Accessible travel isn’t about checking a box. It’s about understanding what you need, asking the right questions and planning the entire journey — from the airport and hotel room to the ship, shore excursion and ride home.
A wheelchair-accessible room may be perfect for one traveler and completely unsuitable for another. A ship may be highly accessible while one of its ports is not. And assistance that works beautifully at one airport may require additional planning somewhere else.
That’s why good accessible travel planning starts with specifics: How do you move through a space? What equipment travels with you? Which bathroom features matter? Can you transfer? Do you need hearing or visual accommodations? Will you travel with a service animal? Does a child need a predictable routine, sensory accommodations or specialized nutrition? What parts of the experience are most important to you?
This resource center is designed to help you know what to ask, what to verify and where to find authoritative information before your journey begins.
Policies, equipment and accessibility can change. Always verify current requirements and arrangements directly with the airline, cruise line, hotel, transportation provider or other supplier before travel.
The better question is:
“Is it accessible for me?”
Think beyond the hotel room or cruise cabin. Consider every connection between home and destination.
Air travel involves several different systems — airline assistance, airport facilities, security screening and the aircraft itself. Knowing who handles what can make planning considerably easier.
Request assistance directly from your airline, preferably when making your reservation or well before departure.
Under U.S. air-travel rules, passengers with disabilities can request assistance moving through the airport, making connections, boarding and deplaning. Assistance can include ground wheelchairs, boarding chairs, accessible carts, ramps or lifts when appropriate.
If you requested assistance in advance, identify yourself to airline personnel when you arrive so they know you are there and ready to receive the requested service.
BBB TIP: Don’t simply request “wheelchair assistance” if your needs are more specific. Explain whether you can walk short distances, climb aircraft stairs, transfer into an aisle chair or require assistance all the way to the aircraft seat.
Under U.S. DOT rules, a passenger with a disability who identifies at the gate as needing additional time or assistance to board, be seated or stow accessibility equipment must be given an opportunity to board before other passengers, subject to limited approved alternative procedures.
Speak with the gate agent before boarding begins rather than waiting until your boarding group is called.
Assistive devices receive protections under U.S. air-travel rules. They do not count against the normal carry-on allowance.
Some collapsible manual wheelchairs may qualify for priority cabin storage on certain aircraft. Devices that cannot be accommodated in the cabin are generally transported in the cargo compartment when they can be carried safely.
For powered devices, provide the airline with accurate dimensions, weight and battery information.
Before handing over a mobility device: consider taking photographs, remove detachable accessories when appropriate, clearly identify any special handling instructions and make sure airline personnel understand how the device should be handled.
Ask how and where the device will be returned when you land.
Report loss or damage immediately to the airline.
For disability-related problems involving a U.S. flight, ask for the airline’s Complaint Resolution Official (CRO). Airlines must make a CRO available during operating hours, either in person or by telephone.
The U.S. Department of Transportation also accepts aviation consumer complaints.
Photographs of the device before travel, identifying information, receipts and documentation of damage can be useful if a claim is necessary.
TSA Cares is a U.S. Transportation Security Administration helpline for travelers with disabilities, medical conditions and other circumstances who have questions about security screening.
Travelers may also request assistance from a Passenger Support Specialist at the checkpoint.
TSA currently recommends making that request at least 72 hours before travel.
TSA Cares: 1-855-787-2227
Many assistive and medical devices can travel by air, but requirements depend upon the device and, in some cases, its batteries.
The FAA has specific acceptance criteria for portable oxygen concentrators used aboard aircraft. Travelers depending on a POC should also plan sufficient battery capacity for their journey and follow current airline and FAA battery requirements.
CPAP and other medical equipment may also be subject to airline, security and battery rules.
Important: Never assume that because a device traveled on one airline it will automatically be handled identically on another. Verify the exact model, battery type and intended use with your carrier before departure.
Official U.S. air-travel resources:
DOT — Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights →
TSA Cares →
FAA — Portable Oxygen Concentrators →
Modern cruise ships can offer impressive accessibility features. But the cabin, gangway, port, tender, shore excursion — and any medical or equipment support you require — are different pieces of the same journey.
An accessible ship does not automatically mean an accessible itinerary.
Start with the features you actually need rather than the word “accessible.”
Depending on ship and cruise line, accessible cabins may offer wider doorways, ramped thresholds, additional maneuvering space, roll-in showers, shower seats, grab bars, accessible vanities, lowered storage and other features.
