubbed flight. Michigan Balloon Corporation looks for surface winds of about 5 to 8 mph and will not launch above 10 mph. It also cancels for weather watches or warnings, poor visibility, low cloud ceilings, weather systems moving in or out, and extreme heat or humidity, and it admits some calls look unnecessary afterward. Altitude Endeavors needs a forecast under 10 mph for the whole flight window and no precipitation. It confirms evening flights around 2 pm and morning flights around 9 pm the night before.
The Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival ran July 1 to 5 in 2026 at Battle Creek Executive Airport. Its program listed hot air balloons, a balloon illume and an air show with the US Air Force F-35A Lightning II demo. As of late October 2026, its website had not posted 2027 dates.
Michigan Balloon Corporation charges $300 a seat with up to 6 passengers, and children pay the same rate; they must be 10 or older and fly with an adult. A private flight for two costs $1,400. The balance, less the reservation fee, is charged after landing. Changes or cancellations need 48 hours' notice, or the full balance is charged and a gift certificate becomes void. Its pilots all hold FAA commercial lighter-than-air ratings, each balloon is inspected every 100 hours of flying, and pregnant passengers cannot fly for now.
Altitude Endeavors lists a 2026 shared seat at $299, with up to 6 passengers per balloon. Its private flights are priced per person and get cheaper as the group grows: $449 each for two, $359 for three, $319 for four, $289 for five and $269 for six. Every price includes a $50 non-refundable deposit per passenger. There is no age minimum, but riders must be 42 inches tall or able to see over the basket, and able to stand for up to 1.5 hours. Its equipment cannot carry anyone over 280 lb, and prices assume an average of 180 lb.
Altitude Endeavors lets passengers reschedule up to 7 days before the flight. Any cancellation costs the $50 deposit per passenger, and cancelling within 7 days forfeits the balance. Weather reschedules are free and the deposit carries over. Its waitlist only frees a seat when someone cancels, which the company says is rare. Altitude Endeavors flies Lindstrand balloons only and says it has had no aviation accidents or incidents since 1997. Michigan Balloon Corporation calls itself one of the oldest and most experienced balloon companies in the country.
from $299 per person
Shared group ride and 1 more option
Operating since 1997
from $300 per person
Shared Flight Experience and 1 more option
Describes itself as one of the oldest and most experienced balloon companies in the US
Prices and policies come from each operator's own pages, read on October 21, 2026. Seasons, rules and local details come from the pages below.