The airport is already an overwhelming and stressful place, and for those with hidden disabilities1, those stressors are usually compounded.
Launched by London's Gatwick Airport in 2016, the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower initiative provides a way for travelers with hidden disabilities to discreetly signal that they may just need a little bit more help and patience than the average person.
It also has since seen widespread international adoption: Currently, 215 airports recognize it to date. Though the majority of it seems to be in Western countries, there is growing acceptance, with another 39 in the process.
For participating airlines and airports, personnel and staff are trained to spot the lanyard and offer a bit more assistance or patience, whether it means being escorted to the front of the security line or early boarding.
Please be mindful policies and procedures that vary from place to place, and airline to airline.
How to obtain a hidden sunflower lanyard for free
It can be obtained directly through the Hidden Sunflower website, though the vast majority of airports, like Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), does provide the sunflower lanyard free of charge and will mail it to travelers in advance.
For instance, those traveling through Santa Barbara Airport can fill out this form for pickup or delivery. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which provides it for free, does seem to require an in-person pickup.
(It is also possible to buy it on Amazon, though these lanyards tend to be substantially inflated, and are more than just a fashion statement. It is not a recommended avenue, but if you're in a pinch, it may be the best option.)
List of participating airports
Below is a quick list of airports that have adopted it (sortable by country). Currently, there are 254 airports-official and pending-throughout 35 countries that recognize it. The asterisk denotes airport acceptance is in the works.
Please note that the Hidden Disabilities website maintains the full list.
| Airport | Country |
|---|---|
| Adelaide Airport (ADL) | Australia |
| Albury Airport (ABX) | Australia |
| Brisbane Airport (BNE) | Australia |
| Cairns Airport (CNS) | Australia |
| Canberra Airport* (CBR) | Australia |
| Gold Coast Airport (OOL) | Australia |
| Hobart International Airport (HBA) | Australia |
| Melbourne Airport (MEL) | Australia |
| Mount Isa Airport* (ISA) | Australia |
| Perth Airport (PER) | Australia |
| Shellharbour Airport (WOL) | Australia |
| Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) | Australia |
| Vienna Airport (VIE) | Austria |
| Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) | Bahamas |
| Bahrain International Airport (BAH) | Bahrain |
| Antwerp Airport (ANR) | Belgium |
| Brussels Airport (BRU) | Belgium |
| Oostend-Bruges Airport (OST) | Belgium |
| Brasília International Airport (BSB) | Brazil |
| RIOgaleão - Aeroporto Internacional Tom Jobim (GIG) | Brazil |
| Viracopos/Campinas International Airport (VCP) | Brazil |
| Calgary International Airport (YYC) | Canada |
| Comox Valley Airport (YQQ) | Canada |
| Edmonton International Airport (YEG) | Canada |
| Fort McMurray International Airport (YMM) | Canada |
| Fort St. John Airport* (YXJ) | Canada |
| Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport (YQM) | Canada |
| John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (YHM) | Canada |
| Kamloops Airport (YKA) | Canada |
| Kelowna International Airport* (YLW) | Canada |
| Montréal - Mirabel International Airport (YMX) | Canada |
| Montréal Trudeau International Airport (YUL) | Canada |
| Nanaimo Airport (YCD) | Canada |
| North Peace Regional Airport* (YXJ) | Canada |
| Ottawa International Airport (YOW) | Canada |
| Prince George Airport (YXS) | Canada |
| Regina International Airport (YQR) | Canada |
| Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) | Canada |
| Vancouver International Airport (YVR) | Canada |
| Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG) | Canada |
| El Dorado International Airport (BOG) | Colombia |
| Osijek Airport (OSI) | Croatia |
| Curaçao International Airport (CUR) | Curacao |
| Larnaca Airport (LCA) | Cyprus |
| Paphos Airport (PFO) | Cyprus |
| Aalborg Airport (AAL) | Denmark |
| Aarhus Airport (AAR) | Denmark |
| Billund Airport (BLL) | Denmark |
| Bornholm Airport (RNN) | Denmark |
| Midtjyllands Airport(KRP) | Denmark |
| Copenhagen Airport (CPH) | Denmark |
| Esbjerg Airport (EBJ) | Denmark |
| Sønderborg Airport (SGD) | Denmark |
| Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) | France |
| Paris Orly Airport (ORY) | France |
| Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) | Germany |
| Hamburg Airport (HAM) | Germany |
| Gibraltar International Airport (GIB) | Gibraltar |
| Guernsey Airport (GCI) | Guernsey |
| Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD) | Hungary |
| Keflavik Airport (KEF) | Iceland |
| Hyderabad Airport* (HYD) | India |
| Kempegowda International Airport (BLR) | India |
| Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) | India |
| Cork Airport (ORK) | Ireland |
| Donegal Airport (CFN) | Ireland |
| Ireland West Airport (NOC) | Ireland |
| Shannon Airport* (SNN) | Ireland |
| Isle of Man Airport (IOM) | Isle of Man |
