Medical Devices and Medication

Medical Oxygen On Board

Delta customers may travel with their own Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC) in partnership with our approved vendor, OxygenToGo®. OxygenToGo can both approve your personal equipment for a flight (and ensure it aligns with FAA requirements) and also provide POCs or batteries to rent.

Delta does not accept or provide oxygen canisters and/or cylinders, tanks or other receptacles containing compressed or liquid oxygen on board any flights. This includes, but is not limited to, recreational and medical oxygen.

Customers traveling with a POC on a confirmed Delta flight should have their POC reviewed and approved at least 48 hours prior to departure for domestic travel, and 72 hours prior for international travel. Customers who do not notify Delta of oxygen requirements at least 48 hours prior to departure may risk significant travel delays.  

For more information, please review the POC Frequently Asked Questions or call 404-209-3434 (dial 711 for relay services).

If your travel is on a Delta partner airline, please refer to the partner airline for their specific requirements.

How to Travel with a Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC)

1. Book your flight.
2.  Submit the POC Travel Authorization form. Gather the following information to help complete your form:
   • Name of customer using POC
   • Customer phone number
   • Customer email 
   • Delta trip confirmation number
   • Departure date and departing flight number(s)
   • Return date and returning flight number(s) 
   • Supplier of POC (either the customer or OxygenToGo)
   • Make and model of POC
   • Total number of batteries to bring on plane (Note: The DOT requires 150% of flight hours in battery hours)
   • LPM flow setting 
3. Receive confirmation of your request for POC travel approval (or POC rental) from OxygenToGo via email.
4. Receive a call from OxygenToGo within 24 hours to review and confirm the number of charged batteries required for you to travel.
5. Get an approval notification statement via email within 24 hours. This approval means you’re ready to fly Delta with a POC.
6. Bring the approval statement with you to the departure gate. Do not put the statement in any checked bags.
7. Meet with an agent at the departure gate on your day of travel. Let them know you’re flying with a POC and confirm you have the correct number of fully charged batteries, as determined by OxygenToGo. If you skip this step and don’t confirm the correct amount of battery power with a gate agent, you may risk being denied boarding.

If you rented a POC, it will be sent to you overnight, with instructions for use and steps for how to return it after your trip.

If your travel is on a Delta partner airline, please refer to the partner airline for their specific requirements.

POC Travel Requirements

• Portable Oxygen Concentrators (POCs) must fit underneath the seat in front of you and not block passage to aisle 
• Because the POC must go under a seat in front of you, customers with POCs may not sit in an exit row seat or a bulkhead seat (any seat with a wall in front of it)
• POCs must be approved by our partner OxygenToGo 48 hours prior to departure (see Approved POCs to check for your specific unit)
• You must have 150% of battery life for your planned travel time as required by OxygenToGo (additional batteries as required by OxygenToGo)
• POC batteries may not be charged during the flight because it could damage the POC or the aircraft power system

POC Battery Requirements

• POC batteries may not be charged during the flight because it could damage the POC or the aircraft power system
• If not in use, batteries must be removed and packaged separately
• The POC battery terminal should be recessed and should not come into contact with any metal objects
• If you plan to use the POC on board the flight, you must have battery life for 150% of your total scheduled travel time prior to departure as determined by OxygenToGo in partnership with your healthcare provider

Renting a POC

If you need to fly with a Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC) but don’t own one, you may rent one from OxygenToGo. They can provide equipment for the plane ride only, or for your entire trip – both on board and on land.

If you don’t have sufficient POC battery power to meet the 150% requirement for travel, you may also rent additional batteries for your trip.

To rent a POC or batteries, review the POC Travel Checklist and then submit an online POC Travel Authorization form. OxygenToGo will contact you within 24 hours to review your information and itinerary.

Approved POCs

The following POCs are accepted on Delta, Delta Connection® and the Delta Shuttle®.  If you don’t see your POC listed, please contact OxygenToGo at  866-692-0040  for approval.

The following devices can be used on board provided you have an independent power source (battery) that is compliant with airline requirements and fits in an FAA approved storage location. The device must also have 150% of the actual flight time in battery life, regardless of how long you choose to use the device while on board.

If you do not intend to use your FAA approved PAP machine during your flight, you may bring it on board and are not required to travel with 150% of battery life for the flight time. The battery must still comply with airline requirements.

For international flights subject to onboard mask requirements, customers using PAP machines onboard must wear a mask or face covering that covers nose, mouth, and/or airway and cover any exhaust valves in the device, or tubing with a surgical mask.

