A hot air balloon is a relatively large vessel which assists in human flight. A large balloon of fabric is filled with air which is heated to cause the balloon to lift. A basket beneath the hot air balloon carries passengers and cargo, and the wind guides the hot air balloon.

A modern hot air balloon is heated by a small propane heater mounted below a small opening to the balloon, but above the basket where passengers travel. As the air heats up, it becomes lighter than the air outside the balloon, causing the hot air balloon to rise up in the air. While direction cannot be controlled much in a normal hot air balloon, altitude can be managed by releasing hot air or changing the strength of the flame. For skilled ballooners, some steering can be accomplished simply by changing altitude into differing wind currents; the ability to read the wind is important for those who race hot air balloons.

A hot air balloon can come in a wide range of sizes, depending on its purpose. Small cloud hoppers are intended for only one passenger, and may have a balloon with less than 30,000 cubic feet (9,144 cubic meters) of air space inside. In contrast, some enormous hot air balloons, intended for groups of over ten people, may have over 500,000 cubic feet (152,400 cubic meters) of air space within. An average hot air balloon, meant to hold two or three passengers and a pilot, has around 100,000 cubic feet (30,480 cubic meters) of space inside the balloon.

The first hot air balloon trip with a passenger was in November of 1783, manned by a scientist and a marquis. This makes the hot air balloon the oldest successfully implemented vessel for human flight. Originally it was thought that smoke itself made the balloons rise, and so a smoky fire was used to fill the balloon. The military applications of hot air balloons didn't take long to be noticed, and they were used for reconnaissance during the US Civil War, and widely used during World War I. Some hot air balloons are filled with pockets of lighter-than-air gas such as helium or hydrogen, and use heated air for additional lift. This type of hot air balloon is known as a Rozier balloon.

A hot air balloon can be compared with an airship, which is essentially a balloon with a steering mechanism built in. Many airships do not rely on heated air for their buoyancy, however, but instead use a gas that is naturally lighter than air, such as hydrogen or helium. Airships are also known as zeppelins or dirigibles. Airships that are built using the same principles as a hot air balloon, with the addition of a way to steer directionally, are often called hotships.

Since its comeback in the 1960s, the hot air balloon has become an incredibly popular pastime in the United States and Europe. Because of the striking views and near silence of hot air balloon rides, they are considered ideal for romantic outings. Over 3,000 licensed hot air balloon pilots operate in the United States alone, with more appearing every day.

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