Flying With Your Pet

Flying with a pet comes down to size: a cat or small dog that fits in a carrier under the seat in front of you flies in the cabin, and a larger dog travels in the hold, on the airlines that still offer it. Every airline sets its own fee, carrier dimensions and limits, and they change - so the reliable rule is to read your airline’s pet page before you book and again before you fly.

We do not print a table of airline fees. Two we could read on the airlines’ own sites on 9 October 2026 show why: Delta charges $150 each way for a pet in the cabin on US and Canadian routes for tickets issued from April 8, 2025, having charged $95 before, and Alaska quotes $100 to $200 each way depending on the kind of travel and the route. A table would be out of date within the year.

For the preparation itself - training the carrier, the timeline, the day of the flight - see flying with your dog and flying with your cat.

The Two Questions That Decide Everything

Will your pet fit, in its carrier, under the seat? If yes, cabin travel is usually possible. If not, it is the hold, a specialist pet shipper, or not flying.
Is your pet a snub-nosed breed? Bulldogs, pugs, Persians and similar breeds cope poorly with heat and stress. The airlines’ own body, IATA, says transport of snub-nosed dogs in the hot season is not recommended, and many airlines restrict these breeds in the hold. For them, cabin travel or ground transport is the realistic choice.

In-Cabin Travel

Your pet stays with you, in a carrier under the seat in front, for the whole flight.

What the airlines have in common

The pet must be able to stand up and turn around in the carrier
The carrier stays closed and under the seat
The number of pets per flight is limited, so the pet has to be booked
There is a fee each way

What differs

The fee
The maximum carrier dimensions - Delta, for example, recommends a soft-sided kennel of no more than 18 x 11 x 11 inches as the size that fits most of its aircraft
Minimum age, breeds accepted, and which routes allow pets at all

Check all three on the airline’s pet page, and measure your carrier.

The Carrier

Sherpa’s Guaranteed On-Board program is worth understanding before you rely on it. You register the trip in advance; if the pet is then denied boarding because of the carrier’s size, Sherpa says it refunds the cost of the domestic flight and the airline’s pet fee. It applies to flights within the USA and Canada, and not every size is covered on every airline.

When the Hold Is the Only Option

A larger dog travels in a pressurised, temperature-controlled compartment, booked either as checked baggage or as cargo. Which airlines offer this, on which routes and in which seasons, changes often: Alaska says pets can travel in its climate-controlled baggage compartment, and Delta has a separate page on shipping a pet. Ask the airline directly, and ask about temperature embargoes.

Crate requirements

IATA’s guidance for pet containers is the standard airlines work from. The animal must have room to turn about normally while standing, to stand and sit erect, and to lie in a natural position; snub-nosed breeds need a larger container. The airline’s own page lists the hardware and labelling it requires.

The risks

The risk points are heat and cold on the ground, connections, and a pet’s own health. Book a direct flight, avoid the hottest and coldest parts of the year, and have your vet confirm the animal is fit to fly.

Paperwork

Within the United States

The airline decides what it wants to see. IATA notes that most airlines require a health certificate for any animal they carry, and states have their own entry rules. Ask the airline and your vet.

Travelling abroad

USDA APHIS advises contacting a USDA-accredited veterinarian as soon as you decide to travel, because meeting a country’s requirements takes time.

For the European Union, the official rules for a dog, cat or ferret arriving from outside the EU are:

a microchip;
a rabies vaccination, given when the pet is at least 12 weeks old, followed by a wait of at least 21 days before travel;
for some countries of origin, a rabies antibody test, with a three-month wait after the blood sample;
an EU animal health certificate issued by an official vet not more than 10 days before arrival;
for dogs going to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway or Northern Ireland, tapeworm treatment one to five days before travel.

Coming back to the United States has its own rules: since August 1, 2024 the CDC sets entry requirements for every dog, stricter for dogs that have been in a country at high risk for dog rabies.

International trips are where plans fall apart. Start months ahead.

What to Pack

The carrier, with identification on it
Leash and harness
Collapsible water bowl
A familiar blanket or a shirt that smells of you
Absorbent pads
Any medication your vet has prescribed
All paperwork in one folder

Sedation

IATA endorses recommendations not to sedate or tranquilize pets in transit. If sedation is medically necessary, it says a veterinarian must direct it and record it on the health certificate. Anything calming is your vet’s decision and should be tried at home before the day of travel.

On food, IATA’s guidance is to reduce the amount the day before, give enough water, and offer a light meal about two hours before handing the animal over.

After the Flight

Find a relief area as soon as you can
Offer water
Look your pet over; if anything seems wrong, call a vet

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still bring an emotional support animal in the cabin for free?

Under US Department of Transportation rules in force since 2021, airlines are no longer required to treat emotional support animals as service animals, and they generally carry them as pets, with the usual fee and limits. Check your airline.

What’s the difference between a service dog and a pet?

A service dog is trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability and travels under the service animal rules, for which airlines may ask for a Department of Transportation form. A pet travels under the airline’s pet policy and pays its fee.

Is travel in the hold safe for a healthy dog?

For a healthy dog that is not a snub-nosed breed, on a direct flight in mild weather, it is a routine way to travel. It is not risk-free, and it is not suitable for every dog; ask your vet.

Can I check on my pet during a layover?

Generally not, which is one reason to book a direct flight.

Are pet relocation companies worth it?

For a complicated international move they take on the paperwork and bookings. Get a written quote and ask exactly what it includes.

Should I feed my pet right before the flight?

A light meal well ahead rather than a full one just before; water until the carrier is closed. Ask your vet about timing.

Final Word

If your pet fits under the seat and is in good health, cabin travel is manageable: read the airline’s pet page, measure the carrier, book the pet when you book yourself, and get the paperwork from your vet. If your pet is too big for the cabin, think hard before booking the hold. For shorter distances, going by road is often easier on the animal - see Dog Car Travel Safety.

Last updated: October 2026. Airline, IATA, EU, APHIS and CDC pages were read on 9 October 2026; rules change, so check them again before you travel.