Here’s What You Should Know

Flying with pets can be complicated (especially internationally), but what are United Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines pet policies? There is certainly plenty that passengers should know before flying with pets in the United States – flying with pets is an area where regulations have changed over the years. Not only is this article about flying with these three carriers and only domestically, but flying internationally with pets can be very complicated – especially to destinations like Australia and New Zealand. Service dogs and military pets normally have different regulations (and are only touched on in this article).

United Airlines’ pet policy

United no longer operates its PetSafe program, so options for bringing pets on the flight are now somewhat limited. It is still possible to bring a pet into a United Airlines’ cabin as a piece of carry-on luggage, but they must fit under the seat in front of the passenger (so no change for large and medium-sized dogs).

Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock

To bring a pet into the cabin of a United flight, they must meet certain requirements:

• Be a cat or dog (no rabbits, turtles, birds, etc., are permitted)
• Must fit comfortably inside the kennel
• Kittens and puppies must be at least 2 months old (4 months for international flights)
• Must be accompanied by an adult owner
• Limited to certain destinations and certain cabins

United Airlines only permits one pet per person to fly on these aircraft types: A319, A320, A321neo, Boeing 737-800, 737-8 (MAX 8), 737-900, and 737-9 (MAX 9).

Photo: Bulgaria Air

NerdWallet ranks United Airlines as the least pet-friendly (tied with JetBlue) of nine major US airlines (with Alaska Airlines as the most pet-friendly). Passengers who book their fare after 26 April 2024 are charged $150 each way for bringing a pet into the cabin (the price rose from $125).

“We no longer let you check your pets through the PetSafe program. Pets can only fly in cargo when traveling with certain active-duty military or State Department employees. If you plan to fly with your pet, they must be a cat or dog and stay in the cabin with you (if there’s space available).” –
United Airlines

United classifies therapy and emotional support dogs and cats as pets (these must remain in their carrier). Service dogs are not classified as pets and are allowed on planes without a pet carrier. Only cats and dogs are allowed on the aircraft, with United saying “any other type of animal needs to stay at home.” So, no bunnies on United flights.

Related

Pets As Hand Luggage: Which Animals Can Come In The Cabin With Their Owners?

Many airlines do not allow larger dogs in the cabin. However, if yours weighs less than eight kilograms, you may be in luck.

American Airlines’ pet policy

American Airlines is also quite restrictive about passengers bringing their pets on flights (although another option is to have them transported through American Airlines Cargo). America only permits cag and dogs, and they must also meet the size, age, and destination requirements.

Photo: EQRoy | Shutterstock

“If your pet is too large to fly in the cabin, it must travel with American Airlines Cargo. Keep in mind, we only accept checked pets for active-duty U.S. Military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling on official orders, and the pet carrier must meet all kennel guidelines for checked-pets. If you don’t meet these requirements, your pet may not travel. Fees and restrictions apply.” –
American Airlines

The carry-on pet fee is $150 per kennel, and like United, the pet needs to stay in the kennel and fit under the seat in front of the passenger for the entire flight. On a 1 to 5 scale, NerdWallet gives American a 1.7 pet-friendly rating (compared to United’s 1.0 and Alaska Airlines’ 5.0).

Again, trained service dogs are treated differently and can be brought into the cabin at no extra charge (as long as they meet the stated requirements).

Related

Top 5: Survey Reveals The World’s Most Pet-Friendly Airlines

Always check the rules and regulations of the international destination for traveling with pets before booking your ticket.

Delta Air Lines’ pet policy

Delta gets a 2.7 (out of 5.0) rating for pet friendliness from NerdWallet, making it the most pet-friendly of the big three US airlines listed here. All pets brought onto Delta flights need to fit into a pet carrier and be at least 10 weeks old for domestic travel (a minimum of 16 weeks if traveling internationally).

“Small dogs, cats and household birds can travel in the cabin for a one-way fee that is collected at check-in. The pet must be able to fit in a soft-sided ventilated pet kennel that will go underneath the seat directly in front of you.” –
Delta Air Lines

Photo: Javier Brosch | Shutterstock

Passengers can only bring one pet carrier on a Delta flight (although there are some cases were multiple pets are permitted). Passengers with pets are not allowed to sit at the bulkhead or the emergency exit rows or at seats designated as “no stowage.”

All pets must fit into a pet carrier or kennel that fits under the seat in front of the passenger. The pets must remain in these pet carriers for the full time spent at the airport and on the flight. While Delta (along with United and American) recommend a soft kennel size of 18 x 11 x 11 inches, some seats have more space for larger kennels).

Photo: Wirestock Creators | Shutterstock

As with other airlines, therapy and emotional support animals are considered pets. Delta has different regulations for service dogs and military pets.