The following information has been collected from the airlines’ published pet policies, supplemented (in some cases) by telephone inquiries. It was last updated on April 16, 2013.
For each airline, I have provided a link to the airline’s pet policy. Please note that the policies include details that I can’t fit into this chart. For example, some countries do not allow pets to arrive in-cabin (including the U.K., South Africa and Australia). Because of airplane cabin configurations, in-cabin pets won’t fit at all under some sections’ seats. Information like this varies by airline, so read the policies carefully. If you still have questions, call your airline’s contact number and get answers before you arrive at the airport.
It is also a good idea to print out a copy of your airline’s policy, so that if a dispute arises with a ticketing or gate agent, you will have the actual policy to refer to (not the agent’s potentially faulty memory of the policy).
Airline | In-cabin pets OK? | Pets per passenger | Weight limit | Minimum age | Carrier size | Fee (each way) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aer Lingus | No (checked or cargo only) | |||||
| AeroMexico | Yes (dogs only, on flights 5 hours or less) | 1 | 9 kg total (7 kg. total on E-145 planes) | 8 weeks | 16Lx12Wx7H (E-145 planes) or 19Lx12Wx10H (all other planes) | not stated |
| Air Canada | Yes | 1 | 10 kg (22 lbs.) total | 8 weeks | 21.5Lx15.5Wx9H (if soft-sided, can be 10.5" tall) | $50 or $100 CAD (depending on destination) |
| Air France | Yes | not stated | 6 kg (13.2 lbs.) total | 15 weeks (8 weeks in "metropolitan France") | not specified; the carrier Air France sells is 46x28x27cm | 200 from/to USA (EUR, USD or CAD, depending on country of departure) |
| Air New Zealand | No (checked or cargo only) | |||||
| Alitalia | Yes | up to 5 (note A) | 10 kg total | not stated | 17.5Lx8.5Wx10.2H (40x20x24 cm) | $260 from USA; 200 to USA (EUR, USD or CAD, depending on country of departure) |
| American Airlines | Yes (Canada, Mexico, Central America, Colombia, and the Caribbean) | 1 kennel (note B) | 20 lbs. total | 8 weeks | 19Lx13Wx9H (slightly larger ok if soft-sided) | $125 |
| ANA All Nippon Airways | No (checked only) | |||||
| Asiana Airlines | Yes | 1 | 5 kg total | 8 weeks | "The height of the case shall not exceed 21cm (25cm for soft cases)." | calculated as excess baggage |
| British Airways | No (cargo only) | |||||
| Cathay Pacific Airlines | No (checked or cargo only) | |||||
| Continental | same as United | |||||
| Delta | Yes (though not U.K., Ireland, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, Hong Kong, UAE, Dubai, Dakar, Barbados, Jamaica) | 1 (note C) | not stated | 10 weeks | varies by plane; call Reservations | 200; 75 for Brazil (EUR, USD or CAD, depending on country of departure) |
| Emirates | No (checked or cargo only) | |||||
| Etihad | No (cargo only) | |||||
| EVA Air | No (checked only) | |||||
| Iberia | Yes | not stated | 8 kg total | not stated | "The container may be a maximum of 45 cm in length, 35 cm in width and 25 cm in depth, provided that the sum of those 3 measurements does not exceed 105 cm." | calculated as excess baggage |
| Icelandair | No (checked or cargo only) | |||||
| JAL | No (checked or cargo only) | |||||
| KLM | Yes | 1 | 6 kg (13 lbs.) total | not stated | A hard-sided container no more than 20 cm tall | 20-200 (EUR, USD or CAD, depending on destination and country of departure) |
| Korean Air (under "At the Airport," then "Baggage," then "Pets") | Yes | 1 (note E) | 5 kg (11 lbs.) total | 8 weeks | "The total dimension(length+width+height) of the kennel should not exceed 115 cm to fit under the seat." | calculated as excess baggage |
| LAN | No (checked or cargo only) | |||||
| Lufthansa | Yes | 1 | 8 kg total | not stated | 55 cm x 40 cm x 23 cm | $100 USD/CAD, 70€(intercontinental) |
| Open Skies | Yes | 1 | 6 kg (13.2 lbs.) total | not stated | not stated | $196 or 125€ |
| Qantas | No (checked or cargo only) | |||||
| Qatar Airways | No (checked or cargo only) | |||||
| Ryanair | No (see Section 8.9.1) | |||||
| SAS | Yes | 1 | 8 kg total | not stated | 40 cm x 25 cm x 23 cm | $125 or 100€ (intercontinental) |
| Singapore Airlines | No (checked or cargo only) | |||||
| Swiss | Yes | 1 | 8 kg total | not stated | "Length + width + height = max. 118 cm" | $100 USD/CAD to Europe (plus CHF 88 customs fee if you fly directly to Switzerland); 70€ from Europe to USA; CHF 90 from Switzerland to USA |
| TAP Portugal | Yes | 1 carrier (note F) | 8 kg (17 lbs.) total | not stated | "The carrier may not exceed 48cm in length, 32cm in width and 25cm in height." | 150€ (intercontinental) |
| THAI | Yes | 1 | 10 kg total | not stated | "55 length x 37 width x 30 height in cms" | calculated as excess baggage |
| Turkish Airlines | Yes | 1 carrier (note G) | 6 kg total | not stated | 45 cm x 35 cm x 23 cm | calculated as excess baggage |
| United | Yes: "Rules for international in-cabin pet acceptance vary widely.... [T]o book international in-cabin travel for a pet, contact United Reservations." | not stated | not stated | not stated | not stated | not stated |
| U.S. Airways | Yes (Costa Rica only) | 1 | not stated | not stated | 17Lx16Wx8H (hard-sided) or 17Lx16Wx10H (soft-sided) | $125 |
| Virgin Atlantic | No (checked or cargo only) |
Notes:
- “A transport cage may contain up to five animals of the same species as long as the combined weight (including food and the carrier itself) does not exceed 10 kg.” (Alitalia)
- “ If two animals are traveling in the same carrier, they must be the same species (two cats or two dogs, not one of each) and the pet and container can weigh no more than 20 lbs. combined.” (American)
- “Two pets of the same species and size may be allowed to travel in one kennel, provide they are small enough to fit into one kennel and are compatible. They will be charged as one pet.” (Delta)
- “In the case of animals of reduced size or weight, several of the same species may be admitted in a single container.” (Iberia)
- “Each passenger is allowed to carry only one pet. However, pets under 6 months of age can be transported in a pair using a single cage (the pair must be of the same breed, i.e., 2 dogs, 2 cats, or 2 birds to a cage).” (Korean Air)
- “Each passenger may only bring one pet container on board. However, the pet container may contain more than one animal if they are from the same species and familiar with each other and have space to move inside.” (TAP Portugal)
- “Two pets of the same kind (two dogs or two cats) may be housed in the same kennel as long as they are accustomed to one another and the total weight of the kennel does not exceed 6kg.” (Turkish Airlines)