Travel that works for every body
Your rights, your kit, your trip. Honest guides for disabled and reduced-mobility travellers, written by people who've actually pushed a wheelchair through Gatwick at 6am.
Assistance is free. The law says so. Start there.
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Accessible travel advice online is a mess. This page fixes that.
Look, most of what's out there is scattered, five years out of date, or written by someone who's never once had to ask whether the "accessible" room has a roll-in shower or just a grab rail and good intentions. Half of it doesn't even agree on what your legal rights are.
This hub is the starting point. The essentials first, then it fans out into the specific guides: your rights in the air, booking rooms that actually work, insurance that covers your kit, and getting help through the airport without begging for it. Everything checked against the actual law, not vibes.
Six things every disabled traveller should know
Assistance is free. Airport and airline help costs nothing by law in the UK, EU and US. Nobody can charge you, and tipping is never required.
Mobility aids fly free. Wheelchairs, scooters and up to two mobility devices travel at no charge, on top of your baggage allowance.
Damage payouts differ hugely. International flights cap wheelchair compensation at roughly £1,580 / €1,850 / $2,050. US domestic flights have no cap at all.
Book help 48 hours ahead. Not legally required, but 48 hours' notice turns "reasonable efforts" into a firm obligation. Do it when you book the flight.
Hidden disabilities count. All three systems cover non-visible conditions and temporary injuries, not just wheelchair users. You never need to prove a diagnosis to get help.
Report damage fast. On international routes you have just 7 days to report a damaged aid in writing. Do it before you leave the airport if you can.
Pick your starting point
Organised by what you need, not where you're going. Because a roll-in shower matters in Rome and Reykjavik alike.
Know Your Rights
UK, EU and US rules compared: what's free, what airlines can't refuse, and who pays when your chair comes back bent. The law is on your side more often than the desk agent lets on.
Wheelchair & Mobility Travel
Rooms that actually fit a chair, cities that don't fight you, and how to spot the difference between "accessible" and accessible-with-a-straight-face before you pay a deposit.
Insurance for Disabled Travellers
Standard policies love excluding pre-existing conditions and mobility kit. Here's how to get cover that pays out when your £5,000 / $6,800 / €5,900 powerchair meets a baggage handler.
Hidden & Non-Visible Disabilities
Sunflower lanyards, quiet routes through security, and assistance you're entitled to even when nobody can see why. You don't owe anyone a diagnosis. Full guide in the works.
Guide coming soonAir Travel & Airports
From booking assistance to boarding first and getting your chair back in one piece. The airport is where most trips go sideways, so this is where most of the guides live.
Senior & Reduced-Mobility Travel
You don't need a disability to need a bit of help. Slower pace, less walking, more sitting down with a view. Our senior travel hub covers the lot, and it crosslinks right back here.
Latest accessible travel guides
New guides land here as we publish them. Rights, rooms, kit, and the occasional rant about broken lifts.
The airport assistance checklist
Eight things to sort before you fly. Tick them off as you go. Honestly, the passengers who do all eight sail through. The ones who wing it end up arguing at a desk.
0 of 8 sorted
Accessible travel FAQs
The questions we get asked most, answered honestly and checked against the actual rules.
Is airport assistance really free?
Yes, completely. In the UK, EU and US the law says airport and airline assistance costs nothing, and tipping is never required. If anyone hints at a fee, that's a complaint waiting to happen. The full breakdown is in our disabled air passenger rights guide.
What happens if my wheelchair gets damaged on a flight?
Report it in writing before you leave the airport and get a Property Irregularity Report. On international flights compensation is capped at roughly £1,580 / €1,850 / $2,050 unless you declared a higher value at check-in. On US domestic flights there's no cap: the airline must pay up to the original purchase price. And don't accept a voucher on the spot, that's a settlement, not a kindness.
Do I need to declare a disability when booking?
No, and airlines can't demand it. You never need to prove a diagnosis to get assistance. That said, requesting help 48 hours ahead turns "reasonable efforts" into a firm legal obligation, so it's worth flagging what you need even though you don't have to explain why.
Can an airline refuse to let me fly because of my disability?
Only in genuinely narrow cases: a legal safety requirement, or an aircraft that physically can't take you or your equipment. "It's inconvenient" is never a lawful reason. If refused, demand written reasons. UK and EU rules require them within 5 working days, and in the US the CRO must explain in writing within 10 days.
Do hidden disabilities qualify for assistance?
Yes. All three systems cover non-visible conditions, sensory impairments, learning disabilities and temporary injuries. That skiing knee counts. Sunflower lanyard schemes at most UK airports also quietly signal to staff that you might need more time or patience, no questions asked.
How do I book a hotel room that's actually accessible?
Call the hotel directly, ask for measurements and photos of the actual room, and get the accessible room type confirmed in writing, not just "requested". Third-party booking sites are where accessible reservations go to die. Our accessible hotel rooms guide has the full script to use.
Who do I complain to if the airline ignores me?
Start with the airline in writing, always. In the UK, escalate to the CAA or an ADR scheme after 8 weeks. In the EU, go to the national enforcement body where the problem happened. In the US, file with the DOT online. First responses are written to make you go away, so don't stop at the first "no".
Pack the checklist, not the worry
Grab the Free Travel Starter Kit: planning checklists, packing lists and the money-saving tips we actually use. And if a trip needs proper personalised planning, we do that too.
Questions about anything on this page? Get in touch, we answer everything. Some links on this page are affiliate links, see our affiliate disclosure.