Resource Guide
Medical Travel & Vacation Companion Guide
How to arrange a CNA, MA, or Nurse Travel Companion to accompany an older adult on a flight, through airports, or during a vacation.
Straight Answers
What does a Travel Companion actually do on a trip?
A CNA, MA, or Nurse travels alongside an older adult or a passenger who needs support through the airport, during the flight as a fellow passenger, and during vacation activities — helping with mobility, wayfinding, medication reminders, and everyday comfort. They are not airline staff, do not provide in-flight emergency medical care, and are not a substitute for an air ambulance.
Presence has no affiliation with any airline. The airline controls boarding procedures, wheelchair assistance at the gate, seating, and anything that happens with aircraft equipment; Presence controls the ground transportation and the personal support the Travel Companion provides as a fellow traveler.
What Medical Travel & Vacation Companion Services Are For
Medical Travel & Vacation Companion Services are for families who want an older adult, or anyone who needs extra support, to travel with the reassurance of a CNA, MA, or Nurse alongside them — whether that's a flight to visit grandchildren, a family vacation, or a trip to see a specialist out of state. The Travel Companion travels as a fellow passenger, providing hands-on help with mobility, orientation, reminders, and day-to-day comfort throughout the trip.
What a Travel Companion Does and Does Not Do
- Does: assist with walking, wheelchair use, and getting through security and the gate
- Does: help keep track of medications, meals, and hydration during travel
- Does: provide reassurance, orientation, and company through unfamiliar airports or destinations
- Does not: replace airline personnel, gate agents, or flight crew
- Does not: provide in-flight emergency medical care or act as a substitute for an air ambulance
- Does not: administer clinical treatment beyond the CNA, MA, or Nurse's scope and licensure
What the Airline Controls vs. What Presence Controls
It helps to be clear about the line between the two. The airline controls boarding order, gate wheelchair assistance, seating assignments, in-flight service, and anything involving the aircraft itself. Presence has no affiliation with any airline and does not control or guarantee any of that.
Presence controls the ground transportation to and from the airport, and the personal support the Travel Companion provides as a fellow traveler seated near the passenger. If the airline offers its own wheelchair or gate assistance, the Travel Companion works alongside it rather than replacing it.
Scope and Licensure Limits
A CNA, MA, or Nurse serving as a Travel Companion works within their scope of practice and licensure, the same as they would in any other setting. This is a companion and support role during travel, not a clinical care or emergency response role. If a passenger has a condition that could require clinical monitoring or intervention during the trip, that's a conversation to have with their physician well before booking, since it may point toward a different kind of medical transport altogether rather than a companion arrangement.
Wheelchair Travel and Airport Logistics
If the passenger uses a wheelchair, the Travel Companion helps coordinate the trip from home to the gate, working with whatever airline wheelchair assistance is offered at check-in and security. Ground transportation to and from DFW International or Dallas Love Field can be arranged separately through Presence's airport wheelchair transportation.
How Far Ahead to Ask
Travel Companion trips involve more coordination than a local ride — flight times, airline assistance requests, and the length of the trip all factor in. Reach out as early as you can once travel dates are set, so there's time to talk through the passenger's needs, the itinerary, and what support makes sense for each leg of the trip.
What to Tell Dispatch
- Travel dates, flight times, and airports or destinations involved
- Whether the passenger needs wheelchair assistance and whether they'll use their own chair or an airline-provided one
- Any medications, mobility needs, or routines the Travel Companion should be aware of
- Whether ground transportation to and from the airport is also needed
- Return trip details, if the Travel Companion is accompanying a round trip
Scope and Safety
This guide is general educational information about arranging transportation, not medical advice. For a medical emergency, call 911.
Presence NEMT is not an emergency ambulance service and does not provide clinical care en route. Call 911 in an emergency.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Presence affiliated with any airline?
- No. Presence NEMT has no affiliation with any airline. The Travel Companion travels as a fellow passenger and works alongside whatever assistance the airline itself provides.
- Can the Travel Companion handle a medical emergency during the flight?
- No. A Travel Companion is not a substitute for an air ambulance or in-flight emergency medical response. In an emergency, follow the flight crew's instructions and standard emergency procedures.
- Does the Travel Companion sit next to the passenger on the plane?
- Seating is arranged through the airline when tickets are booked; the Travel Companion travels on the same flight as a fellow passenger and coordinates with the family on seating when possible.
- Is this the same as a medical escort service?
- Medical Travel & Vacation Companion Services are sometimes referred to professionally as medical escort or flight escort support — the consumer-facing term is Travel Companion, describing a CNA, MA, or Nurse who accompanies the passenger.
- Can a Travel Companion help with a wheelchair user going through airport security?
- Yes, the Travel Companion can accompany and assist a wheelchair user through the airport process, working alongside any assistance the airline provides at the gate and during boarding.
- How is this different from just booking a ride to the airport?
- Ground transportation gets the passenger to and from the airport; the Travel Companion service adds a CNA, MA, or Nurse who travels along through the airport, the flight, and the destination for ongoing support.
- What should I tell the Travel Companion about my family member's routine?
- Share medication timing, mobility limitations, dietary needs, and anything that helps them settle in during travel — the more detail up front, the smoother the trip.
Ask About Travel Companion Services
Call or text Presence NEMT and a local team member will help you arrange transportation. No health details are required upfront to get started.