I got this on Groupon since it was priced nicely. I was very leary of the comments since there were many stating no shows. That was not the case on my visit. I got a confirmattion text the day before and the van with the balloon was at Starbucks well before we arrived. It departed at 6am. Ride was great and workers were helpful. The one red flag is the duration. Groupon said 4 hours. It lasted from 6:02am got in the air and all and then were driven back to Starbucks ny 7::42am. Really nice guy, but if I'm being completely honest, I feel he cut it short so he could save his propane, get us back on the ground so he could squeeze in another booking. Beyond that it was a great first time experience and much knowledge was shared. The duration difference of what we actually got did leave a bad taste in my mouth. read more

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Sangram and his crew were amazing! Stunning views! Loved every minute of it! Ended with a champagne toast. read more

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Don't waste your time!!! Completely unprofessional and flakes rather than cancelling. Planned a trip for my friend visiting from out of town and we met at the Starbucks, at instructed. Unfortunately, the Starbucks employees explained that he has a tendency of flaking on customers. AVOID AT ALL COSTS! Save yourself an early wake up, save your money, and book with other companies that have an actual office and meeting facility. read more

The best way to celebrate a birthday or special event! I was initially pretty terrified but Art is a true flight artist. He's a master pilot, comedian and tour guide all in one happy package! We will 100% be doing this again in the near future but only with Art. read more

Air Carriage - Cheese! - Hot Air Balloons Near Me

I had a flight scheduled with them in October right after Balloon Fiesta ended. The pilot canceled due to illness. The pilot said to contact them for a refund. I texted and called (had to leave a message) asking for a refund, when I could expect the refund, and for a call or message back to let me know. I have not heard back from them and have not received a refund. Because I haven't heard a word from them I have now contacted my bank to dispute the charges. read more

I bought two tickets on Groupon and when I tried to enter the redemption code on Air Carriage's website, it didn't work. I called them multiple times a day for about five days. They only picked up one time, and never resolved the issue. By the time Groupon figured it out on their end, my vacation was over. And I was stuck with Groupon credit instead of a refund and no balloon ride. read more

Do not use this company. We had a 6am reservation and no one ever showed up or called. We called the number 3 times, an hour later and we haven't heard back. Went into the Starbucks (that was the meeting spot) and the workers said this guy always no shows. read more

Please don't waste your time with this company. They do not show up to the meeting location. The Starbuck's worker was amazing and had way better customer service skills than this company. read more

I bought 3 Groupons for a weekend hot air balloon ride for my son's 16th birthday. I was hesitant and anxiety filled to do this as it's something we have never done before. Waking up at 4am was not the easiest or most enjoyable but our pilot Sangram and his ground crew were absolutely phenomenal. They were friendly, knowledgeable, funny and enthusiastic. Our family could not have had a more perfect experience. Thank you Air Cargo and thank you to Sangram and his crew. I would 1 million percent recommend this company and taking advantage of this Groupon. read more

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Had been interested in a balloon ride for quite some time. Groupon had recommended Air Carriage and it was a great package deal for 2. We were picked up on time and taken to a spot where other balloon companies were also inflating for the morning. It was a "hands on" experience and we even got to help inflate the balloon and hold the envelope open. There was another family that was grouped with us- we rode first with the dad and teenage son from the other family. The views were amazing and I was surprised at how quiet and peaceful the air was up there. The mom, two teenage girls, and the driver chased after us and after we landed, switched off and they got their turn. After we returned, we joined the pilot for a nice celebratory picnic of olives, crackers, cheese, salami, and mimosas. Very professional staff, knowledgeable pilot. Truly a bucket list experience. read more

Air Carriage - The view! - Hot Air Balloons Near Me

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Wow. Wow. Wow! What an amazing adventure!! I'd highly recommend this crew. Art is a fantastic pilot with a great sense of humor for your ride. His crew is very nice and funny as well. This is an experience you don't want to miss out on!! Great adventure for the price! I'd choose their company over the others out here in ABQ! Thank you for a wonderful experience! read more

