Air travel guide

Flying with oxygen: airline and airport guide

Every portable concentrator we carry is FAA approved for flight. Here’s how to plan a trip from 100 of the busiest U.S. airports: the battery math, the paperwork and each airline’s rules.

Plan your flight in five steps

Most U.S. airlines follow the same basic rules, with a few differences in paperwork and seating.

1. 1. Check your deviceYour POC must be FAA approved. Look for the manufacturer’s FAA label, or find it on the FAA’s acceptance list.
2. 2. Tell your airlineMany airlines want notice at least 48 hours before you fly. Add it when you book if you can.
3. 3. Get the paperworkMany airlines ask for a physician’s statement or their own consent form with your flow rate and settings.
4. 4. Do the battery mathPlan for at least 150% of your flight time, plus ground time. A 3-hour flight with 2 hours at the airport needs about 6.5 hours of battery (United’s published example).
5. 5. Pack batteries rightSpares go in your carry-on with terminals protected. Batteries over 100 Wh need airline approval, 160 Wh is the limit, and you can bring up to two spares in the 101–160 Wh range.

Airline oxygen policies

Tap an airline for its portable oxygen concentrator rules, summarized from its published policy and reviewed October 2026.

Hawaiian Airlines now follows Alaska Airlines’ oxygen policy. Spirit Airlines stopped flying in May 2026. Flying an international airline? Check its POC rules directly before you book.

Airport guides

Find your departure airport to see which airlines fly there, tips for getting through with your concentrator and other airports nearby.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Puerto Rico

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Virginia

Washington

Wisconsin

Common questions

Can I use my portable oxygen concentrator on the plane?

Yes, if it’s FAA approved. U.S. airlines must allow FAA-approved portable oxygen concentrators onboard, though each airline sets its own notice, paperwork and seating rules. Look for the FAA label on your device.

Can I bring an oxygen tank instead?

Most U.S. airlines don’t let you bring your own compressed oxygen tanks onboard. An FAA-approved portable concentrator is the practical way to fly with oxygen.

Will there be a power outlet for my concentrator?

Don’t count on it. Several airlines have no outlets for POC use, and others don’t guarantee them, so bring enough charged batteries for at least 150% of your trip.

How do I get through TSA with a concentrator?

Tell the officer you have a portable oxygen concentrator. If you can’t disconnect from it, say so and they’ll screen you another way. TSA Cares (855-787-2227) can help if you call 72 hours ahead.

Does my concentrator count as a carry-on?

Under U.S. DOT rules, assistive devices like portable oxygen concentrators don’t count toward your carry-on limit.

FAA-approved concentrators for flying

Every portable concentrator below is FAA approved for use on U.S. flights.

Sources: U.S. DOT · FAA PackSafe · FAA CY2024 enplanement data · each airline’s published policy.