How much does a medical repatriation cost?
There is no single price. The cost depends first on the patient’s condition and the type of transport it calls for, then on the distance and the arrangements at each end. Send us the details and we will reply with a free, itemised written quote [usual time to send a quote].
Why every repatriation is priced case by case
Two patients on the same route can receive very different quotes: one may sit on a scheduled flight next to a nurse, another may need a dedicated aircraft with intensive care equipment. The transport is a medical choice, made with the treating doctor and the airline’s or operator’s medical team, and it largely sets the budget. The price is then built line by line.
The four main cost drivers
Type of transport
An air ambulance means chartering a whole aircraft, crew and medical team for one patient. A stretcher on a scheduled flight, or a seat with a medical escort, shares an airline flight and usually costs less.
Distance and flight time
Flight hours are a major line. An air ambulance must also fly from its base to the departure airport and return afterwards: these positioning legs are added to the patient’s flight.
Aircraft and medical team
A larger or faster aircraft costs more per hour. The team (doctor, nurse or both) and equipment such as intensive care monitoring, a ventilator or an incubator depend on the patient’s needs.
Ground ambulances
Most repatriations need an ambulance from the hospital to the departure airport, then from the arrival airport to the receiving hospital. A bed-to-bed transfer covers both ends.
Other items that can change the total
- Airport costs and permits: landing, parking and handling fees, plus overflight or landing permits where a country requires them.
- Night operations and waiting time: some airports charge extra outside opening hours, and waiting on the ground for documents or a bed adds cost.
- Crew rest: flight crews work within legal duty-time limits and medical teams need rest too, so a long mission may require a second crew or a night stop.
- Stretcher on a scheduled flight: the airline blocks several seats to install the stretcher, and the escort’s tickets, including their return journey, are added.
- Accompanying relatives: if space and the medical team allow it, a relative can travel too; on a scheduled flight, their ticket is added.
Indicative price ranges by type of transport
A guide only: the written quote for your case is the price that counts.
| Type of transport | Generally considered when | Indicative range |
|---|---|---|
| Air ambulance | Continuous care or intensive care equipment needed in flight, or no suitable scheduled flight | [range to be confirmed by the company] |
| Stretcher on a scheduled flight | The patient must lie down and the airline’s medical service has accepted the case | [range to be confirmed by the company] |
| Seat with a medical escort | The patient can stay seated but needs a doctor or nurse alongside | [range to be confirmed by the company] |
| Ground ambulance transfers | Hospital to airport, and airport to hospital | [range to be confirmed by the company] |
For an order of magnitude, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office gives examples in its travel insurance guidance: £25,000+ for a broken leg in Spain needing hospital treatment and possibly medical evacuation or repatriation, and £80,000+ for a quad bike accident in Greece needing surgery and evacuation. These amounts include hospital care and are examples, not quotes. The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs also warns that a repatriation after a serious illness or accident abroad can cost up to €80,000.
What a clear quote should include
A reliable quote is written, itemised and specific to the patient. Check that it states:
- the type of transport and, for an air ambulance, the aircraft type;
- the medical team and the main equipment planned;
- ground ambulances, airport fees and permits;
- whether a relative can travel, and at what cost;
- what is excluded, how long the price is valid and the payment terms.
Extra waiting time, a change of date or destination after confirmation, or an unplanned night stop may be charged on top: ask before you sign. Our guide to choosing a medical repatriation provider lists other points to check.
Who pays for a medical repatriation?
Travel insurance or an assistance contract
If the patient is insured, call the insurer’s emergency line first. Many contracts only pay for a transport their assistance service has agreed in advance, so check before committing to anything. See our guide to travel insurance and repatriation.
Health insurance cards and bank cards
The European Health Insurance Card does not pay for rescue or repatriation, as the European Commission’s Your Europe portal points out, and neither does the UK Global Health Insurance Card. Some bank cards include travel assistance with repatriation cover: conditions, ceilings and exclusions vary, so check them with the card issuer.
Private payment
Patients and families can also pay directly: [payment terms for private clients]. See also our page for patients and families.
Insurers and assistance companies
Insurers and assistance companies usually confirm their commitment with a guarantee of payment before the mission: see our page for insurers.
How to get an accurate quote quickly
The more precise your request, the faster the quote. Send us:
- the departure and arrival cities, with both hospitals if you know them;
- the desired date, or how urgent the transfer is;
- the patient’s condition in a few words;
- their mobility: able to sit, must lie down, or newborn needing an incubator;
- whether a relative wishes to travel too;
- the insurance or assistance details, with any case number.
The quote request form asks for each of them.
Important information
This page gives general information about costs. It does not replace the advice of the treating doctor, who decides with the airline’s or operator’s medical team whether and how the patient can travel. In an emergency, call the local emergency number (112 in the European Union).
Questions about costs
Is the quote free?
Yes. The written quote is free and lists each cost item. We send it [usual time to send a quote] once we have the information listed above.
Is a stretcher on a scheduled flight cheaper than an air ambulance?
Often, because no aircraft is chartered. But the airline must accept the patient, a suitable flight must exist, and several seats plus the escort’s tickets are charged. The treating doctor and the airline’s medical team decide.
Does the European Health Insurance Card pay for repatriation?
No. It covers necessary care in the visited country’s public healthcare system, not repatriation, which requires travel insurance or an assistance contract.
Can a family member travel with the patient?
In many cases, if space on board and the medical team allow it. Mention it in your request so the quote includes it.
Get a clear price for your repatriation
Tell us about the patient and the journey: we will reply with a free, itemised written quote [usual time to send a quote].