Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
How to fly with an emotional support animal
Emotional support animals are not service animals under the U.S. Air Carrier Access Act, and American Airlines states that emotional support animals, comfort animals and service animals in training may travel only as pets, not as service animals, with all pet requirements and applicable fees. [1] [2]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Under the U.S. Air Carrier Access Act, a service animal is a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability, and emotional support animals, comfort animals, companionship animals and service animals in training are not service animals. [2]
- American Airlines says emotional support animals, comfort animals and service animals in training may travel as pets, not as service animals, and that all requirements and applicable fees apply. [1]
- Airlines must recognise dogs as service animals on flights to, within and from the United States, but that obligation is framed around dogs rather than emotional support animals. [2]
- On American, one passenger may travel with up to two service animals, and final approval of a service animal happens at the airport on the day of travel. [1]
How do airlines treat emotional support animals compared with service animals?
The two categories are defined by the work the animal does, not by how much its owner relies on it. The U.S. Department of Transportation defines a service animal as a dog, regardless of breed or type, that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual or other mental disability. [2] American Airlines uses the same dog-based definition and lists visual impairments, deafness, seizures, mobility impairments and post-traumatic stress disorder among the conditions a trained dog can serve. [1]
Both descriptions then draw the line at animals that provide comfort rather than trained tasks. The Department of Transportation states directly that species other than dogs, emotional support animals, comfort animals, companionship animals and service animals in training are not service animals. [2] American repeats the point in operational terms: such animals may travel as pets, not as service animals, and all requirements and applicable fees apply. [1]
Airlines are required to recognise dogs as service animals and to accept them on flights to, within and from the United States, and they are free, though not required, to carry other species if they choose. [2] To check whether an animal is a service animal or a pet, airline staff may ask whether the animal is required because of a disability and what work or task it has been trained to perform, look for a harness or vest, check that the animal is harnessed, leashed or tethered, and watch its behaviour. [2] American says its team members are trained to ask certain questions to establish whether an animal is acceptable for travel as a service animal. [1]
What documentation does a service animal need on American Airlines?
The U.S. rulebook allows airlines to require two forms for a service animal: a U.S. DOT form attesting to the animal's health, behaviour and training, and, if the animal will be on a flight of eight or more hours, a U.S. DOT form attesting that it can either not relieve itself or relieve itself in a sanitary manner. [2] Beyond those, airlines are not permitted to require other documentation from service animal users, except to comply with requirements on the transport of animals by a federal agency, a U.S. territory or a foreign jurisdiction. [2]
American recommends sending the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form to its Special Assistance Desk at least 48 hours before the flight, and says the completed form can also be presented at the airport on the day of travel, in which case the passenger should arrive early. [1] If the itinerary includes any flight over eight hours, American also requires the DOT Service Animal Relief Attestation Form. [1] Once a submission is approved, American emails a Service Animal ID (SVAN ID) that can be added when booking future travel with the same animal, and that ID expires when the animal's vaccination expires. [1]
Two further conditions sit alongside the forms. If the trip includes a flight on a partner airline, American says the passenger must contact that airline and complete all of its required forms. [1] For flights to the United States, only service dogs with a completed CDC Dog Import Form that meet the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccination and microchip requirements are allowed to fly on American. [1] American's no-charge cabin travel and its service-animal forms are set out for service dogs; for emotional support animals the airline points to pet travel, with all requirements and applicable fees applying. [1]
What cabin limits apply to service animals on American Airlines?
| Condition | Rule |
|---|---|
| Restraint | The animal must be harnessed, leashed or tethered at all times. [1] |
| Age | Animals under four months of age may not travel as service animals. [1] |
| Space | The animal must fit at the passenger's feet, under the seat or in the lap, and lap animals must be smaller than a two-year-old child. [1] |
| Number | One individual is limited to two service animals. [1] |
| Seating | Animals may not sit in an exit row, block or protrude into aisles, occupy a seat, or eat from tray tables. [1] |
| Behaviour | Growling, biting or attempting to bite, and jumping on or lunging at people are treated as disruptive; if uncorrected, the animal is considered a pet and fees apply. [1] |
The Department of Transportation adds that a service animal must be allowed to travel in the space under the seat in front of the passenger, that certain small service animals may sit on the lap where it can be done safely, and that an animal may not block an aisle or access to an emergency exit. [2] An animal that barks, snarls, runs around or jumps onto other passengers without provocation will not be accepted as a service animal. [2]
If an animal is too large or too heavy to be safely accommodated in the cabin, American lists three options: rebooking on a flight with more open seats, buying a ticket for the animal, or transporting the animal as a checked pet. [1] Where the animal is in a kennel, the kennel with the animal inside must fit under the seat in front. [1]
Where can emotional support animals not be accepted?
