CX Lessons from a Balloon Ride
On the surface, a hot air balloon ride is all about the views. I actually found that what happens before, during, and after that makes it unforgettable.
While on a Spring Break trip to Tucson last May, my family and I signed up for a ride. Keep in mind: I’m terrified of heights, and this involved a 4 a.m. wake-up, something no one was up for, especially a couple of tween girls on spring break.
The morning was as painful as you’d expect. No one was hustling to get out the door. Then we found ourselves standing in a dark IHOP parking lot waiting for a van pickup. I’ll spare you the details of the questionable QT gas station across the street which offered quite possibly the worst coffee I’ve ever had.
This is was what we paid for?
But right on time, the shuttle pulled up. And from the moment the crew checked us in, everything changed. They explained exactly what would happen from wind conditions to balloon setup. Then they let us ride in peace to the launch site, clearly reading the room. No one was looking for small talk before sunrise.
Watching the balloon inflate was surprisingly fun. We didn’t mind the 30-minute setup - we were busy soaking in the sunrise as the kids ran around, and then watched in awe as the team walked through the giant balloon to create space for the first cold, then hot air to whoosh through.
Takeoff was, well, unnerving. After climbing into the basket as three crew members anchored it down, I clutched the bars and stayed as close to the center of the basket as possible while my girls peered over the edge.
After just a few minutes we were up, up, and away! That’s when the balloon operator-owner started telling stories. Because up that high, it’s quiet...and with that silence altitude fears really take hold. As he talked, I began to relax, and from there could take in the spectacular scenery that surrounded us.
We floated over neighborhoods, past mountain peaks, and over cotton fields, water channels from Colorado, and the largest outdoor conveyor belt I’ve ever seen. We saw flocks of birds, a sprinting coyote - there was so much wildlife dotting the terrain below us. But best of all we could spot our very own photographer, Joey, trailing us in a white van, getting beauty shots of our ride from the ground as we sailed over the extraordinary desert landscape.
Landing? The owner prepped us well, warning it might be bumpy, teaching us how to break brace for impact. We lucked out - we hit the ground smoothly, albeit somewhat disappointed to be back on solid ground.
And then came the finale.
So...deflating and then packing up a giant balloon takes a minute (think rolling up a sleeping bag the size of a house). Imagine what a let down it would have been for us to hang around in a dusty patch of land, or just sit in the van.
Instead they transformed the wait into a super fun continental breakfast picnic, thoughtfully planned with folding tables, tablecloths, mimosas in champagne glasses, Martinelli’s for the kids, and a bento-box style kit with homemade banana chocolate chip muffins, cheese, crackers, cured meats, and a basket of oranges. The muffins in particular were a huge hit sparking conversation in itself: we need to make these at home!
We ended the morning toasting each other, unanimously declaring it the highlight of the trip (and we’d just come from a dude ranch).
To top it off? An email the next day with Joey’s gorgeous photos and the muffin recipe.
From start to finish, it was an intentionally designed experience with applicable CX lessons for any customer-obsessed brand. What they nailed:
Passion and pride. The owner and team genuinely love what they do, and it shows in every detail, from how they engage with guests to how they celebrate their city.
Anticipation and empathy. They’ve clearly honed this experience over years, knowing exactly when to step in, when to step back, and how to put anxious or not-yet-awake guests at ease.
Memory triggers. The follow-up photos and muffin recipe aren’t just nice-to-haves. They’re smart, organic word-of-mouth tools that keep the experience alive long after landing.
It’s not an easy business model: little recurring revenue, a reliance on tourism, and a capital-intensive operation with constant investment in training and safety protocol, because the balloon, after all, is an aircraft. But they’re able to command a premium (which, after the experience, feels like great value) because they deliver something far beyond a balloon ride.
At their core, they understand they’re not just selling a flight — they’re in the business of hospitality, surprise, and story-making. That’s what turns a one-time transaction into a story people tell, a memory they keep, and an experience that sticks.
