Tennessee
Shared sunrise flights cost $325 a seat with Middle Tennessee Hot Air Adventures, which flies April through November from Franklin, about 21 miles south of Nashville. Ace High Ballooning recommends mornings in the hot months, May to September.
| Operator | What you get | From | Length | Group | Min age | Weight limit | Cancellation | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hot Air AdventureIncludes Champagne toast or non-alcoholic cider, Chase vehicle to and from the launch site, Photo package from ground and basket cameras |
$325 per person |
About 1 hour of flight time (60 to 90 minutes); about 3 hours from meeting to return |
Usually 2 to 8 passengers per basket; shared with other passengers |
5+ | Priced on an average of 200 lb per passenger | Free cancellation or rescheduling for weather; changes need 4 days' notice; card charged for later cancellations or no-shows. | Check dates | |
Dawn Patrol AdventureIncludes Champagne toast or non-alcoholic cider, Chase vehicle to and from the launch site, Photo package from ground and basket cameras |
$1,000 per person |
Launches 45 minutes to 1 hour before sunrise |
2-passenger minimum, any group size |
5+ | 1,600 lb total, not including the pilot | Free cancellation or rescheduling for weather; changes need 4 days' notice; card charged for later cancellations or no-shows. | Check dates | |
Private AdventureIncludes Champagne toast or non-alcoholic cider, Chase vehicle to and from the launch site, Photo package from ground and basket cameras |
$1,500 per group |
About 1 hour of flight time |
2-passenger minimum, any group size |
5+ | 1,600 lb total, not including the pilot | Free cancellation or rescheduling for weather; changes need 4 days' notice; card charged for later cancellations or no-shows. | Check dates | |
Private SUNRISE CharterIncludes Traditional champagne ceremony on landing |
Not listed |
About 3 hours total; average flight time 1 hour |
Private, with your own basket |
Weather may cancel or reschedule; 72 hours' notice to cancel; no-shows on flyable days may pay a rescheduling fee; service fees non-refundable. | Check dates |
From each operator's own website, checked October 21, 2026. How we compare.
Middle Tennessee Hot Air Adventures regularly launches from sites in Franklin, Leiper's Fork and Brentwood, and also uses Spring Hill, Nashville and Arrington. The pilot settles the meeting place and launch site around the group's needs and the day's wind, and the crew can come to you. Flights range from treetop height up past 2,000 feet at times, over the rolling hills of Franklin and Brentwood and open countryside, and the company counts the Nashville skyline among the views.
Franklin, the Williamson County seat, sits about 21 miles south of Nashville on both banks of the Harpeth River. Sunrise passengers for both companies gather near the same I-65 exit, at Peytonsville Road and the Goose Creek Bypass (exit 61, according to Ace High). Middle Tennessee Hot Air Adventures uses the car lot on the northwest side of the TA Travel Center, 4400 Peytonsville Road. Ace High Ballooning lists 7101 Berry Farms Crossing as its meeting address, but its morning charters usually meet at the bypass.
Middle Tennessee Hot Air Adventures meets 30 minutes before sunrise, and its crew usually arrives about 10 minutes before that; the pilot confirms exact times at check-in. If no call has come by 8:30 pm the evening before a sunrise flight, the company asks passengers to phone 615-829-6483. Allow about 3 hours from meeting to getting back to the car. Its flights run 60 to 90 minutes, with most kept near one hour, and it does not guarantee a length.
Passengers climb over the side of the basket, which stands about 36 to 42 inches high, with a step stool and a hand from the crew. The chase vehicle follows by radio and is waiting at the landing site to drive everyone back, though some landings involve a short walk. The flight ends with a champagne toast, or non-alcoholic cider chosen at booking, and the company uses cameras on the ground and in the basket for passenger photo packages.
Ace High Ballooning asks passengers to arrive 30 minutes before sunrise or sunset, warns that meeting times can change without notice, and has each rider sign an acknowledgement of risk at the launch site. It lists an average flight of one hour within a 3-hour commitment and ends with a traditional champagne ceremony on landing. Middle Tennessee Hot Air Adventures' Dawn Patrol flight launches 45 minutes to an hour before sunrise and offers a champagne toast or mimosas.
Middle Tennessee Hot Air Adventures calls April to November its main season and says winter flights are limited. Its pricing page lists shared and private flights at sunrise each day, while its FAQ also gives an afternoon meeting time of 2.5 hours before sunset. Ace High Ballooning lists both sunrise and sunset charters, and it strongly recommends morning flights in the hot months, May to September.
Middle Tennessee Hot Air Adventures will not fly with thunderstorms or heavy rain within 50 miles. It sets no single wind number; pilots weigh surface and upper winds, pressure, fronts, rainfall and convective activity, and the pilot always has the final say. Hot weather reduces a balloon's lift, so high temperatures can mean lighter loads or a new date. After a weather cancellation, passengers can drop the booking at no charge or pick a new date from its online calendar.
Middle Tennessee Hot Air Adventures charges $325 per passenger for a shared sunrise flight, priced on an average of 200 lb per person, with 2 to 8 passengers in a basket. Its Private Adventure is $1,500 for two plus $200 per extra passenger, and Dawn Patrol is $1,000 per passenger with a two-person minimum. Private and Dawn Patrol groups can total 1,600 lb, not counting the pilot. Underestimating a group's weight by 50 lb or more can keep it on the ground, so the company asks for accurate figures.
Middle Tennessee Hot Air Adventures recommends children be at least 5, since younger ones may not see over the side. Changes need 4 days' notice and a no-show owes the full balance. The card is held at booking and charged only after the flight, and cash or check also work on the day. Gift vouchers expire 2 years after purchase. The company advises booking directly with an operator that owns its balloons and warns against national brokers and call centers.
Ace High Ballooning was started by Bob Grimes, who has held a commercial balloon pilot's license since 1977, and it sells private charters with an exclusive basket at sunrise or sunset. Its booking page shows no price; it offers to price match, with restrictions, and adds optional gratuities of 10 to 20 percent. Cancelling needs 72 hours' notice, a no-show on a flyable day may face a rescheduling fee, and service fees are non-refundable. It asks customers to call 615-423-7042 to confirm availability before booking.
from $325 per person
Hot Air Adventure and 2 more options
Family business based in Franklin, about 18 to 20 miles south of Nashville
Price on request
Private SUNRISE Charter
Created by Bob Grimes, a commercially licensed balloon pilot since 1977
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.