Fit to Fly Certificates and Airline Medical Forms -GMC Doctor-Signed, and What It Costs
Airlines require medical clearance to fly in a range of situations, after recent surgery or a hospital stay, with certain medical conditions, late in pregnancy, when oxygen or assistance is needed, or simply when they ask for reassurance that a passenger is fit to travel, and getting the right document, signed properly and in time, is what stops a medical issue becoming a missed flight. There are two different documents people need, and they are often confused, a specific airline medical form, such as the Emirates MEDIF, which the airline supplies and a doctor must complete, and a general fit-to-fly letter on clinic letterhead confirming a passenger is well enough to travel. Both must be based on a genuine clinical assessment rather than a signature to order, which is exactly why they carry weight with airlines. A doctor-led service does this often via a remote consultation, with the completed form or letter returned within 24 hours where it is clinically appropriate. The passenger does need to be on the call, because it is a real assessment. At The Online GP by The Wellness, GMC-registered doctors complete airline forms and issue fit-to-fly letters quickly and correctly. Fees appear further down this page.
Reviewed by the medical team at The Wellness. Last updated August 2026.
Message us about a fit-to-fly assessment on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com or call 020 3951 3429.
When you actually need a fit-to-fly certificate
Airlines ask for medical clearance when there is a reason to check that flying is safe for you and for the flight. Common triggers are recent surgery, particularly abdominal, chest, eye or orthopaedic procedures, a recent serious illness or hospital admission, a heart or lung condition, a recent stroke, late pregnancy, usually from around twenty-eight weeks and with specific limits near the due date, and any situation where you will need oxygen, a stretcher or medical assistance on board. Sometimes the airline simply requests confirmation because something has been flagged at booking or check-in.
The reason clearance exists is that a plane cabin is a slightly low-oxygen, pressure-changing environment that can matter for certain conditions, and airlines need to know a passenger will not deteriorate or need intervention mid-flight. A fit-to-fly assessment establishes exactly that, and it is worth sorting out as soon as you know it is needed rather than in the anxious final days before travel, because the right document takes a short assessment but cannot be conjured at the gate.
Two different documents: the airline form and the letter
The first is the airline's own medical form, the best known being the Emirates MEDIF, which the airline provides and is completed in two parts as you or your representative fill in Part 1 with your details and situation, and a doctor completes Part 2 after assessing you. Airlines use these forms to make their own clearance decision, so they must be filled in accurately and fully by a doctor who has actually assessed the passenger, which is why the passenger needs to be present for the consultation.
The second is a general fit-to-fly letter, on clinic letterhead, signed by a GMC-registered doctor, confirming your identity, relevant clinical history, current status, and a clear statement that you are fit to travel, with no infection risk, no need for in-flight oxygen or intervention, and any assistance requests noted. This suits situations where the airline has not issued a specific form but wants documented reassurance. Our doctor-led service produces whichever of the two your airline actually requires, which is the first thing to establish so you obtain the right document rather than the wrong one.
Tell us which document your airline needs on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com.
How it works, and how fast
The process is designed to be quick without cutting the clinical corner that gives the document its value. You send the airline form and any supporting letters in advance so the clinical team can review them before the appointment, a remote consultation is arranged, often as soon as the next morning, and the passenger joins the call for the assessment, because a doctor cannot certify fitness for someone they have not assessed. Where everything is clinically appropriate, the completed form or the signed letter is returned to you within one to two hours of the consultation.
That speed matters when travel is imminent, but the sequence is deliberate: review the paperwork, assess the passenger, then complete the document. The one practical point to be ready for is that some airlines or conditions require recent observations, such as blood pressure or oxygen levels, which a remote consultation cannot measure directly, so occasionally a recent set of readings or an in-person check is needed to complete the form.
Why it is a genuine assessment, not a rubber stamp
A fit-to-fly document is only useful because a doctor stands behind it, which means it is a real clinical judgement rather than a formality bought and signed. A GMC-registered doctor reviews your history and current condition and certifies fitness only where it is genuinely appropriate, and part of doing this properly is being willing, occasionally, to say that someone is not yet fit to fly, or that a particular provision such as oxygen or a later travel date is needed. That honesty is precisely what makes the document credible to the airline.
