Asiana Airlines carries dogs, cats and pet birds, in the cabin or as checked baggage. In the cabin the pet and its carrier can weigh no more than 7 kg, about 15 pounds. As checked baggage the limit is 45 kg, about 99 pounds, including the cage. On flights between Asia and the US the fee is USD 290 each way for a pet and cage up to 32 kg, and USD 590 from 32 to 45 kg. All of this comes from Asiana's own Traveling with Pets page, read in November 2026.
Those fees apply on top of your baggage allowance. A pet never counts as a free bag, even if you have no other luggage. Asiana also stopped carrying short nosed breeds in the hold in July 2019, and it has a list of dog types it won't carry at all.
Asiana is now part of the Korean Air group, but it still runs its own pet rules and fee table. If you are comparing the two, our Korean Air pet policy guide covers the sister airline, which has similar weight limits but its own process.
Asiana pet fees by route
Asiana charges by route and by the combined weight of the pet and cage. This table applies to tickets issued from May 1, 2022, the date on Asiana's fee table.
| Route | Up to 32 kg, cage included | 32 to 45 kg, cage included |
|---|---|---|
| Korean domestic flights | KRW 30,000 | KRW 60,000 |
| Korea to and from Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mongolia | USD 140 | USD 290 |
| Other routes within Asia, including Guam and Saipan | USD 210 | USD 440 |
| US routes, Europe and Oceania | USD 290 | USD 590 |
A cabin pet will always fall in the first column, because the cabin limit is 7 kg. So a small dog flying Los Angeles to Seoul in the cabin costs USD 290 each way, or USD 580 for the round trip. A large dog in the hold that brings the cage over 32 kg costs USD 590 each way. Asiana also notes that some overseas airports add a separate tax for pets.
Which animals Asiana accepts
Asiana accepts dogs, cats and pet birds. Each adult passenger can bring one pet in the cabin and two as checked baggage. Children can't travel with a pet in the cabin, so if a family is flying, the adult has to be the one listed with the pet.
Only one pet goes in each cage, with a few exceptions. Two puppies or two kittens under six months old can share, as can a mother with her young, or a pair of birds. Birds have to be covered with a cloth for the flight.
Asiana won't carry pets under 16 weeks old, pets that have been given a sedative or sleep medicine, pregnant pets, foul smelling pets, aggressive dogs or birds of prey. The rule on sedation lines up with most vets' advice for air travel.
Flying with a pet in the cabin
The pet and carrier together must weigh 7 kg or less. The carrier can be no more than 21 cm high, 32 cm wide and 45 cm long, which is about 8.3 by 12.6 by 17.7 inches, and it has to fit comfortably under the seat. A soft fabric carrier can be up to 26 cm tall if it squashes down to 21 cm. A carrier with a rigid frame of wire, plastic or wood has a hard 21 cm limit on height.
That height limit is tight. Many popular soft carriers sold as airline approved are 25 to 28 cm tall, so measure yours compressed before you fly. Our guide to the best airline approved dog carrier covers lower profile options.
The pet stays in its carrier for the whole flight. Asiana says it can only have water, no food. You have to sit in the designated pet seat Asiana assigns.
Business class is a special case. On most Asiana aircraft the business seats have no space underneath for a carrier, so during taxi, takeoff and landing the carrier goes somewhere else in the cabin, as directed by the crew. The exception is the A321, where under seat storage works in business.
Checking a pet as baggage
If the pet is too big for the cabin, it can travel in the hold as checked baggage. The pet and cage together must weigh 45 kg or less. The three sides of the cage can add up to no more than 285 cm, and the cage can't be more than 84 cm tall. Asiana notes that some countries and cities set a lower limit of 32 kg.
The cage has to lock, have a sealed bottom and good ventilation, and be made of strong material such as metal, wood or plastic. It must be waterproof, with a waterproof pad on the floor and a towel or blanket on top. The pet needs room to stand up and move around. Our guide on how to choose a pet transport crate explains how to measure for that.
Asiana doesn't carry checked pets on its A321 aircraft on international routes. It can also refuse or limit pets depending on the aircraft and route, so confirm with the reservation centre that your specific flight can take one.
Short nosed breeds and banned dog types
Since July 1, 2019, Asiana no longer carries short nosed animals as checked baggage. It lists these dogs: Affenpinscher, Dogo Argentino, Mastiff, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Bulldog, Brussels Griffon, Shih Tzu, English Toy Spaniel, King Charles Spaniel, Tibetan Spaniel, Chihuahua, Japanese Chin, Lhasa Apso, Presa Canario, Chow Chow, Pug, Pekingese, Shar Pei, Cane Corso and Dogue de Bordeaux. The cats on the list are Burmese, Exotic, Himalayan, Persian, British Shorthair, Scottish Fold and Silver Chinchilla.