For example, Disney Cruise Line currently describes accessible stateroom features that include minimum 32-inch doors, roll-in showers, grab bars, accessible vanities and ramped thresholds.
Features vary by ship and cabin.
Ask specifically about: doorway width, bathroom configuration, shower type, grab-bar location, bed height and clearance, balcony threshold, storage, turning space and any communication features you require.
Cruise lines generally accommodate many mobility devices, but size, storage, charging and safety requirements vary.
Provide the cruise line with the type and dimensions of your equipment before sailing.
Do not assume that a scooter can remain in the corridor outside your cabin. Cruise lines may prohibit equipment from being stored in passageways for safety reasons.
Also determine whether your device will fit through your cabin doorway and whether there is enough space to store and charge it safely.
Sometimes the equipment that makes travel possible doesn’t need to travel from home with you.
Special Needs Group / Special Needs at Sea provides rental equipment for travelers, including wheelchairs, mobility scooters, power chairs, oxygen and respiratory equipment, patient lifts, hospital beds, bed and bath safety equipment and other specialized items.
Depending upon the destination and equipment, rentals may be delivered directly to a cruise stateroom, hotel or other travel location.
This can be especially useful when transporting your own equipment would be difficult — or when additional equipment is needed only during the trip.
BBB TIP: Arrange specialized equipment well before departure. Availability, delivery locations and cruise-line requirements can vary, so we’ll help identify what needs to be confirmed before you travel.
For some travelers receiving dialysis, cruising may still be possible with specialized advance planning.
Dialysis at Sea provides hemodialysis services aboard select cruise sailings. Their current program includes renal-care professionals traveling aboard participating sailings and scheduled dialysis treatment while the ship is underway.
This is not something to arrange after choosing just any cruise. Available ships, sailing dates, itineraries, medical eligibility and treatment arrangements need to be considered from the beginning.
BBB TIP: If dialysis is part of your travel requirements, tell us before we begin narrowing down cruises. The medical requirement should help shape the itinerary — rather than trying to make an already-booked itinerary fit afterward.
Medical decisions and fitness to travel must always be discussed with your own healthcare team and the dialysis provider.
At some destinations, the ship cannot dock directly at a pier. Instead, passengers travel between ship and shore aboard a smaller boat commonly called a tender or water shuttle.
This can be a major accessibility consideration.
Whether a traveler can use a tender may depend upon the vessel, mobility device, ability to transfer or take steps, sea conditions, weather, tides and local facilities.
Some powered wheelchairs and scooters cannot be accommodated unless roll-on capability is available.
Even a port originally scheduled to dock can occasionally be changed to tender operations.
BBB TIP: If going ashore at a particular destination is important to you, check tender arrangements before choosing the itinerary — not after booking it.
Some are. Some are partially accessible. Others are not practical for a particular traveler or mobility device.
The words “easy,” “panoramic” or “minimal walking” do not automatically mean wheelchair accessible.
Ask about the entire excursion:
• Is the transportation lift- or ramp-equipped?
• Can the vehicle accommodate your particular device?
• Must you transfer into a vehicle seat?
• Are there steps?
• What surfaces will you encounter?
• Are accessible restrooms available?
• Can staff physically assist with transfers?
• How far must you travel from ship to vehicle?
• Are all advertised stops actually accessible?
Outside the United States, do not assume U.S. ADA standards apply.
Look beyond the ship.
Review each port and ask whether the ship docks or tenders, how steep the gangway may be, whether accessible transportation is available, whether excursions can accommodate your equipment and whether there are destinations where you may be unable to go ashore.
Also consider any equipment, medical, dietary or sensory support that needs to be arranged before sailing.
If certain ports are the primary reason you’re taking the cruise, their accessibility deserves just as much attention as the cabin.
The features that make a room usable are highly individual. Ask for details rather than relying on a category label.
Identify your non-negotiable features.
Depending on your needs, questions might include:
• Is there step-free access from arrival point to room?
• What is the doorway width?
• Is there enough maneuvering space?
• Roll-in shower or accessible tub?
• Fixed or portable shower seat?
• Where are the grab bars?
• What is the bed height?
• Is there clearance beneath the bed if a lift is used?
• Is the balcony or patio accessible?
• Are visual or audible notification devices available?
