The questions families, hospitals, and case managers ask most before they call, answered the way we would answer them on the phone.
Not covered here? A flight coordinator answers the line 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Medical Flight Services
Medical flight services move a patient who cannot travel unassisted between hospitals, home, and care facilities, domestically and internationally. A patient can travel on a dedicated air ambulance, on a scheduled airline with a stretcher or medical escort, or by long-distance ground ambulance. One call to our 24/7 dispatch arranges the whole trip, bedside to bedside.
Compare the options
The three ways a patient can travel differ mainly in medical capability, patient position, and lead time.
| Criteria | Dedicated air ambulance | Commercial airline | Ground ambulance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Unstable, ventilated, or time-critical patients | Stable patients, lying flat on a stretcher or seated with an escort | Patients within driving distance or unable to fly |
| Medical crew | Dedicated ICU-standard crew for one patient | Our flight nurse or paramedic seated with the patient | ALS or BLS crew, or non-medical transport as needed |
| Patient position | Stretcher, with continuous monitoring | Lie-flat stretcher behind a curtain, or upright seat with an escort | Stretcher, wheelchair, or seat |
| Typical lead time | Most domestic missions within 24 hours of confirmation | Set by airline medical clearance and stretcher availability; usually 96–120 hours (4–5 days) | Scheduled to the pickup window you confirm |
| Relative cost | Highest; priced by distance and aircraft | Lower; can save up to tens of thousands vs a private aircraft | Lowest for short and mid-range trips; a long haul that takes days can cost about the same as a flight |
Dedicated air ambulance
- Best for
- Unstable, ventilated, or time-critical patients
- Medical crew
- Dedicated ICU-standard crew for one patient
- Patient position
- Stretcher, with continuous monitoring
- Typical lead time
- Most domestic missions within 24 hours of confirmation
- Relative cost
- Highest; priced by distance and aircraft
Commercial airline
- Best for
- Stable patients, lying flat on a stretcher or seated with an escort
- Medical crew
- Our flight nurse or paramedic seated with the patient
- Patient position
- Lie-flat stretcher behind a curtain, or upright seat with an escort
- Typical lead time
- Set by airline medical clearance and stretcher availability; usually 96–120 hours (4–5 days)
- Relative cost
- Lower; can save up to tens of thousands vs a private aircraft
Ground ambulance
- Best for
- Patients within driving distance or unable to fly
- Medical crew
- ALS or BLS crew, or non-medical transport as needed
- Patient position
- Stretcher, wheelchair, or seat
- Typical lead time
- Scheduled to the pickup window you confirm
- Relative cost
- Lowest for short and mid-range trips; a long haul that takes days can cost about the same as a flight
-
Private Air Ambulance
A private air ambulance is a dedicated fixed-wing aircraft configured as an intensive care unit in flight, staffed by a medical crew for a single patient. It suits patients who are too ill or unstable for commercial travel. Advanced Air Ambulance coordinates the entire transfer bedside to bedside: ground ambulance, flight, and receiving-hospital handoff.
- Who it's for
- Critically ill, unstable, or ventilated patients, and anyone unfit for commercial travel
- Medical crew
- Certified flight nurse with respiratory therapist or paramedic, under medical-director oversight
- Range
- Domestic and international; worldwide with fuel stops and permits arranged in-house
- Availability
- 24/7; most domestic missions depart within 24 hours of confirmation
-
Commercial Stretcher
A commercial airline stretcher is a medical transport in which a lying-down patient travels on a scheduled international airline flight, in a curtained stretcher section staffed by our flight medical crew. It suits stable patients who cannot sit upright but do not need a dedicated aircraft. Advanced Air Ambulance arranges airline clearance, equipment, crew, and ground ambulances at both ends.
- Who it's for
- Stable, bed-bound patients on long international routes who do not need ICU-level flight
- Medical crew
- Flight nurse, paramedic, respiratory therapist, or physician, matched to the patient's condition
- Range
- International and intercontinental routes served by participating airlines
- Availability
- 24/7 coordination; departure tied to airline schedules and medical clearance
-
Infectious Disease Patient Transport
An infectious disease medical flight is a private air ambulance transport for a patient with a contagious illness, flown on a dedicated aircraft with full crew-protection measures and, when clinically indicated, a sealed patient isolation unit. It suits COVID-19, tuberculosis, and other contagion-positive patients who cannot travel commercially. Advanced Air Ambulance coordinates the mission bedside to bedside.
- Who it's for
- Contagion-positive patients and recovering critical patients barred from commercial travel
- Medical crew
- Flight nurse and respiratory therapist or paramedic in full personal protective equipment
- Range
- Domestic and international, subject to destination-country entry rules for infectious patients
- Availability
- 24/7; most domestic missions depart within 24 hours of confirmation
-
Medical Escort
A medical escort is a certified clinician who travels with a patient in a standard seat on a scheduled airline flight, providing monitoring, oxygen, medication, and assistance throughout the trip. It suits patients who need medical support but can sit upright for takeoff and landing. Advanced Air Ambulance provides the escort, equipment, airline coordination, and ground transport at both ends.
