How Much Does Skydiving Cost?

Your first skydiving experience is a memory that will be with you forever, and although the cost of a skydive can initially seem steep, you get what you pay for! People often ask us, “How much is skydiving?” as well as for the breakdown of our skydiving prices. Tandem skydiving prices vary between dropzones and are based on numerous factors. Let’s get into the specifics of our tandem skydiving prices and beyond!

THE COST OF SKYDIVING: BREAK IT DOWN 

How much does it cost to go skydiving? Generally speaking, a tandem skydive will cost you about 350 buckaroos. However, skydiving prices vary based on the altitude of the jump, the location, group rates, seasonal rates, and time of day rates, as well as any special discounts offered at the time. 

Our individual tandem skydive (meaning, you’re not booking as part of a group) costs $349. But, bring some pals with you and you’ll all save. How much does skydiving cost per person if you’re coming with, say, 5 friends? $329 … and bring a crew of 10 or more and you’ll save even more! 

If you’re thinking, “Woah, woah, woah, that’s a chunk of change right there,” we respectfully request that you slow your roll. Tandem skydiving is an experience like no other. Here’s exactly what you’re getting with a quality tandem skydive: 

• A highly-qualified instructor. Tandem skydiving instructors aren’t doing this for nothin’! They truly love to share their passion for the sport with others. Tandem instructors have at least 3 years in the sport of skydiving, a minimum of 500 jumps (to even take the tandem instructor course), and have a D-license – the highest United States Parachute Association skydiving license possible. 
•  A rock solid pre-flight briefing. Over the years, tandem skydiving has become more efficient, which means it’s possible to give someone a 20-ish minute overview of the process before heading up to altitude for the time of your life! 
• Gear! The gear needed for a successful skydive includes the rig (container, 2 parachutes, and AAD), a jumpsuit, the harness for the tandem student (YOU!), and some high fashion goggles to protect your peepers from those 120 mph winds. All this gear (and its associated maintenance) costs a pretty penny, but having the best of the best is important when you’re talking about life-saving equipment.
• Aircraft (duh). The jump plane is a pretty prominent piece of any skydiving operation. Not only does she need fuel (and lots of it), but annual and daily upkeep. 
• Super epic awesomeness! Whether you end up liking the freefall or parachute ride more, jumping from the airplane and quickly gaining speed to hit terminal velocity with just your body is a feeling like no other! 
• Canopy flight. Once the parachute deploys, you and your instructor will spend about five minutes gently gliding to the ground (or whipping around the sky if you’re into that kinda thing) for a celebratory landing! 

WHAT IF I WANT A VIDEO OF MY JUMP?

This is not an “if” scenario, you NEED a video of the jump – are you kidding!? We’ve just broken down the basics of the cost, and adding a videographer to your jump is an additional charge, but it is sooo worth it – just ask anyone who didn’t get a video of their first jump! There are people with 500 skydives that made the mistake of not adding a video package to their first jump and still regret it. 

There is nothing like seeing proof of conquering one of the biggest feats of your LIFE. The videographer won’t only capture the entirety of your skydiving experience, from gearing up to landing back on the sweet Earth, but they’ll be a familiar face! When you’re getting a little antsy (or dare we say … scared) in the plane, they’ll be there to give you an encouraging fist bump and smile. 

IS TIP INCLUDED?

Don’t worry, we don’t throw on a 20% gratuity to your tandem skydiving cost! The rules of tipping in the skydiving world are simple: never expected, always appreciated. If you feel that your jump was out of this world and fantastically mind-blowing, feel free to show your gratitude! 

THE COST OF LEARNING TO SKYDIVE SOLO

The process of learning to skydive varies between dropzones, which means the cost also varies. We all have one goal in mind: turn someone who is a complete amateur into a safety-oriented, self-sufficient, and passionate skydiver. Check out our learn to skydive prices from your very first skydive to your 25th!

Here at WNY Skydiving, we do a tandem progression, which means that students complete two tandem skydives followed by an Accelerated Free Fall (AFF) course and coach jumps. The USPA A-license has a minimum requirement of 25 skydives. 

Along with achieving licenses, once skydivers can jump solo they have the opportunity to pursue different facets of the sport. You can go on to achieve a Coach rating and help others get licensed, achieve Tandem Instructor status and pay it forward, become a parachute packer, or earn a Pro rating (which enables jumpers to land in crowded events, like ball games)! The possibilities are truly endless and the learning never stops.

P.S. – Once you’re licensed and jumping your own gear, jump tickets are in the ballpark of $30, making the upfront expense positively worth it!

HOW MUCH IS SKYDIVING NEAR ME?

Are you located in or around Western New York, or plan to visit Buffalo, Rochester, or the Finger Lakes area? Yes? Then we can tell you all about the best skydiving near you! Do yourself a solid and book online today. Blue skies!