Air Europa, the Spanish airline based in Madrid, carries dogs and cats in the cabin and in the hold. In the cabin, the pet can weigh up to 8 kg, the pet and carrier together up to 10 kg, and the carrier must be soft and no larger than 40 x 30 x 30 cm. Larger dogs and cats travel in the hold, up to 50 kg with the crate. Between Madrid and Miami or New York, the fee is USD 155 in the cabin and USD 310 in the hold. Snub-nosed breeds can fly only in the cabin, and a pet arriving from outside the EU on a connection must be collected and re-checked in Madrid, with at least three hours between flights.
This guide follows Air Europa's own travelling with pets page as read in October 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with Air Europa before you book, and check the entry rules for every country on your route.
Air Europa pet fees at a glance
Fees are per pet and per flight, in the currency of the booking. The table shows the euro and US dollar prices Air Europa publishes.
| Route | Cabin | Hold |
|---|---|---|
| Within mainland Spain and the Balearics | EUR 35 / USD 36 | EUR 90 / USD 93 |
| Canary Islands, Europe, Africa, intra-America | EUR 50 / USD 52 | EUR 150 / USD 155 |
| Long-haul: Miami, New York, Santo Domingo, Punta Cana, San Jose | EUR 150 / USD 155 | EUR 300 / USD 310 |
| Other long-haul routes | EUR 175 / USD 181 | EUR 350 / USD 361 |
Who can travel and how many pets
A pet must travel with its owner or an authorized representative at all times. Dogs and cats must be at least 3 months old and have all the vaccinations they need. Each passenger can bring up to 5 pets, split between the cabin and the hold. For more than five, Air Europa sends you to its Cargo Department on +34 934 90 40 38. The pet service is non-refundable, and some countries add tax.
Air Europa may refuse a pet that does not meet its rules or the rules of the departure or destination country, and it says it will not cover any costs that result. Arrive 3 hours before a long-haul flight and 2 hours before a domestic or medium-haul flight, because a pet adds steps at check-in.
Flying with a pet in the Air Europa cabin
On short and medium-haul flights, only dogs and cats can travel in the cabin, with one exception: Business Class on Boeing 787 flights, where a carrier does not fit under the seat. On long-haul flights, dogs and cats can travel in the cabin except in Business Class, where no animals are allowed at all.
The cabin rules are:
- Carrier: soft, flexible, ventilated and approved, waterproof where the pet lies, and no larger than 40 x 30 x 30 cm. Rigid plastic carriers are not allowed.
- Weight: the pet up to 8 kg, and the pet plus carrier up to 10 kg.
- Space: each animal must be able to stand, sit up, lie naturally and turn around.
- Seat: the carrier goes under the seat in front, and you cannot sit in an emergency exit seat or an XL seat.
- Number: up to 3 animals of the same species can share a carrier if the size and weight limits are respected.
The rule against rigid carriers is the opposite of some other airlines, so check before you buy. Our guide to flying with a cat in the cabin covers getting a pet used to a soft bag.
Flying with a pet in the Air Europa hold
Only cats and dogs travel in the hold; for any other animal, Air Europa Cargo handles the booking. The hold rules are:
- A rigid, IATA-approved crate with a metal door and ventilation. Wire or welded mesh crates are not allowed.
- Pet plus crate up to 50 kg, in a crate no larger than 83 cm high, 121 cm wide and 134 cm long. Heavier animals go through Cargo.
- Two pets can share a crate if they are a similar size, each weighs no more than 14 kg and they are used to each other. Three can share if they are littermates no older than 6 months.
Dogs that Air Europa classes as potentially dangerous, such as the Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Rottweiler, Fila Brasileiro, Tosa Inu and Akita Inu, must wear a breed-appropriate muzzle and travel in a custom-made, reinforced crate. Air Europa also applies this to dogs that are not on the list but match a physical description: strong and muscular, over 20 kg, a chest of 60 to 80 cm, shoulder height of 50 to 70 cm, and a large, broad head. Our guide to choosing a pet transport crate explains sizing.
The Madrid connection rule
If your pet is flying from outside the EU on a connecting itinerary, the connection must be in Madrid, which is the first point of entry with a border inspection post in Spain. You have to collect the pet, go through customs for the document check and check it in again, so the minimum connection time is 3 hours. Air Europa gives the example of Bogota to Madrid to Milan Malpensa.
There is also a summer heat rule. From June 1 to September 15, pets in the hold are not accepted if the flight connects in Madrid between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. If you have a connection of at least 3 hours, Air Europa will consider letting you collect the pet, look after it and check it in again. Our guide to connecting flights with a pet explains how to plan layovers.
