Should You Tip Your Skydiving Instructor?

To tip or not to tip—that is the question! Ah, the nuances of navigating the service industry: while it’s obvious and customary to tip your waiter, hair stylist, or even tattoo artist, other tipping situations can be a bit baffling. For instance: do you tip skydiving instructors? And, if so, how much do you tip? Instead of an awkward internal battle or a raging bout of self-doubt, we figured we’d take the mystery out of tipping when it comes to skydiving.
For starters, we understand. Skydiving isn’t a run-of-the-mill activity. Your skydiving experience is new, uncharted territory. Thus, people aren’t quite sure exactly what the tipping protocol should be. Instead of tarnishing your whole experience with worry, let us help you.

Are You Supposed to Tip When Skydiving?

At Skydive Monroe and other reputable dropzones, instructors are compensated equitably for their professional services. Unlike tipping at a restaurant, instructor tips aren’t an unspoken standard. That being said, it can still be awkward if you’re not aware of the tipping etiquette and want to compensate your instructor. 

So, let’s set the record straight: Do you tip your tandem skydive instructor? Only if you want to – it’s optional. Tipping is, of course, appreciated, but it’s never expected. Consider how well your instructor met or exceeded your expectations. Did they go above and beyond to make you feel comfortable? Did you have the time of your life? These things can help you measure your satisfaction and whether or not you want to give your instructor a little extra love. 

Next question: When do you tip your skydiving instructors? The best time to show your instructor some love is after the jump has concluded and everything is winding down. After all, though we’re certain you’re going to love your jump, you should actually have the experience before tipping on it! 

And, if you decide to tip, consider also showing gratitude to your professional videographer. They’re working hard too to capture your epic adventure.

How Much Do You Tip a Skydiving Instructor?

Here’s another frequently asked question: How much to tip a skydiver? The easy thing about this part is that you can follow service industry standards when deciding on a tip amount. If you have an absolutely mind-blowing, amazing experience with your tandem instructor and videographer, a tip of up to 20% of the cost of your jump for each is a great way to show your appreciation.
But that’s not a hard-and-fast rule. ANY tip you gift your instructor is going to be much appreciated and succeed in getting the message across. They’re happy just sharing your first jump experience with you, so any little bit extra is icing on the cake.

Alternatives to Tipping

A skydiving tip can be more than a cash transaction! In this day and age, not everyone has cash on hand, or maybe you just don’t have the extra funds to tip on top of the cost of your skydive and video.
So, how do you tip your skydive team without cash? Luckily, there are a few other ways to show your instructor and/or your videographer your gratitude. Heartfelt callouts on social media, handwritten cards, sparkling Google reviews, and homemade baked goods: these are all welcome ways to make it known you enjoyed your skydive with us at Skydive Monroe. 

Ultimately, our goal is to share our love of skydiving and expand the skydiving community as a whole, and the best tips in skydiving are the honest ones. If you loved your experience, please let us know! We’re grateful for it all – constructive feedback, kind words, tasty treats, a sincere thank-you, a big bear hug, or a 20% gratuity!

If Your Experience Wasn’t That Great, Should You Tip?

Definitely … as in tip us off. We want to know what made the experience unsatisfactory or give us a tip on how to improve. Whatever the case, please don’t hold your tongue. At Skydive Monroe, we strive to improve and to always provide our valued customers with unparalleled service.
If something isn’t perfect, come over to the office and tell us all about it or give us a call. To provide experiences of the very highest caliber, we need your input! Express yourself and let us know if we did a great job or if we have blind spots where we can improve. Your feedback can make a big difference. 

Want to know our biggest tip? Book a tandem skydive and change your life! Blue skies.