Traveling with a C-Pap machine

You can read and reference responses on this topic covered several times in the recent past also:
https://search.ricksteves.com/?button=&date_range=6m&filter=Travel+Forum&query=cpap&utf8=%E2%9C%93

If through your insurance you're up for a new machine, by all means try to get a smaller one before you go. We've been on three trips in 8 years and I have had a smaller one each time. Still, it's a little bit of a pain but by all means carry it on, and it shouldn't be counted against you as a carry-on. Just to be sure, before each trip, I obtained a letter from my neurologist verifying my need for a CPAP, then for the case I made up a laminated tag with a medical logo and in large print 'MEDICAL EQUIPMENT'.

It's amazing how normal it is now to carry a CPAP traveling as opposed to eight years ago. You should have no problem.

My husband has packed his CPAP the last few years. The first year, he brought it in the separate storage bag but wasn’t happy dealing with the extra bag when we were moving between hotels, trains, etc. Now he brings the half section (leaves the water section home) and packs that it in suitcase. He places the hose in his backpack.

My husband has brought his CPAP the last few years. The first year, he
brought it in the separate storage bag but wasn’t happy carrying it
around. Now he brings the half section (leaves the water section home)
and packs that it in suitcase. He places the hose in his backpack.

Geez, Jean, I would never, ever pack any part of my CPAP to be checked, no matter how bulky. It's one thing to lose your clothes, those can be replaced abroad. A part to a CPAP? Forget about it--you'll do without and sleep horribly.

Yes, mine is a separate bag but I can slide its Velcro through the telescopic handle of my 21" Samsonite spinner, and I'm good to go, no need for bungee cords or anything else. And I pack my meds in there too. Not much room for anything else.

Ditto the comment about taking it apart and packing in regular luggage if you can. Even though the airline doesn’t count it as part of your luggage allowance it’s still another bag to haul around and keep up with.
Check to see if it’s good for 100/ 240 voltage. If so you should only need a plug adapter. We also travel with an extension cord. Many older hotels and b&b’s don’t always have an electrical outlet close enough to the bed.

Jay, we haven’t checked a suitcase for 16 years in the US or Europe.. (16 years ago we took our first RS trip.)

Wow, Jean, you must be a 'packing light' veteran! Bravo!

Jay, I agree with you that the CPAP shouldn’t be handed over to the airlines baggage system. If they are planning to check their suitcase, they could place the CPAP in the small backpack and then transfer the CPAP cube into their suitcase at arrival.

Our trip to Spain this past October was the first time that my husband brought his CPAP machine with him on a trip to Europe. He just packed it in his carry on - he didn't want to lug a third bag. We travel light so it wasn't a problem.

I emailed our hotels to make sure we got rooms with an outlet close to the bed, and we brought a converter for the CPAP.

Yeah, that's the other thing, and I just experienced it in Vegas this last weekend, in a suite no less.

I usually place the machine on the end table right next to the bed. Sometimes at hotels there is an outlet on the base of the light on the table, and that's nice indeed. But the closest outlet was under the bed, in the middle, down by the floor. Fortunately, I had brought an extension cord just for that eventuality, so we had to slide the mattress out, plug the extension in, slide the mattress back and then we were fine. Pain in the you-know-what.

But in Europe, who knows where the outlet might be, especially in an apartment or B&B? For European travel I have a dual voltage power strip--pretty bulky actually--and then an extension cord. But my new machine--from 2016--supposedly works with either voltage, so now I'm confused!

My sister traveled with her cpap last fall as her third carry on bag. Hers is not travel size so it is heavy. We took taxis to and from the airport and the train stations but she was able to handle the bag okay in between and through the airports. She did have some trouble finding distilled water in Paris and Amsterdam and finally just quit using the machine. Oh, and she always had to use an extension cord to be able to get the machine close to her.

My husband never takes the humidifier attachment which lightens the load and saves space. Airport security will inspect it but these are so common with travelers that you won't have any problems.

My husband left the "water" half at home during our 4 country Europe trip last May. We traveled with carry ons only. No problem at all. Except half way through the trip when he decided to clean the nose piece and left it in the hotel in Prague! Please double check for all your parts and pieces! We could not find a replacement and the last couple days he was a bit punchy. ;-)

Be sure you pack some back up parts: spare hose, seal, nose thingies if applicable.

Rather than not use a prescibed machine if you can’tfind distilled water, just use tap water those few days.