Airline Pet Policies: What to Check Before You Book
Published by FlyingWith4 min readSources checked
Airline and government rules change. Check your airline's current rules before you travel.
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Confirm two things before you book: the airline's pet policy for your exact flights, and your destination's entry rules. Some take months, such as Japan's 180-day waiting period for dogs and cats from non-designated regions.
Scope: A general overview for cats and dogs, with cabin fees, weight limits and carrier sizes for seven major airlines in Canada and the U.S., checked against each airline's own pet page or tariff in October 2026. Fees and limits change, so confirm yours before you book. Official rules quoted: U.S. DOT and Canadian Transportation Agency rules on service and emotional support animals, USDA APHIS guidance, and entry requirements for Great Britain, Japan and Australia as examples.
Cabin pet fees, weight limits and carrier sizes by airline
Cats and small dogs in the cabin on seven major airlines in Canada and the U.S. Fees are one-way, per pet. We checked every figure against the airline's own pet page or tariff in October 2026. Airlines change these rules, so confirm yours before you book.
| Airline | Cabin fee (one way) | Weight limit — pet + carrier | Largest carrier | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Canada | $50–60 CAD/USD within Canada and Canada–U.S.; $100–120 CAD/USD international | 10 kg (22 lb) for pet and carrier combined | Soft-sided only since June 2025. Size depends on the aircraft: up to 43 × 40 × 20 cm on most mainline jets, up to 55 × 40 × 27 cm on regional jets | The carrier counts as your carry-on item. No cabin pets in Premium Economy. |
| WestJet | $50–59 CAD/USD within Canada and to the U.S.; $100–118 CAD/USD to other international destinations | No published weight limit — your pet must be able to stand, turn around and lie down in the kennel | 41 × 25.4 × 21.5 cm (16 × 10 × 8.5 in), soft-sided only | A pet can only be added by phone — you can't book one online. |
| Air Transat | $50 CAD/USD within Canada, to/from the U.S. and the South; $100 CAD/USD to Europe — per flight segment | 10 kg (22 lb) with the carrier, per Air Transat's tariff | Up to 55 × 35 × 35 cm per the tariff, soft-sided; some aircraft allow less — confirm for your flight | Paying at the airport can cost more than prepaying. |
| Porter Airlines | $50 CAD/USD | 9 kg (20 lb) for pet and carrier combined, per Porter's tariff | 55 × 40 × 27 cm, soft-sided only | Cats and small dogs only — Porter carries no pets in the hold on any flight. |
| United Airlines | $150 USD each way | No weight or breed limit — your pet must fit in the carrier | Soft-sided up to 45 × 27 × 27 cm (no more than 25 cm / 10 in tall on Boeing 737 MAX); hard-sided up to 44 × 30 × 22 cm | Cats and dogs only. No cargo service for the general public. |
| Delta Air Lines | $150 USD/CAD for the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, on tickets issued on or after April 8, 2025; $200 USD/CAD/EUR international | No fixed limit — it depends on your aircraft's under-seat space | Delta recommends a soft-sided kennel no larger than 45 × 28 × 28 cm (18 × 11 × 11 in) | The fee is collected at check-in, not when you book. |
| American Airlines | $150 USD per kennel | No general weight limit — your pet must fit comfortably in the carrier | Soft-sided 46 × 28 × 28 cm; hard-sided 48 × 33 × 22 cm on mainline flights | One carrier per passenger, and it counts as your carry-on item. |
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Sources checked
Official airline pet pages
In this guide(8)
Go straight to the part you need.
Airline pet policies differ widely, and they change. What one airline accepts, another may not. This guide explains what usually varies and what to confirm with the airline and your destination's government before you book.
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Part of: Flying with a Pet
What changes by airline
- Whether pets can travel in the cabin, as checked baggage or as cargo
- Weight or carrier-size limits and how many pets are allowed per flight
- Pet fees and whether they're refundable
- Breed, species and hot- or cold-weather restrictions
- Which documents are required, and by when
General advice: applies wherever you fly
Travelling in the cabin
Some airlines accept small cats and dogs in the cabin, in a carrier that fits under the seat in front of you. Airlines set their own limits: some use a combined weight for the pet and carrier, others a carrier size, and many limit how many pets can travel in the cabin on one flight.
