Helium advertising blimps come in seven sizes, from a 10 ft model that hangs over a trade-show booth to a 30 ft giant you can read from the next zip code. Every one is polyurethane, made in the USA, and ships flat in a box to Las Vegas or Reno in 2 to 3 business days.
Which blimp size do you need?
The honest answer for most businesses is 13 feet. It is big enough to read from a freeway, small enough for one person to handle, and the helium fill is about $255. Go bigger when the road is farther away or the site is huge. Go smaller for indoor shows.
- Blank price
- $975
- With lettering
- $1,512
- Print area
- 30 × 60 in
- Helium
- 170 cu ft
- Net lift
- 3 lb
Lettering fits up to 13 letters per side. Helium price is about $1.50 per cubic foot from a local welding-gas supplier.
All seven blimp sizes and prices
The blank price is the blimp itself. Standard lettering adds your message in one color, up to 13 letters per side. The last column is what most people actually pay.
| Size | Blank advertising blimp | Print area | Blank banner | Standard lettering | Helium | With lettering |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10' | $684 | 18 × 36 in | $45 | $421 | 105 cu ft | $1,105 |
| 13' | $975 | 30 × 60 in | $72 | $537 | 170 cu ft | $1,512 |
| 15' | $1,258 | 48 × 96 in | $86 | $615 | 255 cu ft | $1,873 |
| 18' | $1,813 | 52 × 108 in | $94 | $657 | 329 cu ft | $2,470 |
| 21' | $2,561 | 52 × 144 in | $106 | $664 | 430 cu ft | $3,225 |
| 25' | $4,208 | 56 × 168 in | $118 | $1,074 | 787 cu ft | $5,282 |
| 30' | $6,772 | 60 × 192 in | $132 | $1,449 | 1,510 cu ft | $8,221 |
Price your blimp with lettering and add-ons
10 ft and 13 ft: the workhorses
The 10 ft blimp holds 105 cu ft of helium and prints an 18 by 36 inch banner. It is the one exhibitors haul inflated in a trailer from show to show. The 13 ft prints 30 by 60 inches, lifts about 3 lb, and is the size you see over car lots and model homes across the country.
- One fill lasts a 3 day trade show
- Tethers to a sandbag or booth weight
- Flies outdoors at 120 ft on a single line
15 ft to 21 ft: read it from the highway
Once your customers are driving past at 65 mph, letters need to be tall. The 18 ft blimp prints a 52 by 108 inch banner and lifts 8 lb, enough for a second banner on the other side. Regional builders and auto malls live here.
25 ft and 30 ft: the landmark
These are for sites people navigate by. A 30 ft blimp holds 1,510 cu ft of helium, prints a 60 by 192 inch banner and lifts 35 lb. Fewer people buy them, and the ones who do keep them for years.
What you get in the box
- Polyurethane blimp with inflatable or fiberglass fins
- Your lettering applied on both sides, same message, one color
- Tether line and printed inflation instructions
- Carton about 60 by 26 by 3 inches, UPS Ground, 2 to 5 business days
Blimps for every kind of business
Home builders
One California operator flies 100+ of these blimps every weekend over model homes. NEW HOMES at 120 feet pulls traffic off the freeway.
Car dealerships
SALE over the lot on Saturday. Customers say the blimp is the reason they turned in. It beats a wacky waving tube every time.
Trade shows
Indoors, a 10 or 13 ft blimp above your booth is visible from the entrance. One fill lasts a full 3 day show. Exhibitors haul them inflated in a trailer between shows.
Grand openings
The cheapest way to make a new store look like an event. Fly it opening weekend, fold it flat, fly it again for every sale.
Apartments and real estate
NOW LEASING on a sphere balloon above the leasing office. Seen from the arterial road, not just the sidewalk.
Custom shapes
Cold-air gorillas, superheroes, giant t-shirts and product replicas up to 25 ft. Blower driven, no helium needed.
Blimp questions people ask
How much does a marketing blimp cost?
A blank helium advertising blimp runs $684 for 10 feet up to $6,772 for 30 feet. Standard lettering is a separate charge, from $421 to $1,449 depending on size. The most popular choice, a 13 ft blimp with lettering, is $975 + $537 = $1,512. Use the quote builder on this site for an exact number.
How high does an advertising blimp fly?
Outdoors, 120 feet above the ground. That is on purpose: the FAA only gets involved above 150 feet. Indoors at a trade show, any ceiling of 15 feet or more works.
How much helium does a blimp need and what does it cost?
A 13 ft blimp holds 170 cubic feet of helium. A 200 cu ft cylinder from a local welding-gas supplier is about $300, so a first fill is roughly $255. Loss is about 1% per day, so a top-off every 3 to 7 days keeps it tight.
Can I inflate it myself?
Yes. The first inflation takes a little reading. After that it is about 10 minutes for one person. There is a video walkthrough on the factory site and printed instructions in the box.
What is it made of?
Polyurethane, not PVC. Polyurethane holds helium far longer, stays flexible in cold weather, does not yellow in the sun, and is why customers are still flying the same balloon after 14 years.
How long does shipping take?
UPS Ground from the factory in North Carolina, 2 to 5 business days anywhere in the continental US. The carton for common sizes is 60 by 26 by 3 inches.