Step 1: Speak to Your Doctor First

Before you choose any equipment, check in with your GP or respiratory specialist. Confirm your prescribed flow rate, whether you need pulse-dose or continuous flow, and whether you’re fit to travel. Ask whether your needs might change in flight or at altitude, and ask for a letter confirming your oxygen requirements. Airlines and cruise lines often ask for one.

Our guide to what doctors recommend when travelling with an oxygen device covers the questions worth asking.

Step 2: Decide Between Portable and Stationary

Your next decision is which type of machine suits your trip. Here is the simple version of portable vs stationary oxygen concentrators.

A portable oxygen concentrator (POC) is lightweight and battery-powered. It goes with you through the airport, onto the plane and out on excursions. A stationary concentrator runs on mains electricity and stays in one place, such as your hotel room or cruise cabin. It delivers a higher flow, typically between 1 and 10 litres per minute.

Many travellers need both: a POC for the journey and a stationary unit waiting at their accommodation for resting and sleeping. If you’re unsure, our post Portable vs Stationary Oxygen Concentrators: Which Best Suits Your Lifestyle? will help you decide.

Step 3: Flying? Check for an FAA Approved Oxygen Concentrator

If a flight is part of your trip, this step matters most. Airlines only allow certain devices on board, and most look for an FAA approved oxygen concentrator. That means a model that has met strict safety standards for use in the cabin. A stationary concentrator can never travel in the cabin, and not every portable unit is approved.

Before you travel:

• Confirm your exact model is accepted by your airline, as each has its own policy
• Tell the airline about your oxygen needs well in advance (usually 48 hours or more, but it varies)
• Carry enough charged batteries to cover your whole journey with a safety margin, often around 150% of the flight time
• Keep your doctor’s letter in your hand luggage

Our guides to booking a flight with oxygen support and airline rules for oxygen users walk you through it.

Step 4: Understand Battery Life and Settings

Battery life is the question we hear most from first-time travellers, and one myth comes up again and again.

Does the Higher Pulse Setting on a POC Extend the Battery Time?

No, it’s the other way round. A higher pulse setting delivers a bigger burst of oxygen with every breath, so the machine works harder and the battery drains faster. A POC on setting 2 will usually run noticeably longer than the same machine on setting 5.

Please never turn your setting down to save battery unless your doctor has agreed to it. Plan for the setting you actually need and carry enough spare batteries to match. For more detail, see Battery Life Demystified and what the settings and numbers on your concentrator really mean.

Step 5: Consider a Portable Oxygen Concentrator for Travel Rental

For most people, buying a machine for one or two trips a year doesn’t make sense. That’s where a portable oxygen concentrator for travel rental comes in. You get equipment matched to your prescription, without the cost of owning it, and without worrying about getting it to your destination yourself.

Here’s how it works with us:

• Your concentrator is delivered to your home, your hotel or straight to your cruise cabin
• For home delivery, it arrives at least 5-7 days before you leave
• Every machine is tested, inspected and ready to go
• Your rental includes the batteries (for portable units), a nasal cannula or face mask, tubing, a charging cable and a quick start guide
• Extras are available too, such as spare batteries, car chargers and bubble humidifiers
• When your trip ends, we arrange collection, so there’s nothing to carry home

Cruising from the UK? Our team can also liaise with the on-board crew so everything is in place when you step on board. You can read more on our Our Rental Process page, or in Cruising with Oxygen: Everything You Need.

Step 6: Book Early and Have Your Details Ready

The sooner you arrange your oxygen, the calmer your lead-up to departure will be. When you contact us, it helps to have these to hand:

• Your travel dates
• Your port or airport of departure
• Your prescribed flow rate
• Whether you use pulse or continuous flow
• Whether you need a portable unit, a cabin or hotel unit, or both

Don’t worry if you’re missing something. We’ll call you to talk through your condition and requirements, and we can fill in any gaps together.

Step 7: Practise Before You Go

When your machine arrives, take a little time to get comfortable with it. Read the quick start guide, switch it on, and check you’re happy with the controls and alarms. Charge the batteries fully and test them before travel day. Then use our packing checklist for portable oxygen devices so nothing gets left behind.

It’s also wise to take out suitable travel insurance and keep a copy of your prescription with you.