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Flying with refrigerated medications

Flying with Refrigerated Medicines: Tips from MediCooler

At MediCooler we understand how important it is to keep your medications properly refrigerated, especially when traveling. We specialize in the transport of refrigerated medicines and offer a wide range of medicine cool bags and cool boxes between 2-8°C or 16-25°C that help you take your medicines safely with you wherever you go. Below we share some essential tips for flying with refrigerated medicines.

Copies of your Prescriptions
It is always wise to make copies of your prescriptions and keep them in your hand luggage. This can be useful if customs or airport security asks questions about the medicines you are carrying.

Customs and Security
  • Inform security staff of your condition and that you are carrying medical supplies. Make sure your medication is labeled with your name.
  • All medications must be clearly labeled with the manufacturer's name.
  • Syringes are only allowed by security if you have the corresponding medication with you.


If you take medication, make sure you keep it with you at all times. Security scanners during check-in will not damage your medication, but prolonged or repeated exposure to x-rays can reduce their effectiveness. Therefore, if possible, ask for a manual check of your medication. By informing the security staff in advance, they will usually do their best to help you, which often saves you time during the checkpoint.

Where to Store your Medication on the Airplane
In general, the luggage compartments in an aircraft are kept pressurized and at a constant temperature of about 5°C, which is suitable for most medications. However, if you take an unusual flight, such as on a Russian ex-military plane, your luggage may end up in a non-pressurized environment with a low temperature that could freeze your medication. Most medications are sensitive to extreme temperatures and should never be stored in a non-pressurized aircraft.

It is important to inspect your medication before each injection. If you notice anything unusual, such as crystals in frozen medication, replace it immediately. These crystals can be very unpleasant to inject.

We recommend that you always take your medication with you as hand luggage. If your suitcase gets lost, you will prevent your holiday from being ruined by missing essential medicines. Make sure you take enough medication with you for the duration of your trip plus one extra day.

Tips for Different Types of Airplane Travel
Give yourself extra time before your flight as the security checkpoint involving medications and syringes may take several minutes longer. Airlines usually offer special meals, but with a little planning, regular meals can usually fit into your diet. Always take suitable snacks with you in case your flight or meal is delayed, or if the meal provided is not suitable.

Take time zone differences and the timing of your meals into account and adjust your medications accordingly. If you sleep during the flight, use an alarm clock or ask the flight attendant to wake you up for meals or to take your medication.

Stay active during your trip: walk through the terminal before boarding, do simple stretches in your seat, or make circles with your ankles. If possible, lift your legs occasionally. If you are taking a prescription medication, it is important to have it with you and to know how to use it and what side effects it may have. This will help you explain to the flight attendant how they can help you if necessary.

After a long flight, it's good to relax for a few days to get your system back in shape. Plan your activities so that you can integrate your medications and meals into your daily routine.

Which cooling solution?

Even if it is possible to use LifeinaBox (electric cool box) on an airplane, we generally find it easier to use one of our isothermal medicine cooler bags for air travel (LifeinaBag12 or LifeinaBag24, iCool vacpack, medicube or medicube ultra which also holds your medicines between 2 and 8°C). The bags are just easier to put in your handbag than a portable refrigerator. We usually use LifeinaBox (electric cool box) in a car, hotel or at home instead of on a plane. However, if you want to take your LifeinaBox with you on a plane trip, there's really no problem with that. However, you will need the LifeinaTravel bag to transport your refrigerator, and you may want to purchase an additional battery (LifeinaPower).


At MediCooler we are always ready to help you with the best solutions for transporting your refrigerated medicines. With our cool bags and cool boxes you can travel worry-free and safely, wherever you go. Have a nice trip!

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