Do Airlines Charge for CPAP Machines?
Published by FlyingWith8 min readSources checked
Airline and government rules change. Check your airline's current rules before you travel.
FlyingWith editorial team
How we check our sourcesQuick answer
Air Canada carries a CPAP you need in flight or on arrival without charge, over and above the normal baggage allowance. On flights covered by U.S. disability rules, the DOT says assistive devices do not count toward baggage limits, but a bag that also holds personal items can. Other airlines set their own policy, so ask the one operating each flight.
Scope: Carry-on fees and onboard-use checks for 12 airlines, with each policy sourced separately. The general screening and battery sections use Canadian and U.S. examples where labelled. This guide covers travel preparation, not treatment.
Can I take my CPAP on this airline?
Choose the airline operating your flight. These summaries cover carrying the equipment and using it onboard separately. Confirm your exact device and itinerary before paying.
Air Canada
Carry-on and fees
A CPAP needed in flight or immediately on arrival travels without charge beyond the normal allowance. Cabin carriage is subject to space.
Onboard use and official information
Using it during the flight
Contact Accessibility Services at least 48 hours before onboard use. CPAP used only for sleep apnea does not require medical approval. Confirm batteries and stowage for your model.
Sources checked
WestJet
Carry-on and fees
Personal medical devices do not count toward the carry-on allowance. WestJet does not charge for medical equipment; size and acceptance checks still apply.
Onboard use and official information
Using it during the flight
CPAP devices require checks every trip. Confirm the label, batteries and permitted phases of use with WestJet. Carrying an accepted device does not settle onboard use.
Sources checked
United Airlines
Carry-on and fees
Medical equipment travels free as an extra carry-on if it fits under the seat or in an overhead bin.
Onboard use and official information
Using it during the flight
United lists CPAP separately from oxygen concentrators. Confirm the conditions for your model, battery reserve and seat power before planning onboard use. The detailed United guide is linked below.
Read the full United CPAP guide →Sources checked
American Airlines
Carry-on and fees
CPAP and other medical devices do not count toward carry-on limits. Cabin space and fit can affect where the device travels.
Onboard use and official information
Using it during the flight
Ask American about your device before using it in flight. Confirm its acceptance, battery requirements and safe stowage separately from the baggage exemption.
Sources checked
Delta Air Lines
Carry-on and fees
Medical equipment can be an additional cabin item without charge, within the size and weight limits. Mixing non-essential items in the bag can remove the exemption.
Onboard use and official information
Using it during the flight
For onboard PAP use, bring compliant battery power for 150% of the flight time. Delta says this reserve is not required when the approved PAP device is only carried.
Sources checked
Southwest Airlines
Carry-on and fees
The U.S. DOT assistive-device rule covers a medical-only CPAP case: it does not count toward the baggage limit. Personal items in the case can change that.
Onboard use and official information
Using it during the flight
Southwest-specific CPAP operating conditions were not confirmed in the accessible help text. Ask Southwest about your model, batteries and onboard use before paying.
Sources checked
British Airways
Carry-on and fees
A CPAP can travel as an additional cabin bag without charge.
Onboard use and official information
Using it during the flight
CPAP for sleep apnea needs no medical clearance. A medical letter is recommended. Bring battery backup because seat power cannot be guaranteed; confirm your adapter.
Sources checked
Iberia
Carry-on and fees
CPAP devices travel in addition to hand luggage without an extra charge.
Onboard use and official information
Using it during the flight
Battery-operated CPAP can be used without special authorization. Aircraft sockets cannot charge it. It must fit under the seat and be safely disconnectable when required.
Sources checked
Lufthansa
Carry-on and fees
A CPAP can be your personal item alongside the usual cabin bag. Simply carrying it needs no special registration.
Onboard use and official information
Using it during the flight
Register onboard use with Lufthansa’s Medical Operation Centre in advance. Use battery power and switch off humidification. Confirm the combined bag allowance for your fare.
Sources checked
KLM
Carry-on and fees
CPAP is accepted if it can be stowed under a seat or secured to an adjoining seat. Ask KLM to confirm any additional-bag allowance.
Onboard use and official information
Using it during the flight
Medical equipment cannot use seat power. The CPAP section specifies batteries for 150% of the expected maximum flight time and internal or manufacturer-approved medical batteries. Consumer power banks cannot power it onboard. Confirm the current battery instructions directly with KLM.
Sources checked
easyJet
Carry-on and fees
An additional essential CPAP bag up to 56 × 45 × 25 cm is allowed after notifying Special Assistance at least 48 hours before flight.
