Whether it’s a birthday, an anniversary, or the birth of a child, there are lots of celebrations that call for balloons.
And naturally, you’ll need to inflate them with helium.
Helium is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. While abundant in space, it’s scarce on Earth because its lightweight nature causes it to swiftly ascend into space.
where to get balloons filled with helium
Helium is generated deep underground through the natural radioactive decay of elements such as uranium and thorium. It’s a byproduct of the natural gas industry, but there are relatively few places on earth where helium is concentrated enough to successfully extract it.
Thanks to various factors, there have been instances of helium shortages in the past. However, the good news is that many stores still offer it!
Many of the same places that offer CO2 refill near you also have helium tanks to fill as few or as many balloons you need to be filled.
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Filling a single balloon with helium can take 2 to 3 minutes. So, if you need a lot of balloons filled, then make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to have them filled at your local store.
Certain establishments offer balloon filling services regardless of where the balloons were purchased, while others mandate that you buy the balloons on-site for inflation. Many locations even provide complimentary helium balloon inflation, given that the balloons were bought in-store.
where to get balloons filled with helium
If you’ve been pondering, “Where can I have balloons filled with helium?” then look no further—this post has got you covered.
Where to Get Balloons Filled with Helium Cheap
Below, I’ll cover the best places where you can get balloons filled near you.
1. Albertsons
There are more than 2,200 Albertson’s stores across the United States.
where to get balloons filled with helium
Albertsons will fill latex and foil balloons in-store.
- In-store purchase required?: Albertson’s will fill balloons purchased elsewhere too.
- Cost: $1.50 to $7 per balloon. The cost varies depending on the size of the balloon.
2. CVS
There are more than 9,900 CVS locations throughout the USA.
where to get balloons filled with helium
If your local CVS store has a party section, then it will also have a helium service.
where to get balloons filled with helium
Smaller CVS stores that are basically just a pharmacy that sells a few other products, may not have a party section, which means that they don’t provide helium services.
The larger stores that do have a party section, however, will offer helium services.
Call your local store to see what services it provides.
- In-store purchase required?: CVS only fills balloons that have been purchased in-store.
- Cost: Free for balloons purchased in store.
Please note that while most stores will only fill balloons purchased in-store, you can still contact your local CVS to ask if they will fill a balloon purchased elsewhere, but you will usually need to pay a fee for this service, and not all stores will offer it.
3. Dollar General
Dollar General has more than 17,000 stores in 46 states. It will fill latex, metallic, mylar, and jumbo balloons with helium.
where to get balloons filled with helium
- In-store purchase required?: Dollar General will only fill balloons that have been purchased in-store.
- Cost: $0.50 to $1 per balloon for latex balloons. Up to $4 for mylar/metallic balloons. Jumbo balloons cost up to $15 per balloon to be filled.
Dollar General also sells a Balloon Time 9.5″ Helium Tank that contains 8.9 cu ft of helium/air, and 30 colorful balloons. It costs $31.95.
4. Dollar Tree
Dollar Tree has more than 15,200 locations across the country. Dollar Tree is only able to fill foil/metallic balloons. So, you won’t be able to get latex balloons filled at the store.
where to get balloons filled with helium
As long as the balloon is foil though, Dollar Tree can blow up birthday, anniversary, or any other special event balloon.
- In-store purchase required?: Dollar Tree will only fill helium balloons that you have purchased in-store or online on the Dollar Tree website. It will not fill balloons with helium that have been purchased elsewhere.
- Cost: Free for balloons purchased in-store or online with proof of purchase. Since, balloons, just like the store’s other products, cost just $1 at Dollar Tree, this is a pretty affordable option.
Dollar Tree also sells pre-filled helium balloons, for a variety of different occasions, in multiple different shapes, such as number, star, circle, and square shapes.
5. Kroger
Kroger has more than 2,800 stores in 35 states.
where to get balloons filled with helium
Kroger fills both latex and mylar helium balloons. You can also have foil balloons, and jumbo balloons filled.
- In-store purchase required?: Kroger will fill helium balloons in-store at most of its locations, regardless of whether you bought the balloons in-store or not. So, if you have purchased balloons elsewhere, like online, for example, then you will also be able to have those filled at Kroger.
