Just don’t do what I did, especially if your data is monitored by the FAA. I started CPAP 5 years ago while grounded for an unrelated matter. Got the Phillips Respironics Dreamstation, which was fine until recalled for potential carcinogens this year.
Like you, I wanted portability when I returned to flying. Insurance was out of contention until I had the first unit for 5 years. I settled on the Dreamstation Go from the same manufacturer (I wrongly assumed data gathering advantages by having the same brand at home and on the road) and hunted for the best price I could find on the Internet. With a backup battery for airborne use and some other accessories I shelled out around $1300 for this set-up.
Turns out a DME supplier working with insurance will go to some lengths to fix issues; random Internet supplier on a cash deal, not so much. Because the supplier and manufacturer seem to have no vested interest in helping me, I never got the data gathering in order for my portable machine. It’s small, light and “cute” and it works, but no data is no bueno for the FAA. So I ended up lugging my “brick” around on trips. The portable was a waste of money for me. I haven’t given up on it entirely, but I got so sick and tired of trying to hunt down a Phillips rep to get me dialed-in, I just caved in and use the big boy for everything. Which sucks for my wife when I try to sneak out of the room at O-dark:30, having packed 99% of my $tuff the night before, only to wrangle cords and tubes and a humidifier reservoir in the dark. BTW, you’ll want humidification.
If you do score a portable, don’t worry about battery power unless you need it for a serious off-grid situations. Although my crew rest facilities had power, I thought the battery would ease the utilization of CPAP while airborne. It was such a hassle to deploy on the airplane, I just blew it off.
My usage compliance criteria call for a certain number of hours per sleep session, 75% of the time. I never get those hours on the plane so I just skip it. I still end up with something like 90% compliance in the course of a year. Not using the CPAP on the airplane is in no way a violation of my therapy prescription nor the FAA criteria for my medical. Aside from the bulk and weight of the Dreamstation, carrying it is okay. I just learned that my overnight bag could sacrifice a lot of crap that I carried.
My choices are those of an apnea denier. I believe my diagnosis is legit. It’s minor. I never felt bad or sleepy when I should have been alert. I slept well before CPAP and I sleep awesome with it. I snored, which never bothered me consciously. My spouse is much relieved by my CPAP use, but I couldn’t care less aside from the benefits to her. I play the game and use the thing, but my non- FAA docs say I really don’t need CPAP. Keep my situation and attitude in mind before deciding airplane use of CPAP is not called for. It’s simply not for me.
Bottom line: insurance is going to but you just one piece of equipment. Spending your own $ ona portable is not worth it. If you can only have one, a full featured machine can be workable for home and travel.