Flying with your dog can seem daunting, but with careful planning and preparation, it can be a smooth experience for both of you. Many airlines accommodate canine travelers, but understanding the process and requirements is key to ensuring a stress-free journey. If you’re considering air travel with your furry friend, early communication with the airline is paramount, ideally when you book your tickets.
Airlines will guide you through their specific pet policies, which can vary significantly. They’ll also confirm if there’s space for your dog on your chosen flight, as most airlines limit the number of pets allowed in the cabin. Your dog will need to travel either in an airline-approved carrier that fits under the seat in front of you or in a crate in the cargo hold. It’s important to note that, unfortunately, you cannot purchase a separate seat for your dog.
Currently, only trained service dogs assisting individuals with disabilities are permitted to travel freely in the cabin of commercial airlines. As of 2021, emotional support animals are considered pets and must also travel in carriers like other non-service animals.
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Is Flying Right for Your Dog?
Before you book that flight, take a moment to consider whether air travel is truly the best option for your dog. “Air travel can be a source of stress for both humans and canines,” explains Dr. Jerry Klein, Chief Veterinary Officer for the American Kennel Club. He highlights that the unfamiliar sights, sounds, and smells of airports, coupled with new environments, can be particularly challenging for pets.
Furthermore, changes in their regular diet and water source upon arrival can disrupt your dog’s digestive system. The general disruption of travel and potential time zone changes can also lead to dehydration or complications with medication schedules, especially for dogs requiring strict regimens like insulin for diabetic dogs. These disruptions can have serious health consequences. It’s crucial to discuss your travel plans with your veterinarian to determine if flying is a safe and suitable option for your individual dog.
Papillon sitting indoors with a traveling crate in the background.Alt text: Papillon dog calmly sitting beside a travel crate, preparing for air travel. ©Sergey Lavrentev – stock.adobe.com
Essential Preparations Before Flying
If you decide to fly with your dog, thorough preparation is essential. Start by confirming that your dog is permitted to fly to your destination and research any specific regulations. Check for quarantine requirements, necessary vaccinations, or any breed-specific restrictions that might apply at your destination. The AKC provides a helpful list of state-by-state travel requirements, but remember that international travel and returns to the U.S. from abroad may involve additional rules. Many airlines permit small dogs to travel in the cabin, provided they are in an approved carrier that fits comfortably under the seat in front of you.
Larger dogs, unfortunately, typically need to travel in the cargo hold. When booking flights with your dog, prioritize direct flights whenever possible to minimize stress and potential delays. If you’re traveling during the summer months, opt for early morning or late evening flights to avoid the hottest parts of the day. Conversely, in winter, midday flights are preferable to avoid extreme cold. Be aware that airlines often place restrictions on pet cargo travel during periods of extreme temperatures.
For those bringing dogs into the U.S., it’s vital to be aware of the updated guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which took effect in August 2024. Anyone importing a dog into the U.S. for the first time, or returning with a dog from another country, must complete a CDC-approved Dog Import Form online in advance. All dogs entering the U.S. must be vaccinated against rabies, be at least six months old, and have a microchip that meets the International Standards Organization (ISO) standard. Dogs originating from countries classified as “high-risk for rabies” have additional requirements, including a U.S. rabies vaccination certificate, a foreign-issued rabies vaccination certificate, or a foreign rabies vaccination certification, alongside a microchip form. Quarantine upon arrival in the U.S. may also be required in certain situations.
Health Checklist for Flying Dogs
Ensuring your dog is healthy enough to fly is a crucial step before any air travel. Here’s a health checklist to guide you:
- Veterinary Check-up: Schedule a veterinary appointment before your trip. While a health certificate might not be mandatory for all domestic flights, a vet visit is highly recommended. Your veterinarian can confirm your dog is fit for travel, ensure vaccinations are current, and provide an updated rabies certificate.
- Medication Management: If your dog takes any prescription medications, pack an ample supply to last the entire trip and a bit extra for potential delays. Don’t forget essential preventative medications like flea and tick treatments.
- Specialized Diets: If your dog requires a prescription or specialized diet, bring enough food to cover the duration of your trip. Finding specific diets while traveling can be challenging.
Essential Items to Pack for Your Dog’s Flight
Packing the right supplies for your dog is crucial for a comfortable flight and trip. Here’s a list of essential items:
- Vaccination Records: Determine if a health certificate signed by your vet is required for your destination. Even if not mandatory, carrying these documents is wise. Always verify entry requirements, including quarantine information, for all destinations on your itinerary.