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Flying with Air Carriage has consistently been an amazing experience - I've always had a fear of heights - Art and his crew are knowledgeable and experienced; I felt completely at ease and got to enjoy views of the Bosque and Albuquerque that I haven't seen before. I recommend Air Carriage as they are punctual, professional, and personable. read more

I really can't say enough good things about our experience with Air Carriage. This company is the only way to go if you want not only a great ride but an entertaining one. Art and crew were all so great. This was my first time in a hot air balloon and we will be booking again on our next trip! We also had a good time hanging out with the other passengers. Unforgettable! read more

Art and Jennifer have to be the coolest and most professional air balloon owners I have ever worked with. Jennifer set up our appointment, answered all my questions about our trip and then sent us a reminder text with exact directions and the meeting time the night before. Art, our pilot, was charming and a great navigator over the city of ALBUQUERQUE. We had the best time and a great way to see the city at 3,000 feet. We dipped our basket in the Rio Grande and then light grazed the trees in the Bosque. Great weekend adventure with them . I highly recommend checking them out as a company for your balloon ride read more

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Went to Albuquerque this Labor Day weekend. First time on a hot air balloon. The entire experience was simply amazing. Art and his crew were awesome and they made sure we had a good time. Art did a great job flying us and giving us good information while we were up. The landing was another cool experience, we landed in a neighborhood! Art and his crew included the guests to help them with the initial setup and packing up of the equipment, which the guests did willingly. The organizers took us to a park after the activity for a small breakfast and mimosas! That was a surprise. Will definitely come back again with my parents next year. Small tip: carry a scarf or a cap to cover your head as it might get a little hot. read more

4.5 stars We had a trip scheduled on 10/14 but due to wind conditions our flight was postponed to the afternoon. The morning trip, however, seemed a bit disorganized. We showed up at 7am to ensure we got to the pickup site on time, and the woman who had to corral the groups seemed to be getting very little communication from the pilots, which led to a lot of confusion and miscommunication. Since our morning flight was canceled, we had the option to return at 3pm to try and fly again. This time around it was MUCH more organized; we were promptly picked up at 3pm, driven to the launch site, and got to go up in the balloon, getting absolutely spectacular views. Our pilot, Matteo, was fantastic and very knowledgeable (and had a jarringly good French accent!) Art, the owner, was absolutely hilarious and fabulous, and shared a nice bottle of Tennessee whiskey with the group that he was tipped with from another customer. While the morning experience felt disorganized and chaotic, the afternoon trip that we took was significantly better, a ton of fun, and absolutely worth the drive out. read more

Well, I wished I had a review to give.....its been over three weeks since we booked and PAID for our wonderful experience but it seems this company only works when they feel like it. It has been the worst experience ever! Don't listen to the other reviews as the must be friends and relatives, the people do NOT have their shit together! But they will take and spend your money, (don't remember no refunds due to laziness on the website) but you will not get your money back! DON'T BOOK WITH THESE PEOPLE, ITS ALL EXCUSES AND MORE EXCUSES! read more

Loved our balloon adventure. Our guide was informative and funny! The ride was over too soon. It was so peaceful and we could have stayed up there all day! Thank you for an amazing time! Gizelle Lamb and Jami Spindler read more

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We were recommended to be sure to take a balloon ride if ever in NM. So we called around on a very busy weekend with great weather. Luckily we found Air Carriage and Art was able to accommodate our party of 5. Right from the start Art had us ready to go with his enthusiasm and great humor. Everything was ready at sun rise as his ground crew worked as a team to setup. Our son even got to help fill the balloon. The ride was over the time contracted and Art was very knowledgeable about the fight and the area. The flight was very steady and safe including a touchdown landing at a school parking lot. We later went to a art park for refreshments. Very highly recommend Art and his company Air Carriage. Safe,professional,great value,and loads of fun. A must do in NM read more

