Aegean Airlines, Greece's largest airline, carries cats and dogs in the cabin, in the hold, or as cargo, depending on the animal's size and the route. A pet can fly in the cabin if it weighs 8 kg or less together with its carrier, for EUR 39 on a domestic flight or EUR 72 on an international one. Heavier cats and dogs go in the hold for EUR 50 to EUR 190 depending on size and route. Aegean will not put a pet in the hold if the connection is longer than three hours, and it sends pets only as cargo on flights to the UK, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia.
This guide follows Aegean's own travelling with pets page as read in October 2026. The same rules apply to flights operated by its regional partner Olympic Air. Confirm current details with Aegean before you book, and check the entry rules for every country on your route.
Aegean pet rules at a glance
The table brings together the numbers most people look for first. Fees are per route and per container, whatever the number of pets inside.
| Option | Weight and size | Domestic fee | International fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabin | Up to 8 kg with carrier, max 55 x 40 x 23 cm (40 x 25 x 25 cm on Dash 8-100 and ATR) | EUR 39 | EUR 72 |
| Hold, medium | 8 to 25 kg with crate, max 71 x 52 x 55 cm | EUR 50 direct, EUR 55 connecting | EUR 110 direct, EUR 120 connecting |
| Hold, large | Over 25 kg with crate, max 105 x 75 x 79 cm | EUR 90 direct, EUR 95 connecting | EUR 180 direct, EUR 190 connecting |
| Cargo | Unaccompanied pets, larger crates, UK | Separate cargo price through Aegean Cargo | |
Which animals Aegean accepts
In the cabin, Aegean accepts cats and dogs only, with the exception of certain breeds, plus trained guide and service dogs. In the hold of its Airbus A320, A321, ATR 42-600 and ATR 72-600 aircraft, it also accepts only cats and dogs, again except for particular breeds. Aegean's pet page does not list those breeds, so if you have a flat-faced breed such as a pug, bulldog or Persian cat, or a powerful breed, call Aegean before booking. Our guide to snub-nosed breeds and flying explains why many airlines restrict them.
Aegean's health rules are firm. The pet must be at least 12 weeks old, carry a microchip and have a valid rabies vaccination given after the microchip. If it is a first vaccination, at least 21 days must have passed; a booster given before the previous shot expired does not trigger a new wait. Pets must also be clean, healthy, odourless and not pregnant, and Aegean says they must not be sedated.
Flying with a pet in the Aegean cabin
Each passenger can bring one cat or dog in the cabin, in a carrier that holds one animal. The pet and carrier together cannot weigh more than 8 kg. You cannot have a pet in the cabin if you are travelling with an infant.
The carrier can be up to 55 x 40 x 23 cm on most aircraft. On the Dash 8-100 and ATR turboprops that fly many island routes, it must be no larger than 40 x 25 x 25 cm. That smaller limit is easy to miss when you book an Athens to island flight, so check the aircraft type and size the carrier for it. Aegean recommends a soft-sided carrier, since space under the seat varies and a hard case may not fit on every aircraft. The carrier needs ventilation on at least four sides, a door that locks securely and a leak-proof base, and the pet stays inside for the whole flight. Bring enough food and water for the trip, including any connection.
Passengers with a cabin pet must sit in a window seat, and not in the first row or an emergency exit row. The carrier goes under the seat in front of you. Our guide to flying with a dog in the cabin covers how to prepare a small dog.
Flying with a pet in the Aegean hold
A cat or dog that weighs more than 8 kg with its container travels in the hold. Aegean splits the hold into two size bands: medium, from 8 to 25 kg with a crate up to 71 x 52 x 55 cm, and large, over 25 kg with a crate up to 105 x 75 x 79 cm. A pet whose crate is bigger than the large limit has to go as cargo.
The key restriction is time. Aegean will not accept a pet in the hold if a connection is longer than three hours. If your itinerary includes a long layover in Athens, rebook onto a closer connection or plan for cargo. Our guide to connecting flights with a pet explains how to plan layovers.
Each passenger, or an authorised person travelling with the animals, can bring at most five animals on a flight, and this count includes other hold items such as baggage and special equipment. Only one animal is allowed per crate in the hold.
Crate rules for the hold
The crate must be large enough for the animal to stand, turn and lie down, and must be clean, leak-proof, escape-proof and claw-proof. Aegean's other requirements:
- Ventilation on at least four sides, with openings no larger than 25 x 25 mm for dogs and 19 x 19 mm for cats, or extra mesh of at least 2.5 mm for dogs and 2 mm for cats.
- Separate food and water containers fixed inside, with rounded edges, that can be filled from outside without opening the door.
- An absorbent lining such as a blanket or old clothing.
- A lockable door whose hinges and pins engage the crate by at least 1.6 cm.
- No wheels; remove them before check-in.
- Tie wraps on hand to secure the crate further.
Our guide to choosing a pet transport crate explains how to size one.
