Pet Air Travel: Can Pets Fly Without Their Owners? | PetRelocation (2024)

FAQs

Pet Air Travel: Can Pets Fly Without Their Owners? | PetRelocation? ›

Hundreds of pets travel alone every day and arrive safely at their destination. Steps to follow: Have your veterinarian prepare the APHIS form 7001 stating that your pet is healthy enough to travel and is free of parasites. You can also get a Airline Veterinary Certificate in our store.

You may be wondering if pets can fly alone and the answer is: YES! It is not always possible for your pet to fly in-cabin with you or as accompanied baggage on your own flight. In this case, pets typically travel "unaccompanied" as cargo. While this may sound scary, it's not!

While there are no weight or breed limitations for pets, they must travel in either a hard-sided or soft-sided carrier. This carrier must fit under the seat in front of you or you cannot fly with your pet.

It must completely fit under the seat in front of you. SWA allows pet carriers that have maximum dimensions of 18.5" (L) x 13.5" (W) x 9.5" (H).

Transporting a pet can be a stressful experience, especially if you can't be with your furry friend during the trip. Some airlines allow you to fly your dog alone in the cargo area, so it's a possibility. It's important, however, to remember that for a stressed-out animal, there's no alternative to the human touch.

Cats can fly this way either as checked bags on the same aircraft as you, or unaccompanied as shipping cargo. There may be shipping timelines to consider if the cat travels as unaccompanied cargo, so check with your airline for details.

U.S. Airline Pet Policies

Typically, airlines require pet health certificates that are no older than 10 days, even if the receiving country accepts an older one. Some countries, however, require a health certificate to be even less than 10 days. Check directly with the airline.

You will need a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection to travel and some airlines require an acclimation certificate. Both of these certificates can only be completed and signed by a federally accredited veterinarian.

Neither a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI), also known as a health certificate, nor a rabies vaccination is required to import a cat into California; however, if traveling into California via airplane, please call the airline as they may have additional requirements.

What makes a pet carrier TSA approved? ›

Carrier Requirements

Your pet's carrier must fit under the seat in front of you and must have the following features: a waterproof bottom - be sure and also get some good pet pads. adequate ventilation - at least 2 sides of your carrier should have mesh ventilation.

A dog cannot travel in the cabin alone and must have a human accompanying their journey. Most major airlines, like Delta, United, and American, will charge around $125 per pet each way.

Most airlines allow fully-trained service dogs to ride in the cabin without a carrier. Airlines are no longer required to accommodate emotional support animals (ESAs) and they must travel as pets. Jump down to the airline-by-airline guidelines.

Dogs must still fly in a carrier and fit under the seat to be stowed for taxi, takeoff, and landing (on Etihad, carriers can take up more space if being used with an additional seat); outside of those flight phases, passengers are generally allowed to put the dog carrier on their lap or in the seat next to them that ...

There are no laws dictating the type of carrier to use, but remember that it must be small enough to fit under a standard airplane seat and should generally not exceed 45 linear inches (length + width + height), or roughly 21.5 by 15.5 by 9 inches. Depending on the airline, carrier size limits may be even smaller.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines is the best airline for traveling with a pet. While not the absolute lowest, it had among the lowest fees and the most flexible pet policy in terms of what types of pets you can bring.

Acquire an IATA compliant pet crate large enough for your pet to stand up in and turn around. If possible, purchase the kennel well in advance of the trip to allow your pet a chance to get used to the kennel before the travel date. Information about measuring your pet for a crate.

Unless you have a fully trained service dog, there isn't any way to fly your dog for free. Also, flying is stressful for dogs, so you might want to consider finding another way to get to your destination, if possible.

Generally, airlines charge a pet fee of $100 to $200 each way, but prices will vary depending on where you're traveling and your airline. Check the airline's pet policy before purchasing a ticket to make sure your pet meets the airline's breed and size requirements.

The health certificate must be signed by an accredited veterinarian after examining your pet and determining that it is free of infectious diseases and satisfies all import requirements of the receiving state, territory, or country. International travel often requires USDA endorsem*nt of the certificate.