How to get an air ambulance, step by step

Reviewed by the AirAmbulance.org editorial team · Updated 6 November 2026 · Editorial policy

How you get an air ambulance depends on whether it's an emergency (call emergency services) or a planned transfer or flight home (arranged with an operator, insurer or hospital).

In an emergency

• Call 911 in the US, or your local emergency number.
• Emergency services or the hospital decide whether to send a helicopter or other transport.

For a planned transfer or flight home

• Ask the treating doctor whether the patient is fit to fly and what level of care is needed.
• Call your insurer or travel assistance company first; many arrange flights directly.
• Request quotes with the route, timing and general condition.
• Confirm a receiving hospital, payment or insurance approval, and documents.

What to have ready

• Exact pickup and destination (hospital names if known).
• The patient's general condition and mobility.
• Insurance details and passports for international flights.

In an emergency

• Call 911 (or the local emergency number). Dispatchers and hospitals decide when a helicopter is sent; families don't book emergency helicopter flights themselves.

For a planned transfer or flight home

• Talk to the treating doctor or the hospital's case manager: they confirm the patient can travel and what level of care is needed in flight.
• If there's insurance, call the insurer's assistance line first. Many policies only pay if their team arranges or approves the flight.
• Ask a receiving hospital to accept the patient, or arrange care at home, before the flight is booked.
• Request written quotes. Compare what's included, not just the headline price.

What providers will ask you

• Where the patient is now (hospital and city) and where they need to go.
• Their general condition, weight and height, and whether they need a stretcher, oxygen or a ventilator.
• Passports for international flights, and details of any companion who will travel.
• Timing: urgent, within days, or flexible. The hospital will share the medical details directly with the provider's medical team.

Questions to ask before you book

• Is the price all-inclusive, bed to bed, including ground ambulances at both ends?
• Who is on the medical crew, and what equipment is on board?
• What aircraft will fly, and does it need fuel stops?
• Is the operator accredited? Accreditation bodies include CAMTS in the US and EURAMI internationally.
• What happens, and what do you pay, if the flight is delayed or cancelled for medical reasons?
• Can a family member travel along?

How long it takes to arrange

• Domestic transfers can often be arranged within hours to a day once the receiving hospital accepts the patient.
• International flights take longer: landing permits, customs and sometimes visas. A day or two is common, and longer on remote routes.

Sources

• CAMTS accreditation
• EURAMI accreditation

General information only, not medical, legal or insurance advice. Rules, coverage and prices change; confirm with your provider and insurer.