Traveling With A Feeding Tube: 5 Tips for Hitting The Road

Summertime is coming up fast, and for many of us, that means it’s time for a well-deserved vacation! But if you or your child is tube-fed, traveling is often easier said than done.

Between remembering all of your supplies, keeping up with your nutrition, and navigating the nerves of being away from your medical team, traveling with a feeding tube can be quite the ordeal.

Luckily, with some careful preparation, you can set yourself up for success to visit a new place with your tube in tow. Take a look at our top tips on how to travel with a feeding tube.

Get a letter from your doctor

Before you do anything else, speak with your medical team about your travel plans to make sure you’re fully cleared to travel. Next, ask your GI doctor for a letter that you can keep with you in airports and throughout your trip. This medical note should explain:

• What your feeding tube is
• Why you have it
• What supplies you are traveling with
• That you may need to run feeds during your flight

It should also contain your doctor’s contact information and his or her signature.

(If you need a template, the Oley Foundation has a sample travel letter for tube-fed consumers.)

You can show this letter to officials in the airport, at hotels, at attractions, in hospitals, or in any other situation where you might need documentation to help explain your feeding tube.

It’s also a good idea to contact your home medical equipment provider and let them know about your travel plans. Make sure your shipment schedule of formula and/or feeding tube supplies aligns with the dates of your trip so you have enough supplies to last. The company might even be able to ship your items directly to your destination.

Consider getting travel insurance

Ideally, you’ll enjoy your trip and return back home with no need for medical care while you’re gone. But just in case, it’s a good idea to be prepared and know your options in case anything unexpected happens while you’re away.

Contact your health insurance company to ask about your benefits for domestic and international travel. Some plans cover any out-of-state care with in-network providers. Others will only cover out-of-state care if they deem it to be an emergency situation. Verify your evidence of coverage (EOC) document with your health insurance company.

It’s also helpful to locate the nearest hospital and urgent care by the place you’ll be staying.

Finally, while travel insurance certainly isn’t mandatory for your trip, experts like the CDC say that travel medical insurance is especially important for people with chronic health conditions and for people who are traveling abroad.

Pack extra feeding tube supplies

It’s always better to have extra supplies rather than to run out of something critical. Depending on your personal needs, your feeding tube packing list might include:

• Feeding pump (or something to hang gravity feeds)
• Pump charger
• Bag sets
• Back up pump
• Syringes
• Gauze, tape, barrier creams, dressings
• Formula or blenderized diet supplies
• Distilled water
• Small cooler bag for formulas or refrigerated medications
• Extension sets
• Extra button (if you change your own button)

Consider using packing cubes to organize your suitcase, taking one packing cube for each day of your trip and filling it with the amount of supplies you’d typically use in 24 hours.

If you’re flying, pack your feeding tube supplies and your medications in a carry-on bag so you can ensure they’ll be with you even if something happens to your checked luggage.

And once you arrive at your location, create an “emergency kit” of supplies and transfer them to a backpack or purse that you keep with you 24/7. Packing extra supplies won’t be very helpful if they end up sitting at the hotel all day!



Do you constantly worry that you’ll forget your pump charger? The Mobility+ feed delivery system doesn’t use electricity, so there’s no need for a pump or a charger — just our lightweight, wearable bag.

“We’ve traveled with a pump before and I can’t tell you how many times we would leave something at home,” says Emily, whose son uses Mobility+. “But with Mobility+, we just pack the bags, travel to wherever we’re going, and we even buy the formula there.”

For Juliana, traveling without her pump was more than just convenient — it was a milestone. "For the first time in 10 years, I didn’t even pack my pump when traveling. We went to LA, and I just took the Mobility+ set and my formulas and used it the whole time. It was great!"

Learn more about how Mobility+ works.

Prepare for flying with a feeding tube

Air travel with a feeding tube might seem intimidating. Help your flight(s) go more smoothly by contacting TSA Cares at least 72 hours ahead of time. They will walk you through the screening process. You’re allowed to carry on medically necessary liquids, such as feeding tube formula, but you are required to declare them to the TSA officers.



Remember to arrive at the airport with extra time built in to allow for going through security. And, if possible, try to book a direct flight to your destination — layovers and connections only create opportunities for complications and delays.

Pack your feeding tube supplies in their own suitcase (one that you’ll carry on, as recommended above). Depending on your airline, medical supplies or equipment may be allowed on board as additional items at no extra charge.

Finally, if you need to run feeds during your flight to stay on schedule, you can do so. It may be helpful to show the flight attendants your doctor’s letter and explain what you’re doing in case you need any help from them. Make sure your pump (if you’re using one) is fully charged and that you have a bag to throw away your trash or used items.



Thanks to solutions like our enteral feeding system Mobility+, being tube fed doesn’t have to stop you from traveling the world! Mobility+ user Andy Schuster says about a recent trip, “We even made it to the Czech Republic. Other places included Garmisch, Erbendorf, and Munich… and I brought my food with me. It is so convenient to take care of my nutrition needs [with Mobility+].”

Stick to your routine as much as possible

Try your best to adhere to your usual home routine throughout your trip. Travel brings a lot of changes — including variables such as a different environment and a new schedule. But it’s important to strive to get your usual amount of nutrition so you’ll have the energy to enjoy your trip.

This is another area where Mobility+ can help. Instead of being stuck at the hotel tethered to an IV pole for gravity feeds, you can slip on the bag and take it with you anywhere, continuing your feeds right on schedule.

See the sights with Mobility+

Even with a feeding tube, it’s completely possible to have a fulfilling, enjoyable vacation where you can still safely meet all of your nutritional needs. Make your next trip even easier by using Mobility+. Designed with travel in mind, Mobility+ is lightweight, compact, and easy to pack — so you can bring what you need without the bulk. Contact us to learn more and see how Mobility+ can work for you!



FAQs about traveling with a feeding tube

Can I travel with a feeding tube?

Yes, you can travel with a feeding tube! To help your trip go smoothly, get a letter from your doctor, pack extra feeding tube supplies, and stick to your routine as much as possible.

Can you fly with a feeding tube?

Yes, you can fly with a feeding tube. Contact TSA Cares ahead of time to help security go as smoothly as possible.

What feeding tube supplies should I pack?

Pack whichever supplies you would normally use, but bring extra of everything. If you’re flying, pack your formula, supplies, and medications in a carry-on bag (or ship your formula ahead to cut down on weight).