What is pet travel by air?

How does in-cabin pet travel work?

On Delta Air Lines, small dogs, cats and household birds that meet the carrier's age, health, size and kennel requirements may travel in the cabin on domestic flights within the contiguous United States, for a one-way fee collected at check-in. [1] For dog or cat travel outside the contiguous United States, the animal is accepted only if the customer holds all documentation required for it to enter the destination and to return to its country of origin where that applies, and also meets the age, health, size and kennel rules. [1]

Cabin places are limited and allocated first come, first served, with a cap on the number of pets per flight; Delta asks customers to call reservations as early as possible with the kennel's length, width and height to hand. [1] The kennel must fit fully underneath the seat directly in front of the passenger, and Delta recommends a soft-sided kennel no larger than 18 by 11 by 11 inches because that size fits most aircraft types. [1] A soft-sided kennel must be leak-proof and ventilated on three sides for domestic travel and four sides for international travel. [1]

How many animals may be in the cabin depends on the cabin flown, not only on the animal itself. [1]

Delta counts Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam as domestic for this table. [1]

Seat selection is constrained as well: a passenger travelling with a cabin pet cannot take bulkhead seats, an emergency exit row, seats designated as "no stowage", flat-bed or Delta One seats, rows 46 to 51 on the A330-200, rows 54 to 59 on the A330-300, or centre seats on the B757-200. [1] Aircraft and cabin layout therefore shape what can be booked, which is why the same route can behave differently on different equipment. [1]

At the airport the pet is checked in at the Special Service Counter, where an agent confirms that the animal and kennel meet the requirements and collects the fee, so extra time should be allowed. [1] The pet is taken out of the kennel at the security checkpoint and must stay inside it everywhere else at the airport except in a designated relief area; the same rule applies inside a Delta Sky Club lounge. [1]

Fees vary by destination and by the date the ticket was issued, and Delta states that they are set by the contract of carriage in force when the ticket was issued. [1]

The Canadian dollar amount is charged when leaving Canada and the euro amount when leaving Europe. [1]

What government rules apply to pets flying abroad?

Airline approval covers only the flight. Delta's page points to the documentation requirements that apply to all dogs travelling to the United States: the dog must appear healthy, be microchipped and be at least 6 months old, and must be accompanied by a receipt for a completed CDC Dog Import Form. [1] Further paperwork can depend on where the rabies vaccination was administered and on whether, within the previous 6 months, the dog has been in a country classed as high-risk for rabies or as low-risk or rabies-free. [1]

For the European Union, the UK government's guidance on taking a pet dog, cat or ferret abroad sets out a sequence: microchip the animal before or at the same time as its rabies vaccination, vaccinate it against rabies, then obtain an animal health certificate from a vet. [2] The vet needs proof that the pet is at least 12 weeks old before vaccinating, and travel can begin at least 21 full days after the first vaccination, or after the last of the first course. [2] No wait is needed after a booster vaccination if there has been no break in cover. [2]

That certificate is valid for 10 days for entry into the EU, 6 months for onward travel inside the EU after entry, and 6 months for re-entry to Great Britain, and a new one is needed for each separate trip. [2] It cannot be used for onward travel or re-entry if the pet's rabies vaccination expires during the trip. [2] The guidance also warns that residents of England, Scotland and Wales cannot enter the EU with a pet passport even if it was issued in the EU, and that a pet may be refused entry if a passport is used instead of an animal health certificate; an EU pet passport remains usable for residents of Northern Ireland. [2]

Both layers move with the destination. The UK guidance says travellers must also check any additional rules for the country being visited, that different rules apply to Northern Ireland and to non-EU countries, and that some countries require dogs to be treated for tapeworm. [2] Delta likewise notes that documentation for other destinations varies and directs customers to USDA APHIS guidance. [1] Delta's page records one dated national rule: for travel to Mexico effective 3 August 2026, every dog entering Mexico must have a New World Screwworm Inspection Certificate completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian, issued no more than 5 days before arrival and verified at check-in. [1] For dogs arriving in the United States from countries affected by New World Screwworm, USDA APHIS requires documentation issued no more than 5 days before arrival confirming that the dog was inspected. [1]

How are service animals different from pets?

A trained service animal sits in a separate category from a pet. Delta publishes separate guidelines and requirements for trained service animals, and its cabin allowance table carries the note "excludes service animals" on the rows where pets are not permitted at any time. [1] On the government side, the UK guidance states that its rules for taking a dog, cat or ferret to an EU country also apply to assistance dogs. [2] The two categories are governed by different conditions and are treated separately here; the dedicated entry is service animals on flights.

Which routes, cabins and animals are excluded?

• Delta does not permit pets in the cabin to or from Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Hawaii, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China, Iceland, Jamaica, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. [1]
• Two of those entries are origin-specific: pet travel is not allowed for pets originating in Brazil, Colombia or the Dominican Republic, and pet travel is not allowed on flights to Hawaii. [1]
• One pet per kennel is the standard, with two exceptions: a female cat or dog may travel with her un-weaned litter between 8 weeks and 6 months of age, with no limit on the number of animals as long as they fit safely in the kennel; and two pets of the same breed and size aged between 8 weeks and 6 months may share one kennel if they are small enough and compatible, in which case they are charged as one pet. [1]
• Minimum ages differ by journey: 8 weeks for domestic travel, 6 months for a dog travelling to the United States from another country, 16 weeks for a cat, and 15 weeks when travelling to the European Union. [1]
• For flights operated by Delta's partner airlines, customers must verify the operating carrier's own policy on in-cabin animals. [1]
• Failure to follow the pet policies and to keep the pet in its kennel at all times at the airport and on board may lead to losing the ability to travel with a pet on future flights. [1]
• The UK guidance allows a pet to travel with someone else only if that journey falls within 5 days of the owner's journey to the same destination and a signed declaration names the person travelling; only the owner named on the pet travel document can give that permission. [2]
• No more than 5 pets may be taken into an EU country in a private vehicle unless the owner is attending or training for an event or exporting commercially, while up to 5 pets may be taken as a foot passenger. [2]

Frequently asked questions

Can my dog fly in the cabin with me?

It depends on the airline, the route and the aircraft. Delta accepts small dogs that meet its age, health, size and kennel requirements on domestic flights within the contiguous United States, but not in Delta One, Delta Premium or international Business Class, and not to or from a published list of destinations. [1]

Do I need a pet passport to take a pet to the EU?

Not if you live in England, Scotland or Wales: the UK guidance says a pet passport cannot be used to enter the EU from there, even one issued in the EU, and an animal health certificate is required instead. Residents of Northern Ireland can still enter the EU with an EU pet passport. [2]

When and how is an airline pet fee charged?

Delta collects the one-way fee at check-in, at the Special Service Counter, and the amount is set by the contract of carriage in effect when the ticket was issued. [1]

Does a service animal count against the pet allowance?

No. Delta's cabin allowance table states that its exclusions for Delta One, Delta Premium and international Business Class do not apply to service animals, which have their own guidelines. [1] The UK guidance also applies its pet travel rules to assistance dogs. [2]

Related pages

Terms: service animals on flights, hotel pet fee. Guides: checked baggage allowance checklist. Browse the full glossary of frequent flyer terms.

Sources

Sources checked on 18 October 2026. Only Delta Air Lines and the UK government's EU pet travel guidance are covered here; other carriers' pet policies, the rules for non-EU destinations and the hold shipping process are not covered.

1. Delta Air Lines, Pet Travel on Delta, checked 18 October 2026
2. GOV.UK, Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad: travelling to an EU country, checked 18 October 2026