- Cost: $1 on average to fill latex balloons. Mylar balloons can be filled for $3 to $8, depending on the size. Oversized or jumbo balloons that are between 20 to 50 inches in diameter cost between $7 and $16 to fill. The price can depend on the size and number of balloons you want to fill and can vary from store to store.
6. Meijer
Meijer is a family-owned regional retailer based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Meijer has more than 240 supercenters in six states, including Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
where to get balloons filled with helium
You can have helium balloons filled in-store. Meijer also sells pre-filled helium balloons.
- In-store purchase required?: Meijer doesn’t require balloons to be bought from its stores in order to fill them.
- Cost: Meijer charges $1 per latex balloon. It costs from $3 to $8 to fill a mylar balloon, with the price depending on the size and shape of the balloon.
7. Party City
Party City has 830 company-owned and franchise stores throughout North America.
where to get balloons filled with helium
- In-store purchase required?: You can have balloons inflated that you bought at Party City stores or online on the Party City website, and balloons that were purchased elsewhere.
- Cost: Free for foil balloons that you purchased in-store or online (just make sure the item says price includes helium and bring your receipt to the store). $0.99 to $1.29 for balloons purchased at Party City or elsewhere. Foil balloons purchased elsewhere cost from $1.99 to $15.99 to fill, depending on the size.
Party City also sells helium tanks, so if you prefer to fill balloons yourself, then you can. It provides both small and large helium tanks, which are available for purchase online or via in-store pickup.
8. Party Depot
Party Depot has stores in Virginia. It will fill helium balloons.
where to get balloons filled with helium
- In-store purchase required?: Party Depot will also fill balloons purchased elsewhere.
- Cost: $0.75 each for 12-inch latex balloons. $0.90 each for 18-inch Mylar balloons, and $4 each for 36-inch Mylar balloons.
Party Depot also sells helium tanks.
9. Publix
Publix is an employee-owned supermarket chain in the United States.
where to get balloons filled with helium
There are more than 1,286 Publix stores throughout the Southern United States. You’ll find Publix stores in the following states:
- Alabama
- Florida
- Georgia
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Virginia
You can have balloons filled with helium at Publix. Not every single Publix store will fill helium balloons, but as long as your local store has a floral department, it will typically be able to provide this service. Publix will fill latex and mylar balloons.
where to get balloons filled with helium
- In-store purchase required?: Publix will blow up balloons from other stores, as well as those purchased in-store.
- Cost: Free if you have purchased the balloons at Publix and have a receipt. For balloons that have been purchased elsewhere, it costs $1.29 per balloon for latex balloons and $2 per balloon for mylar balloons.
Publix also sells pre-filled helium balloons.
10. Ralphs
Next on the list we have Ralphs, which is a subsidiary of Kroger. There are 189 Ralphs stores in Southern California.
where to get balloons filled with helium
Ralphs is another place where you can get helium balloons filled. Some stores offer the service. Get in touch with your local store to see if it will fill balloons at that particular location.
- In-store purchase required?: Varies from store to store.
- Cost: It costs $0.99 per balloon for latex balloons. Mylar balloons cost $3.99 or more each, depending on size.
11. Walmart
There are 4,743 Walmart stores throughout the United States. Walmart will blow up balloons, but only a small portion of its stores offer this service.
where to get balloons filled with helium
Please get in touch with your local store to see if they provide helium services at that particular location.
- In-store purchase required?: Yes, Walmart will only inflate balloons that have been purchased from Walmart.
- Cost: It costs around $0.25 per balloon. However, the price can vary depending on the size and type of balloon you want to fill.
Walmart also sells helium tanks, so if you prefer to fill the balloons yourself, then you can.
Closing Thoughts
If you want to know “Where can I get balloons filled with helium?” then try the options above. There are lots of stores that will fill helium balloons for you, including Albertsons, Dollar General, and Walmart. Many stores will actually fill your balloons for you, provided that you purchased them from that particular retailer.
If you have a lot of balloons to fill, it can sometimes work out cheaper to purchase a helium tank and fill the balloons yourself.