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Very rude people. Glad I got a refund THROUGH GROUPON not through the company. They only offered me to pay more money. I'm gonna go ahead and leave a picture of the "fine print" to show it says no where on there I have to a licensed sky diver so you don't "have to argue with me". Glad I'm not giving y'all my money. Update:the problem wasn't being able to jump. I was fine with that and I wouldn't have complained if the employee wasn't rude about it, like it's obviously not in the fine print. But instead the employee snapped and insisted I was trying to argue. If anything I was trying to inform u it didn't state that on the fine and print. I would have paid extra if your employee was polite. read more

Air Carriage - Hot Air Balloons Near Me

Art and team are terrific! My wife and I had never been ballooning before, so seeing positive online reviews reassured us that Air Carriage was the company to choose. We handled all of the logistics by computer, phone and text, as we were travelling from out of state. The pricing offered by Air Carriage was a very competitive quote, and well worth the value delivered. On the day of the ride, we met up with Art and team early in the morning. We felt safe as Art and team exhibited professionalism throughout. Art's personality and stories/experiences added to the day. We enjoyed the ride, and the subsequent mimosa toast with all who were aboard. This is a must-do event, with an incredible company! read more

Worst experience I've ever had with any company! Caveat: I bought a voucher through groupon and never went on the ride. This review is about my interactions with the company. My husband and I were very excited about this trip (a gift and the end of our honeymoon!), but the company changed the product at 8pm the night before (via text!) from a 6:30am to a 7:30am meet time (after sunrise). They had overbooked (despite telling us to book that day), and, last minute, decided to split their trip into two rides, one of which was NOT a sunrise ride. After getting the text, we tried reaching them that night and the next morning, and finally got Art at 7am. He told us they had overbooked and split up the rides, ours now being after sunrise. We told him that's not what we bought, and he offered a refund which we took. We NEVER would have stayed home if he hadn't offered a refund. Nevertheless, hours later, they said we'd canceled after the 72 hour cancellation period and refused a refund. Weeks later, they're now denying they ever offered a refund, saying we cancelled after the 72 hour cancel period (as if we had a choice!). This company can't stand behind their product, lied to us, and has cost us $269 and a lot of time and stress while ruining the end of our honeymoon. There are plenty of other hot air balloon companies. Find one that's trustworthy. read more

My wife and I were celebrating our 11th anniversary. This was our first time, riding a hot air balloon. She is normally afraid of heights but had no problems. Our pilot, Art, had safety as his priority. It helped my wife get over her fear. His experience & humor allowed us to enjoy the flight & not to be worried at all. The ride was fun, smooth, amazing & memorable. The ground crew, or Chase crew, was great too. You can tell that they live their jobs & appreciate our business. We highly recommend them & would definitely return read more

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Where do I start? At the beginning of course. We booked this "Girls Trip" to celebrate one of our own's 50th. We started our trip in Santa Fe and finished it with a hot-air balloon ride with AIR CARRIAGE. Wow! What a way to finish a perfect trip. We were absolutely not disappointed. As we ascended the skies our friend turned 50 and we all sang happy birthday. The clouds were magnificent. The sun was golden-white with a pale blue backdrop. Absolutely breathtaking. But let me back up a sec. We met Art and his crew in the dark in a strip mall near the lift-off location. Art met us with a big grin (even though we were a little late) and a hardy welcome. We climbed into the van and drove a few minutes away. Once we were at the right location Art went through the rules and how everything was going to go down. Never was there a moment where we felt unsafe or confused. Art and his crew were brilliant. Art is a perfectionist, clearly. And if you're going to fly over a thousand feet in the air, in a wicker basket, don't you want a perfectionist? He is also very informative (we regretted not having his wisdom earlier in our trip) and clearly knows how to fly a balloon like a master. But more than that, Art is hilarious (well, we thought he was anyway). When I say our hot-air balloon ride was perfection I am not exaggerating. Soaring over the Rio Grande was magnificent. And we touched down at the exact spot Art intended. The crew impressively put the balloon and equipment back together in short order all the while, laughing and having the best time. All of the passengers joined in the fun. It was like these guys had become our best friends. After everything was tidied up, we knew we hadn't had enough of these characters (and Art's jokes and stories) so Art brought us to his local breakfast spot. We walked in like we were with the mayor of Albuquerque. Everyone greeting Art with hugs and handshakes. The breakfast was delicious but the company was even better. In reflection, our only regret is that we had to catch planes back home. I would give them 10 stars if that option was available! read more

