American-Made · Phoenix, AZ · Manufacturer Since 1979
Helium Advertising
Balloons & Inflatable
Blimps — Since 1979
Arizona Balloon Company manufactures helium advertising balloons and inflatable advertising blimps for home builders, auto dealers, trade shows, and any business that needs to be seen from the road. Our proprietary polyurethane construction uses one-third the helium of PVC — making us the only U.S. manufacturer that builds this way.
Trusted by NASA · JPL · U.S. Navy · ASU · NIH
The Only Polyurethane Helium Advertising Balloon & Inflatable Blimp Manufacturer in the U.S.
Arizona Balloon Company is a manufacturer, rental provider, and servicer of polyurethane helium advertising balloons and inflatable advertising blimps, operating out of Phoenix, Arizona since 1979. Every product is built in our own shop — not imported — by owner Johnny Mulder and his team.
Our primary customers are home builders who fly helium advertising blimps over model-home communities on weekends, auto dealers marking highway-visible lots, trade show exhibitors, and businesses running grand openings or seasonal promotions. We also supply specialty tethered aerostats to government and institutional clients including NASA, JPL, the U.S. Navy, ASU, and the NIH.
The single thing that sets our products apart: we build in polyurethane, not PVC. Polyurethane retains helium significantly longer — roughly three times as long per fill — which is why short-term rentals on our inflatable advertising blimps are financially viable for us where competitors using PVC cannot offer them.
One of the oldest helium advertising balloon and inflatable blimp manufacturers in the U.S.
Every helium advertising balloon and inflatable blimp built in our own shop, not imported
Uses ~1/3 the helium of PVC blimps — dramatically lower operating costs
Industry-leading coverage on every manufactured product
From artwork approval to your door — faster than any imported alternative
Full size range for any location, event, or campaign budget
Four Product Lines, One American Manufacturer
All helium advertising balloons, inflatable advertising blimps, and cold-air inflatables are built in Phoenix, Arizona using proprietary polyurethane. Custom sizes, artwork, and colors available on every product line.
Advertising Blimps
Polyurethane helium blimps in 10 to 30-foot lengths. Custom lettering, logos, full-color artwork. Visible up to 4 miles on flat terrain. Starting at $664.
Advertising Balloons
Round helium advertising balloons in 6 to 30-foot diameters. Full-color custom artwork on any balloon. Grand openings, events, dealership lots.
Cold-Air Inflatables
Giant cold-air inflatables and dancing balloons in any shape — dinosaurs, characters, holiday figures, product replicas, fully custom.
Surveillance Aerostats
Tethered aerostat blimps for surveillance, monitoring, and observation. Used by the U.S. Navy, NASA, JPL, and research institutions.
Why Our Blimps Use One-Third the Helium
PVC is a porous plastic — helium molecules are small enough to escape through the wall material on their own, with no visible leak required. Polyurethane has a tighter molecular structure that keeps helium inside significantly longer.
In practice: a polyurethane blimp delivers comparable visibility to a PVC blimp at roughly one-third the helium cost per fill. For a home builder running a 13-foot blimp every weekend through a model-home season, that difference pays for the blimp itself in the first year of use.
It also means short-term rentals are financially viable for us — and available to customers. Competitors using PVC cannot make a one-weekend rental work financially. We can, and we do.
| Feature | Polyurethane (Ours) | PVC (Competitors) |
|---|---|---|
| Helium retention | Significantly longer per fill | Porous — leaks constantly |
| Helium cost per fill | ~1/3 of PVC cost | High ongoing expense |
| Short-term rental | Profitable ✓ — we offer it | Not viable ✗ |
| Color vibrancy | Stays vibrant longer | Fades faster outdoors |
| Manufacturing | USA — Phoenix, AZ | Typically imported |
| Warranty | 2 years material | Varies / limited |
Built for Your Industry
Select your industry to see exactly how our products fit your marketing needs.
Model Home Blimps for Home Builders
The 13-foot advertising blimp is the workhorse of model-home marketing. Home builders fly it over new-home subdivisions on Saturdays and Sundays to pull drive-by traffic off arterial roads and into the model. Winchester Homes and Stonefield Homes are among the builders who have ordered from us.
