Fit To Fly Certificate
Your airline needs medical clearance before you board. Get a signed GP certificate next-day before 9AM, no appointment.
✔ Accepted by airlines, travel insurers & destination authorities.
✔ FCDO and GMC registered UK GPs — same standard as your NHS doctor.
✔ Same day for most. 9AM next-day guaranteed. Only £67.
GET MY FIT TO FLY 
✔ Full refund if the GP cannot issue.
Excellent service. Not long after filling in the entire form, I got connected to a Doctor and the process went very smoothly. Highly recommended.- Mary, London W7
Super quick response, highly recommended service. - Kurt, London SW6
How It Works
Complete a short online questionnaire
No appointment required. Complete a short medical questionnaire and upload any supporting evidence.
Doctor reviews your evidence
A GMC-registered doctor reviews your submission individually. No automated approvals.
✔ Full refund if the GP cannot issue.
Receive your certificate
Certificates arrive most same day, all by 9AM next morning, delivered as a signed PDF direct to your inbox.
What our patients say
Verified reviews from real MedicalCert patients
Anne S.
July 2025
Certificate by 9am — we made our flight
This company did exactly what they said they would. They got us our medical certificate by 9am the next day. Without them we wouldn't have been able to fly to Australia.
Mrs B.
July 2025
Super fast — and cheaper than my GP
The service was super fast and I received the certificate within 24 hours. I paid for the express service and it still cost less than my GP would have charged. Highly recommend.
Laura R.
June 2025
Quick and exactly what I needed
Quick service. Got what I needed. The process was smooth and straightforward, and I received everything I required without any hassle.
Get a Fit to Fly Certificate Online — GMC-Registered Doctors
A fit to fly certificate — also called a fit to fly letter or medical clearance to fly — is a signed document from a registered doctor confirming you are medically safe to travel by air. Airlines may require one if you have a recent medical condition, have had surgery, are pregnant, or have a chronic illness that could be affected by cabin pressure or reduced oxygen.MedicalCert issues a fit to fly certificate UK patients can apply for online — following individual clinical review by a GMC-registered GP. No appointment needed — complete a short online consultation, upload your evidence, and receive your signed flight medical certificate same day or by 9AM next morning. Full refund if a certificate cannot be issued on clinical grounds.
What Is a Fit to Fly Certificate?
A fit to fly certificate is a signed document from a GMC-registered GP confirming that a passenger’s condition is stable and that air travel does not pose an unacceptable clinical risk. It is not a guarantee of safety — it is a doctor’s professional opinion, based on the information provided, that you are fit to travel by air on the specified date.Airlines request a fitness to fly letter to confirm your condition will not deteriorate during the flight and that you will not require emergency medical intervention on board. Travel insurers may also request a fit for flight certificate as part of pre-departure documentation or a travel claim.
This document is known by several names — all referring to the same type of medical letter:
Do I Need a Fit to Fly Certificate?
Most healthy passengers do not need one. You are likely to need a fit to fly certificate — or your airline may request one — in any of the following situations:Most airlines require medical clearance if you have had surgery or been discharged from hospital within the preceding 4–6 weeks. The risk of DVT and pressure-related complications is higher in the post-operative period.
A fit to fly certificate for heart condition confirms cardiac status is stable for the reduced cabin oxygen environment. Required for stable angina, treated heart attack, heart failure, pacemakers, and ICDs.
COPD, severe asthma, and reduced lung capacity may require clearance — particularly for long-haul routes. The cabin environment is equivalent to breathing at approximately 6,000–8,000 feet altitude.
Most airlines require a fit to fly letter from 28 weeks for a single pregnancy (26–28 weeks for multiples). After 36 weeks (single) or 32 weeks (multiples), most airlines will not carry you. See our Pregnancy Fit to Fly Certificate page.
Airlines may require medical clearance if you are travelling with a plaster cast — particularly on long-haul routes — due to the risk of swelling from cabin pressure changes.
A waiting period of at least 10 days post-TIA is typically advised before flying. Airlines will request written confirmation that your condition has stabilised and air travel is medically appropriate.
Diabetes, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis may require a certificate if your airline has flagged your condition or if you require supplementary oxygen or special assistance.
Certain procedures — particularly those involving gas injection such as retinal detachment repair — carry specific risk from cabin pressure change. Your surgeon should advise on the minimum safe wait before flying.
