If you have always dreamed about living the dream of being a professional balloonist you have come to the right place. Whether you want to start an air balloon business, promote your existing business, or just be creative with your marketing, this article will show you the best ways to make money with hot air balloon rides.
Hot air balloon rides are a fun and exciting way to see the world from an aerial perspective. From stargazing to incredible photo opportunities, this thrilling adventure is adventurous, educational, and just plain fun. If you have a passion for hot air ballooning, you can turn it into a full-time venture and make money with hot air balloon rides.
Do you enjoy hot air balloon rides? Are you trying to find ways to make money? If you answered yes to one or both of these questions, then this article is for you. So let’s begin.
1. Become a Balloon Pilot and Teach People How To Pilot a Balloon
Hot air balloon rides and lessons can be a fun and exciting way to earn an income. Balloon flight training and piloting lessons are notoriously costly so many companies now offer them as part of a business where people who’ve expressed interest pay for the experience.
Find ways you can make money with ballooning as an instructor who will teach people to pilot a balloon. For example, you can start teaching courses online with the help of online course platforms.
All you need to do is make them fun, interesting, and informative. You can make an average of $75,000 annually as a balloon pilot.
SEE: How to create an online course like a professional
2. Get Creative With Photos
Hot air balloon rides and photography go hand in hand, and I’ve found that you can get creative with hot air balloon photography to do exactly that: make money. You can also take pictures or videos of the sunset, the city skyline, the mountains, ball game, or perhaps leave a photo journal of an exciting weekend trip to New York City with your tourist.
Tourists will gladly pay to have these pictures or footage. You can also sell these photos online. When done right, these pictures will be much more than just great shots—they can provide an exceptional source of passive income.
SEE: How to make money with photography
3. Offer Special Trips for Weddings
Make money with hot air balloon rides by offering special wedding trips. Conduct weddings in the air package. Put on some nice champagne music, have a nice bottle of champagne waiting, and offer some floral arrangements for the lucky couple on board.
The trip can be anywhere the couple would like to go, including over some amazing scenery or someplace special to them both. The goal here is to offer amazing deals and get more customers from referrals.
SEE: How to make money as a wedding planner
4. Promote Hot Air Balloon Rides Online
Over the past several years, hot air ballooning (or hot air balloon rides) has grown in popularity. With more people getting into it, most pros are finding that they need to find new ways to get customers into their hot air balloons. You can make money by promoting hot air balloon rides online in two ways;
Make money promoting hot air balloon rides on social media sites
Social media sites are full of people with looser spending habits who love special trips, so it is a perfect spot for you to pitch hot air balloon rides.
For example, Pinterest is filled with socialite types that have money to spend. It’s also jam-packed with people who love the country and the outdoors, so your pitch for hot air balloon rides will be right in their sweet spot.
SEE: Introduction to social media marketing
Make money promoting hot air balloon rides by starting a blog
If you want to make money with hot air balloon rides, then start a blog and monetize it. The hot air balloon industry is growing at around 20% every year. There is plenty of scope for profits if you can get your blog off the ground and find some good niche strategies. This is a real money maker.
SEE: Best blogging platforms for beginner and experienced bloggers
5. Let Businesses Advertise on Your Balloon
Selling ad space on the side of the balloon may seem like a wacky idea, but it can be one of the most profitable approaches. This approach is commonly used at events where homes are close together, such as county fairs or competitions.
If you are flying near businesses, even local ones like shops or restaurants, approach them about purchasing ad space on your balloon. By selling ad space on your balloon, you can make money with hot air balloon rides beyond the fees you charge for your services. It’s a win-win scenario.
6. Be a Tour Guide for Balloon Trips
If you like to be out in the elements and like to share your knowledge of history, cultural attractions, or pretty much anything else you can think of, this is an easy way to make money with hot air balloon rides. Be a tour guide for people who already own hot air balloons. Tour guides are sometimes called balloonists, balloon pilots, or pilots.
SEE: How to make money as a tour guide
7. Sell Hot Air Balloons Accessories
There are many ways to make money by selling hot air balloon accessories and equipment. If you love balloons and you have a good knowledge of balloon accessories, you can start selling them at fairs, festivals, parks, and other venues. Here are the tips for making money by selling hot air balloons accessories and equipment:
- Look for venues where people are willing to buy balloon accessories.
- You can start by selling balloon accessories at fairs or festivals. You can also sell them at parks and other venues.
- Sell hot air balloon accessories at your local farmers’ market, garage sale, or flea market.
- You can also make money by selling hot air balloon accessories online.
