Traveling through John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) with a disability, a medical condition, or limited mobility takes planning — but the airport has a solid set of services if you know to ask for them. Wheelchair assistance runs through your airline, the airport itself offers a Journey Care Kit program for hidden disabilities, and TSA has a dedicated help line for screening questions. Here is the full rundown.
Wheelchair Assistance: Request It Through Your Airline
At CMH, wheelchair assistance is provided by the airlines, not the airport — so request it when you book your ticket or by calling your airline’s reservation line. Airline staff can help with check-in, getting through security, getting to your gate, making connections, and boarding. The earlier you request, the smoother it goes; same-day requests at the ticket counter are possible but not guaranteed during peak times.
If you need help after you arrive at the airport, go to your airline’s ticket counter or ask at an airport information desk. Bringing a walker? Walkers are permitted through the security checkpoint — though it is worth confirming with your airline, since some walkers must be checked at the gate and stored under the aircraft.
The Journey Care Kit: Help for Visible and Hidden Disabilities
CMH’s standout program is the Journey Care Kit, designed for travelers with visible and hidden disabilities. The kit includes a sunflower-themed lanyard that signals to airport staff that you might need additional assistance — no explaining your condition to every employee. The airport also offers a downloadable social story, “Journey Care Kit: Ready to take off!,” that walks through the airport experience in advance, which is especially helpful for autistic travelers and anyone who benefits from knowing exactly what comes next.
To have a kit mailed to you, email CustomerService@ColumbusAirports.com at least 45 days before your flight and include your mailing address. Plan ahead — 45 days means this is a book-early service, not a show-up-and-ask one.
TSA Screening with a Disability or Medical Condition
For questions about screening policies, procedures, and what to expect at the checkpoint, TSA Cares exists specifically for travelers with disabilities, medical conditions, and other special circumstances. Contact them at 855.787.2227 or TSA-ContactCenter@tsa.dhs.gov at least 72 hours before travel. You can also request additional assistance during the screening itself — ask a TSA officer at the checkpoint.
If you use a mobility device, medical equipment, or carry medications and supplies, TSA Cares can tell you exactly how each item is handled at screening so there are no surprises at the checkpoint. Our CMH security guide covers the checkpoint layout (three checkpoints — A, B, C, one per concourse) and screening programs.
Elevators, Restrooms, and Changing Tables
CMH’s terminal has two public levels — departures/ticketing upstairs, arrivals/baggage claim downstairs — connected by elevators, escalators, and stairs. All restrooms are wheelchair accessible, and family restrooms are located on the ticketing level, the baggage claim level, and in each concourse.
For travelers who need an adult-size changing surface, a Universal Changing Table is available at CMH and can be deployed in family restrooms pre-security and in each concourse — call 614.239.4029 to request it, and look for the signage in applicable restrooms with delivery instructions. The airport also offers private nursing rooms for parents who need them.
Accessible Parking and Ground Transportation
Accessible parking is available 24 hours a day, with ADA-designated spaces in all airport parking areas — display a valid disability permit to use them. All parking shuttle buses are equipped with lifts to accommodate wheelchairs and electric scooters. Our CMH parking guide covers the lots in detail.
On the ground-transportation level (lower/arrivals level), taxis and rideshares serve the curb; COTA — the regional transit agency — also runs mainstream/paratransit origin-to-destination service for riders whose functional limitations prevent them from using fixed-route buses. See the CMH transportation guide for the full list of ways out of the airport, and if you are meeting someone curbside, the CMH terminal guide explains the two-level layout you will be navigating.
Vision, Hearing, and Service Animals
Travelers who are blind or have low vision can use Aira visual assistance — the free visual-interpreter app that connects you with a trained agent through your phone’s camera — which the airport makes available to help navigate the terminal. Airport Ambassadors at the information desks on the ticketing and baggage claim levels can also provide directions and in-person help.
Service animals are welcome throughout the terminal. If you are traveling with a pet (not a service animal), note the airport’s pet relief areas — our CMH pet relief area guide has their locations and tips for using them before you go through security.
Keep planning: how early to arrive at CMH · Columbus Airport Guide for every CMH guide in one place
Make Your CMH Journey Easier with AirportGo
Travel through CMH with confidence, whatever assistance you need. AirportGo is built for the whole airport journey — before, during, and after your flight. Before you fly, use the packing checklist and trip tasks to get organized. During your trip, search the directory for gates, food, restrooms, and ATMs, get step-by-step walking navigation through the terminal, check TSA checkpoint times, and set a parking reminder so your spot is saved. After you land, the find-my-car feature uses your saved parking photo and location to walk you back to your vehicle. It even works offline, so a weak airport signal won’t slow you down. The app is available now on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
Contact: airportgoofficial@gmail.com