How to Fly With Your Dog: 10 Tips for Taking a Flight With a Dog

Whether or not your dog can fly with you depends on your airline, destination, and other relevant rules and regulations. In general, you can transport small dogs in the cabin of the airplane, whereas bigger dogs must go in the cargo hold. Carry-on pets can come aboard in a small carry-on bag—unzipped and open for their comfort—or kennel. Airlines do their best to make the cargo compartment for large dogs comfortable for travel, too.

Most dog breeds should be able to fly in either the main cabin or in the cargo hold. Some exceptions include pug-nosed or brachycephalic dogs (dogs with very short snouts), such as boxers, bulldogs, Boston terriers, and Pekingese. Due to their difficulty breathing, the stress of air travel makes traveling a high risk for these pets. Other breeds—for example, pit bulls—might not qualify for air travel because some deem them more aggressive breeds.

If you have a service dog, you might not have to pay the usual pet fees when it comes to getting your companion aboard. However, those with emotional support animals should expect to pay the usual fees. Ultimately, whether you have a tiny terrier or a mighty mastiff, you’ll need to check the fine print of your airline to know precisely how you can get your pet on board.

Your four-legged friend should have as safe and low-stress a flight as possible. Follow these ten tips to make your dog’s day of travel as easy as possible:

1. 1. Book a nonstop flight. Avoid layovers to take some stress off of both you and your pet, especially if your dog will ride in the cargo hold. Although airlines can transfer pets from one plane to the next, going straight from one destination to the next will almost always be the easiest option. If you plan to carry on your small dog, you should try to avoid bulkhead or emergency exit row seating when picking your tickets. These can lead to additional hassle.
2. 2. Check your destination. The rules for domestic flights are generally laxer on pet travel than for international flights. For instance, you might need an import permit to carry your dog across borders. The airline should know the rules for traveling from one state or country to the next with a pet, but it’s wise to do your own research, too.
3. 3. Consult your airline’s pet policies. Study the pet policies on the airline website well before check-in. For instance, you’ll want to know whether they plan to weigh your pet separately or will take the combined weight of your dog and kennel together. If you plan to travel with multiple dogs, determine the allowable number of pets on board. Ask what the maximum dimensions are for a kennel. Learn everything you need to know about your individual flight to guarantee ease of travel.
4. 4. Decide between cabin or cargo travel. Some small dogs can travel with you in the plane’s cabin, whereas big dogs will need to ride in the cargo section—but you should think about what’s best for your pet within these regulations. For example, perhaps given the aircraft type, a small dog might actually be happier in cargo than in the main cabin even though they’re small enough for you to carry them on board.
5. 5. Feed your dog in advance of the flight. Your dog should be hydrated and satiated before the flight, but avoid feeding your pet immediately before travel starts. The dog ideally needs to make it the entire duration of the flight without going to the bathroom. While accidents happen in pet travel, you can do your best to prevent one from occurring by allowing for enough time to feed your pet and take them to a pet relief area so they can purge their system before it’s time to board.
6. 6. Freeze a bowl of water. Keep a bowl of frozen water inside your pet carrier so your dog has something to drink once the flight gets underway. It should stay frozen throughout the boarding process to prevent spills, but it will melt while in transit.
7. 7. Get your paperwork ready. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) formulate and implement rules about what health certificates are necessary for air travel. This goes for both people and dogs. Make sure your dog is up to date with all their shots before traveling. Bring your rabies vaccination certificate and any other relevant paperwork with you to show to the airline attendant.
8. 8. Make your pet easily identifiable. It’s extremely unlikely an airline will misplace your dog, but live animals do unfortunately get lost on occasion. If you have a smaller dog, you can avoid this by traveling with them in the main cabin. You can also microchip your dog to make them easy to find no matter the circumstances.
9. 9. Mark your dog carrier well. Bring along a leak-proof approved pet carrier to your flight. Mark it with your name and contact information, your pet’s name, and denote which side is up. Make sure your kennel is durable and non-collapsible in case anything should fall on it during the flight in the cargo hold.
10. 10. Think about your dog’s temperament. Ask whether your canine companion has the temperament required to travel through metal detectors and X-ray machines without incident. A wide array of airlines do not permit a dog’s sedation, so your pet will need to make it through boarding, takeoff, and landing on their own. Be honest with yourself about whether it might mean driving instead of flying to keep your pet safe and comfortable.

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