Careful planning before travelling is very important when you have diabetes. To ensure you
enjoy your travel and stay healthy, you need to think about several things before you travel.
Having diabetes means you will need to consider your diabetes management and general
health, available food choices and any special requirements during the trip and at the
destination, what to pack and travel insurance.
Whether you are travelling by plane, train, boat,
or car, within Australia or overseas, plan early
to make sure you have everything ready before
you go.
Preparing for your trip
• Talk to your doctor or diabetes nurse
practitioner about your travel plans well ahead
of your trip. Ask them to write you a travel
letter with information that you will need
including:
» your medical conditions
» your diabetes medications including
dosage, how often you take them, and
how to store them
» any other medications you take
» supplies and products you use to manage your
diabetes such as a blood glucose meter and
strips, finger pricker and lancets, insulin pen or
syringes, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)
or flash glucose monitoring (Flash GM) device
and insulin pump
» the importance of carrying your medications
and diabetes supplies with you at all times
» if you are at risk of low blood glucose levels
(also known as hypoglycaemia or a hypo),
the importance of carrying hypo treatment
with you at all times
» if you use an insulin pump or a CGM or Flash
GM device, they must not be removed even
when going through airport security. This
is because they can be exposed to metal
detectors without being damaged, but they
cannot be exposed to x-rays.
Take several printed copies of this letter. Also,
have it available on an electronic device such
as a smartphone or smart device. Present it
at security checkpoints or medical services, if
necessary.
• Discuss your sick day action plan with your
doctor, diabetes nurse practitioner or diabetes
educator. Prepare a sick day kit before
travelling, and make sure you pack it in your
carry-on luggage.
When travelling overseas
Before you travel
• Talk to your doctor or diabetes nurse
practitioner about the vaccinations you might
need well ahead of your trip. Ask what other
medications you might need, for example
something for nausea or diarrhoea.
• If you are travelling across different time
zones, ask your doctor, diabetes nurse
practitioner or diabetes educator to prepare a
plan for how to adjust the times and doses of
your medications, including insulin.
• Take out travel insurance for both your
health and belongings. Make sure your travel
insurance for accident and health cover is
valid. This needs to cover both pre-existing
conditions, the places you will visit and
the activities you plan to do. Declare your
medical conditions and check if there are any
limitations for pre-existing conditions such as
diabetes. If you use an insulin pump, consider
insuring it as well.
• Pack clearly written details of emergency
contacts such as your next-of-kin or family
member.
• Take the phone and email details of your
diabetes health professionals and of your
insulin pump company, if relevant.
• Always carry identification and emergency
contacts on you and consider wearing a Medic
Alert bracelet or another form of medical
identification.
• If you have a smart phone, consider using
an ICE (or In Case of Emergency) app. This
will show your identification and emergency
contact details on the home screen even when
the phone is locked. Health apps are also
available to store your medical information on
your phone.
• When travelling by plane, put all your diabetes
supplies in your carry-on luggage, preferably
split between two carry-on bags.
• Have the contact details of relevant
manufacturers and local diabetes associations
in the countries you plan to visit in case you
need advice on local products or services.
• Have your travelling letter translated into the
language of your destination country. Have
it available on an electronic device such as
a smartphone or smart device. Present it at
security checkpoints or medical services, if
necessary.
• If you use an insulin pump, you need know
how to convert your pump settings to insulin
injections if your pump fails. You will also
need to pack the equipment for your insulin
injections back-up plan in case of pump
failure. Have a copy of your pump settings
recorded and keep it with you for easy
reference. Some insulin pump companies may
lend you a spare one to take while travelling.
Check with your insulin pump company.
• If you are going away for a long period, talk
to your diabetes educator about your NDSS
allowance for supplies.
• Check that your medications and diabetes
supplies, such as blood glucose monitoring
strips, will not go out of date while you are away.
• Make sure you have enough supplies and
batteries to last the entire trip.
While travelling
• Place insulin needs to be in pharmacy-labelled
packaging. Each box of five needs a separate
label. Store it in a cool pack in your carry-on
luggage.
• If you take insulin or diabetes tablets (that can
cause hypos), carry some easily absorbed
carbs, such as glucose tablets or jellybeans
(in case of hypo). Pack some longer-acting
carbs, such as biscuits, crackers, or dried fruit.
Check if you need to throw this out before
going through customs at your destination.
• If you have type 1 diabetes, take glucagon
with you. Make sure the glucagon is in date,
in pharmacy-labelled packaging, and stored in
your carry-on luggage.
• If you use an insulin pump or a CGM or
Flash GM device, declare it at the security
checkpoint. Inform security staff that your
device must not be removed or exposed to
X-rays, as stated in your doctor’s letter.
• Keep track of your ‘departure’ time zone and
‘destination’ time zone. If you use an insulin
pump, you will need to change the time in the
pump to the local time once you arrive at your
destination.
• Provide family and friends with a copy of your
travel itinerary, contact details and important
travel documents.
• If you use an insulin pump and CGM or Flash
GM device, keep your consumables and
supplies in their original packaging in your
carry-on luggage.
Additional tips when flying
At the airport
• Metal detectors are safe, but insulin pumps
and CGM transmitters can be damaged by
x-rays in security equipment. Ask airport
security staff to physically check you and
your luggage rather than using the X-ray
equipment. Security staff are required to
respond to such a request under government
agency regulations
During the flight
• Keep your diabetes supplies where you can
reach them immediately, even if the seatbelt
sign is on. The best place is in the seat pocket
in front of you – not under the seat or in the
overhead locker.
• There is no need to order ‘diabetic’ meals. If
there is not enough carb such as pasta, bread,
rice, or potato served with your meal, ask for
extra carb or use your packed carb snacks.
Drink enough water so you can stay hydrated.
• Get as much sleep as possible but ask the
cabin crew to wake you for meals.
• Always wait until your meal is in front of you
before injecting insulin or oral medications that
can cause hypo. For added safety, you can
take your insulin halfway through the meal or
immediately afterwards If you use an insulin
pump or a CGM and Flash GM device, talk
to your diabetes health professionals about
managing these devices during plane travel.
• Wear comfortable shoes and exercise your
feet to help prevent swelling. Try to move
around the cabin as often as you can. Walking
up and down the aisle will assist circulation
and help to keep your blood glucose levels
within your target range.
What if something goes wrong
while you are away?
• Plan carefully to reduce the risk of things going
wrong. If something does go wrong, do not
panic. Seek medical assistance if required,
ideally with advice from your travel insurer.
• If you are travelling overseas, consider
registering your travel plans with the
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
(DFAT). The department can then contact you
or your family in the event of an emergency.
