Riding the Goodyear Blimp Over Coachella

The Times' music critic gets an invite to float over the music festival in the iconic airship.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 11:09pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of the shiny, metallic surface of the Goodyear blimp, capturing the airship's iconic shape and reflective textures in high-contrast studio lighting to create a conceptual, abstract representation of the blimp's aerial perspective over Coachella.The Goodyear blimp's sleek, reflective exterior offers a glamorous aerial vantage point over the Coachella music festival.Los Angeles Today

Mikael Wood, a music critic for the Los Angeles Times, was invited to take a ride on the Goodyear blimp during the Coachella music festival. He and two colleagues boarded the airship, which can hold about 6-8 people, and took a 30-minute cruise over the festival grounds, getting a bird's-eye view of the crowds below.

Why it matters

The Goodyear blimp is an iconic part of major events and festivals, providing aerial coverage and serving as a mobile billboard. This experience offered Wood and his colleagues a unique perspective on Coachella, one of the biggest music festivals in the world, and highlighted the special access and experiences that media members can sometimes receive.

The details

Before boarding the blimp, Wood and his colleagues had to watch a safety video that warned them not to wear heels on the airship. Once on board, they found the ride to be gentle, like a boat ride in a harbor. From the blimp, they could see the crowds of Beliebers camped out near the main stage hours before Justin Bieber's performance. After the 30-minute flight, they had to disembark two by two, with new passengers replacing them.

  • The blimp ride took place on Day 2 of the 2026 Coachella music festival.
  • The ride lasted approximately 30 minutes.

The players

Mikael Wood

A music critic for the Los Angeles Times who was invited to take a ride on the Goodyear blimp during Coachella.

Rebecca Castillo

One of Wood's colleagues who joined him on the blimp ride.

Kayla Bartkowski

Another of Wood's colleagues who joined him on the blimp ride.

Goodyear

The tire company that owns and operates the famous Goodyear blimp, which provides aerial coverage and serves as a mobile billboard at major events.

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What they’re saying

“Before we could get on to the airship that had room for about six to eight people, we had to watch a safety video in which the narrator told us that you can't wear heels on the blimp — but that if you'd worn them today, you could check with a Goodyear representative and they'd see about other arrangements.”

— Mikael Wood, Music Critic

“They looked so little down there — so small in size, so big in Beliebf.”

— Mikael Wood, Music Critic

The takeaway

This experience highlights the unique access and perspectives that media members can sometimes receive, even at major events like Coachella. The Goodyear blimp offers a bird's-eye view that few attendees get to enjoy, providing a fresh vantage point on the festival and its crowds.