Players must take flight with their own hot air balloons as they compete to draw the attention of onlookers with the most impressive display of these fanciful aircraft. Each player arrives on launch day with their own collection of balloons. The landscape is divided into areas of meadow, tulip fields, sand dunes, and gravel paths. Along the periphery are special pavilions where visitors can see these graceful balloons up close.

Each turn, an airship that circles the board will present two possible directions for the placement of the next balloon. Alternatively, a player may choose to expand an existing balloon group in a nearby region. Points are scored by cleverly selecting where to set each balloon, whether landscape or next to a pavilion. The greatest number of points will be scored by launching a fleet of balloons that spans multiple landscape types.

End-game score cards, three special balloons with unique abilities, and a double-sided game board offer additional challenges and variety.