Booking and fees
Add the pet when you buy your ticket, at the Extras step on aegeanair.com, in the Aegean app or through the call center. For an existing booking, add it in My Booking or by calling. Each flight takes a limited number of animals and Aegean accepts them on a priority basis, so earlier is better. For connecting flights, call the call center to check availability. You can book up to 2 hours before departure, but leaving it that late risks finding no space.
The fees in the table above apply to online and call-center bookings on flights operated by Aegean and Olympic Air. They are charged per route and per container. If you book through the call center after your ticket is issued, Aegean adds a service fee of EUR 8 per passenger. Pet bookings are refundable, and re-routing or reissue is possible as long as the pet service is available on the new flights.
At the airport
Present the pet at the check-in counter at least one hour before departure, whichever airport you fly from. Athens and Thessaloniki airports have check-in counters just for passengers with pets. You can check in online or on mobile, but you must collect your boarding pass at the airport.
Staff will inspect the pet's health book or passport and check the microchip. For flights within Greece, the electronic health book from Gov.gr is accepted if it shows the microchip date. For a mixed breed, the breed should be shown clearly on the passport. If the pet is not travelling with its legal owner, bring a written authorisation from the owner. Every passenger with an animal also completes and signs a Live Animal Acceptance Checklist, which ground staff provide at the desk.
Destinations with special rules
Some destinations do not accept pets as baggage on Aegean:
- Dubai and Abu Dhabi: dogs and cats only as cargo.
- United Kingdom: dogs and cats can enter only through London Heathrow, as cargo. From the UK, pets can fly in the cabin or hold, except from London Gatwick, where they go only as cargo.
- Saudi Arabia: dogs and cats only as cargo, with import permits and health documents through the official NAAMA platform.
- Ireland: dogs with cropped ears need an import licence and a vet certificate stating the medical reason.
For UK and Gulf moves, see our guides to pet transport to the UK and pet transport to Dubai.
Pets as cargo with Aegean
Contact Aegean Cargo if your pet is travelling without you, if its crate is larger than 105 x 75 x 79 cm, or if it is going to the UK. Aegean lists its cargo phone numbers as +30 210 3543700 and +30 210 3543 095 or 096, and the email info-cargo@aegeanair.com. Cargo prices are different from the baggage fees above.
Flying with a pet to Greece from the US
Most Americans reach Aegean by flying into Athens on a transatlantic carrier, then connecting to an island or another European city. A pet entering Greece from the US must meet EU rules: an ISO microchip, a rabies vaccination given after the chip, a 21-day wait after a first vaccination and an EU animal health certificate from a USDA-accredited vet, endorsed by USDA APHIS. The European Commission's pet movement page sets out the rules, and the USDA pet travel export page lists the steps. Our guide to pet transport to Greece covers the Greek side.
Keep the three-hour rule in mind on these trips. If the transatlantic flight lands in Athens and the Aegean flight leaves more than three hours later, the pet cannot be booked through in the hold, so you may need to collect it, clear entry and check it in again, or choose a closer connection. Each airline books the pet separately.
Service dogs
Aegean carries trained service dogs and rescue dogs free of charge in the cabin. Service dogs must be certified by a full member of Assistance Dogs International, the International Guide Dog Federation, the European Guide Dog Federation or a national certified guide dog school. Request the service at least 48 hours before the flight, or at least 5 days before for the UK through the call center. One service animal travels in the cabin, between your feet; a second can travel in the hold in a crate you provide.
A sample plan: Athens to Santorini with a cat
Say you are flying from Athens to Santorini with a 4 kg cat. Look up the aircraft on your flight: if it is an ATR or Dash 8, the carrier must fit 40 x 25 x 25 cm, which suits most cats in a compact soft bag. Add the cat at the Extras step when you buy the ticket and pick a window seat away from the first row and exit rows. The fee is EUR 39 for the domestic route. On the day, check in online if you like, but go to the pet check-in counter at least an hour before departure with the cat's health book showing the microchip and rabies details.
For a 20 kg dog on the same route, the dog goes in the hold in a crate no larger than 71 x 52 x 55 cm, for EUR 50 on a direct flight. Make sure the ATR flight carries hold pets on that day by booking early, and bring tie wraps for the crate.
Preparing a pet for a Greek summer flight
Island flights are busiest in July and August, when the tarmac at Greek airports can be very hot. Book morning or evening flights where you can, give the pet a little water before check-in, and keep it out of direct sun while you wait. Let the pet get used to its carrier or crate at home over a couple of weeks. Aegean's crate rules follow the IATA standard, and the IATA live animals page explains it.
Common mistakes with Aegean pet bookings
- Buying a 55 cm carrier for a flight on a Dash 8 or ATR, where the limit is 40 x 25 x 25 cm.
- Booking a hold pet with a connection longer than three hours.
- Sedating the pet, which Aegean does not accept.
- Arriving later than one hour before departure with a pet to clear.
- Expecting to fly a pet to London as baggage.