This was our first time, our family's first air balloon ride. Our family was on a road trip to California and stopped at Albuquerque on the way, decided to try air balloon. Jesse and his crew were fantastic and very courteous. We sincerely enjoyed the ride and would recommend anyone wanting to try it. John Jun Dallas, TX read more

Air Carriage - Hot Air Balloons Near Me

I highly recommend this company!! Very welcoming, friendly, professional, and entertaining. I was looking at other companies to go through but I'm very happy I went with these people!! They made it so fun, comfortable, and enjoyable. Hands down chose this company! And Art our ballon pilot was wonderful!! read more

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The best service ever! I went for my 30th Birthday and had the best time! They had the biggest balloon out of the crew, with such an entertaining experience! I truly enjoyed the pilot and his crewAfter we landed there were several bottles of champagne waiting for us accompanied with some delightful cheese and crackers! #hotairballoonrideforthewin! #lovesit #thankyouthankyouthankyou #bestbirthdayexperienceever read more

Air Carriage - Best views ever! - Hot Air Balloons Near Me

Great service in busy International hot-air ballon festival.

My parents and my daughter went on a ride yesterday and enjoyed the experience quite a bit. Making the reservation over the phone was easy.. Friendly crew and beautiful scenary. read more

2 friends and I got a chance to fly with Art a couple of weeks ago. I would classify it more an experience than a flight only. We got to watch (assist if desired) the balloon be rolled out, filled up- and then later be packed away for the next day. The flight itself was quiet, peaceful, and very beautifu! I could feel the years and worries fall away the higher we went. For 2 of us it was the first balloon ride, but for all it was definitely not the last! Art's love of flying and sharing that love only added to the adventure. The champagne and snacks at the scenic park allowed us to come gently down from that wonderful high. read more

Air Carriage - Hot Air Balloons Near Me

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We had the time of our lives with Art (pilot) and Juliette (his balloon)! Truly a "Bucket List" adventure! The ride was smooth, views were awesome and the after-party was great fun! Thank you for a perfect day! read more

What a fabulous experience! Great crew and thank you Brittany for champagne toast and story!

Our first time to ABQ and always wanted to try a hot air balloon there! We are so happy we did! We had an absolute blast- Art and his crew were great from the start of scheduling the ride, to the end with a champagne toast at a local park! The ride was a blast- so smooth and was able to see so much on a perfectly clear morning. I would highly recommend this company to any others and recommend this adventure- you won't regret it! read more

Wow.....I am still on such a high!!! We went on an awesome ride this morning! I have to admit I was scared to go but my husband and sister wanted to ride. I am SO happy I did! Art is amazing! He's funny and a great pilot! The crew are great and helpful...especially Billy. Can't wait to come back and ride again! Thank you so much! read more

Best pilot and crew ever! The New Mexico Rio Grande River valley is amazing. And I love champagne.

Great experience Art and his team were awesome! Funny and entertaining but underlying that, very safety conscious. Everything was super easy from booking to end of the trip. Recommend for sure read more

Great ride! Skimming the rio grande and marshes to 2400+ ft in the air. Knowledgeable and attentive crew, great interactions!

The pilot was engaging, entertaining and made the experience memorable. When I come back to the area I will definitely book another flight.

We had a wonderful time on the hot air ballon ride. The pilot was very friendly and informative during the set up, flight and after landing. The mimosas were followed with a lovely history lesson on mans first flight! read more

Had fun helping blowing up the balloon, was a great take off beautiful scenery, loved the beauty from above. Had a medical emergency was handled by the pilot and his crew. They were great if I ever get to come back to Abq I will fly with them again. Great company read more