A pilot in Hungary can obtain the same EASA Class 1 Medical Certificate for roughly €200 that costs over €1,850 in Sweden — identical regulatory validity, radically different pricing. This gap creates a thriving medical tourism market among European pilots, entirely legal under EASA Part-MED rules.
This guide provides country-by-country pricing with named centers and published prices, sourced from AeMC websites, EASA regulations, and pilot forum reports from 2024-2026.
Price Overview: €200 to €1,850
The European aviation medical market exhibits extraordinary price dispersion for an identical regulatory product. All Class 1 Medicals meet the same EASA Part-MED standards.
| Country | Initial Cost | Renewal Cost | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hungary | ~€197 | from €63 | Excellent |
| Italy (military) | ~€200 | from €160 | Excellent |
| Poland | €184-349 | from €105 | Excellent |
| Spain | €350-485 | €130-300 | Very Good |
| Czech Republic | €400-480 | from €88 | Very Good |
| France | €445-645 | €200-300 | Good |
| Germany | €500+ | €100-250 | Good |
| Netherlands | €550 | €220-325 | Average |
| Ireland | €700-800 | €250+ | Below Average |
| UK | £635-957 | £360-460 | Expensive |
| Sweden | ~€1,851 | €400+ | Very Expensive |
The 5 Cheapest Countries for Class 1 Medical
1. Hungary — Initial ~€197 | Renewal from €63
Budapest AeMC (Repülőorvos.hu) charges 33,700 HUF (~€84) for the medical exam, plus 35,000 HUF (~€88) for mandatory psychological assessment and 10,000 HUF (~€25) for drug/alcohol testing.
Catch: Bring your own blood panel and chest X-ray from an external lab (€30-60 extra).
2. Italy (Military) — Initial ~€200 | Renewal from €160
IMAS centers in Rome and Milan-Linate charge approximately €200. Longer wait times and reportedly stricter pass rates. Private alternative CAVOK near Malpensa charges €692.
3. Poland — Initial from €184 | Renewal from €105
LUX MED Warsaw offers initial Class 1 from 790 PLN (~€184) for Polish-language certificate, 1,500 PLN (~€349) for English. ALERGO-MED Aviation publishes 850 PLN (~€198) all-inclusive renewals.
4. Spain — Initial from €350 | Renewal from €130
Spain has the largest number of AeMCs, creating genuine price competition. Tecsalud (Palma) €350, CIMA Madrid €400, Iberia Medical €420.
5. Czech Republic — Initial €400-480 | Renewal from €88
Dr. David Melechovský in Prague publishes 2,200 CZK (~€88) for standard renewal, 3,200 CZK (~€128) with audiometry. Possibly the cheapest published AME renewal in Europe.
Your Class 1 medical — up to €500 cheaper elsewhere.
Same EASA certificate, valid everywhere. Prices vary 5× between countries. Find the cheapest center near you.
Find Cheapest Center — €14.99Country-by-Country Pricing Details
France — All-Inclusive Pricing
France's CEMPN centers include all tests in a single fee. CEMPN Toulouse-Blagnac: €645. Military CEMPN Toulon: ~€445. Certificate issued same day if normal.
Germany — Regulated but Complex
German medical fees follow the GOÄ fee schedule. Initial at AeMCs like ACG Stuttgart costs at least €500. Renewals at AMEs are €100-250. Note: Germany's data protection laws can complicate record transfers.
Netherlands — Transparent Mid-Range
AEC Medicals: €550 initial, €325 renewal. Sky Medical Center Eindhoven: €550 initial, €220 renewal. ILT processing fee €116 additional.
What's Included vs Extra Charges
| Test | Usually Included | Often Extra |
|---|---|---|
| ECG | France, Spain, Hungary | UK (£114), Netherlands (€50) |
| Audiometry | France, Spain, Poland | UK (£90), Czech (€24-40) |
| Blood tests | France, Spain | UK, Hungary (external) |
| Psychological | Czech (ULZ initial) | Sweden (€652), Hungary (€88) |
Best Value-for-Transparency
France and Spain have genuinely all-inclusive pricing — the quoted price is the final price. The UK is the most aggressively itemized market.
Certificate Validity by Age
| Age | Multi-Pilot Ops | Single-Pilot CAT* |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40 | 12 months | 12 months |
| 40-59 | 12 months | 6 months |
| 60+ | 6 months | 6 months |
| 65+ | No commercial air transport (FCL.065) | |
*CAT = Commercial Air Transport carrying passengers
Revalidation Window
Revalidation can be completed up to 45 days before expiry without losing validity time. Certificates expired more than 5 years require a full initial examination.
Medical Tourism Guide
EASA explicitly permits cross-border medicals. Under MED.A.035, applicants can apply to any AeMC or AME authorized by any EASA state. The certificate is valid everywhere without additional proceedings.
Practical Example
A UK pilot flying to Warsaw for initial Class 1 at 600 PLN (~€140) with £50 Ryanair flights spent ~£300 total including hotel — still cheaper than the cheapest UK AeMC at £635.
Career Savings Potential
A pilot renewing Class 1 for 30 years: Czech Republic (€88/renewal) vs UK (£360+/renewal) saves approximately €8,000-10,000 over a career, even accounting for travel costs.
UK Post-Brexit Situation
Since January 1, 2021, the UK CAA operates independently from EASA with no mutual recognition. A UK medical certificate carries no EASA validity, and vice versa.
UK AeMCs: Heathrow Medical Services £957 for UK initial, £1,377 for combined UK + EASA. Other UK AeMCs £635-700.
Which Medical Do You Need?
Ryanair requires EASA (Irish license). British Airways, easyJet (UK ops), Jet2, and TUI require UK CAA. Flying both UK and EASA aircraft requires both medicals.
Long-Term Renewal Strategy
France & Spain
Best value-for-transparency in Western Europe.
Renewals Matter More
Czech Republic and Hungary excel for long-term savings.
UK Dual Medical Tax
UK pilots needing both face £250+ annual premium.
Recommended Approach
Get your initial at a well-reviewed Eastern or Southern European AeMC. Then find a reliable local AME with competitive renewal pricing for the decades ahead.
Browse our free aeromedical centers directory to compare Class 1 prices across Europe, check languages spoken, and book online.