diff --git a/arrow-flight/src/encode.rs b/arrow-flight/src/encode.rs
index acfbd9b53030..ec4fe323b267 100644
--- a/arrow-flight/src/encode.rs
+++ b/arrow-flight/src/encode.rs
@@ -104,6 +104,41 @@ use futures::{ready, stream::BoxStream, Stream, StreamExt};
 /// # }
 /// ```
 ///
+/// # Example: Determining schema of encoded data
+///
+/// Encoding flight data may hydrate dictionaries, see [`DictionaryHandling`] for more information,
+/// which changes the schema of the encoded data compared to the input record batches.
+/// The fully hydrated schema can be accessed using the [`FlightDataEncoder::known_schema`] method
+/// and explicitly informing the builder of the schema using [`FlightDataEncoderBuilder::with_schema`].
+///
+/// ```
+/// # use std::sync::Arc;
+/// # use arrow_array::{ArrayRef, RecordBatch, UInt32Array};
+/// # async fn f() {
+/// # let c1 = UInt32Array::from(vec![1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]);
+/// # let batch = RecordBatch::try_from_iter(vec![
+/// #      ("a", Arc::new(c1) as ArrayRef)
+/// #   ])
+/// #   .expect("cannot create record batch");
+/// use arrow_flight::encode::FlightDataEncoderBuilder;
+///
+/// // Get the schema of the input stream
+/// let schema = batch.schema();
+///
+/// // Get an input stream of Result<RecordBatch, FlightError>
+/// let input_stream = futures::stream::iter(vec![Ok(batch)]);
+///
+/// // Build a stream of `Result<FlightData>` (e.g. to return for do_get)
+/// let flight_data_stream = FlightDataEncoderBuilder::new()
+///  // Inform the builder of the input stream schema
+///  .with_schema(schema)
+///  .build(input_stream);
+///
+/// // Retrieve the schema of the encoded data
+/// let encoded_schema = flight_data_stream.known_schema();
+/// # }
+/// ```
+///
 /// [`FlightService::do_get`]: crate::flight_service_server::FlightService::do_get
 /// [`FlightError`]: crate::error::FlightError
 #[derive(Debug)]
@@ -287,6 +322,12 @@ impl FlightDataEncoder {
         encoder
     }
 
+    /// Report the schema of the encoded data when known.
+    /// A schema is known when provided via the [`FlightDataEncoderBuilder::with_schema`] method.
+    pub fn known_schema(&self) -> Option<SchemaRef> {
+        self.schema.clone()
+    }
+
     /// Place the `FlightData` in the queue to send
     fn queue_message(&mut self, mut data: FlightData) {
         if let Some(descriptor) = self.descriptor.take() {
@@ -792,6 +833,53 @@ mod tests {
         verify_flight_round_trip(vec![batch1, batch2]).await;
     }
 
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_dictionary_hydration_known_schema() {
+        let arr1: DictionaryArray<UInt16Type> = vec!["a", "a", "b"].into_iter().collect();
+        let arr2: DictionaryArray<UInt16Type> = vec!["c", "c", "d"].into_iter().collect();
+
+        let schema = Arc::new(Schema::new(vec![Field::new_dictionary(
+            "dict",
+            DataType::UInt16,
+            DataType::Utf8,
+            false,
+        )]));
+        let batch1 = RecordBatch::try_new(schema.clone(), vec![Arc::new(arr1)]).unwrap();
+        let batch2 = RecordBatch::try_new(schema.clone(), vec![Arc::new(arr2)]).unwrap();
+
+        let stream = futures::stream::iter(vec![Ok(batch1), Ok(batch2)]);
+
+        let encoder = FlightDataEncoderBuilder::default()
+            .with_schema(schema)
+            .build(stream);
+        let expected_schema =
+            Arc::new(Schema::new(vec![Field::new("dict", DataType::Utf8, false)]));
+        assert_eq!(Some(expected_schema), encoder.known_schema())
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_dictionary_resend_known_schema() {
+        let arr1: DictionaryArray<UInt16Type> = vec!["a", "a", "b"].into_iter().collect();
+        let arr2: DictionaryArray<UInt16Type> = vec!["c", "c", "d"].into_iter().collect();
+
+        let schema = Arc::new(Schema::new(vec![Field::new_dictionary(
+            "dict",
+            DataType::UInt16,
+            DataType::Utf8,
+            false,
+        )]));
+        let batch1 = RecordBatch::try_new(schema.clone(), vec![Arc::new(arr1)]).unwrap();
+        let batch2 = RecordBatch::try_new(schema.clone(), vec![Arc::new(arr2)]).unwrap();
+
+        let stream = futures::stream::iter(vec![Ok(batch1), Ok(batch2)]);
+
+        let encoder = FlightDataEncoderBuilder::default()
+            .with_dictionary_handling(DictionaryHandling::Resend)
+            .with_schema(schema.clone())
+            .build(stream);
+        assert_eq!(Some(schema), encoder.known_schema())
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn test_multiple_dictionaries_resend() {
         // Create a schema with two dictionary fields that have the same dict ID