Just because dogs are man’s best friend doesn’t mean they can share the seat next to you. Furry, feathered friends have to follow airline rules, even if they don’t follow house rules...
I’m an animal person but sadly for me, and fortunately for the rest of the people who take planes, there are some very specific guidelines and rules to follow in order to travel with a pet in-cabin. Before packing Spot’s suitcase, passengers need to consider airline policies regarding size, health, breed, age and even the weight of the pet. These are just as important, if not more, than the flight destination.
There are different customs, laws, government regulations and requirements everywhere. Even if passengers are flying within the U.S., rules vary between states. For instance, most states require a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI). There are exceptions: California, Georgia, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington do not require cats and/or dogs to have a CVI. International travel even requires passport forms for Fido; website Pet Travel has a list of requirements that must be fulfilled.
Regardless of whether a state or country requires a health certificate, no airline will allow an animal onboard that appears to be injured or ill. All airlines also require pets to be in approved airline pet carriers which passengers can buy from the airline or purchase on their own. Keep in mind, a pet counts as one carry-on item.
Certain breeds are not allowed nor advised to fly for safety reasons. Snubnosed cats (Burmese, Persian, Himalayan, Exotic Shorthair, etc.) and dogs (American Pit Bull Terrier, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Pug, Chow Chow, English/French Bulldog, King Charles Spaniel, Pekingese, Pug, Shar-Pei, Shih Tzu, etc.) are not advised to travel because their breathing could worsen at high altitudes. (They are encouraged to travel in-cabin as opposed to travel checked since the cabin is pressurized.) Puppies and kittens also must be at least 8 weeks old in order to fly in the cabin in the U.S.
Dogs that may be dangerous are expressly prohibited (American Pitbull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Doberman Pinscher, Rottweiler, etc.). Luckily, owners of these dogs do have one option, United Airlines, which lifted the ban on several of these breeds in 2013. Cuteness and treats do not make this process any cheaper or less complicated.
Below are in-cabin pet policies from every North American airline and a few popular international airlines. All fees provided are one-way. And yes, your falcon can come too. Thank goodness, I thought I'd have to leave mine behind.
| Airline | Pets Allowed In Cabin | Fee (O/W) | Allowed on International? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aegean Airlines | Cats, dogs, ferrets | Domestic: $25 International: $50 |
Yes |
| Aeromexico | Dogs | Domestic: 986 MXN
U.S.A., Canada, Central and South America: $145 |
Yes |
| Air Canada | Cats, dogs | Domestic (within U.S./Canada): $50 International: $100 |
Yes |
| Air France | Cats, dogs | within France: €20 within Caribbean: €20 within Europe: €55 from US: $200 from Canada: $200 CAD from Europe: €200 |
Yes |
| Air New Zealand | Pets allowed only as checked baggage. | n/a | n/a |
| AirAsia | Pets allowed only as checked baggage. | n/a | n/a |
| Alaska Airlines | Cats, dogs, rabbits, household birds | $100 | Yes |
| All Nippon Airways | Pets allowed only as checked baggage. | n/a | n/a |
| American Airlines | Cats, dogs | $125 | Yes if less than 12 hours |
| Austrain Airways | Cats, dogs | within Austria: $50 within Europe: $60 Intercontinental: $100 |
Yes |
| British Airways | Pets allowed only as checked baggage. | n/a | n/a |
| Cathay Pacific | Cats, dogs, birds | Does not count as free bag allowance. Dependent on travel zone and/or weight. | Yes |
| Delta Airlines | Cats, dogs, household birds | $125 | Yes |
| Emirates | Pets allowed only as checked baggage. | n/a | n/a |
| Eva Air | Cats, dogs, rabbits | Charged as 2 units of excess baggage. For more information, check out this page and the excess baggage fee chart. | Yes but excluding: travel to/from Australia, to U.K., to Hong Kong and with limitation to China. |
| Frontier Airlines | Cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, small household birds | $75 per segment | Dogs and cats only |
| Hawaiian Airlines | Cats, dogs | $35 within Hawaii, $175 elsewhere | Dogs and cats only |
| JetBlue | Cats, dogs | $100 | Yes |
| KLM | Cats, dogs | €70 | Yes, only within Europe |
| LAN Airlines | Cats, dogs | International: $200 within Peru: $30 within Ecuador: $50 within Colombia: $20 within other countries: $100 |
Yes |
| Lufthansa | Cats, dogs | within Germany: $50 within Europe: $70 Intercontinental: $100 |
Yes |
| Malaysia Airlines | Pets allowed only as checked baggage. | n/a | n/a |
| Qantas | Pets allowed only as checked baggage. | n/a | n/a |
| Qatar Airways | Cats, dogs, birds, falcons | Prices depend on travel zones and animal type. For instance, falcons are charged a different price. Please see this chart. | Yes |
| RyanAir | Pets allowed only as checked baggage. | n/a | n/a |
| Singapore Airlines | Pets allowed only as checked baggage. | n/a | n/a |
| South African Airways | Pets allowed only as checked baggage. | n/a | n/a |
| Southwest Airlines | Cats, dogs | $95 | No |
| Swiss Airways | Cats, dogs | Switzerland-Europe: 60 Fr Switzerland-Intercontinental: 90 Fr within Europe: €50 EU Europe-Intercontinental: €70 EU Intercontinental-Europe: $100 Intercontinental-Intercontinental: $100 |
Yes |
| TAM Airlines | Cats, dogs | $50 | Yes |
| Thai Airways | Pets allowed only as checked baggage. | n/a | n/a |
| Turkish Airlines | Cats, dogs, small passerine birds (goldfinches, budgies, canaries) | Pet will not be included in free baggage allowance. Fee will follow excess baggage charges (weight of pet and carrier). | Yes |
| United Airlines | Cats, dogs, rabbits, birds | $125 | Rules for international in-cabin pets vary. |
| US Airways | Cats, dogs | $125 | No |
| Virgin America | Cats, dogs | $100 | Yes |
Note: This chart doesn't apply to service animals. The Department of Transportation allows miniature horses, pigs and monkeys to travel in-cabin on a case-by-case basis for those with disabilities. More often than not, these are not charged a fee though documentation may be required. It is advised to notify the airline at least two days in advance before flying.
