An up to date hot air balloon is excited by a small propane heater aggravated below a small opening to the balloon, but over the basket where travelers travel. As the air heats up, it becomes lighter than the air outer surface of the balloon, causing the hot air balloon to revolt in the air. While direction cannot really be controlled much in a usual hot air balloon, height could be managed by letting go hot air or changing the power of the flame. For skilled ballooners, some direction-finding could be proficient just by changing height into differing wind currents; the capability to read the wind is very significant for those who race hot air balloons.

A hot air balloon could come in a huge range of sizes, rely on its purpose. Small cloud hoppers are deliberate for a single traveler, and might have a balloon with less than 30,000 cubic feet (9,144 cubic meters) of air space inside. On the contrary, some vast hot air balloons, planned for groups of over ten people, might have over 500,000 cubic feet (152,400 cubic meters) of air space inside. An average hot air balloon, destined to hold two or three travelers and a pilot, has around 100,000 cubic feet (30,480 cubic meters) of space inside the balloon.

A hot air balloon could be further contrasted with an airship, which is in effect a balloon with a steering instrument built in. Many airships do not depend on heated air for their resilience, however, but instead use a gas, which is usually lighter than air, such as hydrogen or helium. Airships are as well recognized as zeppelins or dirigibles. Airships that are built using the same principles as a hot air balloon, with the totaling of a way to guide correctly, are usually called as hotships.