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Flying experiences on RedBalloon run from a quiet sunrise balloon drift to a jet fighter flight at up to 800km/h. Helicopters lift off over harbours, and beginners take the controls of a light aircraft with an instructor beside them. Choose how much thrill the person wants, then book a date or send a voucher.
A restored 1943 Tiger Moth over the Yarra Valley and a Boeing 737-800 simulator in Melbourne are both flying experiences, and they sit at opposite ends of the range. The question that sorts the rest is how much of the sky the person wants: a view from a window seat, a minute of freefall, or the controls in their own hands.
A private Melbourne helicopter flight for up to three lifts off from Essendon Airport and passes St Kilda Beach, Luna Park and the MCG. In the Barossa, a private helicopter flight over the valley gives every passenger a window seat with 180-degree views of the vineyards. Gorge flights run out of Nitmiluk in the Northern Territory.
Tandem skydives drop from up to 15,000ft, with up to 60 seconds of freefall at 220km/h. The Byron Bay tandem skydive tracks past Cape Byron and its lighthouse, and the Wollongong skydive comes with return Sydney transfers. For freefall without the plane, iFLY indoor skydiving in Melbourne gives you two 60-second flights in a wind tunnel, and iFLY also runs sessions in Penrith, Perth and on the Gold Coast.
Balloons launch around first light, so these mornings start early and the views arrive with the sun. The sunrise balloon flight over Melbourne drifts above Flinders Street Station, Albert Park Lake and the Shrine of Remembrance, with pickup from CBD accommodation. In the Hunter Valley, a weekend balloon flight for two ends with an a la carte breakfast and sparkling wine at Peterson House. Over Alice Springs, the balloon floats above the MacDonnell Ranges, and big red kangaroos turn up on most days.
The Boeing 737-800 flight simulator in Melbourne lets you pick your own airports, and passengers who come along fly for free. In a real aircraft, the light aircraft introductory flight in Launceston puts you in the pilot's seat after a briefing, with no experience necessary. Glider flights run out of Benalla and Melbourne.
L-39 Albatros jet fighter flights leave from Camden, near Sydney, and from Bathurst, with speeds of up to 910km/h on the Camden flights and G-forces of five to six on the Bathurst ones, where you control the intensity. A Tiger Moth flight over the Yarra Valley comes with a leather flying jacket, helmet and goggles, and the Pitts Special biplane out of Bankstown drops to 500ft along the Northern Beaches to Palm Beach.
Fixed-wing scenic flights reach places that are hard to get to by road. The Great Barrier Reef scenic flight from Cairns guarantees a window seat, and a one-hour flight crosses Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Lake Amadeus. In Sydney, the seaplane flight from Rose Bay takes in the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and Bondi Beach.
Give someone the Harbour Bridge and Opera House from a seaplane window, or a Hunter Valley sunrise from a balloon basket, and you've given them the story they'll tell at the next birthday.
Not sure whether they'd rather jump or hover? A RedBalloon gift voucher lets them pick the format and book a date that suits their calendar. A named booking works better for someone who has already said they'd love a skydive or a jet fighter flight.
Hot air balloon and helicopter flights suit first-timers, because you ride as a passenger and the pilot does the flying. The sunrise hot air balloon flight over Melbourne is a popular option, and the Hunter Valley balloon flight for two with breakfast is another excellent choice. Neither needs flying experience, though balloon passengers must climb into the basket and stand for about an hour.
Yes, but minimum ages vary by product. The Boeing 737-800 simulator in Melbourne starts at 10, the Melbourne introductory glider flight and the Gold Coast aerobatic warbird flight at 12, and the Yarra Valley Tiger Moth flight at 13. Tandem skydives start at 16, while indoor skydiving at iFLY Melbourne takes children from 3. Check the age rules on each product page.
Inclusions depend on the format. Tandem skydives cover the Australian Parachute Federation levy and personal accident insurance, balloon flights often finish with breakfast or sparkling wine, and jet fighter flights supply a flight suit and helmet. Each product page lists exactly what is covered, so check it against what the person would expect from the day.
Every flight starts with a briefing. Tandem skydive listings include an instructor, a safety briefing and the Australian Parachute Federation levy, and some add personal accident insurance. Aerobatic and jet fighter flights add a safety or mission brief and a qualified pilot, and on the Bathurst jet flights you control the intensity of the manoeuvres.
Pick hot air ballooning for a slow morning: balloons launch around first light and the day often includes breakfast. Pick a helicopter flight for a shorter, closer look at a city or landscape. Helicopter flights run from 10 minutes to more than an hour, and several add a winery lunch. Browse hot air ballooning and helicopter flights to compare.
Yes. The Melbourne helicopter flight and the Barossa helicopter flight are private for up to three passengers, and the Hunter Valley balloon flight is booked for two. On the Boeing 737-800 simulator in Melbourne, passengers fly for free.
Yes, and it depends on the aircraft. Limits in the range run from 104kg on the introductory glider flight in Melbourne to 140kg on hot air balloon and jet fighter flights, with helicopters and tandem skydives in between. Some providers ask for passenger weights at booking, so read the guidelines on the product page first.
To narrow the choice, look at skydiving, flight simulator experiences or jet fighter flights. If the plan is to learn, flying lessons start with a trial flight, and seaplane flights suit anyone who would rather land on water.