Taking your furry friends with you on a trip is always fun, more for them than you, but still fun. For a seamless and stress-free pet travel experience there are several things that you need to consider. First of all, you have to figure out the pet import process for the country you are visiting. Then you have to make sure that all the health checks and documentation are done. The last but crucial step is to book tickets on a pet-friendly airline. Don’t know which airlines are pet-friendly? Well, fret not as we have got you covered. In this article, we will list down the 5 best paw-friendly airlines, so keep on reading to find out more.
Best Paw-Friendly Airlines – A Quick Glance
Best Paw-Friendly Airlines – Overview
Given below are brief overviews of the best paw-friendly airlines, consult them to know what these airlines have in store for
1. American Airlines – #1 among the Best Paw-Friendly Airlines
Cabin: Yes
Cargo: Yes
Animals: Service animals, cats, and dogs
Apart form being the biggest airline in the world, American Airlines is also one of the best paw-friendly airlines. For short flights, pets are welcome to stay in the cabin with the owners. However, they must be kept in their carrier, under the seat at all times. For long-haul flights, the airline requires that you check in your pet as cargo to ensure their comfort.
|
Requirement |
Details |
|
Pet type |
American Airlines only accepts cats and dogs as pets. |
|
Pet weight |
Pets traveling in the cabin must weigh less than 10 lbs (4.5 kg), including the carrier. Pets traveling in the checked baggage compartment must weigh between 13 and 22 lbs (6 and 10 kg). |
|
Pet carrier |
The pet carrier must be leak-proof and well-ventilated. Soft-sided and hard-sided carriers are both accepted. |
|
Health certificate |
Pets must have a health certificate issued by a veterinarian within 10 days of travel. |
|
Vaccination certificate |
Pets must be vaccinated against rabies at least 30 days prior to travel. |
|
Other vaccinations and deworming |
Additional vaccinations and deworming may be required, depending on the country of origin and destination. |
|
Fees |
There is a non-refundable pet fee of USD$125 for pets traveling in the cabin and USD$150 for pets traveling in the checked baggage compartment. |
2. JetBlue
Cabin: Yes
Cargo: No
Animals: Service animals, cats, and dogs
JetBlue made it to the list of best paw-friendly airlines as it offers its furry passengers their own pet perks program called the JetPaws program. Under this program, pet parents are provided with a carrier bag, a list of managing tips for their pets while traveling as well as 300 TrueBlue points. Moreover, they also offer several other pet perks and the cabin crew is always willing to lend you a helping hand with your pets.
|
Requirement |
Details |
| Pet type |
JetBlue only accepts cats and dogs as pets. |
| Pet weight |
Pets traveling in the cabin must weigh less than 20 lbs (9.1 kg), including the carrier. |
| Pet carrier |
The pet carrier must be leak-proof and well-ventilated. Soft-sided and hard-sided carriers are both accepted, but the carrier must fit under the seat in front of you. |
| Health certificate |
Pets must have a health certificate issued by a veterinarian within 10 days of travel. |
| Vaccination certificate |
Pets must be vaccinated against rabies at least 30 days prior to travel. |
| Other vaccinations and deworming |
Additional vaccinations and deworming may be required, depending on the country of origin and destination. |
| Fees |
There is a non-refundable pet fee of USD$125 each way. |
3. Emirates
Cabin: Only service animals
Cargo: Yes
Animals: Service animals, cats, dogs, falcons, and other birds
Under the Emirates SkyCargo program, Emirates Airlines flies pet cats, dogs, falcons, and other birds. Emirates has a specially designed cargo hold, where pets are kept and are offered the best care and services. Service animals, however, can fly in the cabin with their owners. Its temperature controlled, and well-ventilated cargo hold is the reason Emirates is one of the best paw-friendly airlines. Moreover, Emirates also has special facilities in Dubai for your pets during transit. There they harbor dedicated staff that make sure that your pet is well-cared for and safe. Below is a table that depicts the requirements and prices for traveling with your pets via Emirates.
