Austrian Airlines, the Lufthansa Group carrier based in Vienna, flies cats and dogs in the cabin and in the hold. A pet can fly in the cabin if the pet and a soft carrier together weigh 8 kg or less. On flights between Europe and Chicago, Miami, New York, Washington or Canada, the cabin fee is EUR 115 per segment and the hold fee is EUR 170 or EUR 340 depending on crate size; Los Angeles costs a little more. Austrian keeps snub-nosed breeds out of the hold, adds a EUR 150 surcharge when a hold pet transfers through a Lufthansa Group hub, and since the 2024 CDC rule change only takes new dog bookings to six US airports.
This guide follows Austrian's own travelling with animals page as read in October 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with Austrian before you book, and check the entry rules for every country on your route.
Austrian Airlines pet rules at a glance
The table brings together the numbers most people look for first. Fees are per flight segment and do not include Austrian's ticket service fee, which varies by departure country.
| Rule | Cabin | Hold |
|---|---|---|
| Animals accepted | Cats and dogs | Cats and dogs |
| Weight and size | 8 kg with soft carrier, max 55 x 40 x 23 cm (118 cm total) | IATA crate; 2 pets per crate only if each is 14 kg or less |
| Minimum age | 12 weeks, weaned | 12 weeks, weaned |
| Within Europe | EUR 80 | EUR 100 (crate up to 60 x 45 x 40 cm), EUR 200 (larger) |
| Chicago, Miami, New York, Washington, Canada | EUR 115 | EUR 170 or EUR 340 |
| Los Angeles, Japan, China, Thailand | EUR 125 | EUR 190 or EUR 380 |
| Hub transfer surcharge | None listed | EUR 150 (USD 175) via FRA, MUC, VIE, ZRH, GVA or BRU |
| Snub-nosed breeds | Allowed if within cabin limits | Not accepted |
Which animals Austrian carries
Austrian carries cats and dogs. Each passenger can bring up to two healthy pets. The animal must be at least 12 weeks old and weaned, and Austrian does not accept pregnant animals. Birds are not carried on any Lufthansa Group flight, and rabbits and other small rodents are excluded because they can chew through a carrier. Other passengers are not told that an animal is on board.
Whether your pet goes in the cabin or the hold depends on its size and weight including the carrier, and on the rules of the destination country. Some countries do not allow pets as baggage at all. Austrian names the United Kingdom and South Africa as examples where animals must travel as freight whatever their size, and it reserves the right to refuse pet bookings on certain routes.
Flying with a pet in the Austrian cabin
The cabin limit is 8 kg for the animal and carrier together. The carrier must be soft, bite-proof, leak-proof, odour-insulated and well ventilated even when closed, and large enough for the pet to stand, turn and lie down. Its maximum size is 55 x 40 x 23 cm, or 118 cm in total. Austrian says the carrier should not have a solid frame, wheels or a telescopic handle, because it has to squeeze under the seat in front.
The animal stays in the closed bag for the whole flight. Austrian points out that its aircraft have HEPA filters that clean the cabin air of particles, including animal hair, which may reassure a passenger with an allergy; if you or someone travelling with you is allergic, tell Austrian before the trip. Our guide to flying with a dog in the cabin covers how to prepare a small dog for this.
Before you fly, you complete Austrian's form confirming that the pet meets the cabin rules, and you bring two printed, signed copies to the check-in counter. Without it, the pet cannot travel as carry-on.
Booking a cabin pet, and the US exception
You can add a cabin pet when you book or later through My Bookings, by phone, through the contact form or through a travel agent. The number of animals per flight is limited, so book as early as you can. There is one important exception: for flights to the USA, you cannot add the pet yourself in My Bookings and have to go through the Service Centre. Larger animals for the hold are also booked through the Service Centre, which checks availability and loading options.
Cabin fees
Austrian charges the cabin fee per flight segment, plus a ticket service fee that depends on where you depart:
- Domestic flights within Austria: EUR 65.
- Europe, including Morocco and Armenia: EUR 80.
- Intercontinental short haul (Jordan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel): EUR 105.
