Symptoms of double aortic arch are rarely found in the adult patient without prior diagnosis. The adult patient with untreated double aortic arch may experience dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), dyspnea (difficulty breathing), chronic coughing and/or wheezing, excessive production of sputum, and a history of chest infections.

Initially, the respiratory symptoms may be taken as signs of asthma. Failure of treatment for asthma may lead to the correct diagnosis. After the repair operation, the patient should be examined for the persistence of respiratory problems.