Transportation Assistance

Office of Rare Diseases - Links to charitable or special fare flights to research and treatment sites, a nationwide directory of hospital hospitality houses for patients and families, and fee-for-service ambulance services – from the Office of Rare Diseases website.

CancerCare’s website listing of transportation assistance links - Call 1-800-296-1217. This phone line is staffed 24 hours/day, 365 days a year. A list of medical travel sites in the USA, also lists travel resources by state. (last checked May 2004)

A comprehensive list of free medical flights

"The Air Care Alliance is a nationwide league of humanitarian flying organizations whose volunteer pilots are dedicated to community service. This site will introduce you to us and to all the groups we list whose volunteers perform public benefit flying for health care, patient transport, disaster relief, environmental support, and other missions of public service. "

"Angel Flight provides, through its members, access for people in need seeking free air transportation to specialized health care facilities or distant destinations due to family, community or national crisis."
Angel Flight Europe - a charitable organization which arranges free long distance transportation for needy patients in non-emergency medical situations.

Corp Angel Network - free use of empty spaces on corporate jets for children going for cancer treatments.

Mercy Medical - helping those in need of medical transit.

Miracle Flights for Kids - Free flights for medical emergencies.

Dreamline - flights for medical or vacation trips for families of seriously ill children.

Lifeline Pilots - Uses small private air crafts for free flights for medical emergencies and other compelling needs.

Miracle Flights - Flights for children with medical needs.

Mercy Medical Airlift  - Charitable air transportation in situations of compelling human need.

Patient Travel - Our goal is to ensure that no financially-needy patient is denied access to distant specialized medical evaluation, diagnosis or treatment for lack of a means of medical air transportation.
Volunteer Pilots Association - is a charitable non-profit organization providing air transportation to needy people who must travel to obtain medical treatment.

AirLifeLine - AirLifeLine is a national nonprofit charitable organization of over 1,500 private pilots who fly ambulatory patients who cannot afford the cost of travel to medical facilities for diagnosis and treatment. All pilots donate their time, aircraft, and fuel to make this air transportation service totally free of charge for patients who qualify. 5775 Wayzata Boulevard, Suite 700, Minneapolis, MN 55416 Telephone: (877) 727-7728 Or 50 Fullerton Court, Suite 200, Sacramento, CA 95825, Telephone: (877) AIRLIFE (877-247-5433)

Delta Airlines SkyWish Program - This program uses donated frequent flyer miles to help children and adults with life-threatening illnesses and injuries travel to get the help they need. Telephone: (703) 519-0092 Fax: (703) 519-0097

National Patient Travel Center - The National Patient Travel Center (NPTC) facilitates patient access to appropriate charitable medical air transportation resources in the United States. The National Patient Travel HELPLINE provides information about all forms of charitable, long-distance medical air transportation and provides referrals to all appropriate sources of help available through the Angel Flight America Network. For patients who are able to travel in light aircraft and who are traveling less than 1,000 miles, a private or corporate aircraft flown by a volunteer pilot will be the likely source of travel. Longer travel may be accommodated through one or more of the many donated airline ticket or reduced-rate airline ticket programs. c/o Mercy Medical Airlift, 4620 Haygood Road, Suite 1
Virginia Beach, VA 23455 Telephone: (757) 318-9174 (main number) or (800) 296-1217 (National Patient Travel HELPLINE) or (800) 325-8908 (National Patient Ticket HELPLINE) or (888) 675-1405 (Special-Lift and Child-Lift programs) Fax: (757) 318-9107

DreamLine, Inc - DreamLine, Inc., recognizes that a child’s health depends not just on proper medical treatment but on overall wellness; the organization also recognizes that a child’s illness often creates an enormous financial burden for the family. DreamLine seeks to help seriously ill children and their families by providing transportation so that children can go on vacation, visit friends or family, or travel for emergency medical treatment. 117 North Merril Street, Park Ridge, IL 60068 Telephone: (847) 910-3940 (urgent calls only, please) Fax: (520) 563-6437 (primary fax) or (847) 384-0690 (home fax)

Northwest Airlines KidCares - Northwest Airlines uses donated frequent flyer miles to provide free air travel to children age 18 and younger who must travel to receive medical treatment. Telephone: (612) 726-4206

Search the Mobility International USA - (last checked April 2004)

Getting money and flights to travel to doctor visits

The Department of Transportation's  Consumer Disability Toll-Free Hotline 1-800 778-4838 (voice)1-800-455-9880 (TTY).  The hotline will provide general information to consumers about the rights of air travelers with disabilities, respond to requests for printed consumer information, and assist air travelers with time-sensitive disability-related issues that need to be addressed in "real time." The line is staffed from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern time, seven days a week.

Easter Seals Project ACTION  - Accessible Community Transportation In Our Nation (ACTION) " Funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transportation Administration, Easter Seals Project ACTION promotes cooperation between the transportation industry and the disability community to increase mobility for people with disabilities under the ADA and beyond. They offer various resources, as well as training and technical assistance."

Information for the Air Traveler with a Disability- This tip sheet helps provide you with information you need to know before planning your next trip.

National Center on Workforce and Disabilty/Adult - Information on assisting a job seeker with a disability to find transportation.

Wishes and Rainbows - Links to apply for programs that can help you with SS disability issues, purchase of medicine, grants to help with bills and other needs.