All Nippon Airways (ANA) does not allow pets in the passenger cabin. Dogs, cats, other small mammals and most birds travel in the air-conditioned cargo hold on the same ANA-operated flight as their owner, booked by phone in advance. The fee is USD 400 per cage on a flight between North America and Japan, the pet and cage together cannot weigh more than 45 kg (99 lb), and from May 1 to October 31 every year ANA refuses short-nosed breeds such as Bulldogs, French Bulldogs and Pugs.
ANA and Japan Airlines are the two Japanese carriers most US families compare for a move to or from Tokyo, and their rules differ in ways that matter: ANA bans snub-nosed dogs only in summer, while JAL refuses Bulldogs and French Bulldogs all year, and the two airlines want different kinds of water bottle on the crate. This guide follows ANA's own Traveling with Pets page as read in October 2026. ANA changes fees and conditions from time to time, so confirm the details when you call to reserve.
ANA pet rules at a glance
The table sums up the conditions that decide whether your pet can fly with you on ANA.
| Rule | What ANA says |
|---|---|
| Pets in the cabin | Not allowed (assistance dogs follow separate rules) |
| How pets travel | Checked into the bulk cargo room on the owner's ANA-operated flight |
| Animals accepted | Small domesticated mammals and birds; no birds of prey, reptiles or fish |
| Minimum age | 4 months |
| Weight and size | Pet plus cage up to 45 kg (99 lb); cage length plus width plus height under 292 cm (115 in) |
| Fee, North America to or from Japan | USD 400 / JPY 40,000 per cage |
| Fee within Asia (e.g. Haneda to Bangkok) | USD 250 / JPY 25,000 per cage |
| Japan domestic fee | JPY 6,000 per cage after May 19, 2026 (JPY 4,000 on some routes) |
| Summer breed ban | No short-nosed dogs May 1 to October 31 |
| Booking | By phone only, ANA flight numbers only |
No pets in the ANA cabin
ANA lists both mammals and birds as accepted for transport but not as carry-on. In practice, even a small cat or a toy dog that would fit under the seat on a US airline flies in the hold on ANA. After the January 2024 Haneda runway collision, in which two pets in the hold of a burning JAL aircraft died, both ANA and JAL said they had no plans to allow pets in the cabin, as the South China Morning Post reported. If keeping your pet beside you matters more than the airline, look at a carrier that accepts cabin pets on your route; pet cargo vs in cabin explains the tradeoff.
Which pets ANA accepts
ANA accepts small, domesticated animals that are healthy enough to fly. It refuses animals that are pregnant, younger than 4 months, kept for commercial or industrial purposes, or that have heart or respiratory disease. Owners must confirm their pet has not been sedated. Mammals and birds are accepted, except birds of prey such as eagles, hawks and owls. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects fall into the "other" class ANA does not carry as baggage.
ANA also lists warning signs that a pet may cope badly with the stress and temperature changes of a flight: poor appetite, raspy breathing, a racing heart, stumbling, trembling, heavy drooling, or panic and nonstop barking. If your pet shows these, talk to your vet before booking.
The May to October short-nosed breed ban
Every year from May 1 to October 31, ANA does not accept short-nosed dog breeds, which are more prone to heat stroke and breathing trouble. ANA names Bulldog, French Bulldog, Boxer, Shih Tzu, Boston Terrier, Bull Terrier, King Charles Spaniel, Tibetan Spaniel, Brussels Griffon, Chow Chow, Pug, Japanese Chin and Pekingese. Outside those months these breeds can fly, which is a real difference from Japan Airlines, which refuses Bulldogs and French Bulldogs year round. Even in winter, ask your vet whether a flat-faced dog is fit for a long flight in the hold. Our guide to the snub-nosed dog breed flying ban explains why.
What the cargo room is like
Pets ride in the bulk cargo room alongside baggage and cargo. ANA says it is air-conditioned and humidity controlled, but conditions can differ from the passenger cabin because of outside heat and cold, and it can get very hot in summer from high temperatures and reflected heat. During loading and unloading your pet is exposed to the open air, so temperature and humidity can swing sharply in both summer and winter. Lights in the cargo room are off for the whole flight, and pets hear engine, wind and ground-vehicle noise.
Fees by route
ANA charges per cage, and pets do not count toward your free baggage allowance. You pay in the currency of your departure country. ANA groups the world into three areas: Area 1 is North America, Latin America and Hawaii; Area 2 is Europe, Russia west of the Urals, Africa and the Middle East; Area 3 is Russia east of the Urals, Asia including Japan, and Oceania.
- Between two areas (for example Haneda to Los Angeles): JPY 40,000, USD 400, CAD 400 or EUR 300 per cage.
- Within one area (for example Haneda to Bangkok): JPY 25,000, USD 250, CAD 250 or EUR 200 per cage.
- Japan domestic: JPY 5,000 until May 19, 2026, then JPY 6,000, with JPY 4,000 on some short routes such as within Hokkaido and between Okinawa islands.
For a US to Tokyo move with two pets in two cages, that is USD 800 each way before crates, vet visits and Japanese import costs.
