Traveling with Oxygen

Before considering air travel, talk to your doctor to make sure that your lungs are healthy enough for flying and ask about how to manage air travel with oxygen therapy.   The lower air pressure and lower than normal oxygen levels that come with increased altitude can cause the expansion of gasses in your body, which is what causes your ears to pop during take-off. For people with lung disease, this combination of lower oxygen levels and air pressure can be problematic. [1]

So you may be wondering, “Can I bring oxygen on a plane?” The answer is yes, you can travel with an FAA-compliant portable oxygen concentrator (POC) on an airplane!  Inogen portable oxygen concentrators meet FAA acceptance criteria for POCs used onboard aircraft*. Read on to learn more about air travel with oxygen therapy products.

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Tips for Traveling with a Portable Oxygen Concentrator

Traveling with your portable oxygen concentrator may require a few extra steps, but it might be easier than you think. Here are some quick tips to help you prepare for flying with your portable oxygen concentrator.

  • Call the airline well ahead of your scheduled travel date to ensure that they allow the use of your portable oxygen concentrator on board and check battery requirements.
  • See your doctor to complete any paperwork required by the airline and get a physical copy of your prescription, along with any changes to your regular oxygen needs required for air travel or your travel destination.
  • If you don’t already own one, purchase a bag or strap made to hold your portable oxygen concentrator to make it as easy to carry as possible.
  • Bring extra batteries with you in case of delays.
  • Ask to be seated in a seat on the airplane with an accessible power port.
  • Allow extra time to make your way through security and the airport, and ask for assistance whenever you need it while traveling with portable oxygen.
  • Keep your portable oxygen concentrator with you, even when it is not in use.

Traveling with an Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrator

If you require oxygen therapy and will be flying, it is necessary to have an FAA-compliant portable oxygen concentrator. All of Inogen’s portable oxygen concentrators meet the required guidelines from the FAA, which should make flying with oxygen and bringing Inogen portable oxygen concentrators on airplanes a seamless process.   With your Inogen One, you should be able to enjoy your trip without worrying about breathing comfortably during your flight or storing or receiving delivery of oxygen tanks in an unfamiliar location.  Unless otherwise directed, you will be able to use your Inogen One at any time during takeoff or landing, or throughout the duration of your flight. Just store your Inogen One safely under your seat or the seat in front of you during takeoff and landing, or feel free to move about the cabin with it when the seatbelt sign is turned off. Find out how Inogen can change traveling with portable oxygen for you or a loved one.

Our Inogen One portable oxygen concentrators are designed for the travel needs of our active patients and their lifestyle, whether by airplane, boat, train, or car. No matter how you need to travel, Inogen allows you to keep your oxygen with you from the start of your trip to the moment you walk back through your own front door (provided you have a fully charged battery or are connected to an AC or DC power source). Traveling with oxygen does not need to hold you back from exploring the places you want to go. Find out how Inogen gives patients peace of mind to leave the home by contacting us today.