Allergies
What the FAA's documents say about allergies, in plain words, with the FAA's own words one press away.
Short version
The FAA's table sorts it into three rows.
| Situation | What the examiner does | Pathway |
|---|---|---|
| Allergies, severeSevere allergies | Defers to the FAA | FAA review |
| Hay fever, responds without side effectsHay fever solely by desensitization, responding without side effects | Examiner issues | Examiner can issue |
| Hay fever, otherwiseHay fever solely by desensitization, otherwise | Defers to the FAA | FAA review |
Show the FAA's words: the FAA's table for Allergies
- Allergies, severe · FAA review
Allergies, severe, for all classes. The table asks for all pertinent medical information and a current status report, including the duration of symptoms, the name and dosage of drugs, and side effects, and says an FAA decision is required.
Allergies, severe … All … Submit all pertinent medical information and current status report, include duration of symptoms, name and dosage of drugs and side effects … Requires FAA Decision
- Hay fever, responds without side effects · Examiner can issue
Hay fever controlled solely by desensitization without antihistamines or other medications, for all classes, where it responds to treatment and is without side effects. The table asks for all pertinent medical information and a current status report, including the duration of symptoms, the name and dosage of drugs, and side effects. If it responds to treatment and is without side effects, the disposition is Issue.
Hay fever controlled solely by desensitization without antihistamines or other medications … All … Submit all pertinent medical information and current status report, include duration of symptoms, name and dosage of drugs and side effects … If responds to treatment and without side effects - Issue
- Hay fever, otherwise · FAA review
Hay fever controlled solely by desensitization without antihistamines or other medications, for all classes, in any case other than one that responds to treatment and is without side effects (the table's Otherwise). The table asks for all pertinent medical information and a current status report, including the duration of symptoms, the name and dosage of drugs, and side effects, and says an FAA decision is required.
Hay fever controlled solely by desensitization without antihistamines or other medications … All … Submit all pertinent medical information and current status report, include duration of symptoms, name and dosage of drugs and side effects … If responds to treatment and without side effects - Issue … Otherwise - Requires FAA Decision
- A note on the table, 1
Under its table, the page says that for Alpha-Gal (meat allergy), see Disposition Table.
For Alpha-Gal (meat allergy), see Disposition Table.
- A note on the table, 2
Under its table, the page says that for hay fever requiring antihistamines, see the Pharmaceuticals Section, Allergy - Antihistamine & Immunotherapy Medication.
For hay fever requiring antihistamines, see the Pharmaceuticals Section, Allergy - Antihistamine & Immunotherapy Medication ( PDF )
The FAA pathways for allergies
- How this pathway works: Examiner can issueNo special pathwayHay fever, responds without side effects
- FAA reviewYour AME defers. The FAA decides.Allergies, severe
Which one describes yours?
The FAA's table sorts it these ways. Choose yours to see its plan.
Your step-by-step plan
Step 1: Severe allergies: what to submit
The evaluation data the table lists, for an FAA decision.All pertinent medical information and a current status report.
Include
- The duration of symptoms
- The name and dosage of drugs
- Side effects
Show the FAA's words: Severe allergies: what to submit
Allergies, severe
All
Submit all pertinent medical information and current status report, include duration of symptoms, name and dosage of drugs and side effects
FAA source: Allergies. FAA date 25 February 2026; checked by Crosscheck 14 October 2026.
Step 2: Lines that point to other FAA documents
Alpha-Gal (meat allergy), and hay fever requiring antihistamines.Under its table, the page points two cases to other FAA documents.
Alpha-Gal (meat allergy)
- See Disposition Table
Hay fever requiring antihistamines
- See the Pharmaceuticals Section, Allergy - Antihistamine & Immunotherapy Medication
Show the FAA's words: Lines that point to other FAA documents
For Alpha-Gal (meat allergy), see Disposition Table.
FAA source: Allergies. FAA date 25 February 2026; checked by Crosscheck 14 October 2026.
For hay fever requiring antihistamines, see the Pharmaceuticals Section, Allergy - Antihistamine & Immunotherapy Medication ( PDF )
FAA source: Allergies. FAA date 25 February 2026; checked by Crosscheck 14 October 2026.
Step 3: See your AME
The table asks for all pertinent medical information and a current status report, including the duration of symptoms, the name and dosage of drugs, and side effects, and says an FAA decision is required.Exam day- The table asks for all pertinent medical information and a current status report, including the duration of symptoms, the name and dosage of drugs, and side effects, and says an FAA decision is required.
Show the FAA's words: See your AME
Allergies, severe
All
Submit all pertinent medical information and current status report, include duration of symptoms, name and dosage of drugs and side effects
Requires FAA Decision
FAA source: Allergies. FAA date 25 February 2026; checked by Crosscheck 14 October 2026.
What the examiner checks
It depends on which row of the FAA's table describes the case.
Allergies, severeDefers to the FAAFAA review
The table asks for all pertinent medical information and a current status report, including the duration of symptoms, the name and dosage of drugs, and side effects, and says an FAA decision is required.
If the examiner defersHay fever, responds without side effectsExaminer issuesExaminer can issue
The table asks for all pertinent medical information and a current status report, including the duration of symptoms, the name and dosage of drugs, and side effects. If it responds to treatment and is without side effects, the disposition is Issue.
Hay fever, otherwiseDefers to the FAAFAA review
The table asks for all pertinent medical information and a current status report, including the duration of symptoms, the name and dosage of drugs, and side effects, and says an FAA decision is required.
