How High Can You Skydive From?

Key Takeaways
Typical skydives take place from 10,000 to 14,000 feet, balancing aircraft performance, freefall time, and parachute deployment requirements. Supplemental oxygen is required above 15,000 feet, and specialized HALO jumps can reach 30,000+ feet. The highest recorded skydive was 135,889 feet by Alan Eustace, far beyond normal civilian operations. Very low-altitude jumps (like 200 feet) are not possible in skydiving due to parachute deployment requirements.

Skydiving is all about altitude – skydivers are obsessed with it, the gear measures it, and lives depend on it. As such, one of the most common skydiving related questions is: How high can you skydive from? The max height for skydiving varies from jump to jump depending on a few different factors like experience level, aircraft availability, and airspace clearance. Most skydivers exit between 10,000 and 14,000 feet, but did you know you can legally skydive from over 40,000 feet right here in the USA? 

Let’s dig into the question, “How high can you skydive?” and talk about the factors in play when deciding on an exit altitude. 

What Is The Normal Skydiving Height? 

The normal skydiving height is between 10,000 and 14,000 feet for tandem and licensed skydivers. Solo skydivers will also jump from lower altitudes if they are focusing solely on flying their parachute. 

Three major factors to consider when planning exit altitude are:

• Airplane performance – Dropzones aim to strike the perfect balance between maximizing freefall time and flying at their skydiving aircraft’s optimal performance level. Extra altitude is always exciting, and operators are deliberate in choosing the exit height that delivers a great experience while keeping the flight smooth and cost-effective.

• Freefall speed – How fast do you fall when skydiving? The average terminal velocity of a human in freefall is 120 mph, but that number can increase or decrease based on body position, drag, and weight. Skydivers use this speed to calculate how long they will be in freefall, based on their exit and planned deployment altitude.

• Deployment altitude – At what height do parachutes open? Parachutes open when they are deployed by the skydiver based on their pre-jump planning – this is typically between 3,000 and 5,000 feet. Parachutes usually take about 600 to 800 feet to fully deploy once the pilot chute is pulled, so it’s important for skydivers to exit the airplane and deploy high enough for the parachute to fully open with enough time to execute a coordinated landing and deal with any emergencies that may arise. 

How High Can You Skydive From Without Oxygen? 

The higher you skydive from, the more safety precautions there are to consider. The maximum height for skydiving without supplemental oxygen is 15,000 feet. As soon as you go above this altitude, the jump is considered a HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) skydive and supplemental O₂ is mandatory. This is because the higher up humans go in the atmosphere, the lower the oxygen density is in the air we breathe. And human brains need oxygen to think clearly, which is extremely important for an activity like skydiving. 

Too much time spent in a low oxygen density environment can lead to hypoxia, which causes confusion, difficulty breathing, rapid heart rate, and even loss of consciousness. Extremely high jumps even require skydivers to breathe the oxygen in freefall after exiting the aircraft. 

Can You Parachute From 30,000 Feet? 

Speaking of extremely high jumps, can you parachute from 30,000 feet? Yes! Only a few dropzones in the US offer HALO tandems from this height. The average “high altitude skydive” height at most dropzones is around 18,000 feet, because a jump from 30,000 requires quite a bit more preparation than a typical HALO jump. 

And how long does it take to fall from 30,000 feet? Around 2 minutes and 15 seconds – which sounds exciting, but is actually quite a bit longer than you need to really enjoy your skydive. A 10,000 foot skydive gives you plenty of freefall time, especially as a first-timer who is still adjusting to the sensory overload of falling through the sky. 

What Is The Highest Distance You Can Skydive From? 

The highest skydive in the USA – in the world, actually – was completed by Alan Eustace, who is the current world record holder for highest ever skydive! His jump from 135,889 feet is extraordinary – a much higher altitude than even the most extreme civilian HALO jumps, which typically max out around 40,000 feet. 

Incredibly high skydives like the ones Eustace completed, and even those above 40,000 feet, require intense preparation and safety precautions. The extreme nature of the wind, temperature, landing calculations, and lack of oxygen means that the cost, time, and training needed to plan a jump like that isn’t conducive to an enjoyable first time experience. 

Sticking to typical HALO jumps from 15,000 to 20,000 feet presents the best of both worlds – accessible and extreme! 

Can You Parachute From 200 Feet? NO!

Although BASE jumps have been recorded from this height, exceedingly low jumps like this are not possible in skydiving. Even most BASE jumps take place from above 300 feet because of how risky it is to jump from lower altitudes. Skydives don’t take place from this height because it doesn’t give enough time for the parachute to deploy and for the skydiver to complete a proper controllability check prior to landing.

Though both activities involve jumping and parachutes, BASE jumping and skydiving are actually completely different sports. For starters, BASE jumping involves exiting from a fixed object, while skydiving requires the use of an airplane. The parachutes are also constructed and packed a bit differently to accommodate for differing conditions. 

What Is The Best Height To Skydive From? 

A skydive is a skydive is a skydive! Any skydiving experience, whether you jump from 10,000 or 18,000 feet, will be amazing as a first-timer. Book your jump with Wisconsin Skydiving Center today – we can’t wait to share the life-changing experience of human flight with you! Blue skies!