Which airlines allow dogs and cats in the cabin

What “pet in the cabin” means

Your pet flies next to you, usually in a closed carrier under the seat in front for the whole flight. Taking it onto your lap or opening the carrier in flight is usually not allowed, though the exact rules depend on the airline: according to IATA guidance, the animal stays in its container and the passenger is responsible for its behaviour.

That is why only small cats and dogs are accepted in the cabin: the carrier has to fit under the seat, and the pet has to be able to stand, sit, lie down and turn around inside. Larger animals travel in the hold or as cargo.

Guide dogs and assistance dogs follow separate rules. This article is about regular pets.

Typical in-cabin conditions

Every airline sets its own numbers, but the picture is similar:

• The weight includes the carrier. The most common limit is 8 kg: that’s the case at Turkish Airlines, KLM and most airlines in our database. Some allow only 5–7 kg, others 10 kg.
• The carrier goes under the seat in front, so its size is limited, often around 40–55 cm long and 20–25 cm high. See “Pet carrier for a plane” for sizes and how to choose one.
• US airlines often have no weight limit: at Delta the carrier just has to fit fully under the seat and the pet has to be able to move inside.
• Age. Under IATA guidance, animals younger than 8 weeks or not yet weaned must not fly. Many airlines are stricter: KLM requires at least 15 weeks. Your destination matters too: for travel to the EU, for example, Delta lists a minimum age of 15 weeks.
• One pet per passenger and a limited number per flight. Delta, for example, takes up to 4 pets in the main cabin and none in Delta One. KLM accepts pets only in Economy and in Business within Europe.
• A fee, paid separately from the ticket, usually per one-way flight.

The table below has the exact numbers for each airline. Search by name and open the airline’s page for the full rules.

Snub-nosed breeds

Persian and Exotic cats, pugs, French bulldogs and other brachycephalic breeds cope worse with heat and stress. IATA advises against flying snub-nosed dogs in the hot season and recommends a container about 10% larger than usual.

Many airlines refuse snub-nosed pets in the hold but accept them in the cabin. KLM, for instance, says most of them can’t fly in the hold but can go in the cabin or as cargo. Some airlines restrict them in the cabin as well. The table lists airlines with such bans.

Major airlines that don’t allow pets in the cabin

Several well-known carriers don’t take cats and dogs in the cabin at all. Here is what they say:

• Emirates: animals are not permitted in the cabin. Cats and dogs can go in the hold only on itineraries starting in Dubai; if you fly to Dubai, the journey exceeds 17 hours or the Dubai connection is over 6 hours, the pet must travel as cargo.
• Qatar Airways: only falcons and service dogs fly in the cabin. Cats and dogs travel as checked baggage in the hold or as cargo.
• British Airways: “We don’t carry pets in the cabin on any route.” Pets fly in the hold through partners, to the UK via IAG Cargo.
• Qantas: only service dogs in the cabin; pets fly in a dedicated area of the hold.
• Singapore Airlines: cats and dogs only as checked baggage, from 3 months old and not on Boeing 737 flights.
• Cathay Pacific: pets fly only as cargo, and since 1 September 2025 only accredited agents or pet shippers can book them.
• easyJet doesn’t carry animals at all, except guide and assistance dogs.

Rules of all airlines, including those that don’t take cats and dogs in the cabin, are on the airlines page.

If a flight on one of these airlines suits you, check its page: the hold is often an option, but with different container rules and fees.

How to book a spot for your pet

Cabin spots for animals are few and go early. The usual order:

1. Before buying, check the airline’s rules: weight with carrier, size, age, breed and cabin class.
2. Find out whether the flight still has a pet spot. If you can’t see it online, call or message the airline.
3. Add your pet to the booking. Some airlines let you do it while booking, before you pay for the ticket; others only after payment, in booking management. Turkish Airlines allows both: when you buy the ticket (at least 6 hours before departure) or later in Manage Booking (at least 24 hours before). KLM has you add the pet in My Trip at least 48 hours before departure, Delta through Reservations.
4. Wait for confirmation and keep it: without it your pet may be refused.
5. If your route involves several airlines, check the rules and the pet booking with each of them.

Entry documents are a separate task and can take a while. See country rules in Countries.

Where to start

Our search compares flights including the pet fee for the cabin or the hold and shows where your pet won’t be accepted. Then put together the document list for your destination.

When flying with a pet, it’s best to buy the ticket on the airline’s own website: it’s easier to add the animal to the booking, and if the flight or rules change you deal with the airline directly, without a middleman.

Find flights with a pet