Surface Interval Time: How Long after Diving before your can Fly

Recently, a person thinking about diving with the group asked a very important question regarding how much time we had to wait after diving before it was safe to fly home. When I got certified, I believe was at least 24 hours, but based on several sources, including DAN and the American Academy of Physicians, it's 12 hours if you are NOT diving consecutive days, which we aren't.  According to a DAN article I was reading, published in 1995, a lot depends on your overall physical well being.

The U.S. Navy tables recommend that you wait at least two hours before you board a plane after diving (I got this info from a Navy Recruiter and diver I work with); the U.S.Air Force says you should wait 24 hours, however this is for consecutive days of diving; DAN recommends a 12-hour minimum surface interval before flying. Since every one in the dive group will spend an additional night in Papeete after the dives in Morrea, we have nothing to worry about. But I thought you might be interested in the recommended pre-flight surface interval time suggested by DAN; here's what they say:

Revised "Flying After Diving" Guidelines for Recreational Diving - May 2002 (the most recent guidelines)

The following guidelines are the consensus of attendees at a 2002 Flying After Diving Workshop. They apply to air dives followed by flights at cabin altitudes of 2,000 to 8,000 feet (610 to 2,438 meters) for divers who do not have symptoms of decompression sickness (DCS). The recommended preflight surface intervals do not guarantee avoidance of DCS - (some people refer to it as DCI). Longer surface intervals will reduce DCS risk further.

For a single no-decompression dive, a minimum preflight surface interval of 12 hours is suggested.

For multiple dives per day or multiple days of diving, a minimum preflight surface interval of 18 hours is suggested.

For dives requiring decompression stops, there is little evidence on which to base a recommendation and a preflight surface interval substantially longer than 18 hours appears prudent.


Good Luck!