Ask the airline to confirm that a space is actually reserved for your pet, rather than only that a fee was charged.
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General advice: applies wherever you fly
Checked and cargo travel
Pets too large for the cabin may be able to travel as checked baggage or as cargo, in a crate that meets the airline's requirements. Some airlines don't carry pets this way at all, and some restrict it in very hot or cold weather. Confirm the current policy directly with the airline rather than relying on an older page.
General advice: applies wherever you fly
Breed and species restrictions
Some airlines restrict snub-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds of dogs and cats, especially for checked or cargo travel, and some accept only cats and dogs. Check the airline's current list before you book.
General advice: applies wherever you fly
Fees and documents
Pet fees are charged separately from your ticket and vary by airline and route. Before paying, confirm your pet is eligible and ask whether the fee is refundable.
Airlines and destinations may require a recent health certificate and rabies vaccination proof. For travel from the United States, a USDA-accredited veterinarian can help with destination requirements and certificates. For U.S.-vaccinated dogs returning after time in a high-risk rabies country within the preceding six months, CDC requires specific return documents prepared with the veterinarian before departure. Read the current official requirements.
Official rules: Great Britain, Japan and Australia (examples)
Entry requirements can take months
Great Britain: pet dogs, cats and ferrets must be microchipped before their rabies vaccination, and you must wait a set period after vaccination before travelling. Depending on the country you travel from, a blood test may be needed, and dogs may need tapeworm treatment given no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days before arrival.
Japan: dogs and cats from non-designated regions must meet requirements including a microchip, at least two rabies vaccinations, a rabies antibody test and a 180-day waiting period, with certificates issued by a government agency.
Australia: the country of origin determines the process. Check your country category on the official site; where an import permit is required, it must be valid. Post-entry quarantine at Mickleham may also be required.
Requirements like these depend on where your pet is travelling from, so check the official page for your destination as soon as you start planning.
Official rules: United States (DOT)
Service and emotional support animals
Under U.S. DOT rules, species other than dogs, emotional support animals, comfort animals, companionship animals and service animals in training are not service animals. Airlines may require a DOT form attesting to a service animal's health, behaviour and training, and, for flights of 8 hours or more, a DOT form about the animal's relief needs. Airlines may choose to carry other animals under their own pet policies.
Official rules: Canada (CTA)
Service and emotional support dogs
Under the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations, carriers must accept a service dog, meaning a dog individually trained by an organization or person specializing in service dog training to perform a task for a person with a disability, subject to the conditions in the regulations, including documentation.
In a June 23, 2023 decision, the Canadian Transportation Agency determined that carriers are only required to accommodate dogs as emotional support animals, and only under specific conditions: these include proof from a physician or medical health professional, documentation submitted at least 96 hours before travel, and the dog staying in a carrier under the seat in front of the passenger.
General advice: applies wherever you fly
Before you book, confirm these
Ask the airline, ideally in writing, to confirm:
Checklist
- Whether your pet and carrier qualify for the cabin on this specific aircraft.
- That a space is reserved for your pet, and not only that a fee was charged.
- Any breed, species or weather restrictions for your travel dates.
- Which documents the airline needs, and by when.
- Your destination's entry requirements and how long they take to complete.
Official sources
Rules and amounts change. Before you rely on anything marked as an official rule, check the source. These are the official pages we used.
- Service Animals · U.S. Department of Transportation
- Service dogs: A Guide · Canadian Transportation Agency
- Final decision about travelling with emotional support animals · Canadian Transportation Agency
- Pet Travel · USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
- Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain · GOV.UK
- Import dogs and cats into Japan (from non-designated regions) · Animal Quarantine Service, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan)
- Bringing cats and dogs to Australia · Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia)
- U.S.-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
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