Chickenpox Fit to Fly Certificate, Same Day

No. Airlines won't let passengers with active chickenpox board. You're infectious from about 2 days before the spots appear until every spot has crusted over, which is usually around 5 days after the spots first appeared. Many airlines also set a waiting period, often up to 7 days after the last new spot, and ask for a fit to fly certificate from a doctor. Waiting periods vary, so check your airline's policy.

Many airlines ask for a doctor's letter confirming you or your child are no longer infectious before they'll let you board after chickenpox, and check-in staff can refuse boarding without one. A FastDoc chickenpox fit to fly certificate is issued by a GMC-registered UK doctor and is accepted by major airlines including British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair, Jet2 and TUI.

Chickenpox is infectious from about 2 days before the spots appear until all the spots have crusted over, which is usually around 5 days after they first appeared. New spots can keep appearing for several days, so what matters is when the last spot crusts over, not just when the first one appeared.

Once every spot has crusted over, no new spots have appeared for at least 24 hours, and your child has no fever. Most children reach this stage within 5 to 10 days of the first spots. Your airline may also set its own waiting period, so check its policy, then order your certificate once the spots have crusted.

A FastDoc chickenpox fit to fly certificate costs £29.95 for Same Day service when you order before 8pm, or £49.95 for Premium priority review. There are no hidden fees, and if the doctor can't issue a letter you get a full refund under our Refund Guarantee.

You choose your delivery speed at checkout. Same Day service delivers your certificate the same day when you order before 8pm. Premium puts your request at the top of the queue, and certificates are usually issued within 30-90 minutes for orders placed between 8am and 9pm, 7 days a week. It's emailed to you as a PDF, ready to show at check-in or send to your airline.

Most airlines expect the certificate to be dated close to your flight, often within 6-7 days of departure. If your return flight is more than a week later, you may need a second certificate. The certificate confirms your fitness to fly at the time it's issued.

The certificate reflects your condition when it was issued. New spots mean the infection is still active, so you shouldn't fly. Once the new spots have crusted over, request a new assessment and the doctor will review your case again.

No video is needed. You can describe the stage of recovery in detail, or upload photos of the spots if you prefer. Photos help the doctor confirm that every spot has crusted over and that you're no longer infectious.

No. A GMC-registered UK doctor reviews your case remotely, based on the information and any photos you provide. If the doctor can't safely confirm you or your child are fit to fly, or thinks an in-person check is needed, they'll tell you rather than issue a certificate.

If the doctor finds the spots haven't fully crusted over, or you still show signs of being infectious, they won't issue a fit to fly certificate. Instead, they can issue a "not fit to fly" letter confirming your condition, which is useful for travel insurance claims and airline rebooking requests. If the doctor can't issue any letter, you'll receive a full refund.

Every FastDoc certificate shows the doctor's full name, signature and GMC registration number, which anyone can check on the GMC's public register. Airlines can also confirm a certificate using our letter verification page, or by emailing hello@fastdoc.co.uk.

Yes. FastDoc certificates are signed by GMC-registered UK doctors and are accepted by major UK travel insurers, including Allianz, Direct Travel, Insure4Less and Aviva. To claim, you'll usually need a letter confirming chickenpox and the dates you were unfit to travel, a fit to fly certificate confirming when you were cleared, and proof you told your insurer promptly. FastDoc can provide both the "not fit to fly" and fit to fly letters.

Yes. Chickenpox is most common in children, but adults can get it too and face the same airline rules, often with a longer recovery. FastDoc issues certificates for both children and adults using the same process.

Yes. FastDoc works wherever you are. If chickenpox develops while you're on holiday, complete the form and upload photos from your hotel, and a GMC-registered UK doctor will review your case and email your certificate.

A child who is still infectious can't fly, but a sibling without chickenpox can fly normally. If both children have had chickenpox and all their spots have crusted over, certificates can be issued for both. If one is still infectious, check your airline and travel insurer's policies before deciding how to travel.

Yes. Your information is encrypted, stored securely and only accessed by the doctor reviewing your case and the team processing your order. We never sell your data, and it is only shared with the service providers we need to process your order, such as our secure payment and email partners, in line with UK GDPR. See our Privacy Notice for details.