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Quick answer: Every airline handles animals differently, and the differences are larger than most people expect. Some carry pets in the cabin only. Some carry them only in the hold. Two major international carriers — British Airways and Emirates — will not take an ordinary pet dog or cat in the cabin at all, however small. Cabin weight limits cluster around 8 kg in Europe and around 20 pounds in the United States, but the limit that actually stops people is capacity: most aircraft take between two and six animals in total, allocated when bookings are made. Call a travel expert at Fond Travels on +1 (323) 800 6001 and we will tell you which carriers on your route will take your animal before you book anything.
This page compares the airlines side by side. Each one links to a full guide with that carrier's own rules. Details reflect what was published at the time of writing; pet rules change often and vary by route and season, so confirm them for your flights.
The three ways a pet can fly
Almost every rule below is really an answer to one question: where on the aircraft is the animal?
- In the cabin, in a carrier that fits under the seat in front of you. The animal stays with you. Weight limits are low because the carrier has to fit under a seat, and capacity is tight.
- In the hold as checked baggage, travelling on your flight in a pressurised, temperature-controlled compartment. Bigger animals qualify, but fewer airlines offer it than used to.
- As cargo, booked separately through the airline's freight arm, often handled by an agent. The animal may not travel on your flight at all. This is the route for large dogs and for most international moves.
Those three options are not equally available. The number of airlines offering hold travel has shrunk considerably, which is why a large dog is now a far harder booking than a small one.
Which airlines take pets in the cabin
Cabin travel is what most people want, and most carriers offer it in some form. The table shows the broad position; the linked guide for each carrier has the detail.
| Airline | Cabin | Hold or cargo | The thing that catches people |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest | Yes | No | Cabin only, no exceptions at any size |
| JetBlue | Yes | No | Combined limit around 20 pounds |
| Alaska Airlines | Yes | Yes, both | One of the few with all three options |
| Allegiant | Yes | No | Lower 48 only |
| Frontier | Yes | No | Accepts rabbits and small birds too |
| Avelo | Yes | No | Cats, dogs, rabbits and birds |
| Breeze Airways | Yes | No | Around five animals per flight |
| Sun Country | Yes | No | Phone booking, lower 48 only |
| Hawaiian Airlines | Yes | Yes | The state's quarantine rules decide everything |
| Air Canada | Yes | Yes, both | Summer temperature embargoes |
| WestJet | Yes | Yes | Around four per flight, phone only |
| Lufthansa | Yes | Yes, both | Around 8 kg including the carrier |
| KLM | Yes | Yes | Around 8 kg, one animal per passenger |
| Air France | Yes | Yes | Breed bans apply in the hold |
| Turkish Airlines | Yes | Yes | Cats, dogs and small songbirds |
| Etihad | Yes | Yes | Unusual in its region for allowing cabin pets |
| Air India | Yes | Yes | Cabin to around 10 kg |
| Volaris | Yes | Yes | Around two animals per flight in the cabin |
| Aeromexico | Yes | Yes | Cabin generally on shorter flights only |
| Copa Airlines | Yes | Yes | Two or three per flight, day-of-week limits |
| British Airways | No | Cargo only | No cabin pets of any size |
| Emirates | No | Cargo only | No cabin pets; falcons are a separate case |
The two airlines that take no pets in the cabin
This is the single most useful thing on the page, because it is the one that ruins plans.
British Airways does not carry pets in the cabin, and will not take them as checked baggage either. Only recognised assistance dogs travel in the cabin. A cat small enough to sit under a seat on any other airline still has to travel as cargo on British Airways, booked separately, often through an agent, and frequently on a different flight from yours.
Emirates is the same. No pet dogs or cats in the passenger cabin. The exceptions are narrow: medically certified service animals on certain routes, and falcons on certain others, which is a genuine regional provision rather than a curiosity.
People book these airlines for the route or the schedule, discover the rule late, and then face a cargo booking they did not budget time for. If you are travelling with a pet, check this before anything else.
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