Air ambulance in India
Bed-to-bed patient transfers by ICU-equipped aircraft and helicopter. What it costs, how booking works, what insurance covers, and the free government schemes.
- Domestic ICU flight
- About ₹6 to ₹10 lakh
- Hospital helicopter
- ₹1.6 to ₹2 lakh/hr
- Insurance add-on
- Often up to ₹5 lakh
- Free schemes
- MP, Odisha, Uttarakhand
What an air ambulance is
Reported domestic air ambulance flights cost about ₹6 lakh to ₹7 lakh from Raipur or Bhubaneswar to Hyderabad, about ₹8 lakh from Ranchi to Delhi, and over ₹10 lakh from Lucknow or the Northeast to Hyderabad (2026). Apollo publishes ₹1.6 lakh to ₹2 lakh per hour for its hospital helicopter service. Price depends on distance, aircraft, medical crew and ground ambulances at each end.
An air ambulance is an aircraft or helicopter fitted as a flying intensive care unit, with a doctor and paramedic on board, that moves a patient from one hospital bed to another.
Helicopters suit shorter distances and places without a runway; fixed-wing aircraft such as the King Air are preferred over longer interstate or international distances, where they offer more room and lower cost per kilometre.
In India, air ambulance flights are flown by non-scheduled (NSOP) operators whose aircraft are endorsed for the role. Domestic flights need no separate DGCA approval, flights abroad need DGCA clearance, and the government does not regulate the fares.
The government told Parliament in 2022 that India had 49 air ambulances run by 19 operators, which had moved about 4,100 patients in three years.
Sources:Deccan Chronicle, Sep 2026: air ambulance traffic to HyderabadWION, Feb 2026: Ranchi air ambulance flight and its costApollo Hospitals: air ambulance servicesLok Sabha Unstarred Q 2514: air ambulance servicesDGCA CAR Section 3 Series C Part III: non-scheduled operator permitWION, 2022: India's air ambulance fleet and a US to Chennai airliftAerocare India, Sep 2026: air ambulance cost in India (provider estimates)
Air ambulance cost in India
What moves the price: positioning the aircraft to the patient's city, flight time, the medical team and equipment (ventilator, monitors, infusion pumps, incubator for newborns), ground ambulances at both ends, airport fees, short notice and, for flights abroad, permits.
| Trip or service | Reported cost | When |
|---|---|---|
| Raipur or Bhubaneswar to Hyderabad | About ₹6 lakh to ₹7 lakh | 2026 |
| Ranchi to Delhi (Beechcraft C90) | About ₹8 lakh | 2026 |
| Lucknow or the Northeast to Hyderabad | Over ₹10 lakh | 2026 |
| Andamans to the mainland, stretcher on an airline | About ₹3 lakh, nearly ₹4 lakh with attendants and medical care | 2025 |
| Apollo hospital helicopter | ₹1.6 lakh to ₹2 lakh per hour | Published by Apollo |
| US (Portland) to Chennai, two jets, 26 hours | USD 133,000 | 2022 |
Costs as reported in the news or published by the provider. No credible source publishes a per-kilometre rate; every flight is quoted on the aircraft, distance, medical crew and ground ambulances.
Sources:Deccan Chronicle, Sep 2026: air ambulance traffic to HyderabadWION, Feb 2026: Ranchi air ambulance flight and its costNicobar Times, Apr 2025: stretcher patients from the AndamansApollo Hospitals: air ambulance servicesWION, 2022: India's air ambulance fleet and a US to Chennai airliftAerocare India, Sep 2026: air ambulance cost in India (provider estimates)
Tell us the dates and passengers. A specialist replies with aircraft options and an all-in price, around the clock.
Does health insurance cover an air ambulance?
- Often, as a benefit in comprehensive plans or as an add-on, up to a fixed limit. For example, HDFC ERGO Optima Super Secure pays up to ₹5 lakh a policy year for emergency air ambulance, on top of the sum insured.
- Insurers need a doctor's written certificate that air transfer is medically necessary, and the related hospital stay must be claimable.
