Can I be denied boarding if I have a cold?

It is important to note that an airline has the right to refuse a passenger if staff believe that the passenger meets the following conditions: if the passenger could be considered a potential safety hazard, might require medical attention during the flight, has a condition that might deteriorate during the flight, or ...



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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outlines who might be too under-the-weather to fly—namely, anyone with a fever of 100° F (38° C) or higher and a severe cough, or difficulty breathing, or the kind of stomach sickness that makes a hangover look like a picnic.

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It is important to note that an airline has the right to refuse a passenger if staff believe that the passenger meets the following conditions: if the passenger could be considered a potential safety hazard, might require medical attention during the flight, has a condition that might deteriorate during the flight, or ...

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Our goal is to keep you well informed about this problem so that you may avoid the discomfort that is associated with it. PLEASE NOTE: You should avoid flying if your nose is congested from a cold or allergies.

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If you fly with a head cold or seasonal allergies, Dr. Pinkston said it's possible you may significantly stretch your eardrum because your Eustachian tubes wouldn't be working properly to equalize pressure. If the stretching of the eardrum is considerable, these problems may occur: Capillaries in the ear break.

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if you suffer from or have had:
  • angina or chest pain at rest.
  • an infectious disease (e.g. chickenpox, flu), including COVID-19.
  • decompression sickness after diving (sometimes called 'the bends')
  • increased pressure in the brain (due to bleeding, injury or infection)
  • infection of your ears or sinuses.
  • recent heart attack.


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The most common reason for denied boarding is overbooking. This is when airlines sell more tickets than there are seats on the aircraft. The reason for this common practice is so-called 'no-shows'.

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If suffering from a sinus infection while flying, you may experience severe sinus pressure and pain. We recommend avoiding air travel when possible if you have a sinus infection. By treating the root cause of your sinus pressure and pain, you can avoid a lifetime of painful flights.

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What to do before you fly with cold symptoms
  1. Take decongestants. Medicines like Sudafed work to reduce swelling around your Eustachian tubes, giving the ear more of a shot at equalizing, says Linder. ...
  2. Try nasal sprays. Really stuffed up? ...
  3. Pack lozenges. Keep hard candy to suck on or gum to chew in your carry-on as well.


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Generally, you should also bag a trip if you have a fever higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit and symptoms such as coughing or sneezing, says William Schaffner, M.D., a professor of infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

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If your ears feel full and blocked or you keep getting the sensation that they aren't able to pop properly, then flying is probably going to make this worse. It is especially important for children to avoid flying with an ear infection as they are at higher risk due to having narrower Eustachian tubes.

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Air pressure changes when airplanes take off and land. That change happens faster than your eustachian tubes can react. The same thing happens if you do deep-water diving, as water pressure quickly changes. Ear barotrauma can happen more frequently if you have congestion from a cold or allergies.

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