Twinkling Balloon

Twilight Sparkle's Twinkling Balloon is a purple hot air balloon featured in the title sequence of every episode; the balloon was incorporated into the show at Hasbro's request. It appears in several episodes and other media, but it is only named in its associated merchandise.

Depiction in the series
Outside of the recurring title sequence, the balloon appears in several episodes. The ponies use it to fly to Cloudsdale for Rainbow Dash's competition in Sonic Rainboom. Pinkie Pie and Spike use the balloon to report on the Running of the Leaves race in Fall Weather Friends, and Pinkie uses that balloon again in Party of One to provide her Singing Telegram to Rainbow Dash in her cloud home. In The Return of Harmony Part 2, the ponies use it to fly with Fluttershy in order to capture the brainwashed Rainbow Dash. In The Mysterious Mare Do Well, Cherry Berry rides the balloon and it ruptures, plummeting toward the ground. Cherry Berry gets whisked out of the balloon by the masked pony later dubbed "the Mysterious Mare Do Well", and Rainbow Dash subsequently collides with the balloon, crashing with it at the base of a tree. Cherry Berry, with her helmet, lets other ponies ride the balloon in Spike at Your Service, and at Applejack's barn she receives her balloon back, looking quite annoyed. In Magical Mystery Cure, Fluttershy gives Cherry Berry bits in exchange for use of the balloon. In Sonic Rainboom and Wonderbolts Academy, Twilight and friends use it to access Cloudsdale.

Merchandise
The balloon appears in the Comic Con 2011 poster with Cherry Berry piloting it. The name of the toy hot air balloon, "Twilight Sparkle's Twinkling Balloon", suggests that Twilight Sparkle owns it. Additionally, the copy on on the toy packaging states "Twilight Sparkle loves to study the stars up close from her hot air balloon" and "Twilight Sparkle loves her hot air balloon!" Similarly, the commercial for the toy says "It's Twilight Sparkle's balloon!" There is a McDonald's Happy Meal "interview" in which Pinkie Pie says "I can fly in my balloon".