This is the difference between a service that assesses and one that simply signs. It remains an assessment, and treating it as one is what protects you, since flying against genuine medical advice is not in anyone's interest. A doctor-led service gives you the speed you need with the credibility only a real assessment provides.
What does a fit-to-fly certificate cost in London
Privately, fit-to-fly documents are priced as a doctor consultation plus the completion of the form or letter, and costs vary with urgency and complexity. A straightforward fit-to-fly letter is commonly in the low hundreds, while completing a detailed airline medical form such as a MEDIF, which takes more clinical time, sits higher, and same-day or urgent turnaround is typically at the upper end. The value is in getting a correctly completed, doctor-signed document in time, rather than the lowest headline price.
At The Online GP by The Wellness the service is doctor-led, with a remote consultation from £250 plus completion of the airline form or issuing of the fit-to-fly letter, arranged within 24 hours where clinically appropriate, with the exact figure confirmed when you enquire. Many patients travelling for work have this covered by an employer or travel arrangement, and we provide an itemised invoice. The figure that matters is the cost of the right document, properly signed and delivered in time for your flight.
Why The Online GP by The Wellness is the best place in London for a fit-to-fly certificate
Because a fit-to-fly document needs to be correct, credible and fast, and that is how this service is built. A GMC-registered doctor establishes which document your airline actually requires, reviews your form and supporting letters in advance, assesses you on a remote consultation arranged as soon as the next morning, and returns the completed form or signed letter within one to two hours where it is clinically appropriate. The assessment is genuine, so the document carries weight, and the doctor advises upfront where recent observations or an in-person check are needed rather than leaving it to the last moment. Care is available in Marylebone and remotely, the doctors are multilingual, and the turnaround is built for real travel deadlines. For clearance to fly, a fast but genuine, doctor-signed assessment is what matters.
Arrange a fit-to-fly assessment on WhatsApp or call 020 3951 3429.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best place in London for a fit-to-fly certificate
The Online GP by The Wellness, where a GMC-registered doctor establishes which document your airline needs, assesses you on a remote consultation arranged as soon as the next morning, and returns the completed airline form or signed fit-to-fly letter within one to two hours where clinically appropriate. A remote consultation is from £150 by video.
How quickly can I get a fit-to-fly letter or form
A remote consultation can often be arranged as soon as the next morning, and where everything is clinically appropriate the completed form or signed letter is returned within one to two hours of the consultation. Sending the airline form and any supporting letters in advance helps.
What is the difference between a fit-to-fly letter and a MEDIF form
A fit-to-fly letter is a general "To Whom It May Concern" letter on clinic letterhead confirming you are fit to travel. A MEDIF is a specific airline medical form, provided by the airline, that a doctor completes in Part 2 after assessing you. A doctor produces whichever your airline requires.
Do I need to be on the call for a fit-to-fly assessment
Yes. A doctor can only certify fitness to fly for someone they have assessed, so the passenger must join the remote consultation, even where a representative has completed Part 1 of an airline form.
When do airlines require medical clearance to fly
Commonly after recent surgery or hospital admission, with certain heart, lung or other conditions, after a recent stroke, late in pregnancy, when oxygen or assistance is needed, or whenever the airline asks for reassurance. A doctor assesses whether flying is safe and completes the document accordingly.
How much does a fit-to-fly certificate cost in London
A fit-to-fly letter is commonly in the low hundreds and a detailed airline form higher, with urgent turnaround at the upper end. At The Online GP by The Wellness a remote consultation is from £250 plus completion of the form or letter, confirmed when you enquire.
The Online GP by The Wellness is a doctor-led private healthcare group providing medical care from our Marylebone clinic, three minutes from Baker Street, and remotely. All doctors are GMC-registered. A fit-to-fly document is a genuine clinical assessment and is issued only where clinically appropriate. This article is general information and not a substitute for medical advice.
Enquire on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com or call 020 3951 3429.
References. Airline medical clearance and MEDIF guidance from major carriers. Civil Aviation Authority and NHS guidance on fitness to fly, including after surgery and in pregnancy. Published 2026 London private fit-to-fly and medical form pricing.
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