We get asked a lot of questions from pet owners about traveling with a pet by air. After all, we live in a mobile age and people move all over the world every day. Certainly, they want to bring their pet with them and knowing airline pet policies and the services offered will help save a lot of headaches on travel day.
All services for live animals offered by airlines based in the United States are covered by the Animal Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Regulations issued in November, 2013. There are 3 ways that dogs and cats can travel on an airplane: in-cabin, checked baggage and manifest cargo.
Travel in the cabin: most airlines based in the US allow only small cats, dogs and (maybe) household birds to travel in the cabin on flights and generally only on flights under 8 hours (US-based airlines). Your pet should not exceed approximately 11-13 pounds in weight and 19 inches in length from tip of nose to base of tail. Your cat or dog will need to travel in an airline compliant carrier which has a waterproof bottom, adequate ventilation and zippers for security. Pet owners usually opt for soft sided carriers like those found here because they will offer your cat or dog additional room and will compress to go under the seat in front of you. See airline compliant pet carriers.
When flying with your pet in the cabin, you will notify the airline in advance (when you make your booking is best). On travel day, you will bring your pet to the ticket counter where you will pay for your pet’s passage. You will need to clear security on your way to the gate. Refer to this article on clearing airport security with a pet.
Travel as checked baggage: If you or your designee (over 18 years of age) are traveling with your dog or cat, then, as long as your airline offers this service (most do), your pet can travel as checked baggage in the cargo hold. This service is for pets that are too big to travel in the cabin or are pets other than dogs or cats. You need to inform your airline that you are traveling with a pet ahead of time and usually a minimum of 48 hours is required.
Your cat or dog must travel in an IATA compliant pet crate with a waterproof bottom, secure, spring latch door and adequate ventilation. On travel day, you will bring your pet in its crate to the ticket counter (or PetSafe desk if you are flying with United) where you will pay for your pet’s passage. Staff at the reservation desk will take your pet to the loading area and you will proceed on to your gate. When traveling with a dog or cat as checked baggage, you should arrive at the airport in plenty of time to process your pet. Your pet should fly on the same plane as you do. You will pick up your pet in the baggage claim area of the terminal.
Travel as manifest cargo: Dogs and cats traveling as manifest cargo travel in the cargo hold as do those traveling as checked baggage. Animals traveling as manifest cargo may be too big to handle at the ticket counter, be traveling unaccompanied by their owner or be required to do so by the country they are traveling to. Many countries require live animals to arrive as manifest cargo including the United Kingdom, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Angola, South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique and Tongo.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, you will need to contact the cargo department of your airline for details. Your pet will need a health certificate issued within 10 days of travel and, like checked baggage, your pet must travel in an IATA compliant pet crate. You will take your pet and its crate to your airline’s cargo facility (United may have a PetSafe Desk in the airport). Most airlines have cargo facilities on airport grounds. There, your pet will be weighed and crate inspected and you will complete an Airway Bill which will travel with your pet. Here is lots of information on preparing your pet crate for travel.
Your pet will travel on the same plane as you do unless there is an issue with cargo scheduled with your flight. Be sure and be proactive and ask whether your pet was loaded on the plane before you get on. Tell the Captain and crew that there is precious cargo in the hold and be sure and monitor pressure and temperature levels.
When you arrive at your destination, you will pick up your pet at the cargo facility or at another processing location. You should clarify this with cargo staff when you check in your pet.
Hope this helps to clarify the ways your pet can travel by air. You can always email us at info@pettravel.com with additional questions. Additionally, you can find more information on pet transport on https://www.PetTravelTransport.com if you need help with travel arrangements or cannot travel with your pet.
Holly – as your dog is a mixed breed, physical appearance is important. You can find more information on brachycephalic characteristics here: https://blog.pettravel.com/index.php/traveling-with-snub-nosed-dogs-or-cats/. This is all about safety for your pet. You know if your pet snorts frequently or snores when sleeping or wheezes after physical exercise. If there are no problems with your pet’s breathing and the length of its snout is adequate, then there should be no issues with flying it in the cargo hold. Be sure that temperatures are not excessively low in the origination city. Under 45 degrees F will be a no-go with the airlines.
Susan
I am traveling to panama city Beach florida,but our landing destination is in pensicola. I am wanting to bring my daughters dog to her via checked baggage. She has all the proper vaccinations, and will have the paper work. She is a small dog,about 35 pounds. She is a mutt, but looks to have some pug in her; But she does not have the typical smooshed snout . would I be able to check her?
Cindy – it is not safe to transport an 8 week old puppy in the cargo hold as their respiratory systems have not fully developed. Waiting until they are 15 weeks of age is recommended.