|
Requirement |
Details |
| Pet type |
Emirates only accepts birds, cats, and dogs as pets. |
| Pet weight |
Pets traveling in the cabin must weigh less than 8 kg (17.6 lbs), including the carrier. Pets traveling in the cargo hold must weigh between 14 and 32 kg (30.8 and 70.5 lbs). |
| Pet carrier |
The pet carrier must be leak-proof and well-ventilated. Soft-sided and hard-sided carriers are both accepted, but hard-sided carriers are required for pets traveling in the cargo hold. |
| Health certificate |
Pets must have a health certificate issued by a veterinarian within 10 days of travel. |
| Vaccination certificate |
Pets must be vaccinated against rabies at least 30 days prior to travel. |
| Other vaccinations and deworming |
Additional vaccinations and deworming may be required, depending on the country of origin and destination. |
| Fees |
There is a non-refundable pet fee of USD$65 for pets traveling in the cabin and USD$130-190 for pets traveling in the cargo hold, depending on the weight of the pet. |
4. Air Canada
Cabin: Yes
Cargo: Yes
Animals: Service animals, cats, and dogs
Air Canada is among the best paw-friendly airlines as it places animal safety and comfort above all else. The airline offers dedicated holding facilities and has specially trained staff on board to care for your pets. They also allow your pets to travel with you in the cabin as long as you arrive 30 minutes before departure and have your pets tucked in their carrier. Bigger dogs however are encouraged to travel in cargo for their comfort and safety.
|
Requirement |
Details |
|
Pet type |
Air Canada only accepts cats, and dogs as pets. |
|
Pet weight |
Pets traveling in the cabin must weigh less than 10 lbs (4.5 kg), including the carrier. Pets traveling in the checked baggage compartment must weigh between 13 and 22 lbs (6 and 10 kg). |
|
Pet carrier |
The pet carrier must be leak-proof and well-ventilated. Soft-sided and hard-sided carriers are both accepted. |
|
Health certificate |
Pets must have a health certificate issued by a veterinarian within 10 days of travel. |
|
Vaccination certificate |
Pets must be vaccinated against rabies at least 30 days prior to travel. |
|
Other vaccinations and deworming |
Additional vaccinations and deworming may be required, depending on the country of origin and destination. |
|
Fees |
There is a non-refundable pet fee of USD$50 or USD$100 per direction for pets traveling in the cabin and USD$105 per direction for pets traveling in the checked baggage compartment. |
5. Turkish Airlines
Cabin: Yes
Cargo: Yes
Animals: Service animals, birds, cats, and dogs
Among the best paw-friendly airlines, Turkish Airlines is the one that makes traveling with pets extremely seamless. All they require from you is that you carry proper documentation and that your pets are vaccinated. Dogs, cats, and singing birds are allowed to travel in the cabin with their owners as long as they are kept in their carrier at all times. In case you are traveling with two small pets, they can be kept in the same carrier as long as they are friendly with each other.
|
Requirement |
Details |
|
Pet type |
Turkish Airlines only accepts cats, birds, and dogs as pets. |
|
Pet weight |
Pets traveling in the cabin must weigh less than 8 kg (17.6 lbs), including the carrier. Pets traveling in the aircraft hold must weigh between 14 and 32 kg (30.8 and 70.5 lbs). |
|
Pet carrier |
The pet carrier must be leak-proof and well-ventilated. Soft-sided and hard-sided carriers are both accepted. |
|
Health certificate |
Pets must have a health certificate issued by a veterinarian within 10 days of travel. |
|
Vaccination certificate |
Pets must be vaccinated against rabies at least 30 days prior to travel. |
|
Other vaccinations and deworming |
Additional vaccinations and deworming may be required, depending on the country of origin and destination. |
|
Fees |
There is a non-refundable pet fee of USD$65 for pets traveling in the cabin and USD$130-190 for pets traveling in the aircraft hold, depending on the weight of the pet. |
Traveling with Pets: 7 Important Tips
What to know about the issues you must address before embarking on a journey with your fur babies? Check out our article in which we have listed seven tips that you must consider before traveling with pets.
