Published on 01 August 2025
Flying with COPD is possible at any stage of the condition, but careful preparation is essential for safety and comfort. Air travel introduces challenges such as lower oxygen levels, dry cabin air, and extended periods of sitting. With the right medical guidance, risk assessment, and in-flight planning, you can minimise potential complications and ensure your journey is safe and comfortable.
Medical assessment before flying with COPD
If you have COPD, a fitness-to-fly assessment helps determine whether air travel is safe for you.
Also known as a hypoxic challenge test (HCT), a fitness to fly assessment simulates cabin oxygen levels to see how your lungs respond, in a safe and controlled environment. You can request an HCT from your GP.
A hypoxic challenge test is usually carried out by a respiratory physician or trained clinician. While it can be applied to any chronic respiratory disease, the scientific research supporting its use is based almost entirely on studies in people with COPD.
If an HCT is unavailable, we can assess your fitness for travel at Benenden Hospital by reviewing you in our respiratory medicine clinic.
But whichever assessment option you choose, you’ll need to inform your healthcare provider of the following facts:
- Review of symptoms
- Baseline exercise capacity
- Recent exacerbation history
- Treatment history
- Previous experience of air travel
- Consideration of the logistics of the intended journey, to include (if known):
- Number and duration of flights, including whether daytime or over night
- Location of stop-over(s) and destination: these determine air quality, altitude and available medical facilities
- Time away from home
From this information, your GP or Consultant can work with you to create a plan for you to follow if you become unwell during your travels. In some cases, after evaluating these factors, your healthcare provider may advise against flying if the trip could harm your health.
COPD stages and flying eligibility
There are four stages of COPD: mild, moderate, severe and very severe. Your risks do increase with each stage, so informing your airline about your condition and oxygen requirements in advance will benefit your safety.
- Mild to moderate: Most people can fly with minimal precautions
- Severe to very severe: Approval from a fit-to-fly assessment is essential
- Stage four: Flying is still possible, but requires strict planning and airline notification of oxygen needs
In-flight management for COPD
To reduce COPD risks during air travel:
- Keep prescribed inhalers and medications in your carry-on
- Arrange supplemental oxygen with your airline if needed
- Request wheelchair or boarding assistance in advance if required
- Ensure your travel insurance covers medical emergencies, especially when travelling alone
The longer the flight you’re planning to take, the more medication and assistance you’ll need.
Ensuring access to necessary prescribed medical supplies means you can manage any potential COPD triggers on the plane.
It’s important to inform airlines of your condition so necessary accommodations can be made.
What are the risks of flying with COPD?
Lower oxygen levels in aircraft cabins
The cabin pressure in planes results in less oxygen during a flight. This can affect the lungs of people with COPD and increase breathlessness as they have lower oxygen levels anyway.
If you need oxygen during exercise or sleep, you may also need it for air travel. A test called the high-altitude simulation test, recommended by your healthcare provider, can determine if you will need supplemental oxygen.
Dry cabin air and infection risk
Cabin air is often quite dry and is recirculated. This, and being in such close proximity to many passengers can put COPD sufferers at increased risk of getting a lung infection. Here are a few tips to reduce your risk of infection:
- Stay hydrated by drinking water and avoiding alcohol, tea and coffee
- Wear a mask, as this can protect against airborne droplets
- Wash your hands regularly
- Take prescribed antibiotics with you in your hand luggage to treat infection quickly
Preparing to fly with COPD – Step-by-step checklist
To recap, it’s important to take the following six steps to prepare effectively to fly with COPD.
1. Speak to your GP or respiratory Consultant
2. Book a COPD fit-to-fly assessment
3. Arrange in-flight oxygen if required
4. Pack enough medications for easy access on the flight
5. Request airport mobility support if required
6. Purchase travel insurance for medical coverage
When to seek specialist COPD care
If you’re experiencing persistent shortness of breath, regular coughs, frequent chest infections, or wheezing, especially if you smoke or have a family history of COPD, our respiratory medicine service can help.
Our Consultant Respiratory and Sleep Physician, Dr Sandip Banerjee and Consultant in Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Dr Syed Hassan, will support you in providing diagnosis and treatment for a range of lung conditions which can affect your breathing.
Get in touch using our online enquiry form or contact our Private Patient Team via Livechat or on 01580 363158.