If a particular feature determines whether you can use the room, get confirmation before booking.
For U.S. places of lodging covered by the ADA, reservation systems must provide accessibility information sufficient to help travelers assess whether rooms meet their needs.
When a property guarantees reservations, ADA rules also address holding the specific accessible guest room reserved rather than substituting an inaccessible room at arrival.
Because properties and circumstances vary, document exactly what you reserved and retain your confirmation.
A usable guest room doesn’t necessarily make the entire resort usable.
Ask about routes between your room and restaurants, pools, beaches, lobbies and entertainment areas.
For beach resorts, determine whether beach-access mats, beach wheelchairs or other equipment are available and whether advance reservation is required.
If the resort uses golf carts, boats, vans or shuttles, ask how those services accommodate your particular mobility needs.
A perfectly accessible hotel doesn’t help much if the traveler cannot get from the airport, station or cruise terminal to the front door.
Confirm the actual vehicle, not simply that “accessible transportation” is available.
Ask whether the vehicle has a ramp or lift, whether your mobility device fits, whether you remain in the device or transfer to a seat, how the device is secured and whether advance reservations are required.
For international travel, accessible vehicles can be limited in some destinations, so this is worth arranging early.
Historic destinations can present challenges that don’t show up in brochures: cobblestones, steep grades, stairs, narrow sidewalks, high curbs, long walking distances and older buildings.
That doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t go.
It means we should understand the environment before building the itinerary around it.
Accessibility varies by country, operator, train and station.
In the United States, Amtrak provides accessible seating and wheelchair spaces and describes several boarding methods depending on station and train configuration, including bridge plates, ramps and station-based lifts.
Accessible space may require reservation, so include accessibility needs when booking rather than waiting until departure.
Accessible family travel can involve much more than ramps and door widths. For a child with medical, developmental, sensory, dietary or behavioral needs, seemingly small details can determine whether a vacation feels exciting — or exhausting.
The goal isn’t to make every child travel the same way.
It’s to plan around the child who is actually traveling.
Sometimes the most important accessibility question is simply: “What helps this child feel safe, comfortable and included?”
Tell us what an ordinary day looks like — and what tends to make an unfamiliar day harder.
That might include mobility needs, medications, medical equipment, feeding requirements, sensory sensitivities, communication needs, sleep routines, toileting, difficulty with crowds or waiting, food restrictions, the need for downtime or the importance of maintaining a predictable schedule.
You don’t need to fit your child into an accessibility category before talking with us.
BBB TIP: The more we understand about what makes a day work well for your family, the better questions we can ask when researching the trip.
Children who use feeding tubes or specialized nutrition can travel, but the logistics deserve attention before departure.
Depending upon the child’s individual needs, planning may include formula or nutritional products, feeding supplies, pumps and chargers, medication, refrigeration, safe storage, cleaning supplies and enough backup supplies to account for delays or disruptions.
Airline, security, cruise-line, hotel and destination requirements may differ, particularly when liquids, medical nutrition, batteries or equipment are involved.
Families should discuss travel plans with the child’s medical team and verify transportation and storage requirements with the applicable travel providers.
BBB TIP: Don’t plan only for the perfect travel day. Consider what you would need if a flight were delayed, luggage went missing or you arrived at the destination later than expected.
Busy airports, unfamiliar rooms, crowds, queues, announcements, bright lights, noise and sudden schedule changes can be challenging for some children with Autism, ADHD or other sensory and cognitive needs.
Useful planning will be different for every child.
It might mean choosing a quieter room location, learning boarding procedures beforehand, minimizing complicated connections, identifying quieter spaces, discussing waiting and queue procedures, allowing recovery time between activities or avoiding an itinerary that changes hotels every night.
For some families, knowing what will happen next is as important as knowing where they’re going.
BBB TIP: A vacation doesn’t have to include every available activity to be successful. Sometimes leaving breathing room in the itinerary is one of the most important accommodations we can make.
Disney destinations and Disney Cruise Line have established accessibility resources that can be especially helpful for families who plan ahead.
Disney Cruise Line provides information and services for Guests with disabilities, including resources relating to Autism spectrum disorders. Its dining teams also have procedures for many dietary requests and food allergies, with certain requests requiring advance notice.
That doesn’t mean every need can automatically be accommodated, and specialized medical nutrition or feeding requirements should never be assumed.