- Claims can be cashless with pre-authorisation, or reimbursed afterwards.
- Standard Indian plans usually cover evacuation within India only.
- Common exclusions: non-emergency or planned transfers, and transport without pre-authorisation or outside the insurer's network.
- For a claim, keep the claim form, the doctor's certificate, medical reports, the air ambulance bills and the admission and discharge summaries.
Sources:Ditto, Jun 2026: HDFC ERGO Optima Super Secure reviewICICI Lombard, Apr 2026: air ambulance cover in health insuranceManipalCigna: claim limits on air ambulance benefits
Free and subsidised air ambulance schemes
| Scheme | Who it serves | How it is requested |
|---|---|---|
| Madhya Pradesh: PM Shri Air Ambulance (from March 2024) | Accident, disaster and critical patients. Free for Ayushman card holders to government and empanelled hospitals; free within MP to government hospitals for others | Recommended by the district CMHO and approved by the Collector; a C-90 aircraft and an AW109 helicopter are on standby in Bhopal |
| Odisha: Emergency Care by Air Lifting (March 2026) | Critical patients who need care outside Odisha; the state pays the full cost | Assessed by an expert committee, approved by the Principal Secretary (Health), arranged by a state nodal officer |
| Uttarakhand: Sanjeevani heli ambulance, AIIMS Rishikesh (from 29 Oct 2024) | Free for patients, all 13 districts, within 150 km; the first HEMS project in India | Through AIIMS Rishikesh |
| Andaman and Nicobar | Ayushman Bharat stretcher patients referred by a specialist get airfare reimbursed, plus one attendant | On specialist referral |
Scheme rules change; check with the district hospital or state health department before relying on them.
Sources:ETV Bharat, Mar 2024: Madhya Pradesh launches air ambulance serviceMorung Express, May 2026: MP government airlifts an infantThe Hitavada, Jun 2024: constable airlifted to AIIMS BhopalDainik Jagran, Dec 2025: PM Shri Air Ambulance in four monthsMedical Dialogues, Mar 2026: Odisha introduces emergency care by air liftingETV Bharat, Oct 2024: heli ambulance service launched at AIIMS RishikeshLok Sabha AU4424, Mar 2025: HEMS pilot project SanjeevaniNicobar Times, Jul 2025: airfare reimbursement for referred patients
How to book an air ambulance
Providers commonly ask for a fit-to-fly certificate, the discharge summary or current records, acceptance by the receiving hospital, the patient's ID, consent from the patient or next of kin, and a deposit.
If the patient can sit up or lie on a stretcher without intensive care, an airline stretcher may be enough: Air India needs a medical clearance form for each sector, one adult escort and carries one stretcher per flight, in economy, and does not accept patients on ventilators except case by case.
- 01Talk to the doctor
The treating doctor confirms the patient is fit to fly and what support is needed on board: ventilator, oxygen, incubator or a specialist.
- 02Share the details
Patient's condition and weight, the sending and receiving hospitals, the patient's ID (passport and visa if going abroad) and any insurance details.
- 03Bed to bed
We confirm the aircraft, crew and ground ambulances at both ends, and the all-in price, before the flight is booked.
Sources:Aerocare India, Sep 2026: air ambulance cost in India (provider estimates)Air India: travellers requiring a stretcher
Choosing a safe operator
In February 2026 an air ambulance flying from Ranchi to Delhi crashed near Chatra, Jharkhand, killing all seven people on board. DGCA then tightened rules for every non-scheduled operator: operators must publish each aircraft's age, maintenance history and pilot experience, special safety audits were run, and a pilot's decision to divert or cancel must carry no commercial penalty.
When we arrange an air ambulance, we name the operator and aircraft before you confirm, and you can check the operator's DGCA permit and fleet on its page in our operators directory.
Sources:WION, Feb 2026: Ranchi air ambulance flight and its costFlapone, Feb 2026: DGCA tightens rules for non-scheduled operatorsDainik Jagran, Feb 2026: DGCA mandates aircraft age and maintenance disclosure
Aircraft used as air ambulances
Twin-engine turboprops such as the King Air and light jets carry ICU stretchers over longer distances; twin-engine helicopters such as the AW109 serve shorter hops and hospital helipads.
