The first time I took a hot air balloon ride over the Teotihuacán pyramids near Mexico City, I called it a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

But over the years, I’ve managed to find more opportunities to float over the pyramids at sunrise. I’m up to five balloon rides, and I’d do it again tomorrow.

What to know

Cost: $3,250 MXN ($190 USD) when booked direct, depending on package
Mexico City pickup: 4:30 to 5 am (about a 1 hour drive there, 1.5 to 2 hours return)
Launch time: Sunrise—6:30 to 7 am
Flight duration: 45 to 50 minutes
Best way to book: Direct through local operator websites, which saves about 25% over third-party platforms

✨Is a Mexico City hot air balloon ride worth it?

Yes, we think so. A hot air balloon ride itself is a magical experience, and a trip above the Pyramid of the Sun and Pyramid of the Moon makes it unforgettable.

A tour usually includes:

A 45 to 50 minute sunrise balloon ride with a celebratory toast after you land
Round trip transportation
Full breakfast
Two hours on your own in the archeological zone at the pyramids

💲How much does a Mexico City balloon ride cost?

Our most recent trip cost $3,250 MXN ($190 USD).

Prices vary depending on your add-ons. You could choose private round-trip van transport, a professional on-site archaeological guide, or custom packages like anniversary toasts or marriage proposals with a mariachi band on the landing field.

Booking Tip: Book directly with an on-site flight operator to save about 20% to 25% compared to booking through third parties. (More on that below.)

❓Is a balloon ride safe?

Safety records are excellent with legitimate operators.

Check with your tour company to make sure pilots are licensed and equipment is certified by the AFAC, which is Mexico’s Federal Civil Aviation Agency. Ask them about any health conditions that may make a ride risky for you.

✔️How to make it happen: Step by step

I’ve learned a few things planning and experiencing our balloon rides. Here’s what you need to know.

🏢1. Choose a company

There are dozens of different companies that offer balloon rides. The first time, we didn’t know how to choose and went with a third-party service (Viator) that paired us with Flying Pictures Mexico.

We were so happy with Flying Pictures’ expertise and communication that we’ve used them ever since, booking directly though their site.

What we’re sharing here is our experience with them. We don’t get any compensation or perks for mentioning them, we’re just happy repeat customers. But the process might be slightly different if you go with another company.

Tip: If you use Google to find a balloon tour operator, search on Google Maps near the Teotihuacán pyramids instead of running a standard search. With search, it’s hard to get past the sponsored ads for resellers that charge a markup. Maps helps you find local companies, and then you can book directly with them.

📅2. Make your reservation

We’ve been able to get reservations a couple of days ahead of time, but it makes sense to book as early as you can, especially November through April. You should be able to book online.

Weight estimates: Be prepared to share the approximate weight of everyone in your group.
Confirmation: You might have to wait 24 hours or so for a confirmation, which will probably come through WhatsApp. (That’s something you should get used to using if you’re spending any time in Mexico. It’s what everyone uses to communicate.)
You’ll hear back from the tour company confirming the date and pickup time, and they’ll fill you in on any details you need to know. For example, you might need to show them the credit card you used to pay when you made your reservation.

What happens if the trip is cancelled because of bad weather?

It’s a good idea to reserve for one of the earlier days of your trip. Balloon rides aren’t canceled for bad weather very often, but you want to give yourself time to reschedule, just in case. You should be able to arrange your new flight date with your balloon tour provider.

🌄How the morning unfolds

⏰Early wake-up

Balloon rides launch at sunrise because there needs to be a big temperature difference between the air inside the balloon and the outside air. So, you have to get up very early and head out well before dawn. On our last ride, our pickup time was 4:40 a.m.

🕶️What should you wear?

Dress in layers, especially if you plan to go to the pyramids. It will probably be chilly when you head out in the morning and warmer after breakfast.
Bring sunglasses and sunscreen for the archeological zone. There’s no shade and the sun will be climbing by the time you get there.
Wear comfortable shoes that can get dirty. You need to climb in and out of the balloon basket, and your balloon might land in a dusty or muddy field. You’ll want good walking shoes if you plan to climb the Pyramid of the Moon.
If you want to bring a backpack or tote bag, you should have room to put it next to your feet on the balloon ride.

🚗How do you get to the launch site from Mexico City?

We’ve always included transportation as part of our balloon tour package. As an add-on, round-trip group transportation costs $500 MXN ($29.50 USD) per person.

A one-way Uber costs about the same, so you can decide what works best for the number of people in your group. You can also drive yourself, if you have a car.

I have to admit, the first time, it made me a little uneasy to get into a van with a total stranger in what feels like the middle of the night.

