Where to Get Balloons Filled with Helium (Store by Store)

Where can you get balloons filled with helium? Most grocery chains, dollar stores, and party retailers still do it — but each has different rules on price and whether they will fill balloons you bought somewhere else. This guide covers both, store by store, plus what changed after Party City closed its stores.

One thing to know in 2026: helium supply is tight again, so some locations pause balloon fills without notice. Always call your store before driving over.

Quick Comparison

Store	Typical cost	Fills balloons bought elsewhere?
Albertsons / Safeway	$1–$3 per balloon	Sometimes — call first
CVS	Free with in-store balloon purchase	No
Dollar General	Included in balloon price	No
Dollar Tree	Free (foil balloons only)	No
Kroger / Ralphs	$1 latex, $3–$8 foil	Yes
Meijer	~$1 latex, $3–$8 foil	Yes
Publix	~$1.29 latex, ~$2 foil	Yes
Staples (Party City sections)	Varies; pre-filled sold in-store	Varies by store
Walmart	$0.25–$1.50 per balloon	No — receipt required

Helium-Filled Balloons: Where to Get Them

Albertsons

Albertsons (and sister chain Safeway) fill latex and foil balloons in the floral department. Pricing runs about $1–$3 per balloon depending on size.

Many locations will also inflate balloons bought elsewhere, but the policy varies by store — find your store and call ahead.

CVS

Larger CVS stores with a party aisle fill balloons for free — the helium is included in the balloon price. Smaller pharmacy-only branches don’t carry helium at all.

CVS only fills balloons bought in-store. Some clerks will fill an outside balloon for a small charge if you ask, but that’s a courtesy, not policy. Call your local CVS to confirm it has a party section before you go.

Dollar General

Dollar General sells helium-filled balloons off the shelf and fills empty balloons bought in-store — latex from about $0.50–$1, foil/mylar up to about $4, and jumbo balloons more. It does not fill balloons from other stores.

Dollar General also stocks Balloon Time disposable helium tanks (8.9 cu ft, about $35) — enough for roughly 30 nine-inch latex balloons if you’d rather fill at home.

Dollar Tree

Dollar Tree fills foil balloons only, free, as long as you bought them at Dollar Tree (in-store or on dollartree.com with your receipt). Latex balloons are not filled at any location.

Balloons here are among the cheapest anywhere — most foil designs cost under $2 — and stores also carry pre-filled foil balloons in number, star, and round shapes for grab-and-go.

Kroger

Kroger is the most flexible option on this list. Most stores with a floral department fill latex and foil balloons whether or not you bought them at Kroger — including balloons ordered online.

Latex fills run about $1. Foil runs $3–$8 by size, and giant balloons (20–50 inches) can cost $7–$16. Prices vary by store, so confirm with yours.

Meijer

Meijer, the Midwest supercenter chain (Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Wisconsin), fills balloons at the store and sells ready-made helium balloons.

You don’t have to buy your balloons at Meijer. Latex costs about $1 to fill; foil runs $3–$8 by size. For big orders (20+ balloons), phone ahead — the store will give you a pickup window.

Party City — now online and inside Staples

Party City closed all of its own US stores by February 2025 after its second bankruptcy. The brand came back under new ownership and now sells at partycity.com — and, since April 2026, through Party City sections inside more than 700 Staples stores across 34 states.

Those Staples sections carry helium-inflated latex and foil balloons ready to go, and Staples is rolling out advance balloon-pickup scheduling through its website and app. If your old Party City store is gone, the nearest Staples is now the closest thing to it.

Party Depot

Party Depot is a Virginia party chain that fills balloons from anywhere: 12-inch latex around $0.75, 18-inch foil around $0.90, and 36-inch foil around $4. It also sells helium tanks.

Publix

Publix, the Southeast US grocery chain, fills latex and foil balloons at stores with a floral department — most have one.

Publix fills outside balloons too: about $1.29 for latex and $2 for foil. Balloons bought at Publix are filled free with your receipt. For big events, Publix will fill very large orders if you book in advance.

Ralphs

Ralphs is Kroger’s Southern California banner, and its balloon policy mirrors Kroger’s: latex about $0.99, foil up to about $3.99 by size, with most floral departments filling outside balloons. Service varies by location, so call your store first.

Walmart

Only Walmart Supercenters with a party department fill balloons — many stores don’t. Where offered, fills cost about $0.25–$1.50 per balloon by size and material.

Walmart fills only balloons bought in-store and asks for your receipt at customer service. It won’t inflate balloons from elsewhere. Walmart also sells Balloon Time helium tanks if you want to fill at home — often the cheapest route for large parties.

Filling at Home: Helium Tanks

If you need 30+ balloons, a disposable tank usually beats per-balloon store fees:

• Balloon Time 8.9 cu ft (~$35–$45 at Walmart, Dollar General, Amazon) fills about 30 nine-inch latex balloons.
• The 14.9 cu ft size fills about 50 latex balloons.
• For 100+ balloons, rent a refillable cylinder from a local welding-gas or party-rental supplier — cheaper per balloon and no waste. Shops that sell CO₂ refills usually rent helium cylinders too.

Fill latex balloons on the day of the event — they float only 8–12 hours. Foil balloons last 3–5 days, so those can be filled early.

FAQ

Where can I get balloons filled for free?

CVS and Dollar Tree include helium in the balloon price, so fills are free with purchase. Publix fills its own balloons free with a receipt.

Who fills balloons bought somewhere else?

Kroger, Ralphs, Meijer, Publix, and Party Depot routinely do. Albertsons and Safeway sometimes do. Walmart, CVS, Dollar Tree, and Dollar General do not.

How long does filling take?

Under a minute per balloon at most stores. For 20+ balloons, call ahead — stores usually ask for a few hours’ notice.

Why is my store not filling balloons right now?

Helium supply has been tight in 2026, and some stores pause the service when their tank runs out. Call before you go, and have a second store as backup.

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