Summer’s here at last, and what better way to enjoy the beauty of the English countryside than with a flight in a hot air balloon. Wickers World is the longest established and most popular balloon flights operator in the midlands, offering flights from Cheshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire & Warwickshire.

Our flight vouchers are valid for a full 12 months, giving you freedom of choice over your flight date. We fly twice daily, throughout the year, subject only to the British climate! Prices begin at £99 per person, for an hour to an hour and a half’s flight.

A great way to celebrate almost any occasion, a flight in one of our hot air balloons will provide memories to cherish for years to come. Exciting yet tranquil, thrilling yet serene, a flight in a balloon is unlike any other experience on Earth (or off it!) – so come and join us and experience the spirit of adventure!

Well, it’s that time of year again and we’ve already had our first frosty morning!

We’ve always been excited by Christmas, and for many years have put together a range of special customer offers to help with this expensive time of year. This year is better than ever, so please read on….

For this Christmas we are pleased to be able to offer all customers a discount of up to £30 per passenger! Instead of £159 for our Premium voucher, we’ve agreed to sell a limited number at just £129! Likewise, the Early Riser voucher is now available at an amazing £99, rather than the usual price of £117! These are limited offers, and when the vouchers are gone, they’re gone!! So, don’t delay, and get your bookings in early.

As a final gesture of goodwill (’tis the Season, you know?), we are offering all purchasers the opportunity to pay by two equal installments. In other words, when you buy your voucher(s), you need only pay half the cost at that time. The other half needn’t be paid until March of next year! Wow! No interest, no extra charges, just a straightforward 50/50 split on payment.

See our price page and booking form for more details.
Bye for now..

For most customers, buying a balloon flight voucher is not an everyday experience! Naturally, you have many questions, and need some answers!

Here is a brief list of the most popular questions and their answers:

1. Do I need to choose a date? – No, most customers buy a voucher without choosing a particular date for the flight. This is usually because the voucher is a gift for somebody else, and is often a surprise (maybe for a Birthday or Christmas), and so it’s not possible to ask the recipient in advance about when they’d like to take their balloon flight!!

2. Is there any age limit? – No, there is no legal age limit, although we do not recommend taking children younger than about 8 years of age. This is because young children may behave in an unpredictable manner, and it would be a shame for everybody, if, for example, the child wanted to land soon after we’d taken off! Also, the side of the basket is about 3′10″ high, preventing small children from seeing over the side. It’s simply not practical to hold young children up, so that they can see over the edge – think about Michael Jackson dangling his baby over the hotel balcony a few years back! At the other end of the age scale, we have no issue with our more mature passengers, and fly hundreds in their seventies, eighties or even nineties. We’re still looking for our first centenarian passenger! Just keep in mind that a small degree of agility may be required, and that the balloon may land in a field that requires passengers walking a short distance across a bumpy terrain – nothing unusual, but just regular rural stuff! Finally, whether young or old, remember that balloon baskets do not have seats, and so passengers need to be able to stand for an hour or so. This is not as strenuous as it may sound, because passengers tend to lean on the side of the basket, and move about in their compartments, shifting their weight and position to be comfortable – imagine leaning on a field gate as a good analogy.

3. Does the price include everything? – Yes, there’s nothing else to pay. Our prices include VAT, insurance, a flight voucher that’s valid for a whole year, return transport from wherever we land back to the launch site, and free access for a many spectators as you wish to bring! Balloon launches are a spectacular and exciting occasion, so bring the family – kids love it!

4. What kind of weather does ballooning need? – We need clear, calm, and dry conditions. More specifically, we cannot fly if the visibility is below 3000 metres, or if the surface wind is stronger than about 8mph. Rain is usually accompanied by fresher winds and poor visibility, and of course thunderstorms are the most violent phenomena of all! To get the best weather for ballooning, we fly either early in the morning, or last thing at the other end of the day – basically within the first and last few hours of daylight each day! Of course, if the weather causes your flight to be postponed, you simply rebook for another date.

As Winter approaches, it’s all too easy to assume that balloon flights become a Summer memory. Well, I’m pleased to say that this is not the case! As we press on into Autumn the colours of the countryside take on their finest hues, and the landscape adopts a more relaxed composure now that the harvests are safely in!

In my view, there is no finer time to fly than on a frosty Winter’s morning. The hard, blue, cloudless sky contrasts with the white fields and hedgerows. The landscape takes on an almost monochromatic colour scheme, and the air is as clear as gin! Visibility is not hampered by the heat haze of Summer, nor is the pollen or dust of harvest set to impede the clarity of the atmosphere – in fact the Winter visibility can often be measured at over 100 miles.

“Surely it must be cold up there” I hear you ask! Well, no, again this is a misconception. The temperature in the air, on a frosty Winter’s day, is usually a few degrees warmer than on the ground! This is because the air near the Earth’s surface is chilled by being in close proximity to the very cold ground. Coupled with the warmth from the burner, this makes for a very pleaseant flying experience. The only time when we might feel the chill again is after landing!

So don’t forget us in the Winter. You might be missing the most spectacular time to fly!

On a personal note, I can honestly say that my best balloon flights have all been in the Winter, in Switzerland, flying in the coldest of conditions, surrounded by snow-covered mountains. Whilst we cannot promise the same scenery, the prospect of Winter balloon flights in the UK is still something to relish!

When purchasing a balloon flight voucher, you do not need to specify a flight date. Most customers prefer to leave the date “open ended” so that the recipient can make their own arrangements. However, if you have a preferred date, then this can be requested at the time of purchase.

We schedule flights twice each day (dawn and dusk), throughout the entire year. Whether it be a weekday, weekend or even Bank holiday, it makes no difference to us!

To get an idea of availability over the next 40 days, take a look at our Dates page. Through the Dates page, customers can book or re-book flights date to suit themselves – and of course being internet based this can be done 24hrs a day, at any time to suit the customer.

Of course, if you prefer, you can always speak to our office staff on 01889 882222, and they will be pleased to help select a date. The office is always open from Monday – Friday (9am – 5pm), and sometimes at weekends as well.