The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Balloon Fiesta, with 500+ balloons, is the largest ballooning event on earth
Sports and Entertainment Travel
888-401-3050
Rileigh Hageman
hageman.97@osu.edu
Trip overview
Dating back more than four decades, the first week in October has brought the smell of roasting chiles and the beautiful, magical moving picture show of hot air balloons sailing silently through the crisp air. Guests from all over the world come to Albuquerque to celebrate ballooning. From its modest beginning in 1972 with 13 balloons launching from a shopping mall parking lot, Balloon Fiesta has grown to multiple events launching at the custom designed, 365-acre Balloon Fiesta Park. Balloon Fiesta, with 500+ balloons, is the largest ballooning event on earth, the most photographed event on earth, and the largest annual international event held in the United States.
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Tour highlights
- Three nights’ deluxe hotel accommodations at the newly renovated
Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town - Check-in: Friday, October 4
- Check-out: Monday, October 7
- Welcome table with SET Staff
- Welcome reception with hot air balloon industry speaker including light
hors d’oeuvres and drinks - Deluxe roundtrip motor coach transportation from the hotel to Balloon
Fiesta Park including preferred parking - Admission to the Balloon Fiesta for three sessions (Saturday morning
and evening; Sunday morning) - Special admission to Gondola Club hospitality at the Balloon Fiesta
Park including guaranteed seating for breakfast and dinner, bar, premier
viewing location, and live entertainment in between sessions - Sunday evening Flamenco dance performance with food and drinks
- Group breakfast at the hotel on departure day
- Official Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta souvenirs
- Experienced SET Staff available throughout the tour
- Detailed pre-travel and on-site travel documents
*All prices are per person, based on double occupancy, and early booking deadlines. Dates, itineraries, and prices are subject to change.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Check into Hotel Albuquerque and visit the SET hospitality desk to pick up
souvenirs and on-site travel documents. Evening welcome reception with hot air balloon industry speaker including light hors d’oeuvres and drinks.
Day 2 - Depart early morning for Balloon Fiesta Park for Dawn Patrol and Mass Ascension. Mid-morning return to Old Town. Afternoon at leisure. Late-afternoon return to Balloon Fiesta Park for the evening Balloon Glow. Access to Gondola Club hospitality. Food and drinks available for both sessions. Musical performances, attractions, concessions, and shops are located throughout the park.
Day 3 - Return to Balloon Fiesta Park early morning to continue exploring all the park has to offer. Mid-morning return to Old Town. In the evening, revel in an Albuquerque tradition - the Flamenco Performance.
Day 4 - Group breakfast at Hotel Albuquerque. Check out of the hotel and have a safe trip home!
Cancellations
Reservations & Payments
Reservations may be made online or by phoning 888-401-3050. Deposits and/or final payment may be made by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover or personal check. If paying by check, make checks payable to Sports & Entertainment Travel.
All reservations will be acknowledged on a first-come, first-served basis.
If a deposit is due, amounts vary and will be payable to SET in order to secure reservations on most travel packages. The balance of your payment will be due 60-90 days prior to the trip, depending on your tour. The credit card used to make the reservation will be automatically charged 60-90 days out unless notified otherwise by the client. Reservations received within 60-90 days of the trip will require full payment at the time of booking, if space is still available. Deposits can be applied or credited to a future trip with SET. Travel insurance is recommended.
Cancellations, Refunds and Changes
Cancellations made 60-90 days or more prior to travel will not receive a refund, however deposits can be applied or credited to a future trip with SET (school-specific athletic fan travel events excluded). No refunds will be issued after the final payment due date, 60-90 days prior to trip departure unless the participant’s airline and/or hotel space is resold. If space is resold, participant will receive a full refund, less a 5% cancellation fee plus any airline name change fees that result from the resale of participant’s airline seat. No refunds will be issued for unused ground transportation or for other services provided and not used by the participant.
Once a reservation has been made, it is non-refundable. Any name changes or changes to package arrangements made after registration may result in a charge per change. No name changes will be accepted within one week prior to travel. No refunds will be issued for unused transportation or for other package inclusions not used by the participant.
Tour Specific Terms & Conditions
Participant will acknowledge tour specific terms & conditions when completing a reservation. Tour specific terms & conditions will be noted on the participant’s order confirmation for reference.
Special Events
Certain travel packages that we may offer will require full payment at the time of booking. This is the case for College Football post-season bowl travel and College Basketball post-season tournament travel.
Pre-Registration Deposits
Occasionally we will offer certain travel packages that participants can sign up for by making a fully-refundable deposit in order to receive advance trip information. Once the details are released to those who have pre-registered, participants will have a specified timeframe to respond by either booking their trip with the deposit being applied to the tour package or electing to cancel and having the deposit refunded in full.