Will TSA allow me to carry a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)/sleep apnea device?

I carried my Cpap device to/from USA with no problems. I contacted the airline in advance to enquire as I'd not done this before and - like you - I was unsure of the procedure. Without any hesitation they updated my booking to two pieces of hand luggage (one medical). Cabin crew too were helpful and asked if I needed to sit near a power outlet. At TSA and in UK when asked about the machine, no one did more than check that it was what I said it was. In fact one agent was jealous that I had such a new model (thanks NHS !). Maybe give the airline a call to see if they have any specific advice?

This is an extract from TSA website (link below)

"Individuals with disabilities or medical conditions, who use medical devices should not think of a TSA checkpoint as a barrier to travel. It’s okay to bring along a CPAP machine or a breast pump. Yes, passengers can travel with an insulin pump or an ostomy pouch. If an individual has a temporary medical condition, perhaps a broken leg, it does not prevent him from getting through a checkpoint." Some contact phone numbers there as well: https://www.tsa.gov/news/releases/2017/05/23/tsa-shares-tips-travelers-disabilities-medical-devices-medical-conditions

Hope this helps.

I happened to chat about this with my doctor recently. She said that you are indeed allowed to bring a CPAP device on the plane with you, and that you really shouldn't put one in your checked luggage. The TSA confirms this, and has a short rundown of how the security screening process will go. Since the security screening equipment and plastic luggage bins aren't even remotely close to sterile, you might want to bring a clear plastic bag to put the machine in to avoid contamination. Sanitize it again at your earliest opportunity.

Medical devices like a CPAP are generally treated different than regular carry-on luggage. Most airlines do not count a medical device towards your quota of carry-on bags or personal items. If in-cabin storage is limited and passengers are having to gate-check their carry-on bags, medical devices typically get priority (even if they have to bump somebody's bag that's already on the plane). The problem with CPAP devices is that they frequently have carrying cases that do too good of a good job of blending in with "normal" luggage. You may have to remind crew members that your bag is a medical device and not a normal carry-on. It might be worthwhile to ask the attendant at the luggage check counter if the airline has an official "this is a medical device" tag you can attach to the case to minimize confusion later.

Your can carry on your CPAP. As a medical device, it does not count towards your carry-on allowance. For both regular security and pre-check, the device can stay in a dedicated case. If you're carrying it in e.g. a backpack, however, it should be removed and placed in a bin.

My wife & I each carried a CPAP machine in our carry-on luggage while traveling over the past few weeks. With TSA there wasn't even a question. One non-TSA screener asked to pull the devices out to confirm that they actually operated.

Yes - you can take it along. You will have to remove it from your bag to go through security so keep an eye on it. (And your laptop and your phone and your car keys at the same time ... darn.)

BTW, not endorsing a product here - but there are now "travel" CPAPS that are much more compact yet work great. I've got a dreamstation go w/heated humidifier and w/battery pack and it's just fine - I use it with the battery on the plane and the humidifier in the hotel room. But any of them I'm sure would make travel easier.

(I've taken mine in the US and to Europe and back too, no problem. And I don't bother with any separate bag for it. It's small enough I just stick it in a gallon sized "baggie" (to keep it clean - mask&hose get a separate baggie) and jam it in my carry on with everything else.)

Yes, you must remove it from the bag for X-ray:

A nebulizer, CPAP, BiPAP and APAP must be removed from its carrying case and undergo X-ray screening. Facemasks and tubing may remain in the case. You may provide a clear plastic bag to place the device through the X-ray. Am I allowed to carry my CPAP machine onboard the plane, do I have to remove it from my carry-on? Source: Transportation Security Administration

Travel tips: Travelling with a CPAP Machine Source: Transportation Security Administration

I have flown several times with mine, carry-on, and treat it just like my laptop. It's no big deal, they've seen enough of them.