- Who it's for
- Stable patients who can sit up for takeoff and landing but need medical support
- Medical crew
- Certified flight nurse or paramedic traveling in the adjacent seat
- Range
- Any scheduled route, from short domestic hops to long international itineraries
- Availability
- 24/7 coordination; departure depends on airline schedules and seat availability
-
Neonatal and Pediatric Air Ambulance
Neonatal and pediatric air ambulance transport moves newborns, infants, and children between hospitals by dedicated aircraft with a specialized medical team and equipment sized for the patient. It suits children who need a higher level of care than the local hospital can provide. Advanced Air Ambulance coordinates each transfer bedside to bedside, with a parent aboard on most flights.
- Who it's for
- Newborns, infants, and children, from stable transfers to critical NICU and PICU cases
- Medical crew
- Neonatal or pediatric nurse with respiratory therapist, selected by the medical director
- Range
- Domestic and international
- Availability
- 24/7; most domestic missions depart within 24 hours of confirmation
-
Organ Transplant Transport
Organ transplant transport is an on-call private flight that moves a transplant recipient, or a surgical retrieval team, to the transplant center within the narrow window after an organ becomes available. It suits waitlisted patients who live beyond driving distance of their center. Advanced Air Ambulance operates around the clock and pre-registers cases so dispatch is immediate.
- Who it's for
- Transplant waitlist patients and surgical retrieval teams needing immediate flights
- Medical crew
- Flight nurse and paramedic or respiratory therapist, as the recipient's condition requires
- Range
- Domestic; international by arrangement
- Availability
- 24/7; pre-registration recommended for fastest response when an organ is offered
-
Executive Air Charter
Executive air charter is private, on-demand air travel for business or personal passengers on jets and turboprops, scheduled to your departure time rather than an airline timetable. It suits travelers who need privacy, flexibility, or access to airports airlines do not serve. Advanced Air Ambulance's charter division arranges the aircraft, ground transportation, and travel details under the same 24-hour dispatch.
- Who it's for
- Business and private travelers who need privacy, flexibility, and direct routing
- Medical crew
- Not standard; a nurse or paramedic can accompany on request
- Range
- Domestic and international, with permits, fuel, and handling arranged in-house
- Availability
- 24/7 dispatch; departures set by the passenger
How a transport comes together
Every transport, whether a private air ambulance, an airline stretcher, or a ground ambulance, follows the same sequence. Families, hospitals, and case managers all reach the same 24/7 line, and our flight coordinators carry the case from the first call through arrival.
- Call +1-800-633-3590 (international +1-305-232-7700) or request a quote online. A flight coordinator reviews the patient's condition, origin, destination, and timing, and recommends the option that fits.
- You receive a free, no-obligation quote as one all-inclusive figure: aircraft, medical crew, and ground ambulance at both ends, unless you ask for something different. We can assist in verifying insurance coverage and benefits.
- Once you confirm, we schedule the aircraft and medical crew, arrange the sending-hospital pickup, and, for international flights, handle permits, fuel, ground handling, and customs. Most domestic missions can depart within 24 hours.
- The medical crew takes over at the bedside, monitors the patient throughout the flight, and hands the patient off to the receiving team. A ground ambulance completes the final leg.
Get a quote
Not sure which service fits? We’ll help you choose.
Give us a call or send us an email anytime, we are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and endeavour to answer all inquiries within 24 hours.
If urgent, call us immediately.
- US toll-free
- +1-800-633-3590
- International
- +1-305-232-7700
- [email protected]
Frequently asked questions
Should my patient fly by private air ambulance or on a commercial airline?
It comes down to stability and position. A patient who needs continuous intensive care, cannot travel commercially, or cannot wait for an airline schedule belongs on a private air ambulance. A stable patient who cannot sit up can travel on a commercial airline stretcher; one who can sit upright may only need a medical escort. A flight coordinator will confirm the fit on the first call.
What determines the cost of a medical flight?
Distance, aircraft type, the level of medical care the patient needs, and the ground legs at each end drive the price. A commercial airline stretcher can save families up to tens of thousands of dollars compared with a private air ambulance when the patient is stable enough. Every quote is free, with no obligation, and comes as one all-inclusive figure. If you receive a better quote elsewhere, we will do our best to match it.
Does insurance cover an air ambulance, and will you help with the claim?
Coverage varies by policy and by the medical reason for the transfer. We can assist in verifying your coverage and benefits, may also assist in obtaining pre-authorization where possible, and can assist in submitting a claim on the patient’s behalf once the transport is complete. We work with any insurance company that guarantees payment, and we accept private, government, and corporate pay.
How quickly can a medical flight depart?
Our dispatch line is answered 24/7, and online quote requests typically get a flight coordinator’s call within one to two hours, always within 24. Most domestic missions can depart within 24 hours of confirmation, sometimes the same day. International flights need permits, fuel, and ground handling arranged first, which we handle in-house. Transplant cases can be pre-registered so dispatch is immediate when the call comes.
Can a family member travel with the patient?
Yes, as the aircraft allows. Family companions are welcome on a private air ambulance, and larger aircraft can accommodate more people. On most neonatal and pediatric flights a parent can accompany their child. On a commercial airline stretcher or medical escort flight, relatives can usually book seats on the same scheduled flight. Tell the flight coordinator who is traveling when you request a quote so the right aircraft is matched.