Because polyurethane retains helium far longer than PVC, a builder running the same 13-footer every weekend through a full model-home season pays far less in helium than they would with a competitor’s blimp. Most builders settle on the 13-foot — it delivers the visibility of a 20-foot PVC blimp at one-third the operating cost.
- Weekend model-home and subdivision visibility
- New community grand openings
- Custom lettering: NEW HOMES · OPEN TODAY · community name
- Rentals available for seasonal model-home campaigns
- Reusable season after season
Advertising Blimps for Auto Dealers
Auto dealerships use our helium advertising blimps to mark highway-visible lots, signal weekend sales, and draw traffic to tent sales and grand openings. A blimp tethered above a dealership can be seen from up to four miles on flat terrain — making it effective on high-traffic automotive corridors.
CarMax and Olympic Ford are among the auto dealer brands that have used Arizona Balloon Company blimps. We offer both purchase and short-term rental for dealer promotions.
- Highway-frontage dealership visibility
- Weekend sales and holiday events
- Off-site tent sales and lot events
- Grand openings and location remodels
- Custom dealer branding and sale messaging
Trade Show & Event Advertising Inflatables
Trade show exhibitors use our cold-air inflatables and helium blimps to stand out on the show floor and at outdoor events. A large inflatable above your booth creates a visual anchor that attendees can see from across the exhibit hall or event grounds.
For outdoor events, the 10- and 13-foot blimps are popular above booth structures. For indoor shows with sufficient ceiling clearance, custom cold-air inflatables are the preferred option. We build custom product-replica shapes and brand mascots.
- Outdoor event blimps and balloons
- Indoor cold-air inflatables and characters
- Custom shape product replicas and brand mascots
- Rentals available for single-show deployments
- Any size — 6 ft to 30 ft
Wholesale Supply for Balloon & Blimp Companies
Arizona Balloon Company supplies blimps and balloons wholesale to advertising and event companies that provide balloon services to their own clients. Our polyurethane products are designed for professional, repeated use.
If your business rents or resells advertising blimps, our polyurethane construction means your customers will need fewer helium refills — directly reducing your operating cost and increasing the profitability of your rental inventory.
- Wholesale supply for blimp rental companies
- Lower helium cost per deployment vs. PVC
- Durable construction for repeat rental use
- Custom colors and branding available
- Volume pricing available — call to discuss
Advertising Blimps for Any Business
Any business that needs outdoor visibility can use a helium advertising blimp or balloon. Grand openings, seasonal promotions, retail visibility, and roadside attention campaigns are all common applications.
Most businesses find that the per-deployment cost of a purchased polyurethane blimp — spread over years of reuse — is lower than a single weekend of geofenced digital advertising, with the added advantage of physical, local visibility that can’t be blocked or skipped.
- Grand openings and new location launches
- Seasonal sales and holiday promotions
- Roadside visibility for hard-to-find locations
- Outdoor event signage
- Custom branding for any business type or industry
Real Numbers for Real Decisions
We publish exact specs, helium requirements, and pricing so you can compare accurately — not just get a sales pitch.
in Phoenix, AZ
length available
on flat terrain
on every product
| Blimp Length | Helium Per Fill | Base Price | With Custom Artwork | Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 ft | 72 cu ft | $664 | From $975 | Trade show booth, small storefront |
| 13 ft Most Popular | 170 cu ft | $946 | From $1,526 | Model homes, dealership lots |
| 15 ft | 255 cu ft | Call for price | Call for price | Step-up from 13 ft in tall surroundings |
| 18 ft | 319 cu ft | Call for price | Call for price | Highway-frontage builders |
| 21 ft | 430 cu ft | $2,486 | From $3,130 | Large dealer lots, major events |
| 25 ft | 787 cu ft | $4,085 | From $5,127 | Major event sponsorship |
| 30 ft | 1,510 cu ft | From $7,246 | Custom quote | Freeway-visible showpiece |
Everything You Need to Know Before Ordering
We answer questions plainly — no upsell, no runaround. If your question isn’t here, call 1-800-791-1445.
What is an advertising blimp?
An advertising blimp is a helium-filled inflatable shaped like a blimp or zeppelin, tethered to a fixed point and flown above a location to attract attention from a distance. Arizona Balloon Company manufactures polyurethane advertising blimps in sizes from 10 to 30 feet. They are used by home builders, auto dealers, trade show exhibitors, and businesses for outdoor advertising and visibility.