- Airline-Approved Carrier: Ensure your carrier meets the specific size regulations of your airline and flight. Carriers should be waterproof and provide adequate space for your dog to comfortably sit, stand, lie down, and turn around.
- Portable Water and Food Bowls: Pack collapsible bowls for easy access to food and water during travel.
- Sufficient Food: Carry a small amount of dog food in a baggie in your carry-on luggage, especially vital in case of flight delays.
- Treats: Bring your dog’s favorite treats for positive reinforcement and to help alleviate stress.
- Poop Bags: Essential for airport pet relief areas and during your travels.
- Pet Wipes: Ideal for quick cleanups if your dog experiences motion sickness or accidents.
- Chew Toy: A familiar chew toy can provide comfort and distraction, particularly during takeoff and landing to help with pressure changes.
Preparing Your Dog Behaviorally for Flight
Acclimating your dog to their travel crate well in advance of your flight is invaluable for a smoother travel experience. Introduce the crate to your dog at home, making it a positive and safe space with treats and praise.
Familiarizing your dog with busy, noisy environments can also be beneficial. Take them to dog-friendly, crowded places like bus stations or pet stores to help them adjust to the sounds and sights of an airport. Airlines require dogs to be well-behaved during flights, meaning no excessive barking, growling, or aggressive behavior. Consider enrolling in a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) training program before your trip. The CGC skills, such as navigating crowds and polite behavior around other dogs, are excellent preparation for airport environments. Some trainers even simulate airplane seating arrangements to help dogs practice staying calmly under a seat in a carrier, which can be extremely helpful.
Navigating the Airport with Your Dog
If your dog is traveling in cargo, you will check them in with the airline upon arrival at the airport. Airline staff will then handle the process of loading your dog’s crate onto the plane and ensuring its safe arrival at your destination. If your dog is traveling in the cabin with you, you will proceed through TSA security screening together. At security, you’ll need to take your dog out of their carrier. You will walk through the full-body scanner separately, and TSA personnel will screen the carrier, and may also inspect your dog’s leash, collar, or harness.
Once through security, take advantage of pet relief areas available at most airports to allow your dog to relieve themselves before the flight. While waiting to board, you may be able to have your dog out of their carrier to stretch and move around, depending on airport regulations and space.
Alt text: Calm Sealyham Terrier dog resting comfortably inside a spacious travel crate. Maximilian100 via Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
During Your Flight
Once onboard, your dog must remain inside their carrier for the duration of the flight. Dogs are not allowed to sit on laps or roam freely in the cabin. Offering a chew toy during turbulent phases of the flight, particularly during takeoff and landing, can help comfort your dog. Chewing has a natural calming effect and can also aid in adjusting to cabin pressure changes.
Airline-by-Airline Guide to Flying with Dogs
Below is a summary of pet policies for major airlines operating in the U.S. Always confirm the most current guidelines with your specific airline before booking to ensure space for your dog and understand any flight-specific rules.
Alaska Airlines
Health and Vaccine Requirements: For cabin travel on Alaska Airlines, health certificates and vaccination proof are not mandatory, but dogs must be in good health. Alaska Airlines reserves the right to deny boarding to visibly sick or distressed animals. For cargo travel, a health certificate issued within 10 days of the outbound flight and within 30 days of the return flight is required.
Cabin Pet Policy: Yes, small dogs in approved carriers are permitted in the cabin. The carrier counts as the passenger’s carry-on baggage allowance. Two similarly sized dogs can travel in one carrier if comfortable and no body parts protrude.
Cabin Restrictions: First class cabins accommodate up to three pet carriers per flight, and main cabins up to eight. Only cabin pets are allowed on international flights and flights to Hawaii. A second adjacent seat can be purchased to accommodate two pet carriers in the main cabin.
Cargo Pet Policy: Yes, dogs must be at least 8 weeks old and weaned to travel as cargo.
Cargo Restrictions: Combined weight of dog and crate cannot exceed 150 pounds. Cargo pets must be on the same flight as their owner. Dogs must be comfortable in their crates and not require attention during the flight.
Pet Fee: $100 per pet for both cabin and cargo travel.
Shetland Sheepdog service dog laying next to its owner at the airport.Alt text: Shetland Sheepdog service dog calmly resting beside its owner at an airport gate. Lokibaho/Getty Images Plus
American Airlines
Health and Vaccine Requirements: For cargo travel on American Airlines, original health certificates signed by a vet within 20 days of both the outbound and return flights are necessary. Cabin pets do not require health certificates.
Cabin Pet Policy: Yes, dogs in approved under-seat carriers are allowed on most flights up to 11 hours and 30 minutes.