Certain PAP devices are required to have a manufacturer label stating compliance with RTCA DO-160 Section 21 Cat H, meaning it can be used on board the aircraft. Please refer to the chart below for information about your device.  

If you do not see your device listed, and it does not have the RTCA DO-160 Section 21 Cat H label, please contact our accessibility assistance line at 404-209-3434 for approval

For clearance to travel with a respirator or ventilator, please contact us at 404-209-3434 at least 48 hours in advance of your flight.

The following devices can be used on board provided you have an independent power source (battery) that is compliant with airline requirements and fits in an FAA approved storage location. The device must also have 150% of the actual flight time in battery life, regardless of how long you choose to use the device while on board.

For international flights subject to onboard mask requirements, customers using FAA approved respirators/ventilators onboard must also wear a mask or face covering that covers their mouth, nasal cannula and/or airway and cover any exhaust valves in the device.

Certain respirators/ventilators are required to have a manufacturer label stating device compliance with RTCA DO-160 Section 21 Cat H, meaning it can be used on board the aircraft. Please refer to the chart below for information about your device.

Delta permits customers to carry their portable dialysis machine onboard at no additional charge and without medical approval. We encourage customers to plan their dialysis treatment accordingly, as use of the portable dialysis machine is not allowed during flight.

For more information, customers can call our accessibility assistance line at 404-209-3434 (dial 711 for relay services).

Devices listed can be used onboard without medical approval provided you have an independent power source (battery) that is compliant with airline requirements and fits in an FAA-approved storage location.

Customers traveling with an assistive device must also have 150% of their actual flight time in battery life, regardless of how long you may choose to use the device as a carry-on item.

If you do not see your device listed, please contact us at 404-209-3434 for approval.

Electric Field Therapy (EFT) devices are devices that use a low intensity electrical field to treat cancer. Delta has approved 2 devices for onboard use:

• Novocure (trade name Optune) Model: NovoTTF-100A, which is approved for use during all phases of flight. It is limited to 2 spare batteries on domestic flights, properly packaged in your carry-on. No spare batteries permitted on international flights.
• Novocure (trade name Optune) Model: NovoTTF-200A, which is approved for use above 10,000 ft. only. Should be stored appropriately for taxi, takeoff, and landing.

Customers traveling with an assistive device must also have 150% of their actual flight time in battery life, regardless of how long you may choose to use the device as a carry-on item.

For optimal safety and health, always carry your medication with you in your carry-on baggage, rather than in checked baggage. Our galleys are not equipped to refrigerate or store medication and Delta employees are not permitted to assist in administering medication. If your medication requires refrigeration, please plan to travel with a personal cooling method like an insulated travel cooler. You can store this under the seat in front of you. Like a wheelchair or other medical device, we can also help stow your cooler at the front or back of the aircraft if space permits. Your method of cooling must meet all FAA requirements.

Outside of typical carry-on baggage restrictions for liquids, the TSA allows larger amounts of medically necessary liquids, gels, and aerosols in reasonable quantities for your trip, but you must declare them to security officers at the checkpoint for inspection. It is recommended, but not required, that your medications be labeled to facilitate the security process. The final decision rests with the TSA supervisor on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint. Please visit TSA.gov for more information.

Although we are aware of various state laws that allow medical marijuana possession, the TSA has stated that possession of marijuana, even medical marijuana, is illegal under federal law and that it will refer customers traveling with marijuana to law enforcement authorities. Accordingly, we do not allow customers to transport marijuana on our flights.

IV Devices and Other Medications Requiring Needles

If you use needles or syringes to take medication, you are permitted to carry on your medication and syringes in your carry-on baggage as long as you also have medication that has a prescription label identifying the medication and a manufacturer's name or pharmaceutical label. Bring your prescription information that associates these medication, syringes and other medical equipment to you.

You may use an IV at your seat as long as its use does not interfere with or have the potential to interfere with the deployment of the overhead oxygen masks or create an unreasonable risk to the safety of customers or crew members. You must be able to use the IV device to administer medication without the assistance of any airline employee.

Please alert the cabin crew if you have used any needles during flight so they may provide you with a medical sharps disposal container.

Going Through Airport Security

When going through airport security checkpoints, you are not required to remove your prosthesis. We recommend keeping your prosthesis assistance kit in your carry-on bag in case your flight experiences any unexpected delays.

While Boarding and In Flight

There is no additional charge for your prosthesis, and it is not counted towards your baggage allowance. If needed, you may request pre-boarding at the gate for extra time to board the aircraft and stow your items. Please note that wheelchairs have priority for onboard stowage space, but if there are no requests to stow collapsible wheelchairs, other prostheses or assistive devices can be stowed ahead of all other bags.