Note that Chihuahua is on the list, which surprises a lot of owners. A small short nosed dog that fits the 7 kg cabin limit can still fly in the cabin. It just can't go in the hold. Our guide to the snub nosed dog breed flying ban explains why airlines do this.
Asiana also restricts a separate list of dog types it treats as dangerous: Tosa, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Rottweiler, Mastiff, Laika, Ovtcharka, Kangal, wolfdogs, American Bully, Cane Corso and Miniature Bull Terrier, and mixes of all of them.
How to book a pet with Asiana
You have to reserve the pet in advance. For domestic Korean flights that means at least 24 hours before departure, and for international flights at least 48 hours, counted in business days. If you turn up at the airport without a reservation, Asiana says the pet can't board or be checked.
Call the reservation centre as early as you can, because the number of pets per flight is limited and depends on the aircraft. Then arrive at the airport early, because there is a separate pet check in step. Asiana's page also says Air Busan codeshare flights can't take checked pets, because Asiana doesn't operate them.
Flying to Korea with a pet
Asiana leaves the entry rules to you. It says pets won't be carried where local laws restrict them, and that you are responsible for the documents. For a dog or cat going from the US to Korea, that usually means a microchip, rabies vaccination, a rabies antibody test and an endorsed health certificate. Check the current list on the USDA APHIS pet travel site, and see our guide to pet transport to South Korea for the timeline.
The antibody test is the step that catches people out. Korea looks for a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml from an approved lab, taken within the previous 24 months. Results can take a few weeks, so start the vet process at least two months before the flight, and don't book the Asiana pet space until you know the paperwork will be ready on time.
Flying to the US with a dog
Dogs entering the US have to meet the CDC rules that took effect on August 1, 2024, and Asiana links to them from its pet page. Every dog needs to be at least six months old, carry a microchip and come with a receipt from the online CDC Dog Import Form. Further rules depend on where the dog has been in the last six months. Our guide to pet transport from South Korea to the US covers the full set for that route.
Service dogs on Asiana
Service dogs fly in the cabin. Asiana says they need an identification tag from an accredited institution, must wear a harness, and must stay on the floor space below your seat. For flights to or from the US, Asiana points to separate US rules for service animals, which follow the Department of Transportation's form system. Call the reservation centre ahead of time so the crew knows.
Weather and timing
Asiana warns that very hot or very cold weather can be hard on a checked pet, and asks owners to factor that in. For a long haul flight from the US, an evening departure in summer or a midday one in winter keeps ground time at the hotter or colder end of the day short. A connection through Incheon adds time, so a nonstop is kinder to a pet in the hold.
Pet strollers count as normal baggage. They fly free if they fit inside your free baggage allowance.
Asiana or Korean Air?
If you are flying between the US and Korea, you will probably compare the two. The headline limits are close. Korean Air also allows 7 kg in the cabin including the carrier, and 45 kg in the hold including the crate. Both refuse short nosed breeds in the hold and both ask for approval at least 48 hours before an international flight. The differences are in the details. Korean Air's cabin carrier is a little lower, at 19 cm high against Asiana's 21 cm, and its pricing and aircraft restrictions differ by route. Asiana bars children from flying with a cabin pet, which matters for families. Compare both on your exact route and dates rather than assuming they match, since the two airlines are being merged and rules may change as that happens.
What a pet trip really costs
The airline fee is only part of it. For a trip from the US to Korea, budget for a vet visit and health certificate, which usually runs from about $100 to $250, and the USDA endorsement of that certificate, which costs from $38 to $150 depending on how many tests it covers. Add the rabies antibody test if Korea requires it for your pet, and a crate if you are checking a larger dog. A cabin pet on a round trip can easily come to $800 or more once everything is added up, and a large checked dog well over $1,500.
If your dog is over 45 kg
A dog that brings the cage over 45 kg can't go as checked baggage on Asiana. The usual alternative is air cargo, booked through a pet shipper or the airline's cargo arm, which follows the IATA Live Animals Regulations for crate design. Cargo costs more and needs more paperwork, but it is often the only way to move a giant breed across the Pacific.
Before you book
Measure the carrier compressed, weigh the pet in it, and check your breed against both lists. Then call Asiana to reserve the pet space before you pay for your own ticket, so you don't end up with a seat on a flight that can't take your pet. For a large dog, ask about the aircraft type, since an A321 on an international route rules out the hold.