Questions, answered
Still deciding? A charter specialist will talk you through aircraft, airports and price, with no obligation.
Ask a specialistWhat is an air ambulance?+
An aircraft or helicopter fitted as a flying intensive care unit, with a doctor and paramedic on board, that moves a patient between hospitals.
Air ambulance kya hota hai?+
Air ambulance ek aisa vimaan ya helicopter hai jismein ICU jaisi suvidha hoti hai, aur doctor aur paramedic ke saath mareez ko ek hospital se doosre hospital tak le jaya jata hai.
How much does an air ambulance cost in India?+
Reported domestic flights cost about ₹6 lakh to ₹10 lakh or more depending on distance (2026). Hospital helicopter services are published at ₹1.6 lakh to ₹2 lakh per hour.
How do I book an air ambulance in India?+
Get the treating doctor's fit-to-fly advice, then share the patient's condition, both hospitals, ID and insurance details. We confirm the aircraft, crew, ground ambulances and all-in price before booking.
Does health insurance cover an air ambulance?+
Many comprehensive plans and add-ons do, up to a limit such as ₹5 lakh a year, if a doctor certifies it is medically necessary and the hospital stay is claimable.
Is there a free air ambulance in India?+
Some states run free or funded services: Madhya Pradesh's PM Shri Air Ambulance, Odisha's Emergency Care by Air Lifting, and the Sanjeevani heli ambulance at AIIMS Rishikesh.
Which was India's first heli ambulance service?+
Sanjeevani at AIIMS Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, launched on 29 October 2024 as India's first helicopter emergency medical service project.
Can an air ambulance fly abroad?+
Yes, with DGCA clearance for the flight and the destination's permits. A 26-hour US to Chennai transfer in 2022 cost USD 133,000.
Related pages
Fares, dates and rules on this page were checked on 14 October 2026. Official fares and schedules change every season; the operator or authority named in each source has the final word.
- 1.Deccan Chronicle, Sep 2026: air ambulance traffic to Hyderabad
- 2.WION, Feb 2026: Ranchi air ambulance flight and its cost
- 3.Apollo Hospitals: air ambulance services
- 4.Lok Sabha Unstarred Q 2514: air ambulance services
- 5.DGCA CAR Section 3 Series C Part III: non-scheduled operator permit
- 6.WION, 2022: India's air ambulance fleet and a US to Chennai airlift
- 7.Aerocare India, Sep 2026: air ambulance cost in India (provider estimates)
- 8.Nicobar Times, Apr 2025: stretcher patients from the Andamans
- 9.Ditto, Jun 2026: HDFC ERGO Optima Super Secure review
- 10.ICICI Lombard, Apr 2026: air ambulance cover in health insurance
- 11.ManipalCigna: claim limits on air ambulance benefits
- 12.ETV Bharat, Mar 2024: Madhya Pradesh launches air ambulance service
- 13.Morung Express, May 2026: MP government airlifts an infant
- 14.The Hitavada, Jun 2024: constable airlifted to AIIMS Bhopal
- 15.Dainik Jagran, Dec 2025: PM Shri Air Ambulance in four months
- 16.Medical Dialogues, Mar 2026: Odisha introduces emergency care by air lifting
- 17.ETV Bharat, Oct 2024: heli ambulance service launched at AIIMS Rishikesh
- 18.Lok Sabha AU4424, Mar 2025: HEMS pilot project Sanjeevani
- 19.Nicobar Times, Jul 2025: airfare reimbursement for referred patients
- 20.Air India: travellers requiring a stretcher
- 21.Flapone, Feb 2026: DGCA tightens rules for non-scheduled operators
- 22.Dainik Jagran, Feb 2026: DGCA mandates aircraft age and maintenance disclosure
Arrange a medical flight.
A specialist replies around the clock with aircraft options, the operator's name and an all-in price.