Airlines That Allow Dogs in the Cabin - Information & Rules

Headed somewhere for vacation and worried about your all-time buddy? Unfortunately, it happens whenever we plan a trip somewhere and don't want to leave our dog behind. 

Some airlines allow dogs in the cabin. You will get to know about them in detail with the help of this article. But, first, let's check the list of the airlines that allow dogs to sit with you in the cabin and further inform you about the rules and restrictions of the airline.

List of the airlines that allow dogs in the flight cabin

When you want to take your dog with you on the flight, you can consider the following airlines to book the ticket with:

• Air Europa
• Alaska Air
• American Airlines
• Delta Airlines
• JetBlue airlines
• Southwest airlines
• Air Canada
• Lufthansa 
• United Airlines

Rules and restrictions for each airline differ from each other. So let's have a look at the specifics of each carrier.

Information and rules for carrying dogs in different airlines

Air Europa

Maximum Weight: The weight should not be more than 8kg, including the carrier.

Carrier size limit: The dimensions of the carrier should be 55x 35x 25cm

Cost: The average cost is 27-55 USD in Europe and 165 for other places.

International: Yes

Additional Information: You need to visit the airport early to do all the paper works.

Dogs restriction: The dog should be at least three months old for traveling long distances.

Carrier Restriction:

• The doors of the carrier should be closed all the time with the dog inside it.
• The carrier should be well ventilated and leak-proof.
• You can take up to 3 dogs in one carrier but should not exceed the weight limit.

Aircraft Restriction: You are not allowed to take your dog in business cabins.

Alaska Air

Maximum Weight: The weight should not be more than 9kg/ 20 pounds, including the carrier.

Carrier size limit: The size of the carrier should be 43 x 28 x 24 cm (soft) / 43 x 28 x 19 cm (hard).

Pet Travel Cost: The average fee is 100 USD

International: Yes

Additional Information: The minimum age of the passenger should be 18 years, and your dog will be counted as your carry-on item, so you aren't allowed to carry any other carry-on baggage.

Dog restriction: Your dog must be 8 weeks old and completely weaned.

Carrier Restriction:

• Dogs are not allowed to sit on the seat and must be kept in the carrier all the time.
• The carrier must fit in the front space of your seat.
• You can carry 2 dogs in a carrier that should be leak-proof and well ventilated.

Aircraft Restriction: You cannot take seats in the exit row or the seat with an airbag safety belt.

American Airlines

Maximum Weight: The maximum weight should be kg, including the carrier.

Carrier size limit: It depends on the flight you are traveling.

Cost: 125 USD

International: Yes, but the journey should not be longer than 12 hours.

Additional Information: You can't take any other carry-on items as your dog will be counted as a carry-on item.

Carrier Restriction: 

• Your dog's carrier must fit in the space under the seat.
• The dog must remain in the carrier for the whole journey and should not sit on the seat.

Aircraft Restriction: The dogs are not permitted or Business class due to less under-seat storage in Boeing planes.

Read more: American Airlines pet policy guide

Delta Airlines

Maximum Weight: There is no weight limit, but the dog must fit under the seat space.

Carrier size limit: The limit depends on the flight you are traveling with.

Travel Cost: 125 USD within North America and 200 USD internationally.

International: Yes

Dogs restriction: The dog must be ten weeks old for domestic travel and 16 weeks internationally.

Carrier Restriction:

• The carrier must be leak-proof and must fit inside the space under the seat.
• Two dogs with the same breed can be carried in a carrier, considering the weight limit.
• There must be one adult pet present with each carrier.

Aircraft Restriction: The dogs are not allowed on the bulkhead and emergency exit rows.

Read more: Delta airlines pet policy guide

JetBlue airlines

Maximum weight: 9kg/ 20 pounds.

Maximum carrier size: 17*12.5*8.5 of length, weight, and height.

Cost: 125 USD each way.

International: yes

Additional information: only one dog is allowed per customer on the flight.

Carrier restriction:

• Your dog must remain underneath the seat in front during the landing.
• However, you may hold your dog in your lap during the flight.
• Carriers must have leakproof bottoms and be well ventilated.
• Only one pet per carrier is permitted.

Aircraft restriction: dogs are not permitted to carry on bulkhead seat, emergency exit row, mint seat, and any other seat that is restricted under-seat storage.

Southwest Airlines

Maximum weight: no limit but must fit comfortably in the carrier under the seat.

