What documents do I need when traveling while pregnant?
Most airlines ask for a doctor's or midwife's letter from around 28 weeks and stop carrying passengers late in pregnancy. Rules differ by airline, so check yours in writing.
Updated
The letter airlines ask for
The main document is a short letter from your doctor or midwife, often called a fit to fly letter. Airlines use it to confirm how far along you are and that nothing has been flagged, and trip1 travelers should get it close to departure rather than months ahead, since most carriers want a recent date on it.
A useful letter includes:
- Your name and the date the letter was written.
- Your estimated due date and how many weeks pregnant you will be on the travel dates, outbound and return.
- Whether this is a single pregnancy or a multiple pregnancy.
- A statement that the pregnancy is progressing normally and that there is no known reason you should not fly.
- The clinician's name, signature and contact details.
Many airlines want the letter dated within a set window before travel, often seven to ten days. If your trip is longer than that window, ask the airline whether the same letter covers the return flight or whether you need a second one.
Week limits and how they work
Airlines do not share one rule, and the differences between them are real. These are the typical stages.
Before about 28 weeks
Most airlines carry you without any paperwork at all. Carry your maternity notes anyway, so a medical team abroad can see your history if you need care.
From about 28 weeks
A doctor's or midwife's letter is commonly required, and some airlines ask for it a little earlier. Ground staff can request it at check-in and at the gate.
From about 36 weeks
Many airlines stop carrying passengers with a single uncomplicated pregnancy around the end of week 36. For twins or more the limit is often closer to 32 weeks.
Treat those as typical figures rather than a rule. Some carriers are more restrictive, and short domestic flights sometimes have a later cut-off than long haul. Read the airline's own maternity page or ask them in writing, then keep the reply.
Important: Ground staff can refuse boarding if you are past the airline's limit or cannot produce the letter it requires, and a refusal for this reason is not usually refundable. Check the return date against the limit as well as the outbound one.
Travel insurance and pregnancy
Standard travel insurance treats pregnancy differently from other conditions, so read the wording rather than assuming you are covered.
- Many policies cover unexpected pregnancy complications but not routine antenatal care or a planned birth.
- Cover commonly ends at a set week, which can be earlier than the airline's own limit.
- A baby born abroad is usually not covered by the parents' policy, and neonatal care is expensive.
- Declare a multiple pregnancy or any complication when you buy the policy, because an undeclared one can void a claim.
Documents worth carrying
- Your maternity notes or their digital equivalent, plus your blood group.
- The fit to fly letter, printed as well as saved on your phone.
- Your insurance policy number and the insurer's 24 hour emergency line.
- Your passport and any visa or authorisation, with the usual validity the destination requires.
- Your trip1 booking confirmation with the hotel address and phone number, which is the first thing a doctor abroad will ask for.
At the hotel
Nothing changes at check-in when you are pregnant. Hotels ask for the same photo ID and booking confirmation as always.
If you would like a lower floor, a room near a lift or a fridge for medication, message the property through your trip1 booking before you arrive. Requests like these are much easier to arrange in advance than at the desk.
One thing this article does not cover: whether flying is right for you at all. That is a conversation with your doctor or midwife, who knows your history.
Traveling while pregnant - FAQ
Before about 28 weeks most airlines need no paperwork, though it is worth carrying your maternity notes. From around 28 weeks many airlines ask for a fit to fly letter from your doctor or midwife confirming your due date and that the pregnancy is progressing normally. Also carry your passport, your insurance details and your hotel booking confirmation.
Usually only later in pregnancy. Most airlines ask for a letter from your doctor or midwife from around 28 weeks, and some ask a little earlier. Many want it dated within a set window before travel, often seven to ten days, so ask the airline whether one letter also covers your return flight.
Early in pregnancy there is usually nothing to declare, since most airlines carry you before about 28 weeks without paperwork. Later it matters, because ground staff can ask for your letter at check-in and at the gate and can refuse boarding without it. Read the airline's maternity page, or ask in writing, before you book.
As far as airlines are concerned, usually yes: before about 28 weeks most carry pregnant passengers without any paperwork. Whether flying is right for you is a question for your doctor or midwife, who knows your history. Carry your maternity notes anyway, so a medical team abroad can see them if you need care.
Many airlines stop carrying passengers around the end of week 36 for a single pregnancy and around week 32 for twins or more. These are typical figures, not a rule: some carriers are stricter and short flights can differ. The limit applies to your return date too, so check both legs against the airline's policy.
Often only partly. Many policies cover unexpected complications but not routine antenatal care or a planned birth, and cover commonly ends at a set week, which can be earlier than the airline's limit. A baby born abroad is usually not covered by the parents' policy, and an undeclared multiple pregnancy can void a claim.