If the examiner defers
Show the FAA's words: what the examiner does on each row
- Allergies, severe · FAA review
Allergies, severe, for all classes. The table asks for all pertinent medical information and a current status report, including the duration of symptoms, the name and dosage of drugs, and side effects, and says an FAA decision is required.
Allergies, severe … All … Submit all pertinent medical information and current status report, include duration of symptoms, name and dosage of drugs and side effects … Requires FAA Decision
- Hay fever, responds without side effects · Examiner can issue
Hay fever controlled solely by desensitization without antihistamines or other medications, for all classes, where it responds to treatment and is without side effects. The table asks for all pertinent medical information and a current status report, including the duration of symptoms, the name and dosage of drugs, and side effects. If it responds to treatment and is without side effects, the disposition is Issue.
Hay fever controlled solely by desensitization without antihistamines or other medications … All … Submit all pertinent medical information and current status report, include duration of symptoms, name and dosage of drugs and side effects … If responds to treatment and without side effects - Issue
- Hay fever, otherwise · FAA review
Hay fever controlled solely by desensitization without antihistamines or other medications, for all classes, in any case other than one that responds to treatment and is without side effects (the table's Otherwise). The table asks for all pertinent medical information and a current status report, including the duration of symptoms, the name and dosage of drugs, and side effects, and says an FAA decision is required.
Hay fever controlled solely by desensitization without antihistamines or other medications … All … Submit all pertinent medical information and current status report, include duration of symptoms, name and dosage of drugs and side effects … If responds to treatment and without side effects - Issue … Otherwise - Requires FAA Decision
If the examiner defersFAA review
For severe allergies, the table says an FAA decision is required.
For hay fever controlled solely by desensitization without antihistamines or other medications, the table says that unless it responds to treatment and is without side effects, an FAA decision is required.
What the FAA lists to send
- Item 1. All pertinent medical information and a current status report, including the duration of symptoms, the name and dosage of drugs, and side effects.
Show the FAA's words: if the examiner defers
When the examiner defers
- Reason 1
For severe allergies, the table says an FAA decision is required.
Allergies, severe … All … Submit all pertinent medical information and current status report, include duration of symptoms, name and dosage of drugs and side effects … Requires FAA Decision
- Reason 2
For hay fever controlled solely by desensitization without antihistamines or other medications, the table says that unless it responds to treatment and is without side effects, an FAA decision is required.
Hay fever controlled solely by desensitization without antihistamines or other medications … If responds to treatment and without side effects - Issue … Otherwise - Requires FAA Decision
What the FAA lists to send
- Item 1
All pertinent medical information and a current status report, including the duration of symptoms, the name and dosage of drugs, and side effects.
Submit all pertinent medical information and current status report, include duration of symptoms, name and dosage of drugs and side effects
Good to know
Points from the FAA's own documents that are easy to miss.
What a progress note must include
In most cases it should come from a visit with the treating physician no more than 90 days ago, and cover the history, medications with dosages and side effects, exam findings, test results, diagnosis, assessment and plan, prognosis and follow-up. The FAA's sheet says to make sure the physician adds the prognosis. A portal note or an After Visit Summary that does not meet these criteria is not enough, and neither is a simple "ok to fly" letter. The FAA's documents also call it a status report.
Show the FAA's words: good to know, 1
your patient portal to print out “notes” or an “After Visit Summary (AVS).” … Patient Portal notes or an AVS that do not meet the criteria listed below for a detailed Clinical Progress Note are NOT sufficient for FAA purposes. … To be “current,” in MOST CASES, the detailed Clinical Progress Note should be from an evaluation in which you saw your treating physician no more than 90 days ago. … It Must include the following items: … A summary of the history of the condition, … Current medications, dosages, and side effects (if any); … Clinical exam findings; … Results of any testing performed; … Diagnosis; … Assessment and Plan; … Prognosis (This item may not be on a standard progress note, make sure your physician adds this information.); and … Follow-up … Please note: A letter stating, “Mr. Smith is ok to fly” (or any other simple note), is NOT a current, detailed Clinical Progress Note and is NOT acceptable. … You may also see this called a “current status report” or “status report” in current FAA Guidance. Any reference to a “status report” equals the criteria listed on this sheet.
The table does not say what makes allergies severe
The table's first row is allergies, severe, and an FAA decision is required. The table does not say what makes allergies severe.
Show the FAA's words: good to know, 2
Allergies, severe … All … Submit all pertinent medical information and current status report, include duration of symptoms, name and dosage of drugs and side effects … Requires FAA Decision
Hay fever controlled solely by desensitization has two dispositions
For hay fever controlled solely by desensitization without antihistamines or other medications, the disposition is Issue if it responds to treatment and is without side effects. Otherwise it requires an FAA decision.
Show the FAA's words: good to know, 3
Hay fever controlled solely by desensitization without antihistamines or other medications … If responds to treatment and without side effects - Issue … Otherwise - Requires FAA Decision
Hay fever requiring antihistamines is in the Pharmaceuticals Section
Under its table, the page says that for hay fever requiring antihistamines, see the Pharmaceuticals Section, Allergy - Antihistamine & Immunotherapy Medication.
Show the FAA's words: good to know, 4
For hay fever requiring antihistamines, see the Pharmaceuticals Section, Allergy - Antihistamine & Immunotherapy Medication ( PDF )
FAA sources
Every FAA document this page relies on, with the FAA's own date and the date Crosscheck last read it. The documents to print open at the FAA, so they are always the FAA's current ones.
Medication guidance
Medications Crosscheck lists as taken for allergies, each with its own page on what published FAA guidance says about it.
- Leukotriene receptor antagonist
This reports what the FAA has published. It is not medical advice, and it does not say how the FAA or an examiner will decide a case.