When the Arizona desert starts heating up, we know it is almost time to point the trucks north.
For much of the year, 2 Fly Us is flying in Arizona. The desert has its own kind of beauty: wide-open skies, mountain silhouettes, golden sunrises, and the kind of flying weather that makes the cooler months so special. But when summer arrives in Phoenix, the heat changes everything.
That is when we head north to Montana.
Each summer, we trade the desert heat for the cool mornings, mountain views, and wide-open beauty of the Flathead Valley. Flying near Kalispell, Whitefish, Bigfork, Flathead Lake, and Glacier National Park gives us a completely different kind of balloon season — and it is one we look forward to every year.
Desert Morning Sunrise Flight in Phoenix AZ
Trading Phoenix Heat for Montana Mornings
Hot air ballooning is all about weather, timing, and safe flying conditions. In the summer, Phoenix gets hot early, and the desert heat can make flying less practical as the season changes.
Montana gives us something special: cooler mornings, long summer days, and scenery that feels made for a balloon ride.
There is something unforgettable about launching in the Flathead Valley as the morning light begins to stretch across the fields, trees, mountains, and open sky. Before the roads get busy and before the day fills up with plans, the valley has a peaceful feeling that is hard to describe until you have floated above it.
2 Fly Us Hot Air Balloon Flying Over the Canola Fields of The Flathead Valley
Why We Love Flying in the Flathead Valley
The Flathead Valley is one of those places that looks beautiful from the ground, but from a hot air balloon, it becomes something else entirely.
From the air, you can see the shape of the valley, the open farmland, the forests, the water, and the mountains in the distance. Depending on the morning, the views may include areas around Kalispell, Whitefish, Bigfork, , back into Glacier National Park, Flathead Lake, some days you can see to the Idaho Mountains and even Canada, the broader Glacier Country landscapes are all breathtaking.
It is peaceful, scenic, and personal — which is exactly the kind of flight we love to share.
For many visitors, Montana is already a bucket-list trip. They are coming to see Glacier National Park, drive Going-to-the-Sun Road, visit Flathead Lake, explore Whitefish, or simply enjoy a slower pace in the mountains. A sunrise balloon flight gives them a way to see the area from a perspective most travelers never experience.
Summer Ballooning Starts Early
If you are planning a summer balloon flight in Montana, be ready for an early morning.
Most of our flights take place at sunrise, when the air is typically cooler and calmer. That early start is part of the experience. You meet before the day gets busy, watch the balloon come to life, and lift off as Montana is waking up.
The nice part about summer in northwest Montana is that the days are long. Even after an early balloon flight, you still have plenty of daylight left for Glacier National Park, Whitefish Lake, Flathead Lake, Bigfork, downtown Kalispell, or wherever your day takes you next.
On select days, when weather and wind conditions allow, occasional afternoon flights may also be available. Ballooning always depends on safe flying conditions, so we are happy to talk with you personally about timing, weather, and what may work best during your visit.
View from the ground as the Hot Air Balloon Lifts-off
A Personal, Small-Group Experience
At 2 Fly Us, we do not try to make ballooning feel like a crowded tour.
We like to keep it personal. Our flights are designed for couples, families, small groups, celebrations, and people who want a special Montana experience they will remember for years.
For some guests, it is an anniversary. For others, it is a birthday, retirement, engagement, family vacation, or a long-awaited bucket-list moment. Some people have wanted to fly in a hot air balloon their entire lives and finally decide that Montana is the place to do it.
That is why we like to talk with our guests personally. If you have questions about what to wear, how early we meet, how you get in and out of the basket, what the landing is like, or whether a balloon flight is right for you, we would rather have that conversation directly.
Four Decades in the Sky
Our pilot, Kevin Flanagan, has been flying balloons professionally for more than 40 years. He has flown in places around the world and has worked with corporate balloons, passenger flights, special events, and one-of-a-kind ballooning projects.
But after all those years, there is still something special about summer flying in Montana.
The Flathead Valley has a quiet beauty. The mornings are cool. The mountain views are incredible. The pace feels personal. And every flight is a reminder of why we fell in love with ballooning in the first place.
A view from the Hot Air Balloon over the valley
Planning a Summer Trip to Montana?
If you are planning a trip near Glacier National Park, Kalispell, Whitefish, Bigfork, or Flathead Lake, consider making one morning of your vacation unforgettable.
A sunrise hot air balloon flight is not just another activity to check off the list. It is a peaceful, scenic, once-in-a-lifetime way to experience Montana.
When the Phoenix heat arrives, we head north for a reason.
Montana summer mornings are worth flying for.
Have questions or want to talk through whether a balloon flight is right for your trip? We like to speak with our guests personally.
Call 602-525-4282 to speak with us directly, or use the Book Your Ride button to start planning your Montana balloon flight.