Phil
Is there an airplane company that will ship a 8 week old pup from Denmark to seattle
Claire – ultimately, you are the person who knows your cat best. If it is very vocal and not acclimated to its carrier, then putting it in the hold may be an answer. That said, it is always better to keep your cat in the cabin if your airline will permit it. Take extra pet pads and some cat calmers (https://www.pettravelstore.com/pet-calmers/). Having your cat acclimated to its crate or carrier is really important.
Susan
Hi. I am moving to Beijing China with my beloved cat. I will not put her through a 30-day quarantine in Beijing and so plan to go through Guangzhou. This is an incredibly lengthy trip and I am losing sleep over it. In this case, what is the safest choice, cargo (which I initially wanted to avoid at all cost) or keeping my kitty in a tiny carrier under my seat for an ungodly amount of time. I feel like I am not getting good answers from any pet relocation company or my vet in terms of what is truly the safest, most humane, and least amount of stress for my kitty. Thank you so much for all of your help.
Maritsa – you will complete the airway bill when you check your pet in at Egyptair’s cargo department. Know that there are 2 classes of service for pets flying in the cargo hold. Air cargo is for unaccompanied pets or very large pets. Checked baggage is for accompanied pets. Airwaybills are not required for pets flying as checked baggage.
There are no required import permits for pets entering Cyprus.
Susan
We are travelling with our two boston terriers to Cyprus in May with Egyptair.
I have most of the documentation in regard to rabies, titre test and will be getting the state vet to sign off. What i would like to know is that where do i get a waybill, and also do i need an import/export doc, is there any other documents that we need to get the dogs on the plane with us. they will have to travel cargo
Sue – you will need to contact a pet friendly charter company to accomplish this. For further information, you can email info@pettravel.com.
Phil
I want to fly my senior Golden Retriever with me from NY area to Palm Springs in December.
Does anyone know of a reasonable way to charter an airplane? i am not flying her as baggage…she’s too old!
going to call United Airways for quote
Dave – your route is pretty complicated and we can understand why you are struggling to find a solution. One problem is that no airline owns this route so there will be a change of airlines or a code sharing arrangement (gray area for pets). Also, most routes involve either a change of airport in NY (ouch) or a transit in Narita and, after a long flight, AQS will quarantine your pets. Know that pet transporters deal with pets flying as air cargo which is more expensive than checked baggage. If we were advising you, we would suggest that a transporter arrange for overnight kenneling in NY and put your Labs on a flight through Seoul on Asiana or Korean Air. At this point, we don’t know how big your dogs are or whether their planes could accommodate their kennels in their aircraft. Really tough to answer this question without a lot of research.
Susan
I have 2 labs I’m trying to have flown with a friend from St Louis to Hanoi, Vietnam. Every airline states they are either too big and/or too heavy to go as checked baggage. Multiple pet services have replied, in generic terms, that they cannot help. I’m stuck not knowing how I can get my 2 girls here.
Mark – the requirements to take any pet to the Far East are significant enough to think twice before taking them for a vacation. Your pet will need an import permit, proof of rabies vaccination and a veterinary certificate endorsed by the Philippine Consulate. You can find the requirements here: https://www.pettravel.com/immigration/philippines.cfm.
Jason
My jack russel is one year old puppy and has 9 kilos. Is there a chance that i can tAke my dog for a vacation in philippines? I was suggesting to take emirates plane.. Is there separation pay for the ticket of my dog rather than using my own ticket… The month would be october to november. What would you recomment? Thank you
Chris – the airlines are a bit sticky on the weight of a pet and its carrier, especially on international flights. Twenty pounds is pretty large and it would be surprising that you could find a carrier that a pet of that size would fit in. Unless your pet is a service or emotional support animal, it is doubtful if it would qualify to travel in the cabin.
Susan
I have a 14 year old 20lbs Jack Russell that will be traveling internationally from Singapore to Atlanta. Are there any airlines that will allow me to transport him in-cabin?
Lee – as long as you are flying in and out of Germany on the same airline, then you will stay in the same terminal and not clear customs. This way, you will transit the country and do not need to conform to Germany regulations for pet import.
Phil
I am travelling from US to a non EU country for a lengthy stay, but changing planes twice in Germany. The return will be the reverse route. I want to take my cat with me in-cabin. She has been well cared for since I got her several years ago but is not microchipped. The destination country accepts tattooing. I am against microchipping because of reported cases of aggressive carcinogenic tumors that have occurred at the microchip implantation site. I can’t find a direct flght. What can I do?
Hi Rosa – generally, personal pets are not taxed when entering a country when traveling non-commercially. Your airline may be able to confirm this.
Jason