Cabin Restrictions: Cabin pet capacity is limited to either five or seven pets per flight, depending on the aircraft.
Cargo Pet Policy: Cargo pet transport is limited to active-duty U.S. Military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel on official orders. A maximum of two pets can travel as cargo.
Pet Fee: $150 per carrier for cabin pets. Cargo fees vary by destination and are confirmed at booking.
Delta Air Lines
Health and Vaccine Requirements: Health certificates are not required for cabin pets on Delta. Cargo pets require current health certificates from a vet within 10 days of travel.
Cabin Pet Policy: Yes, dogs must fit in a carrier under the seat in front. Carriers must have ventilation on three sides for domestic and four sides for international flights.
Cabin Restrictions: Minimum age for cabin pets is 8 weeks for domestic and 16 weeks for U.S.-bound international flights, and 15 weeks for European destinations.
Cargo Pet Policy: Yes, cargo carriers must be large enough for the dog to sit, stand, lie down, and turn around freely, complying with IATA regulations.
Pet Fee: $95 each way for domestic flights, $200 for international flights.
Frontier Airlines
Health and Vaccine Requirements: No health certificates are required by Frontier, but specific destinations may have their own requirements.
Cabin Pet Policy: Yes, dogs at least 8 weeks old are allowed on all domestic Frontier flights, and to/from Dominican Republic and Mexico.
Cabin Restrictions: Dogs must be able to stand, turn around, and lie down comfortably in a soft-sided carrier under the seat.
Cargo Pet Policy: No cargo pet transport.
Pet Fee: $99 each way.
Hawaiian Airlines
Health and Vaccine Requirements: Health certificates from a vet are required for flights between Hawaii and the U.S. mainland on Hawaiian Airlines, dated within 14 days of arrival in Hawaii. Contact the Hawaii Department of Agriculture for quarantine and vaccination details due to Hawaii’s rabies-free status.
Cabin Pet Policy: Yes, on select flights.
Cabin Restrictions: Permitted on inter-island flights within Hawaii and between mainland U.S. and Hawaii. Combined pet and carrier weight must not exceed 25 pounds.
Cargo Pet Policy: Yes, but combined weight limit is 70 pounds.
Cargo Restrictions: Cargo pet transport is restricted on most flights between April 15 and October 15, and when temperatures are below 20F or above 85F at origin, destination, or connection airports. No international cargo pet transport.
Pet Fee: $35 for inter-Hawaii flights, $125 for flights between Hawaii and the mainland U.S.
JetBlue Airways
Health and Vaccine Requirements: Dogs need required vaccines and documentation for their destination on JetBlue, including ID tags and licenses.
Cabin Pet Policy: Yes, dogs under 20 pounds (combined weight with carrier) are allowed in the cabin.
Cabin Restrictions: Combined weight of pet and carrier must not exceed 20 pounds.
Cargo Pet Policy: No cargo pet transport.
Pet Fee: $125 per flight segment.
Southwest Airlines
Health and Vaccine Requirements: Passengers must meet destination-specific vaccination and health certificate requirements when flying with dogs on Southwest.
Cabin Pet Policy: Yes, cabin pets are allowed on domestic flights only, not on international flights or itineraries including international segments.
Cabin Restrictions: Cabin pets are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, with a limit of six pets per flight. Disruptive dogs may be denied boarding.
Cargo Pet Policy: No cargo pet transport.
Pet Fee: $125 per pet carrier for mainland U.S. flights, $35 per pet carrier for inter-Hawaii flights.
Spirit Airlines
Health and Vaccine Requirements: Health certificates are generally not required on Spirit Airlines, except for flights to the U.S. Virgin Islands. Rabies vaccination proof is needed for Puerto Rico.
Cabin Pet Policy: Yes, dogs at least 8 weeks old and weaned are allowed on domestic flights. No international pet flights.
Cabin Restrictions: One pet carrier per passenger, with up to two dogs inside if they fit comfortably, and combined weight not exceeding 40 pounds.
Cargo Pet Policy: No cargo pet transport.
Pet Fee: $125 per flight segment.
United Airlines
Health and Vaccine Requirements: United Airlines recommends health certificates but doesn’t require them for domestic flights. Rabies vaccination proof and health certificates are mandatory for international flights.
Cabin Pet Policy: Yes, dogs at least 2 months old are allowed on domestic flights. For international flights, the minimum age is 4 months.
Cabin Restrictions: Cabin pet limits depend on the aircraft type, ranging from two to six pets per plane.
Cargo Pet Policy: No cargo pet transport.
Pet Fee: $125 per flight segment, with an additional $125 for layovers exceeding four hours domestically or 24 hours internationally.
