Looking inside our largest hot air balloon as it is inflated
An Apex Balloons flight lifts off into the bright blue Phoenix sky filled with other hot air balloons
Our morning flights launch just before sunrise sometimes, but that is not guaranteed. Most flights launch at sunrise or slightly after. To guarantee an early pre-dawn launch, book a Private flight with the "City Lights Flight" option (below) to take off one hour before sunrise in the dark!
The "City Lights Flight" option on a Private balloon flight with Apex Balloons gives you an incredible viewpoint above Phoenix to witness the morning sky come alive. Liftoff is approximately one hour before sunrise in nearly pitch darkness, and landing is made after daybreak. This is a rare, incredible experience you'll talk about forever!Book a City Lights Flight!
Balloon rides near Scottsdale, Arizona offer a wonderful view of the varied flora, fauna and terrain of the Sonoran Desert. Here we skim low up the side of one of the many mountains in the Phoenix area.
An amazing sunset materializes just after landing the balloon
Floating low over a giant Saguaro cactus - a regular sight on any given hot air balloon flight in Phoenix, Arizona!
A beautiful sunset landing marks the conclusion of a perfect afternoon hot air balloon flight with us in Phoenix, ArizonaPhoenix, Arizona Hot Air Balloon Rides
Apex Balloons is a professional hot air balloon company offering premier hot air balloon rides in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona. We launch our Phoenix balloon rides seven days a week year-round, with balloon flights scheduled daily at sunrise, weather permitting. Sunset flights are available from mid-October through March. We specialize in private balloon flights for two or more guests, as well as group balloon excursions for up to 32 or more passengers.
Our Phoenix hot air balloon rides offer scenic views of the rugged desert landscape of Arizona. We'll have the ultimate vantage point of the Sonoran Desert from our balloon over North Phoenix as the sun wakes up the day or gently sets on the horizon. Wildlife is in abundance in certain areas, and we might see quail, jackrabbits, cottontails, and sometimes the occasional coyotes, hawks, owls, mule deer, javelina, roadrunner, and others from our hot air balloon's basket!
| Awarded TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021 Awarded TripAdvisor's Certificate of Excellence: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 |
Please take the time to read all the information on our website - most of the typical questions you'll probably have (like pricing) are answered on the Balloon Rides Page and the FAQ/Information Page. If there are any questions that aren't answered, please call us toll-free at 1-877-9-HOTAIR (1-877-946-8247) or locally at 602-903-7246 and we will be more than happy to help.
Some Of Our Services
- Champagne Hot Air Balloon Flights in Phoenix & Scottsdale, Arizona
- Local, Regional & National Corporate Balloon & Airship Advertising Programs
- Film, TV & Promotional Work
- Custom Balloon Sales, Design & Construction
- Balloon Repairs, Inspections & Special Services
About Us
Jon Radowski, the owner and chief pilot of Apex Balloons, has been involved in ballooning essentially his entire life. His interest took off at the age of two when attending a balloon festival with his family. Jon knew from a very early age that he would become a balloon pilot as soon as he grew old enough.
After the magic of his first flight, he became a student pilot at the age of 14, designed and constructed his first hot air balloon from 16-17 years old, earned his private pilot certificate soon after, and became a commercial pilot at 19 to begin ballooning as a full-time career. In addition to flying balloons, Jon is an FAA-certificated hot air balloon repairman/inspector, and still designs and builds hot air balloons and airships. Take a look at what's on the drawing board at the design & manufacturing end of Apex Balloons.
Jon now has more than 26 years of experience flying hot air balloons of all shapes and sizes. For years, he commanded one of the world's very tallest hot air balloons, the Space Shuttle Patriot. Towering at a height of nearly 190 feet and with a wingspan of 115 feet, the shuttle balloon is three times taller than most balloons and twice as wide! Jon has flown many of the largest hot air balloons in North America, corporate balloons, and numerous special shape balloons.
In addition to balloons, Jon is also certificated to fly single-engine and multiengine airplanes, hot air airships, and gliders (as well as glider tow planes). He also flies powered paragliders, and is a B-licensed skydiver, with many skydives out of hot air balloons. He has flown hot air and gas balloons in over 22 different states as well as Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, India, Australia, Germany, and France. He has a natural skill at flying balloons and takes considerable pride in his unblemished safety record, with over 18,000 happy passengers flown without a single injury. Jon is also a hot air balloon flight instructor and has trained a number of students through to their private and commercial hot air balloon pilot certificates.
Lindsay Brunner, a second-generation commercial hot air balloon pilot, is a talented and crucial part of our operation. Lindsay grew up in and around hot air balloons and had her very first balloon flight at just a few years old with her father piloting. She has been fully immersed in the world of ballooning ever since. Family trips growing up were more often to hot air balloon events such as Reno, Nevada and Albuquerque, New Mexico, rather than "normal" vacation destinations! It was almost inevitable that she would become a balloon pilot, and she worked very diligently to make that goal a reality.
After many years of paying her dues in the ballooning industry, beginning as ground crew, then crew chief, all the while actively flying and taking lessons, Lindsay earned her Private and Commercial balloon pilot certificates and began flying commercially. Over the last decade, she has flown hot air and gas balloons in Germany, France, Mexico, India, and numerous US states. Lindsay has the distinct honor of having flown balloons across the Grand Canyon three times (so far!). She has considerable experience flying large passenger balloons, and has the incredible ability to make an unsteerable balloon go right where she wants it to!
Lindsay also designed and constructed her first hot air balloon, and has plans to build more airborne creations. She is currently working towards earning her FAA repair and inspection certification, and is learning to fly other types of aircraft. Lindsay is also a hot air balloon flight instructor and greatly enjoys helping student pilots learn how to sprout their wings!
Our pilots' careful attention to detail, consideration for the enjoyment of guests, skill at controlling the balloon, and commitment to safety will ensure that you have a most incredible flight that will be remembered forever. Join us up there!
Arizona Hot Air Balloon Rides with APEX Balloons / Hot Air Balloon Rides in Phoenix Arizona / Advertising with Hot Air Balloons in Phoenix & Scottsdale / Frequently-Asked Questions about Ballooning in Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ / Arizona Hot Air Balloon Photos / Web Links to other Hot Air Ballooning Sites / Contact APEX Balloons for Hot Air Balloon Flights in Arizona