Recovering from chickenpox? See our Chickenpox Recovery Certificate. Need written confirmation you are unfit to fly for cancellation or insurance? See our Unable to Fly Letter.
Fit to Fly Certificate — UK Airline Requirements 2025
Each airline sets its own policy. Requirements vary by condition, route length, and gestational age for pregnancy. The table below summarises current general guidance from the five major UK carriers — always confirm directly with your airline before travel, as policies are updated periodically.| Airline | When a fit to fly certificate is required | Own form? | Certificate timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Airways | Recent surgery or hospitalisation; significant cardiac or respiratory conditions; pregnancy 28–36 weeks. Passengers needing special in-flight assistance may require a MEDIF form. | MEDIF form for special assistance passengers | Typically within 7 days of departure |
| easyJet | Surgery within the preceding 6 weeks; significant cardiovascular or respiratory conditions; pregnancy from 27 weeks for single pregnancies. | Own pregnancy fit to fly form available | Within 7 days of departure |
| Ryanair | Recent surgery or hospital discharge; pregnancy 28+ weeks (single) / 26+ weeks (multiples); significant medical conditions at the airline’s discretion. | Own pregnancy declaration form | Within 7 days of departure |
| Jet2 | Recent illness or surgery that could deteriorate in-flight; pregnancy from 28 weeks; conditions requiring in-flight medical assistance. | Contact Jet2 Special Assistance team directly | Check directly with Jet2 |
| TUI | Post-surgery, hospitalisation within 6 weeks, infectious conditions during recovery, pregnancy from 28 weeks. | Recommends GP letter or IATA MEDIF | Generally within 10 days of departure |
What Your Fit to Fly Certificate Includes
Every fit to fly letter issued by MedicalCert is signed by a GMC-registered GP and includes:The certificate covers the full round trip — both outbound and return legs. Specify your return date in the consultation form. If your airline requires specific wording or their own form, upload it with your application and it will be completed alongside the standard certificate for a £25 fee.
Fit to Fly NHS vs Private — Why Most GPs Decline
Many people search “fit to fly NHS” expecting their GP to issue this letter routinely. In practice, the majority of NHS GP surgeries in the UK do not provide fitness to fly letters — and many carry explicit written policies declining to do so.The British Medical Association advises caution: GPs are not trained in aviation medicine, are not indemnified for fitness to fly assessments, and cannot confirm future fitness for travel. When NHS practices do issue a letter, it is typically a private administrative service charged at £25–£60, with a waiting time of one to two weeks — often too slow for travel deadlines.
NHS GP
- ✗No obligation to provide — BMA advises caution; most practices decline
- ✗1–2 week wait in most areas
- ✗Private admin fee typically £25–£60 even at an NHS practice
- ✗No same-day service
- ✗Cannot complete airline-specific MEDIF forms
- ✓May be required by insurers who specify “usual GP” in policy wording
MedicalCert (Private)
- ✔Same-day service, guaranteed by 9AM next morning
- ✔GMC-registered GP reviews every case individually — no automated approvals
- ✔No appointment, no waiting room, no GP referral needed
- ✔Airline-specific forms (MEDIF, pregnancy forms) completed for £25
- ✔Full refund if certificate cannot be issued clinically
- ✔QR verification code accepted by UK and international airlines
If your travel insurance policy specifically requires certification from your “registered NHS GP,” check your policy wording before applying. For most airlines and most insurers, a certificate from any GMC-registered doctor is sufficient.
Fit to Fly Certificate vs Unable to Fly Letter — Which Do You Need?
These are two different documents serving opposite purposes. If you are unsure which applies to your situation:Fit to fly certificate
- ✔You plan to travel and need medical clearance to board your flight
- ✔Your airline has requested proof of fitness before allowing you to fly
- ✔You are pregnant and approaching your airline’s gestational cut-off date
- ✔You are recovering from surgery or illness and need documentation for check-in
Unable to fly letter
- ✔You cannot travel and need written confirmation to cancel or rebook
- ✔Your insurer requires proof that flying was medically unsafe for a claim
- ✔Your airline requires medical evidence of unfitness to waive a change fee
- →Unable to Fly Letter — apply here
How to Get a Fit to Fly Certificate
Fit to Fly Certificate — Frequently Asked Questions
Get your fit-to-fly certficate from £49
Clinically Reviewed By
Dr Maria Knobel
Medical Director, Nobel Medical LLC
GMC Registration
► 7495073 – View on GMC register