We were so delighted when this flight went ahead as we had tried about 5 times before but each time was cancelled. It was WELL WORTH the wait! Good clear communication, a very experienced and good hu... See more
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Team were really good. We got involved with getting balloon ready and packing away afterwards which was really good. Flight itself was fabulous and pilot pointed out different areas. Photos and vide... See more
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Tom, our pilot, was courteous and professional, gave clear instructions and invited and answered all and any questions. His two support crew were equally friendly and helpful. Instructions to get to t... See more
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An experience well worth the wait. I felt safe and reassured by our pilot Robert, taking off from Mattishall. Smooth take off and even smoother landing. Very knowledgeable of the area. Relaxing and p... See more
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Company details
Written by the company
Virgin Balloon Flights is the largest commercial hot air balloon rides company in the UK and has been taking passengers up, up and away on the airborne experience of a lifetime since 1994.
Contact info
Jesson House, TF3 3BD, Telford, Shropshire, United Kingdom
- 01952 212750
- customerservice@virginballoonflights.co.uk
- www.virginballoonflights.co.uk
4.6
Excellent
6K reviews
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Replied to 96% of negative reviews
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Amazing experience! Would highly recommend
My friend and I did the Virgin balloon ride yesterday and what a fabulous experience!
Chris and his crew were absolutely amazing. They made the whole experience fun and we felt safe for the whole time. Chris was very knowledgeable about the areas we were flying over and made the whole journey very interesting. The takeoff and landing was incredibly smooth to the point that I didn’t even realise we had landed. I would highly recommend this experience! thank you very much, Chris, the crew and Rodney the dog
August 16, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
A landing so smooth you didn't even realise you'd landed?! Chris will be very happy with that!
We'll make sure he and the crew see your fantastic comments – and, of course, we'll ensure Rodney gets the recognition he clearly deserves too.
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
We were so delighted when this flight…
We were so delighted when this flight went ahead as we had tried about 5 times before but each time was cancelled. It was WELL WORTH the wait! Good clear communication, a very experienced and good humoured pilot - and a thoroughly enjoyable experience from start to finish. About an hour in the sky in total - lovely views despite the drought this summer - peaceful and beautiful. Would love to do it again for sure. Landed safely in a field and good fun all helping pack up the balloon and enjoying a prosecco before the minibus collected us to return us to the take off location.
August 14, 2026
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
Five attempts to get airborne... and after finally doing it, you'd happily start all over again?! That's quite the endorsement!
We're delighted the pilot kept you smiling, the skies delivered those peaceful summer views, and you enjoyed the full adventure right through to packing away and Prosecco.
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
It was amazing
It was amazing, educational, the pilot and crew were fantastic, very professional, informative and made the whole experience fun
August 17, 2026
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
Who knew learning could be this much fun at a few thousand feet?! We're delighted the pilot and crew kept things interesting, informative and full of personality along the way.
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
What an experience
What an experience! Thank you to all the crew, very professional, clear with instructions, and made sure everyone was good throughout the experienceoverall a great team. Would highly recommend. Plan on going again next year, this time further afield!
August 9, 2026
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
Already planning next year's adventure? We LOVE that! Sounds like the crew gave you a pretty convincing reason to see where else a balloon might take you.
Here's to round two – somewhere a little further afield!
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
Brilliant experience really well looked…
Brilliant experience really well looked after by the pilot Adrian and 2 team members.
Will highly recommend to family and friends it was worth the wait .
August 17, 2026
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
Sending family and friends our way? Now that's a compliment! We'll make sure Adrian and the crew know they did us proud. Thanks for sticking with it until your day in the skies finally arrived.
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
Brilliant from take off to landing.
Brilliant from take off to landing.
Really was a breathtaking experience
August 17, 2026
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
Breathtaking from lift-off to touchdown – that's exactly the kind of flight we like to hear about! Thanks for taking to the skies with us.
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
Peaceful, tranquil & great experience
Great experience, once in a lifetime. Our pilot Adrian Brown was lovely. He engaged and was so informative before during and after the flight.
A long awaited experience but worth it in the end.
August 13, 2026
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
Once in a lifetime... although Adrian might just have you tempted to make it twice! We're delighted he kept you informed and entertained from start to finish, and that your long-awaited day in the skies delivered.
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
Wonderful experience
We highly recommend flying with Tom from Tissington - the communication before the flight, and the flight itself was seamless. He was happy to answer all questions and was so informative about the whole process. It was fascinating to see the balloon inflate and how it all packs away at the end. The actual flight was so smooth, breathtaking scenery and sun rise on a beautiful clear day. I would highly recommend a hot air balloon experience to anybody, but especially flying with Tom Hook and his team who looked after us so well!
August 13, 2026
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
We think Tom might need a bigger fan club! From answering every question on the ground to delivering sunrise views over Tissington, it sounds like he and the team absolutely nailed it.
We'll make sure they see this glowing recommendation.