Onboard use and official information
Using it during the flight
A healthcare letter is not required for CPAP alone. Ask about your device’s onboard use and batteries separately. Non-essential extra equipment may incur a charge.
Sources checked
Emirates
Carry-on and fees
PAP and CPAP do not count toward the total baggage limit. Safe cabin size, weight and stowage conditions still apply.
Onboard use and official information
Using it during the flight
No MEDIF is needed unless further assistance is required. Bring sufficient batteries for the journey and delays. Use is prohibited during taxi, takeoff and landing; seat power depends on aircraft and cabin.
Sources checked
Take these questions to the airline
A blank request you can copy or download, then complete privately in the airline’s official contact channel. Nothing is sent from this page.
I plan to travel on [flight/date], operated by [airline], with a CPAP [make/model]. I will [carry it only / use it during the flight]. Please confirm the medical-only case allowance, device approval, documents or notice, battery type and reserve, seat power, humidification and stowage. Please confirm every operating flight. I will add personal details only in your official contact channel.
In this guide(13)
Go straight to the part you need.
A CPAP raises three separate questions: whether it counts toward your baggage allowance, how it is screened, and whether you may use it during the flight. The airline operating the flight decides baggage treatment and onboard use. The screening authority at the departure airport decides how the machine goes through the checkpoint. A security officer accepting the device does not settle a baggage fee, and an airline accepting the case does not tell you how to power the machine overnight.
Part of: Flying with Medical Equipment, Flying with a Disability
What changes by airline
- Whether the machine travels without charge and in addition to the normal baggage allowance
- Whether a device used only at the destination is treated differently from one used in flight
- Whether advance notice or a medical form is required for onboard use
- Whether humidification is permitted onboard
- Whether seat power may be used for medical equipment
Official rules: Air Canada
Air Canada carries it without charge
Air Canada's special needs policy lists CPAP among the portable battery-powered medical devices it carries without charge, over and above the normal baggage allowance, as carry-on (subject to space) or checked baggage. The device has to be related to the passenger's disability or medical condition and needed in flight or immediately on arrival.
That policy is Air Canada's own and can change. On a codeshare or a connection, another airline may operate part of the trip with a different process, so confirm the rule with each operating airline.
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Official rules: United States
Flights covered by U.S. disability rules
The U.S. Department of Transportation lists CPAP machines among assistive devices and says assistive devices do not count toward your baggage limit. If the bag also contains personal items, the airline can count it toward a baggage limit and it may be subject to a baggage fee.
The DOT also says a CPAP must have a manufacturer's label showing that it meets FAA requirements. To use one onboard, an airline may require at least 48 hours' advance notice, a medical certificate if it has reasonable doubt that you can complete the flight safely without extraordinary medical assistance, and enough fully charged batteries to power the device for at least 150% of the flight's duration.
General advice: applies wherever you fly
Keep the case for medical equipment
Pack the machine, mask, tubing, power supply and prescribed accessories in the case, and put shoes, clothes and souvenirs somewhere else. A case holding only medical equipment is easier to explain at the counter and at the gate. A medical equipment tag can help identify it, but it is not an authorization and does not replace the airline's rules.
Carry the case with you. Checked baggage can be delayed or misrouted, and the cost of that is a night without treatment.
General advice: applies wherever you fly
Ask before you book if you plan to use it in the air
The airline may treat a CPAP used only at the destination differently from one that will operate during the flight. It may ask for the make and model, a medical form, advance notice or a battery reserve.
If you plan to sleep with the machine in flight, ask whether it may be used during cruise, whether humidification is permitted, where the device can be positioned and how much independent battery time you need. A long overnight trip can still include hours on the ground.
A short written request covers it: "I will travel on [date and flight] with a CPAP, model [model]. I will [carry it for use at my destination / also ask to use it in flight]. The case contains [equipment and accessories]. Please confirm how the case is treated as baggage, any notice or documents you require, and the battery and onboard-use conditions for each operating airline." Save the reply where you can open it offline.
Keep booking references and medical details out of public posts, shared checklists and screenshots.
General advice: applies wherever you fly
Do not count on seat power
Even when an aircraft has outlets, the airline may prohibit their use for medical equipment, and a working outlet is never guaranteed after an aircraft change. Plan on battery power and ask the airline what it accepts.
General advice: applies wherever you fly
Write down the machine and battery details
Photograph the identification plate on the machine and the label on the battery before you pack, and ask the operating airline to check the exact specification. A "works with CPAP" line in a product listing does not tell the airline what it needs to know, so do not buy a battery on that basis alone.
