Tips for Flying with a Portable Oxygen Concentrator on United Airlines

Tips for Flying with a Portable Oxygen Concentrator on United Airlines

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Major airlines are always working to make sure that anyone can use them to travel to where they need to go and make accommodations for those with disabilities or certain medical requirements. Thankfully, they often do allow portable oxygen concentrators that have been approved by the Federal Aviation Administration. Portable oxygen concentrators that have been approved by the FAA can be allowed on a commercial flight going to or from the United States, but each airline is not required to allow them.

One great airline used by many people is United Airlines. Just like any other airline, you will need to call ahead of time to let them know that you will need to bring a portable oxygen concentrator onboard with you, to be used during the flight.

United requires no less than a 48-hour call in advance before your flight, but it’s a good idea to call much further ahead than this. They will let you know how many batteries you will need to bring onboard your flight, and you may need to order more batteries depending on the length of the flight. Doing this a few weeks in advance gives you the easiest time in preparing yourself with enough battery life required for your trip. To do this, you will need to call United’s disability desk at the customer contact center.

The reason you will need a certain amount of battery life, probably much more than what you would normally need, is because they want you to be prepared in the event of delays. United’s planes do not provide in-sight power, so you will have to make sure you will be completely self-sufficient throughout the whole flight.

You will also need to bring a written statement, filled out by your doctor. To make it easier and to make sure your Dr. gives the information required by United, you can download and print a form from their website for your doctor to fill out. This form and the phone number for the customer contact center can be found here at United.com.

Here is a list of the portable oxygen concentrators that are approved by United Airlines:

  • AirSep FreeStyle
  • AirSep FreeStyle 5
  • AirSep Focus
  • Belluscrua X-Plora
  • CAIRE FreeStyle Comfort
  • Devilbiss iGO
  • Devilbiss iGO2
  • Drive Oxus
  • Inogen One G2
  • Inogen One G3
  • Inogen One G4
  • Inogen One G5
  • LifeChoice Activox
  • Invacare Platinum Mobile
  • Invacare SOLO2
  • Invacare XPO2
  • Precision Medical EasyPulse
  • Precision Medical EasyPulse 3
  • Oxlife Independence
  • Oxlife Freedom
  • Rhythm Healthcare P2
  • ResMed Mobi
  • Respironics EverGo
  • Respironics SimplyGo
  • Respironics SimplyGo Mini
  • SeQual Eclipse 3
  • SeQual Eclipse 5
  • SeQual eQuinox
  • Zen-O
  • Zen-O Lite

United also does not count your portable oxygen concentrator, the mobile cart, or accessory bag as part of your carry-on limit, which is a great convenience and allows you to bring other things you may need during your flight. All this information, as well as a checklist of the things you will need, or the things you need to do before your flight, is found on United.com.

We at American Medical want to make sure you have a safe flight while receiving the oxygen therapy you need, and we will work quickly to make sure you have the portable oxygen concentrator and all the batteries you need, on time for your flight. You will also need to have your doctor fill out a physician’s statement, which is a form that can be found here: United Airlines Portable Oxygen Physician’s Statement.

Flying on United Airlines with a Portable Oxygen ConcentratoR

Updated: May 6, 2023
Published: May 9, 2014

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Scott joined American Medical Sales and Rentals in 2008 as a Web Manager and Content Writer. He is a writer and designer. He is extensively trained on oxygen therapy products from leading manufacturers such as Inogen, Respironics, Chart, Invacare, ResMed and more.

Scott works closely with respiratory therapists and oxygen specialists to educate the community about oxygen therapy products, COPD, asthma and lung diseases. He writes weekly columns and is passionate about educating the community on oxygen therapy and respiratory issues.

About Scott Ridl:

Scott joined American Medical Sales and Rentals in 2008 as a Web Manager and Content Writer. He is a writer and designer. He is extensively trained on oxygen therapy products from leading manufacturers such as Inogen, Respironics, Chart, Invacare, ResMed and more. Scott works closely with respiratory therapists and oxygen specialists to educate the community about oxygen therapy products, COPD, asthma and lung diseases. He writes weekly columns and is passionate about educating the community on oxygen therapy and respiratory issues.

6 thoughts on “Tips for Flying with a Portable Oxygen Concentrator on United Airlines

  1. i need to take a portable oxygen concentrater on a united flight. i do not need to use oxygen on the plane. delta has a physicians form that has a lie for carry-on only. i cannot find a comparable form for united. if ther is such a form would you e-mail it to me so that i may have my doctor fill it out. thank you

    • Thank you for your comment, Rosie. Unfortunately, we do not have access to the current paperwork or rules and regulations of each individual airline. We do not partner with airlines and therefore you will need to reach out and contact your individual airline directly. Be sure to contact them directly, well before the date of your trip to ensure you have everything you need at the time of travel.

  2. I am flying with a Sequel Eclipse 5 and it is larger than the Inogen G5 I used before – are there any pictures of how to stow it in the area in front of you so you can see buttons and not block vents. Also I can only sit in an aisle seat and I notice that sometimes that space is smaller than the adjoining seats.

    • Before your flight, contact the airline to inquire about their specific policies and procedures regarding the use and stowage of portable oxygen concentrators. They can provide you with any specific requirements or restrictions.

    • Renee, I have the same machine, when I fly Delta I sit in the very last row of seats. I put the concentrator in the overhead for take off or I store the concentrator behind the seat. it is a tight fit but it does not move. When we’ve leveled out I put it in front of me and just maneuver it until I find the right stop. it is a cumbersome piece of equipment. I don’t know how many liters your on make sure you have enough batteries.. good luck.

      • Thank you for sharing your travel experience and tips on using a portable oxygen concentrator (POC) while flying with Delta Airlines. Flying with medical equipment like a POC can indeed present some challenges, but your insights can be valuable for others facing similar situations.

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