If your parent, spouse or colleague is in hospital in the UAE and needs to get home to India, the first question is usually the cost. The honest answer: it depends on how sick they are, because that decides how they can fly. Here's what each option costs, what's included, and how to get an exact quote today.
The short answer
- Seated with a nurse or doctor (stable patients who can sit upright for the whole trip): AED 12,000–18,000. Usually within 24–48 hours.
- Airline stretcher (stable patients who must lie flat): AED 25,000–35,000. Usually 3–4 days, after airline approval.
- ICU air ambulance, private jet (unstable, ventilated or urgent patients): USD 65,000–85,000. Often within 8 hours.
These are guide prices for a direct transfer to a major Indian city. Your quote is fixed and written after our doctor reviews the medical report.
What decides the price
- The patient's condition. It decides the mode of travel, and the mode is the biggest cost difference. A patient on a ventilator can only fly on an ICU jet.
- The destination city. Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai have direct flights from Dubai. Smaller cities may need a connection or a ground ambulance at the end.
- The medical team. A nurse costs less than a doctor; a critical-care doctor and nurse together cost more.
- Oxygen and equipment. Oxygen for the whole journey plus a reserve, a stretcher kit, monitors and suction.
- Ground ambulances. One from the UAE hospital to the airport, one from the Indian airport to the receiving hospital.
- Timing. An urgent same-day jet costs more than a planned transfer.
Airline stretcher: the most common choice
Most patients we bring home from the UAE to India fly by airline stretcher. Seats on a scheduled flight are replaced by a stretcher behind a curtain, and our doctor or nurse sits beside the patient.
The airline must approve the patient first. The treating doctor completes the airline's medical information form (MEDIF), and Emirates, for example, asks for it at least 48 hours before travel. Cabin crew don't give medical care, which is why a qualified escort is needed. Stretcher space is limited on each flight, so book early.
ICU air ambulance: when time or condition won't wait
A dedicated jet is a flying intensive care unit, with a ventilator, monitors, infusion pumps and a critical-care team. It flies when you need it, straight to the nearest airport to the receiving hospital. It costs the most, but for an unstable patient it's the only safe choice.
What a proper quote includes
Ask any provider whether their quote covers all of this. Ours does.
- Doctor-to-doctor call with the treating team before the flight
- Ground ambulance at both ends, bed to bed
- Medical team, oxygen, medicines and equipment
- Airline stretcher fees or the full jet charter
- Airport and hospital paperwork
- Seats for family members, where the aircraft allows
If a quote looks much cheaper, check what's left out. Ground ambulances and oxygen are the usual gaps.
Paperwork that can delay the flight
- A current medical report with diagnosis, vital signs, medication and oxygen needs
- An acceptance letter from the receiving hospital in India
- The patient's passport, plus discharge or clearance from the UAE hospital
- For a patient who is not an Indian citizen or OCI holder: an Indian e-Medical visa, and an e-Medical Attendant visa for each companion
- Insurance approval, if insurance is paying
We help collect and check every document, so nothing stops the flight at the airport.
Does insurance pay?
Sometimes. Travel insurance and some employer policies cover medical repatriation, and UAE residence health insurance usually doesn't. Send us the policy and we'll check with the insurer for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is an air ambulance cheaper than staying in hospital in the UAE? Often, for a long stay. A few days of ICU care in the UAE can cost more than the transfer. We can help you compare.
Can my relative fly on a normal seat? Only if their doctor and ours agree they can sit up safely for the whole journey, including check-in and the wait at the airport.
How fast can you arrange it? An ICU jet can often fly within 8 hours. An airline stretcher usually needs 3–4 days for airline approval.
Do you fly to my city in India? We fly to every Indian city with an airport, and add a ground ambulance where needed.
Can a family member come? Usually yes, depending on the mode of travel and the aircraft.
Get a free quote in minutes
Send the latest medical report on WhatsApp. Our doctor will reply with the safest option and a written, all-inclusive quote. No pressure to decide on the call.
Call 24/7: +971 50 282 5433