What is the difference between polyurethane and PVC blimps?
PVC is porous — helium molecules escape through the wall material itself, not only through visible leaks. Polyurethane has a tighter molecular structure, so helium stays inside much longer. Arizona Balloon Company’s polyurethane blimps require roughly one-third the helium of a comparable PVC blimp per fill cycle, making them significantly cheaper to operate over multiple deployments.
What size advertising blimp do I need?
For most home builders and auto dealers, the 13-foot blimp is the right starting point. It delivers visibility comparable to a 20-foot PVC blimp and fits in a standard residential garage between deployments. Step up to 18 or 21 feet if your location has tall surrounding buildings or large trees that block sightlines. The 25- and 30-foot sizes are for freeway-visible locations and major events. Call us and we’ll walk through your location together.
Can I rent a blimp instead of buying one?
Yes. Because our polyurethane blimps retain helium far longer than PVC, short-term rentals are financially viable for us — and therefore available to customers. Competitors using PVC often cannot profitably offer true one-weekend rentals. We can. Call us with your event date and Phoenix-area location for rental pricing.
How long does a custom blimp take to manufacture?
Custom orders with artwork typically take 2–4 weeks from artwork approval to delivery, manufactured in our Phoenix shop. Rush production is sometimes available — call before assuming it isn’t. We accept vector files (AI, EPS, PDF) or high-resolution rasters (300+ DPI PNG, JPEG, TIFF). Imported competitor blimps often take 8 or more weeks and frequently arrive with artwork misalignment issues.
Do I need a permit to fly an advertising blimp?
Tethered blimps flown under 150 feet generally do not require FAA approval. However, local sign ordinances, HOA covenants, and property-owner rules can create restrictions. Scottsdale and Maricopa, Arizona in particular have ordinances that have surprised builders. Call us before setting up in a new market — we’ll tell you what we’ve seen work in that area.
How long does an advertising blimp last?
With proper care — stored clean, dry, out of direct sun, away from sharp edges — a polyurethane blimp serves for years. We have an Auto Sale blimp in the field that has been deployed continuously for five years and is still flying. Five-year service life is a reasonable expectation under normal conditions. The key variables are usage frequency, storage discipline, and weather exposure.
What wind conditions are safe for flying a blimp?
The 13-foot blimp handles winds up to 25–30 MPH structurally, but above about 20 MPH it tilts significantly and loses its visual effectiveness. We recommend bringing the blimp down when gusts exceed 20 MPH, or when storms, lightning, or heavy rain are in the forecast. Fewer hours looking sharp beats more hours looking ragged.
What warranty do Arizona Balloon Company products carry?
Every blimp and balloon we ship is covered by a one-year warranty against workmanship defects and a two-year warranty against material defects. If a product fails within those windows due to how we built it or what we built it from, we make it right at no cost to you.
How much helium does a 13-foot blimp require?
Our 13-foot polyurethane advertising blimp requires approximately 170 cubic feet of helium per fill — roughly one-third of what a comparable PVC blimp consumes. For reference: a 10-foot blimp needs 72 cubic feet; a 21-foot needs 430 cubic feet; a 30-foot needs 1,510 cubic feet. All figures are for our polyurethane construction specifically.
Does Arizona Balloon Company serve customers outside Arizona?
Yes. We manufacture and ship nationwide. Primary service markets are Phoenix, Las Vegas, Dallas, and Austin, where we have the most regional experience. For purchases, we ship across the United States and can advise on local permit and helium supply questions in any market where we’ve had customers.
Who are some notable clients of Arizona Balloon Company?
Notable institutional clients include NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the U.S. Navy, Arizona State University (ASU), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) — for specialized tethered aerostat and surveillance applications. Commercial clients include CarMax, Winchester Homes, Stonefield Homes, Olympic Ford, and Birkenstock, among hundreds of builders, dealers, and businesses across the U.S.
Get a Real Price from the Manufacturer
Tell us the size of the space you want the blimp to be visible from, the lettering or artwork you need, and your first deployment date. We’ll quote a real price and a real lead time — no call center, no automated system. Johnny answers directly.
1-800-791-1445
602-938-3550
sales@arizonaballoon.com
4333 West Paradise Lane, Glendale, AZ 85306
Custom orders ship 2–4 weeks from artwork approval