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Travel Checklist

Preparation

flight_takeoff Travel Checklist

A step-by-step checklist to feel confident travelling - whether it's a weekend trip or a long-haul flight.

event Editorial update September 2026

Use this checklist to plan with your team. What is possible and what support you need depend on your health, destination and journey. Use this checklist to plan with your team. What is possible and what support you need depend on your health, destination and journey.

checklist

Before You Go

Discuss the trip with your specialist - ask if there are any specific concerns
Get a signed emergency letter from your specialist (carry printed + digital)
Print your emergency wallet card - keep in your wallet or phone case
Carry a translation of your personal diagnosis, medicine list and precautions where useful. Carry a translation of your personal diagnosis, medicine list and precautions where useful.
Research the nearest hospital at your destination (ideally with neurology or metabolic services)
Check if your travel insurance covers pre-existing conditions and emergency repatriation
Confirm your medical ID bracelet or app is up to date

medication

Medications & Supplements

Plan to keep essential medicines accessible and check airline, destination and storage requirements. Plan to keep essential medicines accessible and check airline, destination and storage requirements.
Ask your prescriber about a suitable reserve for delays and any supply limits. Ask your prescriber about a suitable reserve for delays and any supply limits.
Keep medications in their original labelled packaging
Carry a written list of all current medications, doses, and your specialist's name
If you use insulin: pack syringes/pens, glucose monitor, and hypo treatment in carry-on
Pack the medicines and supplements on your current agreed list. Pack the medicines and supplements on your current agreed list.
Ask your clinician or pharmacist which illness supplies are appropriate for you. Ask your clinician or pharmacist which illness supplies are appropriate for you. ^[1]

flight

During the Journey

Follow your fluid plan and ask how to adapt it during travel. Follow your fluid plan and ask how to adapt it during travel. ^[1]
Plan access to food that fits your nutritional and diabetes needs. Plan access to food that fits your nutritional and diabetes needs. ^[1]
Ask about movement during the journey and whether you need any clot-prevention measures. Ask about movement during the journey and whether you need any clot-prevention measures.
Agree medicine timing across time zones with your prescriber. Agree medicine timing across time zones with your prescriber. ^[1]
If you feel unwell during the flight, tell cabin crew - they can request medical assistance
Check sleep aids and other travel medicines with your clinician or pharmacist. Check sleep aids and other travel medicines with your clinician or pharmacist. ^[1]

location_on

At Your Destination

Plan rest days - don't schedule activities for every day; build in recovery time
Plan for temperatures you can tolerate and a place to rest. Plan for temperatures you can tolerate and a place to rest.
Discuss altitude, flight and oxygen needs if you have breathing, heart or other significant health problems. Discuss altitude, flight and oxygen needs if you have breathing, heart or other significant health problems. ^[1]
Follow your food, fluid and medicine plans during the trip. Follow your food, fluid and medicine plans during the trip. ^[1]
Check the local emergency number before leaving. In the UK, 999 or 112 is for emergencies; 111 is for urgent advice. Check the local emergency number before leaving. In the UK, 999 or 112 is for emergencies; 111 is for urgent advice.
Use your illness plan and seek prompt help if symptoms worsen or you cannot maintain intake. Use your illness plan and seek prompt help if symptoms worsen or you cannot maintain intake. ^[1]

Extra planning for medical care and devices

local_hospital If you need medical care abroad

Show your personalised emergency letter and medicine list to the treating team. Show your personalised emergency letter and medicine list to the treating team. ^[1] Ask the treating team to review your individual drug precautions and contact your specialist where possible. Ask the treating team to review your individual drug precautions and contact your specialist where possible. ^[1]

If you cannot eat or drink, seek assessment; the clinical team decides whether IV fluids or glucose are needed. If you cannot eat or drink, seek assessment; the clinical team decides whether IV fluids or glucose are needed. ^[1]

Hearing aids and cochlear implants

Pack the batteries, charging cables and storage or drying equipment you normally use. Think about communication during the journey too: if captions, written messages or an app help you, check what you can use without an internet connection.

Check current airport and device-maker guidance for your hearing aids. Check current airport and device-maker guidance for your hearing aids. Check your cochlear implant manufacturer’s security guidance and carry relevant device information. Check your cochlear implant manufacturer’s security guidance and carry relevant device information.

Insulin pumps and glucose monitors

Airport scanner advice differs between insulin pumps and glucose monitors. Follow the current instructions for your exact model and ask the manufacturer if uncertain. Airport scanner advice differs between insulin pumps and glucose monitors. Follow the current instructions for your exact model and ask the manufacturer if uncertain.

Keep your device information and medical letter accessible at security. Explain which device you use and discuss screening arrangements that follow its manufacturer’s instructions. Check current security procedures for spare devices and supplies. Check current security procedures for spare devices and supplies.

Agree a written backup diabetes plan and supplies for device failure with your diabetes team. Agree a written backup diabetes plan and supplies for device failure with your diabetes team. ^{[2, 3]}

Travelling with diabetes

Ask for a doctor’s letter explaining why you need insulin, needles or other diabetes supplies in your carry-on. Follow storage instructions for your insulin and ask how to protect it during the trip. Follow storage instructions for your insulin and ask how to protect it during the trip.

Ask your diabetes team to plan insulin timing across time zones. Ask your diabetes team to plan insulin timing across time zones. ^{[2, 3]} Keep your prescribed low-blood-sugar treatment accessible. Keep your prescribed low-blood-sugar treatment accessible. ^{[2, 3]}

library_books

References

3 sourcesexpand_more

Sources for the information on this page.

Sue CM, Balasubramaniam S, Bratkovic D, Bonifant C, Christodoulou J, Coman D, Crawley K, Edema-Hildebrand F, Ellaway C, Ghaoui R, Kava M, Kearns LS, Lee J, Liang C, Mackey DA, Murray S, Needham M, Rius R, Russell J, Smith NJC, Thyagarajan D, Wools C. (2022). Patient care standards for primary mitochondrial disease in Australia: an Australian adaptation of the Mitochondrial Medicine Society recommendations. Internal medicine journal. Clinical guidanceDOI Full text ↑ Back to text
Chanoine JP, Thompson DM, Lehman A. (2025). Diabetes Associated With Maternally Inherited Diabetes and Deafness (MIDD): From Pathogenic Variant to Phenotype. Diabetes. ReviewDOI Full text ↑ Back to text
Chaudhry A, Thompson DM, Chanoine JP. (2026). Diabetes management in maternally inherited diabetes and deafness (MIDD): A review and a proposed treatment algorithm. Diabetes, obesity & metabolism. ReviewDOI Full text ↑ Back to text

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About

flight_takeoff Travel Checklist

Before You Go

Medications & Supplements

During the Journey

At Your Destination

Extra planning for medical care and devices

Hearing aids and cochlear implants

Insulin pumps and glucose monitors

Travelling with diabetes

References

Before You Go

Medications & Supplements

During the Journey

At Your Destination

Extra planning for medical care and devices

Hearing aids and cochlear implants

Insulin pumps and glucose monitors

Travelling with diabetes

References

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