Skip to main content

Accidents happen. Unfortunately, emergencies do too. In those cases, it’s nice to know an ambulance could save the day, with trained emergency medical services (EMS) professionals on board. Of course, like everything else these days, a ride in an ambulance might not be free. So, just how much will the average trip cost you?

An emergency transport could cost you an average of $450, or it could be thousands 

It might seem tedious, but one of the more bureaucratic tasks I had as an EMT was collecting insurance information from patients during transport. Of course, it’s not as if I was asking for a home address while a patient had a life-threatening injury or condition. However, even the less-than-dire transports could cost an unprepared patient.

Now, in some communities, local residents may not receive a bill related to their ambulance services. However, many other cities and towns in the United States will pass a bill along to a patient after a transport, whether an emergency or not. According to GoodRx, the average out-of-pocket expense for an ambulance transport was $450 around the time of the global pandemic. That average reflects pricing with health insurance. 

Without insurance, patients could be looking at a pricier trip to the hospital. That $450 turns into nearly $1,000 for a transport with straightforward basic life support (BLS) services. If advanced life support (ALS) services are part of the transport, the average rises to $1,300.

Still, and perhaps troublingly, a Health Affairs study found that most ambulance rides could be subject to out-of-network billing. At the national level, emergency ground transportation averaged around $129 million in 2017. Of course, a ground transportation is much, much more affordable than an emergency ride in a helicopter or small airplane.  

An air ambulance ride, on the other hand, could cost you big time

While the average cost of a ground transportation might hover at around $450, things get pricier when you add aviation. On average, an air ambulance flight in the United States may cost anywhere between $12,000 to $55,000, per Global Air Ambulance.

As you might imagine, things get worse when you add international travel. An international flight could set you back an eye-watering $150,000 on the steeper end of things.

Best in Tips, Tricks & Trends
Avatar photo
Staff Writer

Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman is a MotorBiscuit Staff Writer, an admitted petrolhead, and an avid motorcyclist. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and Humvees. Erik is an eager car and motorcycle reviewer with expertise covering everything from sports cars and electric motorcycles to pontoon boats and jet skis. Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He also studied Chinese, Energy, and European Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Erik’s background is unorthodox; he is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. Additionally, Erik is a regular volunteer and former instructor with the American Red Cross (ARC). When he’s not working, you can find Erik on his motorcycle or out for a spirited drive.