Seeking Adrenaline

Common First-Time Skydiving Questions

Reviewed by the Seeking Adrenaline team

Tandem skydivers in freefall with drogue, both smiling, patchwork farmland far below

First-timers ask the same set: cost, clothes, time on site, glasses, safety, breathing, and weather. Short answers first. Full articles underneath.

Quick Facts

  • Cost: usually $250–$350 before media
  • Age at most U.S. dropzones: 18
  • Shoes: closed-toe
  • Time on site: 2–4 hours
  • Freefall: under a minute
  • Weather can cancel

Top Questions at a Glance

How much does tandem skydiving cost? Most first-time tandem skydives cost between $250 and $350 before photo and video packages.

What should I wear? Closed-toe athletic shoes and comfortable athletic clothing.

How long does it take? Plan for two to four hours on-site.

Can I wear glasses? Usually yes. Most dropzones provide goggles that fit over glasses.

Is skydiving safe? Skydiving involves real risk, but tandem systems, training standards, equipment inspections, and weather requirements exist specifically to reduce that risk.

Can I breathe during freefall? Yes.

What happens if it rains? Many weather conditions can delay or cancel jumps.

Read the Full Answers

Ready to Find a Dropzone?

Search tandem skydiving near your ZIP. Start at Air.

---

Find this near you

Enter a city, state, or ZIP to see operators within 50 miles. Or browse Air. Book on the operator’s official website.

Find operators

Browse Air for Tandem skydiving operators, or jump to one of these live listings:

All Tandem skydiving operators in Air

Related Skydiving Pages

About the Seeking Adrenaline team

Our guides are drafted with help from automated tools, then reviewed by the Seeking Adrenaline team.

How we build listings