Australia · HOT AIR BALLOONING

Hot Air Balloon Flights in Australia: 15 Very Early Starts

26 tours  ·  from $232

Dawn over the Yarra Valley, the Gold Coast hinterland or the Alice Springs desert. The 15 below are priced with and without the champagne breakfast, and every one of them is a very early start.

Gold Coast Hot Air Balloon Flight - Flying over the city or hinterland
Gold Coast Tours, Hot Air Balloon Flights in the Gold Coast, Hot Air Ballooning, Queensland Tours, Tour Reviews

Gold Coast Hot Air Balloon Flight

1.Gold Coast Hot Air Balloon Flight

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 647 reviews · from $284Our pick

Start with a pre-dawn pickup, then rise above the Gold Coast for 45 to 60 minutes, flying over the city or hinterland as wind allows. The balloon has doors instead of a high basket wall, and you receive a photo and movie package. You may also help pack the balloon after landing. Crew names include Ben, Reece, Casey, and Murray.

“Unfortunately it didn’t happen. The hot air balloon people tried on 3 separate days to get us airborne. The weather wasn’t good enough. Now awaiting refund of monies”

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Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride - The flight itself, from low fields to high views
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Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride

2.Cairns Classic Hot Air Balloon ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 575 reviews · from $355

Start before dawn with hotel pickup, then float over the Atherton Tablelands as the sun reaches the farms, rivers, and hills. Your pilot provides commentary, and the crew helps you pack the balloon after landing. The package includes photos, a light breakfast snack, juice or bubbly, transfers, and a commemorative certificate.

“This was such a lovely graduation gift for my daughter! Everything ran like clockwork from the pick-up time to the drop-off time, so professional. It was such a wonderful experience floating in the air and the views were spectacular! I wasn't sure if I would enjoy it or if I would have fear of heights, sometimes I do. I got used to it pretty quickly like within 10 minutes and was able to relax and let go of the rope hold. We dropped down low to look at wallabies and follow the Barren River, and then way up high to soar on the air currents. I've never done anything like…”

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Yarra Valley Sunrise Balloon Flight with GoPro Photos - Helping launch the balloon gives the morning some purpose
Hot Air Ballooning, Morning, Photography Sessions, Tour Reviews, Victoria Tours, Yarra Valley Tours

Yarra Valley Sunrise Balloon Flight with GoPro Photos

3.Yarra Valley Sunrise Balloon Flight with GoPro Photos

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 506 reviews · from $355

Meet before dawn at Pullman Melbourne on the Park or arrange pickup, then ride to a wind-dependent launch site in the Yarra Valley. Help prepare the balloon before a roughly one-hour flight with pilots such as Steve, Jake, or Harry. Download in-flight GoPro photos afterward, with an optional Balgownie Estate breakfast.

“Early but well organized and breathtaking views . Lovely ride to Yarra Valley and we assisted in the setup and after the trip as well”

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Hot Air Balloon Flights in Perth (Avon Valley) with breakfast - Sunrise above the Avon River and farm country
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Hot Air Balloon Flights in Perth (Avon Valley) with breakfast

4.Hot Air Balloon Flights in Perth (Avon Valley) with breakfast

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 439 reviews · from $265

Meet in Northam before dawn for a sunrise balloon flight over the Avon River and surrounding farms. Your pilot, such as Dan, Nick, Paul, or Peter, explains the aircraft, safety, and landing, then invites you to help set up and pack away. Breakfast follows, with flights guided by the day’s wind.

“Excellent pilot and support crew. Total experience was fantastic, breakfast great and will go again.”

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Gold Coast Hot Air Balloon + Winery Breakfast + Return Transfers - Floating above farms, forests, and vineyards
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Gold Coast Hot Air Balloon + Winery Breakfast + Return Transfers

5.Gold Coast Hot Air Balloon + Winery Breakfast + Return Transfers

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 437 reviews · from $335

Rise before dawn for a gentle hot-air balloon flight over Gold Coast forests, farms, vineyards, and lakes. Your pilot and guide explain the views, then you help pack away the balloon before a hot breakfast, sparkling wine, and cellar-door tasting at O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley. Pickup and return transfers from Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach are included.

