The Most Pet-Friendly Airlines In the World!

Pet lovers treat their animals as the most inevitable members of their families. Taking these little beings with you becomes even more important while going far away. While flying to international destinations with your pets, you must consider several things while following strict measures and ensuring your pet’s journey is safe and secure. 

You need to book a pet-friendly airline once you've determined how to import pets into your country and the destinations for a stress-free and smooth pet travel experience. For your convenience, we have listed the 20 most pet-friendly airlines below. 

20 Most Pet-Friendly Airlines For Your Pet

American Airlines

American Airlines may be one of the major choices for pet owners traveling with their pets due to their pet-friendly policies enabling them to have a safe journey. They allow the pets to fly to some restricted areas on flights less than 11 hours and 30 minutes.

JetBlue

JetBlue is a pet-friendly airline due to its policy of traveling requirements. The owners must understand the animal import requirements and acquire all necessary documentation before traveling with a pet. It accepts pets on all domestic flights, and vaccination is necessary before flying from state to state. 

Air Canada

Air Canada allows your pets to fly with you to all the major cities from Beijing to Paris in case you arrive half an hour before departure with your pet tucked in their carrier. In addition to its traveling services for pets, it maintains the convenience of other passengers allowing your pets to remain in a closed carrier that’s big enough to let them move around and lie down comfortably, lying beneath the seat.

Delta

Delta is another pet-friendly airline until you meet their requirements of having an approved airline pet carrier with a waterproof bottom, secure fastener, and the pet has sufficient space to sit, stand, and lie down. Also, they let your pets travel with you if it is fully trained and at least 12 weeks old.

Air India

Air India offers pet-friendly airline services for household birds, small dogs, cats, and other pets. You must undertake pre-bookings for reservations and notify management. Air India allows pets to travel if the owners have proof of rabies vaccination and a licensed health certificate issued within ten days of travel.

Air France

In addition to weight, vaccination within ten days of travel, and cabin requirements, Air France provides pets friendly services as it strictly doesn’t let your pets fly through the route that forecasts the temperature to be less than -12°C degrees or greater than 29°C at any point be it origination, transit, and destination.

Swiss International Airlines

Swiss International Airlines allows passengers to travel with two pets except if they are not clean, pregnant, smelly, or dangerous. They make special arrangements under your seat for the pet’s cabin made from metal or reinforced wood having a safety lock to prevent accidental opening. It must be spacious and contain adequate water and food for the journey.

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines is a pet-friendly airline requiring small pets like cats, dogs, and household birds, including budgies, goldfinches, and canaries, to be above ten weeks' age. They must be trained, vaccinated, and you must carry documents. Furthermore, they can’t travel to destinations like the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, UAE, etc. where they arrive as air cargo.

Frontier Airlines:

Frontier Airlines' pet policy allows each passenger to bring only one small household bird and domesticated cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, or hamsters in the cabin when flying within the US. They only allow cats and dogs for international flights that remain in their cabins, and the owner must fulfill the documentation requirement of the destined areas.

Lufthansa Airlines

Lufthansa Airlines allows small pets, dogs, cats, birds, horses, insects, and more to fly, using its airline to get where they need to go. You are permitted a total of 2 dogs or cats weighing no more than 8 kgs, having a spacious cabin or carrier for both to turn around or lay down.

Aeroflot

Aeroflot lets adult passengers travel with their beloved pets in a comfy and safe mode, ensuring you must fulfill special arrangements. You can fly with a maximum of three pets over six months old and weighing less than 8 kgs in the passenger cabin and baggage hold.

TAP Air Portugal

It welcomes your small cats and dogs to fly only if you make a booking 48 hours before departure. The pets must be ten weeks old but not allowed to travel to destinations like Ireland, the UK, South Africa, etc. Pets aren’t allowed in first Class or on long-haul routes.

SAS

SAS approves puppies and kittens for a minimum of eight weeks to fly in a passenger cabin for domestic flights. Ensure a veterinary certificate for kittens up to the age of 13 weeks. Other pets are transported in cargo’s hold while flying with SAS Airlines.

OpenSkies

OpenSkies provides pet-friendly airline services letting one passenger carry only one pet weighing less than six kgs. You must carry your pet's medical and travel certificates and accompany the pet carrier throughout the flight. 

KLM

You can fly with your furry animals in business class on KLM flights within Europe and into the economy cabin on most of their flights. The dogs must weigh under 8 kg and carry a carrier underneath your seat. You must consult the embassies of relevant countries to carry travel documents with you.

Aer Lingus

Aer Lingus allows cats and dogs as pet passengers of more than ten weeks old on selected routes onboard for a safe journey, so you must be aware of their precise pet policies and requirements. In addition, pets cannot travel in the cabin and remain within the carrier in the checked baggage.

Japan Airlines:

If you want to travel with your pets, they must be clean, hale, and not predisposed to cause harm to humans, animals, or objects. One passenger can travel with one pet in one container that must meet Japan Airlines' carry-on baggage requirements. 

Alitalia

Alitalia is a more pet-friendly airline than others in several aspects as it does not restrict flat-faced dogs, cats, hamsters, pet rabbits, and birds to travel until they critically evaluate the overall health of your pet and the possible risks associated with air travel. The pet must not be less than three months old, and you hold all the documents.

CopaAirlines

CopaAirlines allows one pet per passenger, and a total of three pets in the whole flight must not travel in executive class, and the owner must not be less than eleven years old. They can fly from Monday to Friday on international flights and daily within Panama until no international flight is connected.

Iberia

Iberia allows the transport of domesticated birds, fish, turtles, small dogs, and cats in the hold except for dangerous breeds or brachycephalic animals. Your kitten or puppy must be eight weeks of age and weaned from its mother.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which airlines will allow pets in cabins?

Almost every airline allows pets in the cabin until they are comfortably placed in the carrier under your seat and weighing no more than 8 kg.

Which airline is safest for dogs?

Airlines are as safe for your dogs as for yourself if you have a health certificate and vaccination documents for your pets issued within a week before travel. 

Which airlines allow large dogs in the cabin?

Most airlines don’t approve of traveling with large dogs in the cabin but some airlines such as Delta, Air France, American Airlines, Hawaiian, Emirates, Lufthansa, WestJet, and Air Canada allow large dogs only if you meet their prerequisite guidelines.

Can I buy my dog a seat on a plane?

Only United and JetBlue let you sit your dog next to your seat if you buy a ticket in case you have an advanced booking and have a spare seat available in the cabin. 

Final Verdict

Choosing a pet-friendly airline is a real hassle, but the top twenty airlines worldwide offer a safe and comfortable journey. They let you travel with pets in the cabin only if they are above eight weeks, trained, and healthy. It's important to book the ticket 48 hours before departure and carry all the documents and vaccination cards for your pets.