Flying Safely as an Adult with Sickle Cell Disease
These guidelines apply to adults only.
Speak to your healthcare provider for medical advice on your situation.
Living with sickle cell disease should not stop you from travelling. It’s important to know the risks of air travel and the steps you can take to keep yourself healthy and safe while travelling by airplane!
What should I do before I travel by airplane?
Let your sickle cell doctor or nurse know you will be travelling by airplane. They will help you decide if you need to ask for oxygen. Most adults with sickle cell disease do not need oxygen to travel by airplane.
Get travel insurance. This should include cancellation due to illness and medical insurance coverage in case you need medical care outside Canada.
Make sure your vaccines are up to date
Speak with a Travel Clinic. They can give you medical advice if you are travelling outside North America
Check that you can login to your patient portal. If you are a UHN patient, you can use myUHN to easily share your medical information with a doctor if you are sick when away.
Have a refill of your medications. This will ensure that you do not run out of medications while travelling!
Contact your other specialists. They may have other advice for you to safely travel
I am worried that my medications will be taken by security at the airport.
You can ask your sickle cell clinic for a letter that states your medical needs
If you are a UHN RBCD patient, you can request this through myUHN (Please make this request at least 1-2 weeks prior to your travel date!)
Do I need oxygen on the airplane?
It’s safe to fly on large airplanes! Most adults with sickle cell disease do not need oxygen on large commercial airplanes. The air on these airplanes are pressurized, which means that they have safe oxygen levels.
Oxygen can help if you have lung or heart issues. Speak to your healthcare provider for more information.
Do not fly in small non-pressurized airplanes
This type of airplane does not have a safe level of oxygen.
Flying in a small airplane could cause a sickle cell pain episode.
What can I do to stop getting sick on an airplane?
Do not travel if you are sick or are in recovery. Do not travel if you are having a sickle cell pain episode, recovering from a pain episode, or recently discharged from hospital. The flight could make your pain worse and cause serious illness.
Drink lots of water the day before and during your flight. Traveling by airplane can cause you to lose a lot of fluid and be dehydrated.
Dress warmly and wear loose fitting clothes. There are often temperature changes in the air.
Get up at least once every 1-2 hours and walk around the airplane. This will help decrease the chance of a blood clot. This is very important for long flights.
What else should I keep in mind when I travel by airplane?
Make sure you have all your medications, including a supply of pain medications, in your carry-on bag
Treat pain as soon as possible
Let the cabin crew know if you start to feel ill to get help
Resources
Find a Travel Clinic
If you are a UHN patient, consider signing up for myUHN
Learn More
Read Sickle Cell Disease Health Info & Community’s article, “Travelling with Sickle Cell Disease”
Check out Tito Oye’s column, “Tips for Travelling by Airplane with Sickle Cell”
Read Dr. Willen and colleagues’ article, Travelers with Sickle Cell Disease
Colleen Johnson has 10+ years' experience working with patients with sickle cell disease as a nurse practitioner with the Toronto General Hospital’s Red Blood Cell Disorders Clinic.
Dr. Richard Ward is the Medical Director of the Toronto General Hospital’s Red Blood Cell Disorders Clinic
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