“This was a fantastic experience - absolutely loved the ballon ride and we were able to see some kangaroos which was a nice bonus. Kelly was our driver and tour guide with Gavin helping out. The ballon pilot was Dharwal. Kelly was absolutely Read more”

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Early Morning Ballooning in Alice Springs - The flight: broad views, soft movement, and burner heat
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Early Morning Ballooning in Alice Springs

6.Early Morning Ballooning in Alice Springs

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 426 reviews · from $265

Start before dawn with hotel pickup, then watch the balloon inflate as the first light reaches the Red Centre. Drift above the Alice Springs region with the MacDonnell Ranges in view, listen to commentary from pilots such as Jason or Duncan, and look for red kangaroos. After landing, enjoy sparkling wine, fruit, cheese, and pastries before returning to town.

“Jason and his team were awesome! They worked like a well-oiled machine and they were so fun! The 60 min ride felt like 10 as we went way up and back down to be able to see wildlife—we saw kangaroos towards the end of our ride! Loved helping pack up the balloon and the treat of champagne and muffins etc were much appreciated! Thx for a fantastic morning!!”

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Hot Air Balloon Flights over Melbourne City (optional breakfast) - Preparing the balloon before takeoff
Breakfast Experiences, City Tours, City Tours in Melbourne, Hot Air Balloon Flights in Melbourne, Hot Air Ballooning, Melbourne Tours, Tour Reviews, Victoria Tours

Hot Air Balloon Flights over Melbourne City (optional breakfast)

7.Hot Air Balloon Flights over Melbourne City (optional breakfast)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 403 reviews · from $369

Meet around 5:00 am for a dawn hot air balloon flight over Melbourne, with views of the MCG, Museum, CBD, and sunrise. Liberty Balloon Flights provides the pilot, support crew, safety briefing, in-flight guidance, and return transfer to the meeting point. Flights last about one hour, with optional Windsor Hotel breakfast for A$50.

“Melbourne is one of the few cities in the world where you can float over the skyline in a hot air balloon.”

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Melbourne Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride with GoPro Photos - What the balloon launch feels like
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Melbourne Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride with GoPro Photos

8.Melbourne Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride with GoPro Photos

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 263 reviews · from $426

Meet at Pullman Melbourne On The Park before dawn for a safety briefing and roughly one hour in the air. Your pilot may steer over the CBD, Yarra River, MCG, parks, stadiums, or inner suburbs, depending on wind. Help with the balloon if able, then add a buffet breakfast with sparkling wine.

“I recommend to everyone who is thinking of doing a Balloon flight just do it, It is sooo awesome, I thought I was going to be really scared, but I wasn,t. It was so calming and the views where a sight to be hold, I absolutely loved it 3”

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Alice Springs: Early Morning Hot Air Balloon Flight - Watching the balloon come alive
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Alice Springs: Early Morning Hot Air Balloon Flight

9.Early Morning Hot Air Balloon Flight

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 243 reviews · 4 hours · from $258

Start before sunrise with hotel pickup and a safety briefing, then float over the Central Australian outback for 30 or 60 minutes. Pilots such as Duncan and Jason explain the flight while you look for kangaroos and watch the MacDonnell Ranges change colour. Help pack the balloon away before enjoying sparkling wine, juice, snacks, and a flight certificate.

“Book this trip - heaps of fun to see the sunrise over Australia. We were so lucky to see kangaroos hopping through the landscape below. Packing up the balloon afterwards was part of the fun - good snacks after the trip. There were also some nice and useful souvenirs for sale at the end (bring cash or a bank card).”

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Brisbane's closest Hot Air Balloon Flights - City & Country views - 1 hr flight! - Meeting at Ipswich at 4:00 am
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Brisbane’s closest Hot Air Balloon Flights – City & Country views – 1 hr flight!