| Alghero - Fertilia Airport (AHO) | Italy |
| Ancona Airport (AOI) | Italy |
| Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ) | Italy |
| Naples-Capodichino International Airport (NAP) | Italy |
| Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport (OLB) | Italy |
| Treviso Airport (TSF) | Italy |
| Venice Marco Polo (VCE) | Italy |
| Verona Villafranca Airport (VRN) | Italy |
| Fukuoka Airport (FUK) | Japan |
| Haneda Airport (HND) | Japan |
| Naha Airport (OKA) | Japan |
| Narita International Airport (NRT) | Japan |
| New Chitose Airport (CTS) | Japan |
| Jersey Airport (JER) | Jersey |
| Kaunas Airport (KUN) | Lithuania |
| Palanga Airport (PLQ) | Lithuania |
| Vilnius International Airport (VNO) | Lithuania |
| Eindhoven Airport (EIN) | Netherlands |
| Groningen Airport Eelde (GRQ) | Netherlands |
| Maastricht Aachen Airport (MST) | Netherlands |
| Rotterdam the Hague Airport (RTM) | Netherlands |
| Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) | Netherlands |
| Auckland Airport (AKL) | New Zealand |
| Christchurch Airport (CHC) | New Zealand |
| Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | New Zealand |
| Invercargill Airport (IVC) | New Zealand |
| John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (HLZ) | New Zealand |
| Nelson Airport* (NSN) | New Zealand |
| New Plymouth Airport (NPL) | New Zealand |
| Palmerston North Airport (PMR) | New Zealand |
| Queenstown Airport (ZQN) | New Zealand |
| Tauranga Airport (TRG) | New Zealand |
| Wellington International Airport (WLG) | New Zealand |
| Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM) | Peru |
| Kraków John Paul II International Airport (KRK) | Poland |
| Warsaw Modlin Airport (WMI) | Poland |
| Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) | Singapore |
| Stockholm-Skavsta Airport (NYO) | Sweden |
| Istanbul Airport (IST) | Turkey |
| Dubai International Airport (DXB) | UAE |
| Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ) | UK |
| Belfast International Airport (BFS) | UK |
| Birmingham Airport (BHX) | UK |
| Bournemouth Airport (BOH) | UK |
| Bristol Airport (BRS) | UK |
| Cardiff Airport (CWL) | UK |
| City of Derry Airport (LDY) | UK |
| Cornwall Airport Newquay (NQY) | UK |
| Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) | UK |
| East Midlands Airport (EMA) | UK |
| Edinburgh Airport (EDI) | UK |
| Exeter Airport (EXT) | UK |
| London Gatwick Airport (LGW) | UK |
| George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD) | UK |
| Glasgow Airport (GLA) | UK |
| Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK) | UK |
| Heathrow Airport (LHR) | UK |
| Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) | UK |
| Humberside Airport (HUY) | UK |
| Inverness Airport (INV) | UK |
| Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) | UK |
| Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL) | UK |
| London City Airport (LCY) | UK |
| London Southend Airport (SEN) | UK |
| Luton Airport (LTN) | UK |
| Manchester Airport (MAN) | UK |
| Newcastle International Airport (NCL) | UK |
| Norwich Airport (NWI) | UK |
| Southampton Airport (SOU) | UK |
| London Stansted Airport (STN) | UK |
| Stornoway Airport (SYY) | UK |
| Sumburgh Airport (LSI) | UK |
| Teeside International Airport (MME) | UK |
| Wick Airport (WIC) | UK |
| Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) | USA, Alaska |
| Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport* (ANC) | USA, Alaska |
| Clinton National Airport (LIT) | USA, Arkansas |
| Los Angeles International Airport* (LAX) | USA, California |
| Ontario International Airport (ONT) | USA, California |
| San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) | USA, California |
| San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP) | USA, California |
| Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) | USA, California |
| Colorado Springs Airport (COS) | USA, Colorado |
| Denver International Airport (DEN) | USA, Colorado |
| Bradley International Airport (BDL) | USA, Connecticut |
| Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) | USA, Florida |
| Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) | USA, Florida |
| Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) | USA, Florida |
| Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) | USA, Florida |
| Miami International Airport (MIA) | USA, Florida |
| Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) | USA, Florida |
| Orlando International Airport (MCO) | USA, Florida |
| Orlando Sanford International Airport* (SFB) | USA, Florida |
| Palm Beach International Airport* (PBI) | USA, Florida |
| Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) | USA, Florida |
| Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) | USA, Florida |
| Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) | USA, Florida |
| Tallahassee International Airport* (TLH) | USA, Florida |
| Tampa International Airport (TPA) | USA, Florida |
| Vero Beach Regional Airport* (VRB) | USA, Florida |
| Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) | USA, Georgia |
| Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport* (SPI) | USA, Illinois |
| Central Illinois Regional Airport (CIRA) | USA, Illinois |
| Chicago Midway International Airport* (MDW) | USA, Illinois |