8. Partner with a Tourist Company to Offer Balloon Rides to Their Clients
Balloon rides are very popular in most cities. If you wish to make money with hot air balloon rides, be sure to contact local tourism offices and inquire about contacting local companies who offer this type of tour to their clients. This is a great way of expanding your business without the stress of looking for customers on your own.
9. Create Balloon Decor for Special Occasions or Parties
If you’re good with decorating balloons, you can get paid to decorate balloons for people. You can start decorating balloons on a freelance basis or as a side hustle. This is a great way to make money on the side. The balloon decorations are super simple to make, and they can be bought at your local craft store or on Etsy.
Also, this particular business is great because there are lots of companies that hire balloon decorators for special events or themed parties. So, don’t limit yourself to just booking rides.
10. Find Ways to Target Local Businesses for Corporate Rides
Hot air balloon rides aren’t just for tourists. If you’re based in a major city, then there’s likely a large number of businesses that pay you to take staff and clients on hot air balloon rides as an enjoyable and memorable reward.
To find these companies, go to your local chamber of commerce and drop off a stack of business cards. Also, use Google Adwords to track the terms “hot air balloons” or “charter fly” and find businesses in your area.
11. Go along with Candidates during Election Campaigns
In an election campaign, candidates and their supporters often want to hold a rally. You can offer your services as a balloonist to help them out. If you are in a position to do this, you could end up making a tidy sum.
This will draw the attention of many people who will get the opportunity to read the campaign message. These rides also create a good opportunity for people to discuss issues regarding the election, which may get them interested in voting.
You will need to develop a smooth research plan, learn how to interact with campaign officials, and gain experience in the use of online search engines. When you’re done, you’ll be equipped to start making money by selling your services like a hot air ballooning campaigner.
12. Find Insurance That Will Cover Liabilities
Insurance is essential for any business. It is important to take into consideration that hot air balloon rides can present several threats and dangers. Your business offers a very special service to passengers, and you must have special aviation insurance to provide that service.
Despite how safe ballooning is, insurance will protect you just in case something goes awry. Because you are personally responsible as a business operator, you should not skimp on insurance. As a result, you can run your business with complete peace of mind.
SEE: Best life insurance companies
How Much Money Can You Make With Hot Air Balloon Rides?
You can make around $200 to $400 per person on a trip. It’s quite expensive but people will pay to experience that thrill. Depending on your location and other services you render, you can make an average of about $55,000 per year with hot air balloon rides.
FAQs
Do you need a pilot license to fly hot air balloons?
Yes. Pilot’s licenses are required, but acquiring one for a balloon is not as difficult as one for a fixed-wing aircraft. For hot air balloon rides, you either need a commercial license or a private pilot’s license.
Licenses for starting a hot air balloon ride business vary by state and by country. It is best to obtain further information from the Federal Aviation Laws in your area.
How do hot air balloon rides businesses make money?
This business opportunity makes money from hot air balloon ride tickets. Hot air balloon rides can be profitable in different ways: you can charge a flat rate or an hourly rate; you can find corporate sponsors; offer advertising space on the outside of your balloon. You can also do special promotions for parties such as weddings and birthdays.
Why does location matter if you want to make money with hot air balloon rides?
It is simple. If you want to make money from hot air balloon rides then you need to know where demand for your product or service is. The location, where your ride goes through, is crucial. You want to fly your passengers over something that will impress them significantly.
Do you have to be the pilot to make money with hot air balloon rides?
No. Many balloon ride businesses are run by pilots. However, this is not a requirement. You can also employ a pilot and run the business yourself. Some experienced pilots are happy to work as commercial pilots, depending on the contract type.
Final thoughts
If you’re a hot air balloon enthusiast and you want to turn your hobby into a profitable business, this is the article you’ve been looking for. There are plenty of opportunities out there for anyone with a passion for ballooning and a bit of determination. Here are the best strategies to make money with hot air balloon rides.
If you want to make money with hot air balloon rides as a form of passive income, then I recommend blogging or creating courses online. For a steady stream of clients, it’s best to partner with tourism companies. This way you’re sure to have referrals.
There are several ways to make money in the tourism business, one of the best is to advise people on what they desire and where they wish you to actualize it. For more information, see how to make money as a travel consultant.
In addition, if you love to travel, then there’s an article on the blog that might interest you. Discover the best travel jobs for those who enjoy the thrill of traveling. Another option to maximize your income is to start a business.
Tosinajy offers top business ideas that you can implement immediately. All you need to do is to explore the blog. Thanks for reading.