If the battery gives volts and amp-hours but not watt-hours, use the manufacturer's documentation. The FAA calculates watt-hours by multiplying volts by amp-hours, but a medical-device battery can carry airline-specific handling conditions on top of that.
Check the destination voltage and plug shape. Many modern power supplies accept a range of voltages, and the label on your own adapter decides. A plug adapter changes the shape of a plug and does not convert voltage.
Official rules: United States
The ordinary lithium battery limits
Spare lithium batteries, including power banks, must be carried on and cannot be checked, and they must be protected from damage and short circuit. The FAA's general passenger guidance allows rechargeable batteries up to 100 watt-hours, allows 101 to 160 watt-hours only with the airline's approval and a limit of two spares in that range, and forbids batteries over 160 watt-hours.
Airlines may be stricter than the general guidance, and rules for a medical device can differ from the ordinary passenger allowance. The airline still needs to see the specification of the battery you are actually bringing.
Official rules: Canada
At Canadian screening
CATSA permits CPAP machines in carry-on and checked baggage, although carrying the machine remains the safer practical choice. For screening you may place the device in a clear plastic bag, or leave the mask and tubing in the case and put only the main electronic unit in a bin.
CATSA exempts the distilled water used by the device from the liquid restrictions.
CATSA does not require documentation of your medical needs for screening, though you may present it with your medically necessary items if you think it will help. That does not replace any document the airline requires for onboard use.
General advice: applies wherever you fly
On the aircraft
Do not set up the machine until the crew confirms that you may and tells you where it can sit. The device, case and tubing cannot block an aisle, another passenger or access to safety equipment. During taxi, takeoff, landing and turbulence it may need to be stowed even when it is permitted during cruise.
If you use a battery, keep it where the airline approved. Stop using it and tell the crew immediately if it becomes unusually hot, swells, smokes or gives off an unfamiliar smell.
General advice: applies wherever you fly
If you are asked to pay at the airport
Explain that the case holds your medical equipment and show the airline's policy saved on your phone. Ask which item the charge is for: the equipment, other contents or a separate bag. If that does not settle it, ask for the airline's accessibility or special assistance team. Keep any receipt and written explanation. This guide cannot tell you whether a refund will follow.
General advice: applies wherever you fly
At the hotel
Check the bedside outlet before you are ready to sleep. A room can have an outlet on the wall and none within reach of the bed. Ask the property for an extension cord instead of packing a damaged one.
If you use distilled water, find out where to buy it at the destination instead of assuming the hotel supplies it.
Ask the property your practical questions before you book. A room listing alone does not confirm that your needs can be met.
General advice: applies wherever you fly
Checklist
Checklist
- Note the airline operating each flight
- Tell the airline whether you will only carry the CPAP or also use it in flight
- Get the baggage treatment of the medical case confirmed in writing
- Keep personal items out of the medical case
- Photograph the device label and battery specifications and save them offline
- Complete any notice or documents the airline requires
- Carry the machine, mask, tubing, power supply and battery with you
- Protect spare battery terminals
- Check screening at both the departure and the return airport
- Collect the case, the machine and every accessory before leaving the checkpoint
- Plan destination power, plug type and distilled water
- Ask the crew before setting up the machine onboard
General advice: applies wherever you fly
Next step
Send the airline your written request, then check the battery label on the equipment you will actually take.
Official sources
Rules and amounts change. Before you rely on anything marked as an official rule, check the source. These are the official pages we used.
- Special Needs · Air Canada
- Assistive Device - Stowage, Damage, and Delay · U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Device · Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA)
- Airline Passengers and Batteries · Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
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Flying with Medical EquipmentRelated guides
- United Airlines CPAP: Carry-On Rules & Flying ChecklistDoes a CPAP count as carry-on on United? Check its medical-baggage policy, U.S. airport screening and the questions to ask before using a CPAP in flight.
- Flying with Medication and Medical DevicesHow to pack, declare and screen medication, liquids over 100 ml, insulin, syringes, EpiPens and CPAP machines, with the official CATSA and TSA rules.
- Flying with a Portable Oxygen ConcentratorWhat the airline needs to know about your device, how to plan battery time for the whole journey, and what Canadian screening and United States acceptance rules say.
- Flying with a Severe Food AllergyWhat to ask your airline, how to request a buffer zone on flights covered by Canadian rules, carrying epinephrine through security, and a plan for reactions on board.