Frequently asked questions.

Hot air balloon flights take place approximately 1 hour after sunrise, and 2-3 hours before sunset. Therefore our flight times vary throughout the year – in the summer we may fly at 6am and 7pm, but in the winter it’s more like 8am and 2pm. These same rules apply to hot air balloon flights all over the world!

Our hot air balloon flights last between 60-90 minutes, but please allow 3-4 hours for the whole adventure. It’s definitely not an experience to be rushed.

Hot air balloons are directed by the wind, and as a result we never know beforehand how far we will travel. Simply put, if the wind speeds are stronger, we will go further. On average we travel 5-10 miles from our launch site.

Maybe! Hot air balloons cannot be steered, and every flight path is unique. We simply travel where the wind takes us, and can’t guarantee any particular direction.

We always suggest dressing as if you're going for a walk in the countryside. We are usually landing in a farm field that may be wet, muddy or uneven. Please don’t wear your best or favourite clothes! It’s also a very good idea to wear a hat/cap, as the heat from the burners overhead can be rather warm!

It’s no colder in the air than on the ground, in fact, it’s often slightly warmer due to the radiant heat from the burners. Therefore, as long as you are dressed appropriately for the conditions on the ground, you will be comfortable throughout your flight.

Absolutely! We always love seeing spectators on site. They’re more than welcome to follow the balloon during flight and watch you land, but it’s not essential. Our team will always transport you back to the launch site by road.

Generally our cruising altitude is between 1000-2000 feet, but on some occasions we may go higher. It really depends on the conditions on the day of your flight.

We don’t know! That’s part of the adventure, and makes every flight unique. Hot air balloons cannot be steered, so we never know exactly where we’ll end up landing. It’s usually in a farm field, or on similar terrain.

The landing is the most unpredictable part of the flight, but also the most exciting and often people’s favourite. Hot air balloon flights are very serene and gentle in the air, but when landing the basket occasionally tips or drags along before coming to a halt. This is perfectly normal, and how balloons have landed for hundreds of years.

Everyone is invited to help pack the balloon away after the flight, and most passengers thoroughly enjoy the experience. It helps make the process much quicker when everybody participates, but it’s entirely optional. Please don’t feel obliged to join in.

Once the balloon has landed, we’ll be joined by our ground crew. They will return you to our launch site in our fleet of Land Rovers.

We have launch sites in Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire and Shropshire. To explore our venues in more detail, please click here.

We will meet at our designated launch site around 30 minutes before takeoff. You are more than welcome to arrive earlier than this to help prepare the balloon. The exact meeting time will be confirmed when you call our Flight Line prior to your flight.

Hot air balloon flights can take place all year round. At Wickers World, we’re available to fly every day of the year, but due to the weather dependent nature of ballooning the vast majority of flights take place between March and October.

There is no ‘best’ time of year to go ballooning – it’s entirely personal preference. We love a frosty winter’s morning just as much as a warm summer’s evening. Generally, flights are more likely to take place in spring, summer and autumn but they’re not necessarily better!

Hot air ballooning requires light winds, good visibility, dry weather and firm ground conditions in order to operate. Without these specific parameters it would be dangerous and irresponsible to go ballooning. In the unfortunate scenario that your flight is postponed, it’s only ever with your safety in mind.

To check on the status of your hot air balloon flight, please call our Flight Line on 01889 882000 where your pilot will have left a recorded message with full instructions.

For AM flights please call after 4pm the day before your flight.

For PM flights please call after 2pm on the day of your flight.

If your hot air balloon flight is postponed, simply rebook another date through our website. Many passengers fly on their first attempt, and most fly within a few, but if you are unlucky enough to have four attempts postponed by the weather, we are more than happy to extend your voucher for a further 12 months.

Once you have purchased a voucher, simply click here to book a flight date.

Our vouchers are valid for 12 months (or 18 months for Premium Plus vouchers) from the date of purchase or gift date. Your expiry date can also be found on your voucher.

We require at least 3 working days notice if you wish to change or cancel your flight date – simply call our office or drop us an email. We will make exceptions at shorter notice for extenuating and extreme circumstances, where evidence can be provided.

Our Voucher Refund Policy has its own dedicated page, which can be found here.

Absolutely! If you wish to upgrade your voucher at any time please contact our office to pay the difference.

If you have a specific date in mind, the earlier the better! We usually advise looking 2-3 weeks in advance to guarantee a date. However, for more popular dates such as weekends, bank holidays and school holidays please allow more than 3 weeks.

Don’t worry! Please contact our office and they will be happy to send you a replacement voucher by email.

Please contact our office if you have any queries regarding your order. They will be more than happy to assist in tracking your order.

There is no age restriction to go ballooning, but all passengers must be at least 140cm tall – this is to ensure their own safety and enjoyment of the flight. Any passengers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Yes – all passengers must be at least 140cm. This is to ensure their own safety and enjoyment of the flight.

Yes – due to the weight and space restrictions of a hot air balloon basket, passengers in excess of 125kg (or 20 stone) may be required to pay a supplement. Please contact our office to discuss your options before booking.

If you have any medical conditions or have recently received surgery it’s best to check with your doctor that you are fit to fly. It is important that you inform us of any medical or physical conditions that could affect your safety or the safety of your fellow passengers.

We recognise that some disabilities present greater difficulties than others with regards to ballooning. Our team are committed to ensuring that people with disabilities are given the opportunity to fly and therefore we request that you inform us of any disabilities when booking so that we can do our best to meet your needs. Unfortunately, for safety reasons, we are unable to fly anyone who is confined to a wheelchair.

We cannot fly anyone who is pregnant. If you find out you’re pregnant during the validity of your voucher then please contact our office. We will happily extend your voucher accordingly.

Ballooning is extremely safe and is heavily regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority. However, ballooning activities intrinsically involve the possibility of physical risks greater than those encountered in everyday life, even though they are conducted under the supervision of commercial pilots who exercise all due precautions to ensure safety. By partaking in such ballooning activities passengers are understood to be fully aware of these risks.

We carry insurance cover for any legal liability we may be found to have to you for any injury you may sustain, or for damage sustained by your belongings during the course of the flight, or when embarking or disembarking. However, English law in some circumstances sets maximum limits on our legal liability to you that you might deem inadequate to compensate any loss. In this scenario you may wish to consider getting your own additional insurance.

Our baskets vary in size from 6 to 16 passengers, but we also have a much smaller basket that carries only 2 passengers for a more exclusive experience. We can generally cater for any party size, so please get in touch.

As is the case with most baskets in the world, our baskets don’t have any doors. Instead, you are required to climb in/out of the basket, which is comparable to climbing over a farm gate. It does require some agility, but assistance may be given to those who require it.

There are footholds cut into the wicker, which allow you to climb up and over the end of the basket. It’s very similar to climbing over a farm gate. Our crew will be on hand to provide assistance to those who need it.

Our balloons come in all different sizes – from just two passengers, all the way up to sixteen passengers. Our largest balloons stand a whopping 120ft tall and take 400,000 cubic feet of air to fill. They’re huge!

You can see our whole fleet in more detail here.

Our balloons come in all different sizes – from just two passengers, all the way up to sixteen passengers. Our largest balloons weigh approximately 1150kg in total – roughly a 750kg basket and 400kg of fabric.

However, when the balloon is fully inflated, the 400,000 cubic feet of air inside has a mass of around 14 tonnes!