Traveling by air with a pet can be a real pain. If your dog or cat won't fit in a carrier under the seat, you have to check the animal as baggage (when that's allowed) or ship it as cargo. Either way, there are lots of restrictions, hassles, and risks.
And whether you bring Fido or Fluffy in the cabin or trust your beloved companion animal to baggage handlers, you'll pay extra.
If your dog or cat is small enough to be comfortable in a pet carrier that fits under an airplane seat, you can take it with you in the cabin for a fee (usually about $100 or $125). Many airlines also allow rabbits and some household birds, but they don't let unaccompanied minors (children under 18) travel with pets.
Your pet will have to stay in the carrier throughout the flight, and it will count as a carry-on bag. You can find out the exact measurements of the under-seat space from the airline. Many airlines will rent or sell you a kennel that will fit.
You should make advance reservations to bring a pet on board. Most airlines allow only a few animals in the cabin per flight, and they make room on a first-come, first-serve basis. Also, you may not be able to sit in certain seats. So don't wait until the last minute, and always check the airline's website for its rules on travel with animals.
If you have a disability, the rules are different for flying with service dogs.
As of January 10, 2021, a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) rule allows airlines to treat emotional support animals as pets rather than as service animals. This means that airlines may impose the same fees and restrictions on traveling with an emotional support animal that apply to pets. Be sure to check with the airline when you're making reservations to learn its rules for emotional support animals on flights.
If your pet can't come in the cabin with you, some airlines will allow you to put it on the same flight as checked baggage. The fees vary. Here again, you need to give the airline advance notice and check for specific rules, including:
A lot can go wrong when pets become baggage. For example:
You may have to consider shipping your pet as air cargo if the other options aren't available to you. This is very expensive, with all the restrictions and drawbacks of checking your pet as baggage. The same preparations and precautions apply as well.
When you have to send your pet as baggage or cargo, you can take some steps to help prevent mishaps:
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