When should I take decongestant before flight?

Decongestants taken by mouth might help if taken 30 minutes to an hour before an airplane flight. However, if you have heart disease, a heart rhythm disorder or high blood pressure or you're pregnant, avoid taking an oral decongestant. Take allergy medication.



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Take 1 Sudafed tablet on the morning of flight. Take 1 Sudafed tablet about 2 hours before landing. Spray nose with Otrivine well about 1 hour and then again 30 minutes before landing. Try to clear nasal ear passage by holding nose, blow out cheeks with mouth closed and swallow.

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As a general rule, flying with a sinus infection and a congested nose is not advised. Changes in cabin air pressure affect the air inside and outside of your head. As a result, clogged sinuses, which prevent you from equalizing pressure differences, can be excruciatingly painful.

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“If you've got inflammation blocking your means of equalizing the pressure, that's going to hurt,” he said. That pain can continue even after your flight as inflammation prevents the pressure from equalizing, Adalja added. It can also lead to trouble hearing, vertigo, and in rare cases, damage to the eardrum, Wu said.

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These include any hormone-based drugs, like the contraceptive pill and some fertility medicines, and drugs used to prevent heart attack and stroke. Antihistamines should also not be used to help passengers sleep during a flight.

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These drugs are usually taken shortly before a flight. They include: Anti-anxiety medication, such as diazepam (Valium) or alprazolam (Xanax). Motion sickness medication, such as dimenhydrinate (Dramamine).

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If you start to notice this pressure building, you can try some of these strategies:
  1. Take an antihistamine if needed before your flight. ...
  2. Yawn or swallow during takeoff.
  3. Try chewing a piece of gum or candy during takeoff, if yawning and swallowing don't work for you.


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If you have any allergy or cold-related symptoms, make sure you take an antihistamine or decongestant spray at least 30-45 minutes before your flight. Following this method can help alleviate any additional sinus pressure.

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Breathing in the steam from a hot drink or drinking 5-10 cups of water will help restore the moisture in your nose and will relieve the symptoms of a blocked nose. Mints and menthol chewing gum can also help relieve your blocked nose. Use a nasal spray which contains a decongestant half an hour before flying.

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Flying whilst infected with a cold increases the risk of physical damage to the inner ear and sinuses.

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Infectious Diseases
An airline can deny boarding of any passenger who looks unwell, especially if they suspect the passenger might be infectious (infect other passengers).

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It's important to check with your doctor before you fly whether it's safe for you to travel. If you have a flare-up of your condition, with increased cough, sputum and breathlessness, your doctor may well recommend delaying travel until your symptoms are back to their normal level.

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