Tell us what your child needs before the trip is booked so we can identify the right questions for Disney’s current accessibility, Special Services and dining teams.
BBB TIP: “Special dietary needs” can mean very different things. Be specific about allergies, textures, ingredients, medical nutrition, food preparation concerns and anything else that matters to your child rather than relying on a general request.
Accessible family travel should work for the family — not just the itinerary.
When one child needs additional support, siblings and parents may have different wishes, energy levels and expectations.
Thoughtful planning can include activities everyone can enjoy together, opportunities to divide into smaller groups when appropriate and enough flexibility that changing a plan doesn’t feel like ruining the vacation.
The objective isn’t a perfect schedule.
It’s a trip where everyone has the opportunity to make good memories.
Family accessibility resources:
Disney Cruise Line — Guests with Disabilities →
Disney Cruise Line — Dietary Requests & Food Allergies →
TSA Cares →
Accessible travel planning can include sensory, communication, cognitive and other needs as well as physical accessibility.
For flights covered by U.S. DOT rules, a service animal is a dog, regardless of breed or type, individually trained to perform work or tasks for a qualified individual with a disability.
Airlines may require current DOT service-animal documentation under the applicable rules.
For reservations made sufficiently in advance, an airline may require the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form up to 48 hours before departure. Additional documentation can apply to flights of eight hours or more.
International destinations may also impose their own animal-entry, vaccination, health or quarantine requirements.
Always investigate both the airline rules and destination-entry requirements well before departure.
Ask providers about the particular communication features you use.
Depending upon provider and property, options may include captioning, assistive listening systems, visual notification devices, vibrating or bed-shaker alarms, accessible-format information and assistance navigating unfamiliar environments.
Cruise ships and resorts vary substantially, so tell the provider what accommodation is useful to you rather than simply stating a diagnosis or disability.
Crowds, noise, unfamiliar routines, long queues and unexpected schedule changes can affect travelers differently.
Depending on the traveler, useful planning might include quieter accommodations, understanding boarding procedures beforehand, reducing complicated transfers, building recovery time into an itinerary or contacting the provider about available accommodations.
The goal isn’t to make assumptions about what someone needs. It is to ask.
Accessibility isn’t a favor added to the trip.
It’s part of planning the trip.
1. Can I — or the person I’m traveling with — comfortably use the room, cabin and important spaces?
2. Are the bathroom, sleeping and communication features actually appropriate for our needs?
3. Can mobility, medical, feeding or other necessary equipment travel safely — and is appropriate storage, charging or refrigeration available?
4. How will we travel between the airport, port, station and accommodation?
5. Are the places and experiences we most want to enjoy actually accessible to us?
6. Does the itinerary contain tender ports, difficult transfers, sensory challenges or other access limitations we should understand?
7. What medical, dietary, sensory, cognitive or developmental needs should be discussed with providers before booking?
8. What assistance, equipment or accommodations must be requested in advance?
9. Have our important accessibility requests been documented with each provider?
10. Who should we contact if something doesn’t work as planned?
You shouldn’t have to become an expert on every ship, hotel, airline and destination before you’re allowed to dream about traveling.
Tell us what matters to you. We’ll help ask the questions, research the possibilities and identify the details worth confirming before you commit.
Mobility. Medical equipment. Sensory needs. Specialized nutrition. A child’s routines. A grandparent’s accessible cabin. Sometimes the detail that seems small to someone else is the detail that determines whether the journey works for you.
We start with the traveler — not the brochure.
We can’t promise that every destination or experience will work for every traveler. What we can do is take your requirements seriously from the beginning.
Accessibility policies and services change. These resources are good places to verify current information and begin asking the right questions before you travel.
U.S. DOT
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TSA Cares
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FAA PackSafe
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ADA.gov
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Amtrak Accessibility
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Special Needs at Sea
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Dialysis at Sea
Information on this page is provided as a travel-planning resource and is not legal or medical advice. Always confirm current policies, medical requirements and your individual arrangements directly with the applicable provider and, when appropriate, your healthcare team.
Start with the trip you want to take — then tell us about the accessibility considerations that matter to you.
Cruise, resort, group, family vacation or something completely different, we’ll begin with the traveler rather than the brochure.
You don’t need to know the technical name for every accommodation before we talk. Tell us what you need a travel day to look like, and we’ll start asking the right questions.
