Flying With Pets? Read This Guide Before Your Next Trip

Flying with your furry friend can be exciting and rewarding, but it does require an extra level of preparedness — especially after the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) updated its pet policy in December 2020. It was decided then that emotional support animals would no longer be considered service animals, leaving it to each airline to come up with its own rules for governing how these types of pets can fly. And that’s exactly what happened. Following the rule change, all U.S.-based carriers updated their policies to treat emotional support animals the same as regular pets.

The rules regarding the categorization of your four-legged flying companion can vary by airline, or even by destination. From knowing what kind of paperwork and vaccination records are necessary to researching where your pet can be on the plane during the flight, it’s nothing a bit of pre-planning can’t solve. Many carriers will let pets fly for a fee, albeit with some size, age, or breed restrictions, while others no longer allow any animals to travel in the cargo hold. Determining which travel category your pet falls into and what your airline requires are important first steps.

Here’s everything you need to know before flying with your fur baby, from what the recent changes mean to important tips that’ll help them have a safer and more comfortable trip.

What is a service animal?

The DOT officially defines a service animal as “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability.” According to the Americans with Disabilities National Network, this can extend to those with physical, psychiatric, sensory, mental, or intellectual disabilities. The site also states that service dogs are highly trained to help with tasks such as “pulling a wheelchair, retrieving dropped items, alerting a person to a sound, reminding a person to take medication, or pressing an elevator button.”

While passengers are allowed to travel with qualified service animals, the DOT’s website states that airlines can limit it to two per passenger. In general, all service animals must be able to fit by the passenger’s feet and have to be harnessed or leashed at all times. You’ll also be required to produce paperwork “attesting to a service animal’s health, behavior and training,” and for longer flights, “that the service animal can either not relieve itself, or can relieve itself in a sanitary manner.” Such forms must also be given to the airline up to 48 hours before the flight.

What is an emotional support animal?

The American Kennel Club’s website defines emotional support animals as any pet “prescribed by a licensed mental health professional to a person with a disabling mental illness.” This can mean pets that assist with depression and anxiety, or when dealing with certain types of phobias, among other diagnoses made by a psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist.

That said, emotional support animals are not covered under Title II and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. While accommodations had been made for them to fly for free on U.S. airlines in the past, the 2020 DOT ruling allows carriers to make their own policies regarding how they fly. Most of them are now charging a fee, just as they would for regular pets.

What is a psychiatric service animal?

According to the ADA National Network, psychiatric service dogs are defined as those that have “been trained to perform tasks that assist individuals with disabilities to detect the onset of psychiatric episodes and lessen their effects.” These types of tasks can include “reminding the handler to take medicine, providing safety checks or room searches, or turning on lights for persons with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,” among other responsibilities.

The latest DOT ruling mentioned above “requires airlines to treat psychiatric service animals the same as any other service animal.”

Can you bring your pet on board?

Pet policies vary by airline, though many of them charge fees and enforce breed restrictions. In addition, many carriers have limitations regarding the number of pets allowed on each flight. Always check with your preferred airline ahead of time for the specifics. Service animals, of course, fly for free.

• Delta Air Lines, for instance, allows small dogs, cats, and household birds to travel in the cabin inside a small, ventilated pet carrier for $95 each way within the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. For international flights, that fee jumps to $200 for dogs and cats (no birds).
• American Airlines charges $150 for tickets purchased after February 20, 2024 (or $125 for tickets bought before then) for small dogs and cats traveling within the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
• United Airlines lets cats and small dogs fly in the cabin for $150 each way on tickets purchased after April 26, 2024 (or $125 for tickets bought before then). Be aware that there’s an additional service charge of the same amount for each stopover of more than four hours on domestic hops or for stops over 24 hours when flying internationally. And if you’re bringing two pets aboard, you’ll have to purchase two seats next to each other so you have enough room to take care of them.

What does flying in cargo mean?

Animals that are not small enough to fit under the seat will have to fly as checked pets in the cargo hold, an area underneath the main cabin where larger items (like pet carriers) are typically kept. Often the cargo space is pressurized and climate-controlled just like the main cabin, though you may need to find an alternate transportation option if the weather is too hot (over 80 degrees Fahrenheit) or too cold (under 20 degrees Fahrenheit).

In recent years, many carriers, such as United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, have stopped allowing larger pets to fly in cargo — the only exception being for active members of the U.S. military, Foreign Service Officers, or diplomats who have orders to relocate. In those cases, household pets will likely have to be checked in a few hours before the flight, and you’ll be expected to pay a fee. Those fees tend to vary by airline and destination, but can usually be reimbursed by the U.S. government, according to the Military Times.

While American Airlines only extends checked pet privileges in U.S. military and U.S. State Department-related cases as described above, the carrier does offer the option to book pet travel in cargo through its American PetEmbark program for an additional fee. It won’t, however, accept animals on flights starting, ending, or passing through Phoenix, Las Vegas, Tucson, or Palm Springs between May 1 and September 30 due to heat concerns.

For pets that are allowed to fly in cargo, there are breed restrictions to be aware of, all put in place to prevent your precious pets from experiencing breathing or overheating issues during the flight. Most carriers, including Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and United Airlines, have banned certain canine and feline breeds with flat faces — “snub-nosed” animals such as boxers, pugs, and bulldogs — for those reasons. Check with your desired airline to see its current list of breed restrictions.

What kind of paperwork should you have?

In general, the types of documentation you’ll need depend on a few factors, including where you’re going, whether or not your pet will be flying in the cabin or cargo, and, naturally, on your airline. For domestic flights, even if your preferred airline does not necessarily require it, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) website states there are different rules whenever pets cross state lines, travel to other countries, or fly home from abroad. Rules also differ by state — Hawaii, for example, may require pets to quarantine due to the risk of introducing rabies to the island’s delicate ecosystem, though the length varies based on pre-travel preparations.

To play it safe, make sure you have a health certificate from a USDA-accredited veterinarian clearing your pet for travel, and that it’s current — as in, within 10 days of your upcoming flight. It’s also not a bad idea to bring a copy of your pet’s latest rabies vaccination record, which must be at least 30 days old, and to have any other veterinary medical records on hand, as some airlines may ask to see this documentation when pets are flying in cabin or cargo. Contact your veterinarian for further assistance with obtaining the proper travel documents for your pet.

Things get even trickier when traveling internationally and those flying with pets should also check the individual requirements for each country before booking. Australia, for example, requires U.S. pet parents to obtain a special import permit for their animals and may have them spend time in a quarantine facility. Japan, meanwhile, requires dogs and cats to be microchipped, tested for rabies, and undergo a 180-day waiting period.

What other pet travel tips should I consider?

Before setting off on your trip, make sure your pet is microchipped (just in case!) and schedule a check-up with your veterinarian to ensure they’re up to date on all their vaccinations. This will also allow you to ask any last-minute questions regarding documentation, records, or the in-flight process. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) website even has a nifty checklist of everything you might need.

Note that most airlines will not let your animal fly if it has been tranquilized, as the effects of such medications can be more potent when traveling by air. Also keep in mind that everything from rapid acceleration to pressure changes can cause stress for your pet, according to the AVMA. The organization suggests that pet parents ensure their cat or dog gets cozy with the idea of being in a crate or under-the-seat carrier for a long time and that they can fit comfortably inside it.

You will be required to remove your pet from its carrier at the airport’s TSA security checkpoint so it (the carrier) can be screened through the X-ray machine — your dog or cat is instead walked on a leash or carried by you through the metal detector. Afterward, you can restore your precious pet to your preferred carrying device.