Destination rules override the general cabin position, and American publishes a list of restricted points. [1]
| Destination | What applies |
|---|---|
| Auckland (AKL), New Zealand | Only dogs are accepted as service animals; emotional support animals of any kind cannot be accepted. [1] |
| Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China (HKG) | Only dogs are accepted as service animals; emotional support animals of any kind cannot be accepted, and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China must be contacted at least 10 days before arrival. [1] |
| St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVD) | Only dogs are accepted as service animals; emotional support animals of any kind cannot be accepted, and an import permit application plus a valid health certificate are required at check-in. [1] |
| Georgetown, Guyana (GEO) | Both service and emotional support animals require an animal import permit from the Guyana Ministry of Agriculture, which must be presented at check-in. [1] |
| London Heathrow (LHR) | Dogs need Heathrow Animal Reception Centre approval arranged at least 7 days before the flight; the centre charges £410 for animals that do not meet the criteria for assistance animals, and British Airways does not accept emotional support animals on any of its flights. [1] |
| Hawaii | Trained service dogs may travel in the cabin to and from all Hawaiian islands; all other animals must first go through Honolulu for acceptance by Hawaiian quarantine officials. [1] |
Other points carry paperwork rather than a ban: Mexico requires a New World Screwworm inspection certificate issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian within five days before entry, India requires a No Objection Certificate at least seven days ahead, Japan requires contact with the Animal Quarantine Service no less than 40 days before arrival, and Ireland requires advance notice to the Irish authorities for a veterinary compliance check on arrival. [1] For Edinburgh, American asks passengers to email Scotland's animal travel agency at least 48 hours before the flight and to carry an ID card or valid certificate from the organisation that trained or supplied the animal, while other United Kingdom destinations require a pre-approval letter from the Animal Reception Centre in the destination city. [1]
Exceptions and limits
- Airlines may deny transport to a service dog if it is too large or heavy for the cabin, poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others, causes a significant disruption in the cabin or at gate areas, is prohibited from entering a U.S. territory or foreign country, or if the required DOT forms are not provided. [2]
- An airline is not required to upgrade a passenger to a different class of service to accommodate a service animal, and it cannot refuse the animal because other passengers or crew are uncomfortable. [2]
- U.S. airlines flying to foreign countries are subject to those countries' requirements for accepting service animals, and not all countries permit service animals arriving from other countries. [2]
- Passengers who believe their rights under the Air Carrier Access Act have been violated can ask to speak with a Complaints Resolution Official, which airlines must make available at no cost, in person at the airport or by telephone during operating hours. [2]
- An emotional support animal that does not qualify as a service animal travels under pet rules, so the outcome depends on the airline's pet conditions and fees rather than the service animal provisions described above. [1]
Frequently asked questions
Can an emotional support animal fly in the cabin?
American says emotional support animals, comfort animals and service animals in training may travel as pets, not as service animals, so the pet requirements and any applicable fees apply. [1] Under the U.S. Air Carrier Access Act, emotional support animals are not service animals. [2]
Do I need to submit a DOT service animal form for an emotional support animal?
American describes the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form, and the additional relief attestation form for flights over eight hours, for service animals. [1] For emotional support animals the airline directs passengers to pet travel, where all requirements and applicable fees apply. [1]
Can an airline refuse a service dog?
Yes, in defined cases: an animal that is too large or heavy for the cabin, poses a direct threat, causes a significant disruption, breaches health requirements or arrives without the required DOT forms can be refused. [2] American adds that final approval happens at the airport, where staff decide whether the animal will safely fit at the passenger's feet. [1]
Does the destination change the rules for an emotional support animal?
It can. American lists Auckland, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China and St Vincent and the Grenadines as points where emotional support animals of any kind cannot be accepted, and Guyana as a point where emotional support animals need an import permit. [1] U.S. airlines flying abroad are subject to the destination country's requirements for service animals. [2]
How many animals can one passenger bring?
American limits one individual to two service animals, and animals under four months of age may not travel as service animals. [1]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. It covers the rules published by American Airlines and by the U.S. Department of Transportation for flights to, within and from the United States; the emotional support animal policies of other carriers, including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Air Canada, are not covered here.
- American Airlines, Traveling with a service animal, checked 18 October 2026
- U.S. Department of Transportation, Service Animals, checked 18 October 2026