Maximum carrier size: 43*34*21cm of length, height, and weight.

Cost: 95 USD each way.

Additional information: dog carriers will count as your carry-on bag or personal item as per the baggage allowance.

Carrier restrictions:

• Passengers are permitted to bring one pet carrier only. Each pet carrier can contain not more than 2 of the same species of a small dog.
• Soft-sided and hard-sided carriers both are permitted.
• Your dog must remain under the seat of the carrier in front of you.
• Carriers must be leak proof-bottoms and be lined with absorbent material.
• In addition, your dog must be bite proof and have vaccination certificates and be well ventilated.

Aircraft restrictions: passengers traveling with pets do not occupy the exit seats and seats with no under-seat stowage in front of them.

Air Canada

Maximum weight: 22 pounds (including carrier)

Maximum carrier size: 27*40*55cm for soft-sided carrier and 23*40*55cm for the hard-sided carrier.

Travel costs: $50 to CAD 59 within Canada and USA and $1—to $118 CAD international.

International allowed: yes.

Additional information:

• Your dog in its carrier will count as one standard item of your carry-on bag allowance.
• Only one dog per passenger is allowed.
• Your dogs must have at least 12 weeks old and must be fully weaned.

Carrier restrictions:

• Your dogs must remain in their travel carriers all the time, and doors are securely closed.
• Dogs are not allowed to sit on a seat themselves.
• Your dog's carrier must fit under the seat properly in front of you.
• The carrier must be free of tears, cracks, or breaks.
• A carrier must be leakproof and ventilated on at least two sides.
• In the same carrier, up to 2 carriers may travel, and provided that nobody parts protrude from the carrier and your animal are not in distress.

Aircraft restrictions:

• Passengers traveling with dogs cannot occupy an exit or bulkhead row seats to travel.
• In addition, flights operated by the airbus fleet are not allowed to take pets to travel in first-class cabins.

Lufthansa

Maximum weight: 8kg or 17.6 pounds (including carrier).

Maximum carrier size: 55*40*23cm of length, height, and weight.

Travel costs with dogs: 50 EUR domestic, 60 EUR international within Europe, and 80-110 EUR international outside Europe.

International: yes

Additional information:

Each passenger is allowed to take a maximum of two animals with them, and you need to complete the pets form before boarding the flight at the Lufthansa website or the airport counter.

Your dogs must be trained and be obedient to your commands and must behave mannerly in public. If your pet interrupts passengers or staff in the flight, they may be sent to the cargo hold at extra cost.

Carrier restrictions: 

• Only soft-sided carriers are accepted in the flight.
• Your dogs must remain under the seat in front of you, and you need to take care of the dog properly.
• Carriers must have leakproof bottoms and be lined with absorbent material.
• Carriers must be bite-proof and be well ventilated.
• All the dogs must have 12 weeks old for the journey and 16 weeks old for the trip to the USA.
• You are allowed to carry on pet per carrier subject to the below conditions:

If you have two puppies of similar size and age, at least 12 weeks old, you can carry them in one carrier.

• If you have a mother dog who has an independent puppy of 6 weeks old, it can carry on one carrier.
• Your carrier must not exceed 8 kg in the above conditions.

United Airlines

Maximum weight: No limit but must fit comfortably in a carrier under the seat.

Maximum carrier size: 46*28*28 cm for soft-sided carrier and 44*30*19cm for the hard-sided carrier of height, length, and weight.

Cost to travel with pets: 125 USD and 125 USD extra for flights more than 4 hours or more than 24 hours outside the US.

International: yes

Additional information:

• Dogs are not permitted to travel with unaccompanied minors.
• Customers can purchase an additional ticket for their trip to carry on an additional dog. The dog must remain on the floor under the extra seat.
• Dog's age must be at least four months or 16 weeks old to travel on the flight.

Carrier restriction:

• Only one dog per carrier is allowed, and both soft-sided and hard-sided carriers are permitted.
• Your dog's carrier must be leakproof and ventilators inside the carrier.
• Your dog must not have to pit bull breeds as they are not allowed.
• Your dog will remain under your seat during the whole journey.

Above are some of the rules and policies you need to follow to travel with your dogs on the airlines mentioned above. You can also get in touch with the customer services of respective airlines or visit the official website of the above airlines to get more information related to the pet policy. Customer support agents are always ready to help and support you.