Fit-to-fly Certificate
A fit-to-fly certificate is a doctor’s letter confirming you are medically safe to travel by air.
A fit-to-fly certificate is a doctor’s letter confirming you are medically safe to travel by air.
Also known as
Medical clearance, Fitness to fly letter, MEDIF form, Airline medical clearance
Why travellers need to know
Airlines can require fit-to-fly certificates after recent surgery, hospitalisation, broken bones with casts, late pregnancy (usually after 28 weeks), or infectious disease. Requirements vary by airline. Some accept a simple doctor's letter; others require their own MEDIF form completed by your treating doctor. Getting this sorted before your flight avoids being turned away at the gate.
Real-world example
You break your ankle in Lisbon and have surgery with metal pins. A week later, you need to fly home. The airline requires a fit-to-fly certificate confirming you can sit for the flight duration and that the cabin pressure won't affect your surgical sites. Your Lisbon surgeon provides one for EUR 50. Without it, you'd be denied boarding.
Country-specific notes
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
NHS GPs charge GBP 25-50 for fit-to-fly letters
NHS GPs provide fit-to-fly letters as a private service (not covered by the NHS). Costs range from GBP 25-50. Hospital consultants who performed recent surgery can also issue them, often at no additional charge as part of discharge paperwork.
🇹🇭 Thailand
Private hospitals issue same-day fit-to-fly letters
Thai private hospitals routinely issue fit-to-fly certificates for international patients. Bumrungrad and Bangkok Hospital have dedicated international patient departments that handle airline medical forms. Cost is typically THB 500-1,500 ($15-45).
🇺🇸 United States
US airlines have some of the strictest boarding policies for visible medical conditions — a physician's letter is required after recent hospitalisation
US carriers can decline boarding to passengers who appear unwell without documentation. For recent surgery, infectious disease, or hospitalisation, a physician's fit-to-fly letter is essential before arriving at the airport.
Obtain a fit-to-fly letter before arriving at a US airport — appealing a boarding denial at the gate is rarely successful.
Frequently asked questions
When do airlines require a fit-to-fly certificate?
Common triggers: surgery within the past 10 days, a cast or plaster on a limb, pregnancy beyond 28 weeks (varies by airline), recent hospitalisation, pneumothorax within 2 weeks, or travel with supplemental oxygen. Each airline has its own rules; check before your flight.
Can any doctor issue a fit-to-fly certificate?
In most countries, any registered medical practitioner can assess fitness to fly. However, airlines increasingly prefer assessments on their own forms. For post-surgical travel, your surgeon's letter is typically sufficient. For complex conditions, some airlines request an aviation medicine specialist.
Your Nomedic record gives the issuing doctor your full surgical and treatment history, so the fit-to-fly assessment is based on complete information.