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Diabetes and travel

You can travel anywhere with diabetes. You just have to prepare to avoid any problems.

Before you travel

  • make sure your travel insurance covers health problems related to your diabetes
  • find out where you can get your insulin in the place you're visiting, and take a recent prescription with you
  • speak to your care team for advice about adjusting to different time zones
  • if you're flying, get a letter from your GP or care team to say you have diabetes and need to take your treatment on to the plane (you may need to pay for the letter)
  • if you use a pump or a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), check with your airline before you travel about taking it on board – some airlines require paperwork for medical equipment

Packing for your trip

  • pack 3 times as much insulin, test strips, lancets, needles and glucose tablets as you'd expect to need
  • split your medicines, IDs and equipment into 2 different bags, just in case 1 gets lost
  • if you use a pump, pack insulin pens in case it stops working
  • put insulin in your hand luggage – the hold of the plane will be too cold and could damage the insulin
  • take a cool bag to stop your insulin getting too hot
  • take some form of diabetes ID, like a medical alert bracelet, to tell others that you have diabetes
  • take the contact details of your diabetic team, just in case you need their advice
  • take plenty of snacks in case there are any delays
  • do not put your pump through airport scanners or x-ray machines – let airport security know so they can check it another way

While you're away

  • be prepared to test more while you're away – hot and cold weather can affect your blood glucose levels and increase your risk of a hypoglycaemia (hypo) or hyperglycaemia
  • you may have to change your insulin dose depending on the temperature and different activities you're doing – speak to your diabetes team
  • take care if you're sunbathing, as this can affect your blood glucose levels

Diabetes UK has more information on what to do when you travel.

Page last reviewed: 20 September 2021
Next review due: 20 September 2024