| Chicago O'Hare International Airport* (ORD) | USA, Illinois |
| Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) | USA, Illinois |
| MidAmerica St Louis Airport* (BLV) | USA, Illinois |
| Peoria International Airport* (PIA) | USA, Illinois |
| The Quad City International Airport (MLI) | USA, Illinois |
| Evansville Regional Airport (EVV) | USA, Indiana |
| Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA) | USA, Indiana |
| Indianapolis International Airport* (IND) | USA, Indiana |
| South Bend International Airport (SBN) | USA, Indiana |
| Blue Grass Airport (LEX) | USA, Kentucky |
| Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) | USA, Kentucky |
| Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) | USA, Louisiana |
| Salisbury Regional Airport* (SBY) | USA, Maryland |
| Boston Logan International Airport* (BOS) | USA, Massachusetts |
| Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) | USA, Michigan |
| Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) | USA, Michigan |
| Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport (MSP) | USA, Minnesota |
| Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport* (JAN) | USA, Mississippi |
| Springfield-Branson National Airport* (SGF) | USA, Missouri |
| Missoula Montana Airport* (MSO) | USA, Montana |
| Lincoln Airport (LNK) | USA, Nebraska |
| Omaha Eppley Airfield (OMA) | USA, Nebraska |
| Reno-Tahoe International Airport* (RNO) | USA, Nevada |
| Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) | USA, New Jersey |
| South Jersey Regional Airport* (VAY) | USA, New Jersey |
| Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) | USA, New Mexico |
| Albany International Airport (ALB) | USA, New York |
| Buffalo Niagara International Airport* (BUF) | USA, New York |
| John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) | USA, New York |
| LaGuardia Airport (LGA) | USA, New York |
| Niagara Falls International Airport* (IAG) | USA, New York |
| Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) | USA, New York |
| Westchester County Airport (HPN) | USA, New York |
| Albert J. Ellis Airport* (OAJ) | USA, North Carolina |
| Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) | USA, North Carolina |
| Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) | USA, North Carolina |
| Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) | USA, North Carolina |
| Hector International Airport (FAR) | USA, North Dakota |
| Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) | USA, Ohio |
| Bolton Field Airport (TZR) | USA, Ohio |
| Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport* (TOL) | USA, Ohio |
| John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) | USA, Ohio |
| Tulsa International Airport (TUL) | USA, Oklahoma |
| Eugene Airport (EUG) | USA, Oregon |
| Portland International Airport (PDX) | USA, Oregon |
| Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM) | USA, Oregon |
| Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (MFR) | USA, Oregon |
| Allegheny County Airport (AGC) | USA, Pennsylvania |
| Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) | USA, Pennsylvania |
| Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) | USA, Pennsylvania |
| Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) | USA, Pennsylvania |
| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP) | USA, Pennsylvania |
| Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport (PVD) | USA, Rhode Island |
| Charleston International Airport (CHS) | USA, South Carolina |
| Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) | USA, South Carolina |
| Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) | USA, South Carolina |
| Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) | USA, South Dakota |
| Memphis International Airport (MEM) | USA, Tennessee |
| Nashville International Airport* (BNA) | USA, Tennessee |
| Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) | USA, Texas |
| Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport (BRO) | USA, Texas |
| Corpus Christi International Airport* (CRP) | USA, Texas |
| Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL) | USA, Texas |
| Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) | USA, Texas |
| El Paso International Airport (ELP) | USA, Texas |
| George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) | USA, Texas |
| San Antonio International Airport (SAT) | USA, Texas |
| William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) | USA, Texas |
| Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) | USA, Utah |
| Norfolk International Airport (ORF) | USA, Virginia |
| Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) | USA, Virginia |
| Richmond International Airport (RIC) | USA, Virginia |
| Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) | USA, Virginia |
| King County International Airport - Boeing Field (BFI) | USA, Washington |
| Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) | USA, Washington |
| West Virginia International Yeager Airport (CRW) | USA, West Virginia |
| Appleton International Airport* (ATW) | USA, Wisconsin |
| Dane County Regional Airport* (MSN) | USA, Wisconsin |
| Green Bay-Austin Straubel International Airport (GRB) | USA, Wisconsin |
| Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) | USA, Wisconsin |
