Our Step-by-Step Guide to Flying with Food Allergies

Travelling with allergies can be a scary experience; having to deal with cross-contact risks and unpredictable passengers would add to anyone’s allergy anxieties. We're here to ease the stress and make your life easier with our step-by-step guide to travelling with food allergies. 

Checklist:

• Notify your airline
• Pack the allergy essentials (epinephrine auto-injectors, allergy medication, safe snacks, etc.)
• Research allergy-friendly options at your destination
• Prepare for boarding
• Communicate with airline staff & passengers
• Sanitize and prep your area
• Sit back, relax, and enjoy your trip!

Plan Ahead 

Before you get on your flight, make sure you’ve done everything you can to have a stress-free trip. 

1. Notify Your Airline 

The first thing you’ll want to do before packing or going through the chaos of who’s driving you to the airport is let your airline know about your allergy. Write it as a note when booking and follow up with a call.  

For the call:  

• Contact your airline at least 72 hours before your flight 

• Inform them of the severity of your allergies and the associated risks 

• Ask about in-flight food options; each airline has different policies and procedures 

The ACAA prohibits U.S. airlines from discriminating against passengers with severe food allergies. Airlines must provide reasonable accommodations if notified in advance. Don’t be afraid to advocate for your allergies; airlines are required to help.  

Remember to bring all of your allergy-friendly necessities. When it comes to medications and allergy essentials, don’t hold back!  It’s better to have something on you than stress about it missing when it's time to board.

TSA allows:

• Medically necessary food (including allergen-free snacks)
• Medically necessary liquids (including allergen-free drinks, double-check weight requirements with TSA)
• Epinephrine auto-injectors

Just make sure to label and declare everything! Pack ample snacks and all your essentials; you can never be too safe or comfortable! 

3. Do Your Research! 

It’s never fun showing up to a new city and not knowing where to eat or what your options are. Using apps like Spokin or sites like Reddit are great for finding the best local allergy-friendly bites; your future self will thank you! 

THE PLANE! THE PLANE!! THE PLANE!!!

Flying with allergies is a whole new ballgame. As much as you can do before boarding, there’s always more to be done when you get on the plane.  

1. Prepare for Boarding

Arrive at your gate early to ensure you receive priority boarding access. According to the Department of Transportation, airlines must offer pre-boarding for individuals who identify with having food allergies. So, as always, never be afraid to advocate for yourself to receive your reasonable accommodation!

2. Communication is Key 

Throughout the boarding process, continue to communicate with all airline personnel and passengers in the vicinity of your seat. If you can, bring allergy cards to hand to the crew.

Allergy Card Information: 

• List all allergies 
• Indicate the severity of each (can cause anaphylactic shock, or if something is life-threatening)
• Instructions on where your epinephrine auto-injector is, and what they can do to help if you have an allergic reaction
• Explain what you need from airline staff and individuals in your vicinity (clean surfaces, if cross-contamination is a factor)
• Contact Information of your emergency contact or doctor, if needed

You never know who will take the most interest in your allergies and put you first, so don’t stop communicating and sharing your story.  

All planes are cleaned after the deplaning of the previous flight; even so, you can never be too safe when it comes to cross-contact risks. When you get to your seat, be sure to have sanitizing cloths and wipe down your space from your tray table to your seat, ensuring there isn’t any cross-contact from previous flights. Next, be sure your epinephrine auto-injector is on the back of the seat in front of you, to ensure it is in immediate reach in case of an emergency. The more accessible your space is and the more prepared you are, the better chance you have for a safe flight!

Now that you’ve done all you could, sit back, relax, and enjoy your trip! Just because you have food allergies doesn’t mean you can’t travel the world.