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
A great pilot should be as good with people as they are with balloons! We're really pleased you felt so at ease and enjoyed their company.
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
The whole thing.....excellent support…
The whole thing.....excellent support staff, fantastic pilot, beautiful morning x x
A few cancellations before but well worth the wait. X x
August 16, 2026
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
The whole thing... that's exactly what we love to hear! A beautiful morning, a fantastic pilot and a cracking team to share it with. We're so pleased the skies finally came good for you.
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
Superb pilot, excellent experience – sounds like a winning combination to us! We'll make sure your praise finds its way back to the flying team.
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
What a fantastic flight
What a fantastic flight
We took to the sky with Nobby the pilot and 14 others in the balloon early on a sunday morning,
The pilot was very friendly and intuitive with information and story's of his past flights and career, very interesting.
The ground crew were equally great especially the Welsh guy Glen he made sure we had a great experience also.
The flight was perfect. And a soft landing to finish.
Thanks for the fossil Nobby for my wife Mandy its little things like that that gives the experience a personal touch we will be booking again not to far in the future.
August 16, 2026
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
A perfect flight, a soft landing AND a fossil for Mandy – Nobby clearly knows it's the little things that make a big adventure!
We'll make sure Nobby and Glen see your fantastic comments. And if you're already planning another flight, we'd say they've done a pretty good job!
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
We would not recommend buying a balloon voucher
When you buy a voucher for a balloon flight you are buying uncertainty. The flights get cancelled regularly and the venue gets changed at very short notice. Obviously this is weather related but ultimately we needed to be a lot further from home by 5.45 in the morning. We had switched to an AM flight as all the PM flights were cancelled. You help set the balloon up for flying and you help pack it up at the end. This adds considerable time to the event. When you land you are done distance from where you take off and you go back via minibus this took about 30mins. Another customer on our flight had booked Hatfield House as the starting venue as had we. They were told only 1% of those flights ever happen mostly being moved at short notice. All in all not worth it for us. Landscape we flew over wS not interesting, and flight wS low due to winds. Would not recommend.
August 14, 2026
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
We're sorry that, having now experienced ballooning, you came away feeling it wasn't for you.
You're absolutely right that ballooning involves a degree of uncertainty. Weather and wind direction determine whether we can fly, which launch site can be used and ultimately where the balloon will land. Setting up, packing away and the journey back to the launch site are also all part of the wider ballooning experience, and we appreciate that this made for a much longer morning than you had anticipated.
We would, however, like to clarify that the suggestion that only 1% of flights from Hatfield House operate is not a statistic we recognise as accurate.
We appreciate your candid feedback, particularly around how clearly the practicalities of the day are understood before customers arrive. We're sorry that, on this occasion, the overall experience wasn't one you would recommend.
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
Awesome experience
Everything went well from booking to the actual flight. It was absolutely awesome. The pilot and his staff were kind, considerate and helpful. This was backed up by exemplary knowledge of all aspects of balloon flights.
August 13, 2026
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
Kind, considerate AND seriously know their balloons – that's exactly the combination we want in a flying team! We're delighted everything delivered from booking right through to landing.
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
Great fun
Great fun, well managed and comfortable flights from York racecourse with Dave as pilot.
Fab views too.
August 14, 2026
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
York Racecourse, fab views and Dave at the helm – sounds like the ingredients for a cracking flight! We'll make sure Dave gets his well-earned shout-out.
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
“Expertly executed” – now that's a compliment our flying team will love! Thanks for trusting us with your adventure and for the fantastic recommendation.
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
Amazing experience
Amazing experience! Even got to help inflate and deflate the balloon.
August 16, 2026
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
That's half the fun! There's nothing quite like helping bring a giant balloon to life before climbing aboard and flying it. Thanks for getting stuck in!
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
First hot air ballon ride it was… excellent
This was my first hot air balloon ride in Nantwich and it was great helping to get set up helping to put away it was a great experience
August 16, 2026
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
First balloon flight and you were straight in there helping the crew – that's the spirit! We're glad Nantwich gave you such a great introduction to life in the skies.
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
We had excellent weather for the flight…
We had excellent weather for the flight and an excellent pilot Mr Russell Collins. Russell made the experience truly memorable with his distinct way of giving us the information as well as involving us in the overall experience by getting us to support him while preparing the balloon for flight and again after we had landed. Thank you Russell and your colleague Chris.
August 16, 2026
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
Sounds like Russell gave you much more than just a lift into the skies! We'll make sure both he and Chris see your lovely comments – it's brilliant to hear their knowledge, personality and hands-on approach made the day so memorable.
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
Fantastic flight on a beautiful day
Fantastic flight on a beautiful day - great team on the day and booking/cancellation/rebooking very easy.
August 13, 2026
Reply from Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi,
Beautiful skies on the day and smooth sailing before you'd even reached the launch field – that's exactly how we like it! Thanks for the shout-out to both our flying and booking teams.
Thanks,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
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