Snub-nosed breeds: cabin only
Air Europa will carry snub-nosed breeds only in the cabin, and only if the pet and carrier weigh 10 kg or less. The dog breeds listed are the Affenpinscher, American Bully, Boston Terrier, all Boxers, all bulldogs, Bullmastiff, Cane Corso, all pugs, Japanese Chin, Chow Chow, Dogue de Bordeaux, Brussels Griffon, Lhasa Apso, English and Neapolitan Mastiffs, Pekingese, Pitbull, Shar-Pei, Shih Tzu, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, English Toy Spaniel and Cocker. The cats are the Burmese, Burmese Shorthair, Exotic, Himalayan and Persian.
The Cocker on that list is unusual; most airlines do not class it as snub-nosed. If you have a Cocker Spaniel too heavy for the cabin, ask Air Europa before booking. Our guide to snub-nosed breeds and flying covers other options.
Flying to Spain or elsewhere in the EU
Within Spain, a pet passport is not compulsory, but you need an official health card or a certificate of good health from an official vet issued within 10 days of the flight, for both outbound and return trips; rabies is the only vaccine required, though some regions treat it as voluntary. Entering Spain from another EU country, a dog or cat needs a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an EU pet passport. Dogs flying to Finland, Ireland, Malta or Norway also need tapeworm (Echinococcus) treatment between 120 and 24 hours before arrival.
From the US, the EU rules apply: microchip, rabies vaccination after the chip, a 21-day wait after a first vaccination, and an EU health certificate signed by a USDA-accredited vet and endorsed by USDA APHIS. The European Commission's pet movement page and the USDA pet travel export page set out the steps, and our guide to pet transport to Spain covers them in detail.
Flying from Spain to the US
For flights to the US, Air Europa asks you to meet the CDC rules and complete the CDC import form in advance, with one form per pet. Keep the emailed receipt on paper or your phone and show it at check-in and on arrival. Dogs entering the US must be at least 6 months old and microchipped; the CDC dog import page has the current requirements, and our guide to importing a dog into the US walks through them.
The UK and other cargo-only cases
For flights to or from the United Kingdom, pets must travel with Air Europa Cargo rather than as baggage. The same Cargo team handles more than five pets, animals over the 50 kg limit and species other than dogs and cats. For the UK side, see our guide to pet transport to the UK.
Working out the cost of a full trip
Air Europa charges each flight separately, so a connection adds a second fee. A small dog in the cabin flying Miami to Madrid and then Madrid to Rome pays USD 155 for the transatlantic flight and the European rate, USD 52, for the second flight, so USD 207 one way before any local tax. The same trip with a larger dog in the hold costs USD 310 plus USD 155, or USD 465. If you are returning, double it. Because the service is non-refundable, it is worth confirming the dates before paying for the pet, and checking that the connection in Madrid fits the timing rules described above.
Cats on Air Europa
For most cats the cabin is the obvious choice, but the 8 kg limit for the cat itself and the 10 kg total both apply, and the 40 x 30 x 30 cm soft carrier is on the small side for a large breed. If your cat is a Persian, Himalayan, Burmese or Exotic, it is on Air Europa's snub-nosed list and can only fly in the cabin, so the 10 kg total is the hard limit. Up to 3 cats from the same household can share a carrier if they fit within the size and weight rules, which mostly suits kittens. A cat travelling to the US does not need the CDC dog import form, but you should still check the rules of the US state you are moving to, and carry the vaccination record and a recent vet health certificate in case staff at either end ask to see them.
Getting your pet ready
Let the pet spend time in its carrier or crate at home for a couple of weeks before the trip, with a familiar blanket inside and treats for going in. Ask your vet whether the pet is fit to fly, and do not give sedatives without veterinary advice, since sedated animals cope less well with changes in pressure and temperature. On the day, walk a dog before check-in, keep food light, and pack the health certificate, vaccination record and any CDC receipt in your hand luggage.
A sample plan: Bogota to Barcelona with a 25 kg dog
- Check that your dog is not on the snub-nosed list and does not meet the potentially dangerous description, or plan for a reinforced crate and muzzle.
- Book a connection in Madrid with at least 3 hours between flights, avoiding an 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Madrid connection between June 1 and September 15.
- Prepare the EU entry documents for Spain, since Madrid is where the dog enters the EU.
- Expect the long-haul hold fee of EUR 350 (or USD 361) on the Bogota flight plus the European fee on the Barcelona flight.
- In Madrid, collect the dog, clear the document check and check in again for Barcelona.
Common mistakes with Air Europa pet bookings
- Bringing a rigid plastic carrier into the cabin.
- Forgetting the separate 8 kg limit for the pet itself, on top of the 10 kg total.
- Booking a short connection in Madrid on a trip from outside the EU.
- Booking Business Class with a cabin pet.
- Planning a summer midday connection in Madrid with a hold pet.
Air Europa compared with Iberia
Both airlines are based in Madrid, but their rules differ. Iberia allows a larger cabin carrier and has its own breed list and fees, so compare both for your route.