How to book a pet on ANA
ANA does not take pet reservations online. You call ANA's reservations center in advance, and only tickets on ANA-operated flights with ANA flight numbers qualify, so a codeshare ticket sold under another airline's number will not work. ANA says the number of cages per flight is limited by the loading space on each aircraft. Have your cage's length, width and height and the combined weight of pet and cage ready when you call. If you are connecting from an ANA domestic flight in Japan, you can reserve up to two days before the first flight of your trip.
Cage rules
ANA accepts only cages that meet IATA pet container standards and can withstand air transport. All of these conditions must be met:
- A sturdy top and durable material such as hard plastic, metal or wood.
- Good ventilation and a working handle on the outside.
- A lock that prevents escape and contact with the outside.
- Wheels removed or fixed in place.
- Room for the pet to stand, sit, lie down and turn around.
- A leak-proof base, such as pet sheets, so liquid and waste cannot spill.
As a rule ANA takes one animal per cage, with an exception for up to two birds. From May 1 to October 31 it does not accept a small cage inside a larger one, or covers on cages, because they cut ventilation. See how to choose a pet transport crate for sizing help.
Water, food and comfort
ANA requires a nozzle-type water bottle fixed to the cage and does not allow open water bowls, because they spill. Flights departing Frankfurt, including connections, need a saucer-type dispenser or a bowl with a nozzle. That is the opposite of JAL's Frankfurt rule, which asks for a bowl-type dispenser and warns nozzle bottles may be refused, so check the rule for the exact airline you fly. Once checked in, your pet cannot be fed, even during connections, so give an appropriate amount of food and water beforehand. ANA suggests cooling pads or ice packs in summer and blankets in winter, and recommends grooming out a thick undercoat before summer travel. Remove the leash, which can tangle, and think twice about toys, which a stressed pet may swallow.
Check-in day
Arrive about 120 minutes before departure, since pet check-in takes longer. Bring all export and import documents, and if your departure airport offers a quarantine inspection, finish it before you come to the counter. Check-in is complete once you sign ANA's letter of consent and pay the fee; download and fill in the form beforehand. Your pet is then driven to the aircraft and loaded into the bulk cargo room. At most destinations an ANA staff member carries your pet to you on arrival, although some countries require a different handover.
ANA's liability notice, and why it matters
ANA is unusually frank about risk. Its pet page warns that conditions on the aircraft are very different from a pet's normal environment and can lead to weakness, injury or death, and it states that ANA is not liable for death or injury caused by a pet's own health or physical condition, by cabin pressure, temperature, humidity or noise, by the pet's nature, or by a defect in the cage. ANA also publishes a page listing previous pet deaths. Read both before you book. The practical takeaway is that the owner carries most of the risk, so a vet check, a well-built cage and a pet that is used to it are worth more than any add-on service.
Getting your pet ready
Pets that are not used to spending long periods in a cage are more likely to be stressed, so ANA recommends getting them used to it before travel. Start weeks ahead with meals in the open cage, then short periods with the door closed, then longer ones. If it is your pet's first flight, or you are worried, ANA suggests talking to a vet. For dogs, ANA reminds travelers that a rabies vaccination given within the past year is required under Japan's Rabies Prevention Law. On the day, ANA's advice is simple: act normally, because pets pick up on an anxious owner. Most vets advise against sedating a pet for a flight in the hold; see should you sedate a dog for travel.
After you land
Let your pet rest as much as possible after a long flight. ANA recommends seeing a vet if your pet has diarrhea, vomiting, raspy breathing, shivering, loss of appetite, no interest in going out for a walk, ongoing anxiety or anything unusual. Arriving in Japan, your pet first goes through the animal quarantine inspection at the airport, which with a matching microchip and complete paperwork usually takes hours rather than days.
Japan's entry rules
The booking is the easy part. Dogs and cats flying into Japan from the US must meet the Animal Quarantine Service rules: a microchip before the first rabies shot, two rabies vaccinations, an antibody test of at least 0.5 IU/ml, a wait of 180 days or more after the blood draw, and notice to the arrival airport at least 40 days before landing. ANA asks you to show the AQS approval of import inspection at check-in. ANA also notes that a health certificate is needed even if you are only connecting through a Japanese airport. Our guide to pet transport to Japan lays out the full timeline.
Flying a dog from Japan to the US
ANA points travelers to the US CDC dog import requirements, revised for all dogs arriving on or after August 1, 2024. Every dog needs the CDC Dog Import Form and a microchip. Japan is not on the CDC high-risk list, which keeps the US side simpler. For export inspection and costs, see pet transport from Japan to the US.
Routes where you cannot check a pet
Some countries do not accept pets as checked baggage at all. ANA says passengers entering the United Kingdom, Hong Kong or Australia cannot check pets at the airport and must use a cargo agent, and pets cannot enter or leave through Perth. From April 1, 2026, pets arriving in Singapore must be cleared by an agent authorized by Singapore's Animal and Veterinary Service, and the quarantine station at Changi does not run 24 hours, so a late arrival can mean collecting your pet the next day.
ANA vs JAL at a glance
Both Japanese airlines keep pets out of the cabin and check them into the hold on your flight. ANA publishes a flat per-cage fee (USD 400 to or from North America) and bans short-nosed breeds only from May to October. JAL refuses Bulldogs and French Bulldogs on every flight but lists Pugs, Japanese Chins and Boston Terriers as acceptable on domestic routes, quotes international fees at check-in, and has different water-bottle rules. Read our Japan Airlines pet policy guide before choosing.