But off you go with your driver, who may or may not speak English. There might be two or three groups sharing a van, unless you’ve reserved private transportation. So, after you get picked up, you might stop by some hotels or short-term rentals.

You’ll drive for about an hour. (The trip back might take closer to two hours, depending on traffic.)

☕Once you get there

We’ve always had English-speaking staff greet us when we arrive at the launch site.

You sign waivers, and you might have time to get a cup of coffee, use the restroom, and take some photos of the balloons being readied for launch. If your balloon is ready, you might need to hurry to get on board.

Either way, someone shows you to your balloon and they take photos of you and your group.

Climbing in: The sides of the basket are fairly high—maybe four feet—but there’s a stepladder as well as footholds built in to the basket, plus people there to help you.
Basket layout: We’ve been on flights where it was just our group of four, even when we didn’t reserve a private ride. And we’ve been on flights with groups of up to 12 riders.

You’ll have amazing views no matter what—the balloon and basket gently pivot during the flight, and each group has access to the sides, so you can see everything. We don’t think there’s any need to pay extra for a private flight.

⬆️The launch

Once everyone is on board, the staff shoots a few more photos and explains how you should position yourself for the landing, and then the pilot launches the balloon.

There’s a peaceful feeling when you lift off the ground. It’s not scary. It’s like the ground gently drops away.

You almost don’t notice the motion—you just see the difference when you look down. It’s hard to explain unless you experience it, but it feels natural. It’s nothing like the sensation of a plane taking off.

As the balloon lifts into the air, the views get better and better. You see the sun rising in one direction, the pyramids in another, and dozens of other balloons lifting off all around you.

You’re airborne for 45 or 50 minutes, and your pilot adjusts the balloon higher or lower to take advantage of different wind currents. You might drop down low over the pyramids, and then rise up for an overarching view.

⬇️The landing

Landing isn’t quite as smooth as taking off. The pilot tells you to hold the sides of the basket and bend your knees to brace yourself, as a precaution. The basket might graze the ground for a few seconds until it stabilizes.

A ground crew meets you, rolls up the balloon, and helps you get out of the basket. Some local people might approach you with jewelry or other small items you can buy, so bring some cash if that’s something you’re interested in.

Your group gathers and your pilot leads a champagne (or juice) toast and passes out certificates before you all head back to the launching point together in a van.

📷Photos and videos

You’ll probably take hundreds of photos and videos of the balloon ride—it’s hard not to. You’ll also be able to buy photos and videos from the balloon company.

With Flying Pictures, that includes shots of your whole group, professional drone photos from outside the balloon, and high-quality video. We don’t typically buy this sort of thing, we’ve always opted for the company’s photos and videos, and we’ve never been disappointed.

🥚Breakfast

After meeting at the launching point and reviewing the photos and videos, you board a van to go to the next stop, breakfast.

There’s a restaurant called the Gran Teocalli where a lot of the balloon companies offer breakfast. It’s big and touristy, with buffets, a mariachi band, and people dressed in traditional clothing you can take photos with.

We weren’t all that impressed with that place. But Flying Pictures has switched to another breakfast spot, El Jaguar. It’s a buffet with lots of options, plus table service for omelets, eggs cooked to order, and drinks.

If you only book the balloon ride, from here, you head back to Mexico City.

👣The pyramids

Update: You can now climb part way up the Pyramid of the Moon. Climbing was banned during the Covid-19 pandemic and for five years afterward for conservation work.

If you include a trip to the pyramids as part of your package, you head there next. It’s only a few minutes away. It’s worth seeing—we recommend adding it to your package.

We’ve never gone on a guided tour, but we would like to try it, since there’s so much history to learn about.

For a self-guided tour, the van driver drops you off and lets you know when to return. You’ll probably have an hour and a half or two hours to explore the site.

Security and entry: You’ll pass through a metal detector and a bag check. These precautions were added after a shooting on the site.
Climbing rules: You can walk up to and around the Pyramid of the Sun and you can climb upto the first level of the Pyramid of the Moon.
On-site museum: The small museum is also worth a visit, although if you’re visiting the Anthropology Museum in Mexico City you may want to focus only on that one.

Once you’re done exploring, the driver will take you back to your pickup spot in Mexico City.

💜 More Mexico City with Eternal Spring

🍷 Need dinner plans after your flight? Read our Mexico City Reservation Cheat Sheet to book top tables like Pujol, Contramar, and Handshake Speakeasy.

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❤️Bonus photo

Thanks for reading to the end! Here’s a photo from our first hot-air balloon ride, balloon ride, in Albuquerque, NM, on our honeymoon in June 1990.

(Things were a bit different the first time we wrote about Mexico City balloon rides, if you want to check out the 2024 version.)

🎈Mexico City pyramids: Teotihuacán hot air…