Travelling with Asthma: Essential Planning Tips

Start planning well before you book

Asthma rarely takes a holiday, so a little preparation before you book anything will make the whole trip calmer. Aim to review your asthma with your GP or asthma nurse about four to six weeks before you travel. That gives you time to check your inhaler technique, update your written asthma action plan, and make any changes to your preventer treatment without last-minute panic.

Think honestly about how well controlled your asthma has been. If you have needed a course of steroid tablets, visited A&E, or been admitted to hospital in the past few weeks, ask your GP or respiratory team whether you are fit to fly. Most people with well-controlled asthma fly without any problems, but a recent flare is worth a proper conversation.

Travel insurance matters too. Declare your asthma when you buy cover, including any hospital admissions in recent years, and check that the policy includes repatriation — getting you home if you become unwell abroad. If you are travelling within Europe, a free UK Global Health Insurance Card gives you access to state-provided healthcare, but it is not a substitute for insurance.

Pack more medicine than you think you need

The single most common mistake is running out of medicine while away. Pack enough for the whole trip plus at least an extra week, and longer if you are travelling somewhere remote or during peak holiday season. Delays, lost bags and unplanned extensions are all easier to handle when you have spare inhalers.

• Keep medicines in their original packaging with the pharmacy label attached — this makes them easy to identify at security and abroad.
• Ask your GP or pharmacist for a letter listing your medicines, doses and devices.
• Split your supply between hand luggage and checked baggage, so a lost suitcase does not leave you without anything.
• Take a spare reliever, a spacer if you use one, and your peak flow meter if you monitor at home, along with a note of your best reading.
• Check expiry dates before you go and replace anything that is out of date.

Your reliever stays in your hand luggage

Your reliever inhaler should travel in your hand luggage, not in the hold, and it should be within reach rather than in the overhead locker. Cabin pressure and cold temperatures in the hold are not kind to inhalers, and checked bags go missing — a risk you simply do not need with your emergency treatment.

Inhalers themselves are not covered by the 100ml liquid restrictions, but nebuliser solution and some other medicines are. If you need to carry liquids over 100ml for medical reasons, bring a letter from your GP or a copy of your prescription so security staff can see why. Tell the staff at security that you are carrying inhalers and other asthma medicines; it saves time and avoids confusion.

Check airline and airport rules before you fly

Most airlines are relaxed about inhalers, but rules vary for nebulisers, portable oxygen and any equipment you plan to use during the flight. Contact the airline well in advance — several weeks, not the day before — and ask what they need. Some carriers ask for a medical clearance form, often completed by your GP, before they will allow certain equipment on board.

It is also worth asking about seating. An aisle seat towards the front can make it easier to stretch your legs, use the toilet, or get help quickly if you feel tight-chested. If you need extra time or assistance moving through the airport, request it when you book rather than at the gate.

Manage your triggers while you are away

Different destinations bring different triggers. Hot, humid air, cold dry air, high altitude, air conditioning, traffic pollution, pollen and dust mites in hotel bedding can all catch you out. Check the air quality and pollen forecast for where you are going, and take sensible precautions: request a non-smoking room, ask for bedding that has been laundered recently if dust is a problem, and keep windows closed on high-pollution days.

Keep taking your preventer inhaler exactly as normal, even if you feel completely well. Holidays are not the time to skip doses, and a change in routine is often what tips people into a flare. If you are crossing time zones, stick to your usual routine as closely as you can — most inhalers do not need to be taken at a precise hour.

Plan for emergencies before they happen

Know the local emergency number for every country you visit — 112 works across the EU, while other countries differ. Save it in your phone and write it on a card in your wallet.

• Carry a card or phone note listing your medicines, doses, allergies, GP details and a next-of-kin contact.
• Find out where the nearest hospital or clinic is on your first day, not in the middle of an attack.
• If you are travelling with someone, make sure they know your asthma action plan and where your reliever is kept.
• Follow your action plan if symptoms worsen and seek help early — do not wait to see whether things settle.

With medicines packed, rules checked and a plan in your pocket, you can get on with enjoying the trip. Asthma should not stop you travelling — it just deserves a bit of forward thinking.