10.Brisbane’s closest Hot Air Balloon Flights – City & Country views – 1 hr flight!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 205 reviews · from $355

Meet Floating Images at Ipswich Visitor Information Centre at 4:00 am, then ride to a weather-dependent launch site for a one-hour flight over Ipswich, Brisbane, the Great Dividing Range, Scenic Rim, and Somerset. You can help with balloon setup, then enjoy breakfast, sparkling wine, and a flight certificate.

“Fantastic. Tour operators are professionals. I felt safe and enjoyed every minute!”

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Hot Air Balloon Flights Geelong (The Great Ocean) + Breakfast - Meeting at Rydges Geelong at 5:00 am
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Hot Air Balloon Flights Geelong (The Great Ocean) + Breakfast

11.Hot Air Balloon Flights Geelong (The Great Ocean) + Breakfast

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 172 reviews · from $294

Meet at Rydges Geelong at 5:00 am for transport to the launch field. You will help watch the balloon take shape, then spend about an hour floating above Geelong, the coastline, and Bellarine Peninsula before returning for a buffet breakfast. The small group is capped at 22 people.

“A serene and uplifting experience, facilitated by a great team. A wonderful way to see the beauty of Geelong and surrounding areas.”

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Melbourne Premium Balloon Flight plus 5-Star champagne breakfast - What the three to four hours include
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Melbourne Premium Balloon Flight plus 5-Star champagne breakfast

12.Melbourne Premium Balloon Flight plus 5-Star champagne breakfast

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 114 reviews · from $377

Fly above Melbourne in a wicker basket with BalloonMan, taking in the Yarra River, MCG, Eureka Tower, Royal Botanic Gardens, Westgate Bridge, and Brighton’s bathing boxes. The flight lasts about 3 to 4 hours including a five-star champagne breakfast. Groups are capped at 10, and pickup is offered.

“We had booked the trip and it was cancelled due to the weather. I am sincerely appreciated the Balloonman team, the organizer, who always kept in touch with us til the refund granted.”

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Melbourne: Balloon Flight at Sunrise - The 4:00 am start at The Hotel Windsor
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Melbourne: Balloon Flight at Sunrise

13.Balloon Flight at Sunrise

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 106 reviews · 4 hours · from $364

Meet at The Hotel Windsor before dawn, ride to the launch field, help prepare the balloon, then fly for about an hour over Melbourne’s CBD, MCG, Yarra River and parks. Pilot-led route planning uses winds at different heights, followed by a ground-crew landing and return to central Melbourne. English and Spanish guidance is available.

“These men are great team and great service and great friendly guys they have given us all. Very thoroughly explain and clear instructions. I love it so much and very impressive what I see during the ride up the sky in Hot Air Balloon. Thank you all guys”

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Hunter Valley: Sunrise Balloon Ride with Bubbly Breakfast - The flight itself is quiet, not thrilling in the usual way
Hot Air Ballooning, Hunter Valley Tours, Morning, New South Wales Tours, Tour Reviews

Hunter Valley: Sunrise Balloon Ride with Bubbly Breakfast

14.Hunter Valley: Sunrise Balloon Ride with Bubbly Breakfast

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 74 reviews · 3h 30m · from $261

Rise before dawn for a roughly 45-minute Balloon Aloft flight over Pokolbin, Lovedale, and Rothbury. You can help inflate the balloon, watch the sun lift over the vineyards, then enjoy an a-la-carte breakfast with sparkling wine at Peterson House. Pilots including Sam, Blake, Byron, and Rick have led recent flights.

“Terrific experience and both aloft balloons and Peterson house provided excellent service”

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Byron Bay: Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Flight with Breakfast - Meeting the crew at The Farm Byron Bay
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Byron Bay: Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Flight with Breakfast

15.Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Flight with Breakfast

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 53 reviews · 4h 30m · from $261

Meet your English-speaking pilot and ground crew at The Farm Byron Bay before helping inflate the balloon. Fly for 45 to 60 minutes above coastline, farmland, and national parks, then return for a cooked breakfast at Three Blue Ducks. The launch time changes with sunrise and weather, so expect an early start.

“It was incredible. So welnorganised, great communication when we needed to change the day due to weather, awesome pilot, awesome breakfast, could not praise the set up more!”

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