There is no official, constantly updated registry that gives a precise, verified number of blimps in the US, but aviation writers and niche blimp trackers generally agree the number is very small , on the order of a few dozen at most, with only a subset flying regularly.

Current best estimate

  • Recent articles aimed at answering “how many blimps are there in the US” say there are about 25 operational blimps in the country, used mainly for advertising, tourism, research, and special events.
  • Coverage of active airships in 2025 notes that there are “roughly a dozen or so airships still registered in America,” with at least seven known to be flying around US cities at any given time.

Because small operators, experimental craft, or temporarily inactive blimps are hard to track, any specific count is approximate , not exact.

Why the number is so low

  • Blimps are expensive to build and operate, including hangar space, maintenance, crew, and lifting gas (helium), so most are run by large brands or specialized companies.
  • Modern aircraft and drones do most jobs more cheaply and flexibly, so today’s blimps are mostly kept for publicity value, tourism experiences, or tech experiments rather than everyday transport.

Where you might see them

  • Well-known advertising blimps (like those sponsored by major companies) commonly appear over big sports events and large metro areas.
  • Some newer airships are being tested from bases such as those in California and other states, so sightings tend to cluster around those hubs and major stadiums.

In short, when people say “there are only a couple dozen blimps in the US,” that is a reasonable rule-of-thumb, but it should be understood as an informed estimate, not a precise census.