How Much Does Skydiving Cost?

February 2, 2023

 You can bet that when it comes to skydiving prices, you get what you pay for. Not all dropzones are created equal and require a bit of research before choosing which dropzone to jump at, especially for your first time skydiving!

But how much is skydiving? We’ll be honest, the price might come as a bit of a surprise – which is why we’re going to break it down for you. Let’s look at the prices for a tandem skydive, a student skydiver who is learning to skydive, AND the prices for experienced jumpers, just to put it all in perspective.

Tandem skydivers in free fall after exiting airplane in CT

How Much Does Skydiving Cost?


Tandem Skydiving Price

Tandem skydiving prices vary from dropzone to dropzone, as well as what you “get” for that price. For example, the average tandem skydiving altitude ranges from 8,000 ft to 10,000 ft with the average cost being about $250. But at Skydive Danielson, we take you higher! With our tandem skydiving altitude set to 14,000 ft, you’ll get a longer freefall (60 seconds) at speeds upwards of 120 mph – which means an even greater thrill!

The tandem skydiving price also varies depending on which package you purchase – and if you decide to add on media, any applied discounts, what day you decide to book your reservation, group rates, and more!

Here are the current tandem skydiving prices at Skydive Danielson:

Option

Price

Tandem Skydive

$260

Tandem Skydive with Military Discount

$230

Tandem Skydive on Weekdays in April/May

$225

Tandem Skydive Group Rate (10 or more)

$220/person

Tandem Skydive Birthday Special

$190*

*Must jump on the actual birthday. Valid only for birthday jumper.

All pricing reflects a 3% cash discount.

Tandem skydivers in free fall over CT

You will definitely want to add a video and photo package, especially if it is your first time skydiving. One of the biggest regrets for first-time jumpers is that they didn’t get a video of their jump. All of our media packages come with professionally edited HD footage, photos of your entire experience on the ground, flying in the airplane, freefall, and landing! Our Extreme Hand Cam Package and Ultimate Package will also come with footage of you flying the parachute! All media packages are emailed to your preferred email within 24 hours of your jump.

Here are the video package add-on prices at Skydive Danielson:

Option

Price

Extreme Hand Cam Package

$115

Pro Package (outside videographer)

$145

Ultimate Package (hand cam/outside video)

$195

 

Tandem skydivers in free fall over CT

 

Learn To Skydive Cost

At Skydive Danielson, we pride ourselves on our one-of-a-kind Learn to Skydive program. Here, we require two training tandems because we believe it is the best way to get a feel for skydiving while shaking off those first jump nerves and gives you an incredibly beneficial hands-on learning opportunity.

From here, you’ll attend the ground school, optional wind tunnel training, go through the required steps for AFF (Accelerated Freefall), perform coach jumps, self-supervised jumps, a parachute packing class, and a check dive to show your mastery of the skills. The United States Parachute Association (USPA) requires that you complete 25 jumps total and complete all requirements listed on the USPA ‘A’ License Proficiency Card in order to be a licensed skydiver.

The total cost for a USPA Skydiving License through Skydive Danielson is around $3,275 (not including the optional wind tunnel training or any repeat jumps needed). You’ll also be required to maintain USPA membership which is $78 for one year.

A benefit of the student program is that all of your gear rental will be included for each jump. This brings us to the skydiving costs for when you graduate from the Learn to Skydive program and become a licensed skydiver!

 

How much does it cost to skydive solo?

After completing your skydiving A license program (see above), you will be granted the freedom to spread your wings and fly solo! Experienced skydivers must provide their own skydiving equipment or choose to rent gear at the dropzone.

Skydiving gear costs can range from $3,000 to $14,000 depending on if you buy used or new and which brand or type of equipment you’re interested in. Additionally, if you decide to buy your own gear, the reserve parachute must be repacked every 180 days -- regardless of whether it has been deployed or not -- which usually costs around $70 each time.

 Here are the licensed skydiver prices at Skydive Danielson:

Option

Price

Lift Tickets (full altitude)

$29

Hop n Pops (low altitude jumps)

$22

Gear Rental

$30*

*$90 max charge for Gear Rental. Jump more than 3x and enjoy free rental!

 Skydive Danielson offers specials for licensed jumpers every “Wicked” Wednesday: hop n pops are $16 and full altitude lift tickets are $22!

 

Why Is Skydiving Expensive?

When determining the cost of skydiving, dropzone owners have to look at the cost of everything big picture: airplanes (whether they decide to rent or own), airplane maintenance, rising fuel costs, high-quality instructors, ground crew, pilots, packers, all other employees, gear (parachutes, helmets, AADs, containers, jumpsuits, altimeters, etc), maintaining all the equipment, and the hangar. The cost of skydiving might seem expensive at first glance, but when you factor in everything that goes into the skydive – the price seems easier to understand. And if you do find a "bargain basement" deal on skydiving, beware; low prices may come with lower standards.

 When all is said and done, we promise skydiving is worth the cost! You just can’t put a price tag on a life-changing experience like this. Book your jump with some of the most passionate folks in the skydiving industry at one of the best skydiving centers in the US – Skydive Danielson! Blue skies.