If you’ve been thinking about a thrilling adventure lately, then I am sure skydiving must be on your bucket list. No doubt skydiving is an adventure of a lifetime. That adrenaline rush you get when you’ve made your jump and the sense of achievement you feel once you’re on the ground is something you can cherish for the rest of your life.
If you are someone who carefully plans their budget, you must be pondering over the question: is skydiving expensive? I won’t lie to you. The initial training expense for skydiving is around $1600. If you book a reservation, it usually costs you less as compared to any “sudden plans”.
For instance, at Island Skydiving Center, you have to pay $229 if you book a jump beforehand while the payment increases to $298 if you just decided to try this out on the spot.
Is skydiving an expensive hobby?
I won’t negate the fact that skydiving is an experience that’s worth breaking your savings bank. It won’t cost you much if you’re making it an annual gig but there’s no doubt that skydiving as a hobby will mean you need a hefty amount to spare.
Here’s a general overview regarding the cost of skydiving:
Firstly there’s the cost of solo skydiving which is around $25 and that might not seem like a big deal if you can afford to spend that amount on some adventure. However, when it’s your first time, you’ll be needing skydiving lessons which have a minimum price of $1600! Well, good things aren’t cheap people. A Tandem Jump (and I’ll get to that in a few seconds) will need a debit of $219 from your bank account.
However, allow me to go into further detail so you can gauge if skydiving can be adopted as something you do like playing soccer every other weekend or not.
How much is Tandem Skydiving?
Let’s talk about Tandem Skydiving first. Prices vary according to altitudes. A jump from an altitude of 15000ft would cost you around $150 – $250. However, some centers do offer packages or reduced prices on weekdays (if they are operational during those days).
Parachute jump: lower altitudes, reduced prices
This is a tandem jump but from a lower altitude. Some centers do offer skydiving from altitudes of 7000 – 10000ft (15000ft being the highest point to jump from). These are known as basic parachute jumps and offer a much less thrilling experience since the freefalling time is shorter as compared to a full-height tandem jump. You’ll be saving around 10% to 35% of the cost for an original or full tandem jump but the experience won’t be as thrilling nor will you feel like a daredevil when jumping from lower heights.
What is solo skydiving?
This is where you become superman for some time because you’ll be flying solo – literally.
Many first-timers feel it’s an obligation to opt for a tandem skydive but that isn’t the case.
With 25 accurate jumps (that is where you don’t damage yourself), you can qualify for a test and to apply for your USPA “A” License which certifies that you can be trusted with yourself. Once you’ve got this license, you’re free to make a solo skydive.
How much is it cost to skydive solo?
Let’s come to the cost then. As mentioned above, provided that you’ve got your equipment Solo skydiving can cost as low as $25. Nevertheless, if you haven’t got your gear beforehand, the costs can vary from $80 to $120.
Diving lessons
Don’t forget that you’ll need to spend some serious cha-ching on training and then of course obtaining your license before you can call this an affordable sport. A licensed course will mean spending a large amount on instructors, rental equipment, temporary membership fee as well as an approved multistage instruction program.
Though the cost of courses varies across the globe, you’ll need to save up to $2000 for a professional course by a reputed center.
Obtaining the license
When you’re adamant on diving solo, you need to pass a written exam and prove yourself by making sure that your parachute lands on the right target at least 10 times! This means you’ll be needing some extra cash to rent equipment for numerous days.
Own equipment
Of course, you’ll be needing your equipment if you decide to pursue skydiving as a hobby. Can you imagine the amount you’ll be spending every other week paying for a rental?
A complete kit ranges from $2500 to $7500 and I know that’s huge but you’re investing in the adventures of a lifetime. They won’t come without a huge price tag.
Membership and further training
In some countries, skydiving won’t be an “open for all” sport. If you’re willing to adopt this as a hobby, you’ll probably require membership of a renowned skydiving center to add thrill into your life.
Additionally, you might want to add in the cost of wanting to experience other forms of skydiving once you’ve mastered this one, such as formation diving. This requires more and different kinds of training, thus you’ll need to keep some greens aside for that day when you feel “I want to try something new”.
Is skydiving worth the money?
I’ve already mentioned the amount of cash you’ll be needing for a tandem jump or solo dive and the costs before your skydiving experience, but is it worth it?
The answer would be:
Definitely!
I call it a jump of joy. You won’t forget this experience ever! The nervousness of jumping followed by those butterflies you get in your tummy when you’re just at the tip of the airplane is just beyond explanation.
Even before that, when you’ve gone through all that training and you finally wear your gear feeling like a soldier ready for his/her first battle is incomparable.
You’re going to feel like you’ve gone mad jumping off an aircraft and floating in mid-air but the craziness is soon replaced by a rush of confidence and that “I can do anything now” kind of feel. Once you touch the ground you end up perceiving yourself as a hero who just conquered their fear.
After all, with the initial investment in training and licensing, many skydivers discover opportunities to offset their expenses and even make money through avenues like becoming tandem instructors, participating in aerial stunts, or leveraging their jumps for social media and content creation. In fact, skydivers can make good money skydiving, turning their passion for the sport into a lucrative career while enjoying the thrill of freefall.