- Intercontinental medium haul (Chicago, Miami, New York, Washington DC, Canada, the Maldives): EUR 115.
- Intercontinental long haul (Los Angeles, Thailand, South Africa, Mauritius, China, Japan): EUR 125.
A trip from a European city to New York through Vienna is two segments, so it is EUR 80 plus EUR 115 each way, before service fees.
Flying with a pet in the Austrian hold
If your pet is too big for the cabin, or the cabin has no space left, a cat or dog can travel in the hold. When booking, give the size and weight of the crate. Austrian checks the crate and the pet's behaviour at check-in and can refuse a crate that is not safe. Two pets can share one crate only if they are used to each other and each weighs 14 kg or less.
Hold fees have two bands. The lower band covers crates up to 60 x 45 x 40 cm; the higher band covers anything larger:
- Domestic: EUR 80 or EUR 160.
- Europe: EUR 100 or EUR 200.
- Intercontinental short haul: EUR 130 or EUR 260.
- Intercontinental medium haul (Chicago, Miami, New York, Washington, Canada): EUR 170 or EUR 340.
- Intercontinental long haul (Los Angeles and others): EUR 190 or EUR 380.
On top of this, Austrian charges a surcharge of EUR 150 (CHF 175 or USD 175) if you travel via Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, Zurich, Geneva or Brussels, on tickets issued after April 1, 2021. For a medium or large dog connecting through Vienna to New York, that surcharge is a real part of the cost, so price the whole trip before you book.
Crate rules, including the May 2026 change
The hold crate has to meet the current IATA Live Animals Regulations. Austrian highlights that crates bought before 2024 may not comply. From May 4, 2026, ventilation holes must be no larger than 25 x 25 mm for dogs and 19 x 19 mm for cats, or be covered with mesh so the animal cannot push a paw or nose through. Austrian rejects non-compliant crates at check-in, and few airports sell replacements.
Other requirements: a smooth interior with nothing to chew, a waterproof top, top and bottom halves screwed together, a waterproof floor lined with absorbent material, secure doors, no wheels, ventilation on all four sides in the top two-thirds, spacer bars that double as handles, and separate food and water bowls that can be filled from outside without opening the door. Wire crates are not allowed. Our guide to choosing a pet transport crate covers sizing.
Snub-nosed breeds and fighting dogs
Austrian does not put snub-nosed cats or dogs in the hold, because they are especially sensitive to heat and stress. The dog list includes the Affenpinscher, bulldogs (except the American Bulldog), pugs, the Boston Terrier, Boxer, Brussels Griffon, Bullmastiff, Chow Chow, English Toy Spaniel, Japanese Chin, King Charles Spaniel, Lhasa Apso, Pekingese, Shar Pei, Shih Tzu and Tibetan Spaniel. Austrian also lists the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier and Bull Terrier as snub-nosed for this purpose. The cat list is the British Shorthair, Exotic Shorthair, Himalayan, Persian and Scottish Fold. Crosses count too. A small snub-nosed pet can still fly in the cabin if it fits the 8 kg limit. See our guide to snub-nosed breeds and flying.
Dogs Austrian classes as fighting dogs, including the American Bulldog, Dogo Argentino, Kangal, Caucasian Shepherd and Rottweiler, can only fly in the hold in a reinforced crate: a wooden or steel frame of at least 25 x 25 mm, solid wood at least 12 mm thick, welded mesh over ventilation holes and door stops. Puppies of these breeds aged three to six months can use a standard crate. The American Bully is generally refused.
Flying a dog to the US on Austrian
Since the CDC rules changed on August 1, 2024, Austrian only accepts new bookings for dogs entering the US at Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK, Philadelphia and Washington DC. Newark is possible if the dog has not been in a high-risk rabies country in the six months before arrival. For other US airports, Austrian points you to a specialist pet shipper using air freight.
Before travel, complete the CDC Dog Import Form. Once it is submitted, a confirmation is emailed to you, and you show it in digital or printed form at departure and on arrival. The dog must be at least 6 months old and microchipped. The CDC dog import page has the full rules, and our guide to importing a dog into the US walks through each case.
Flying a pet from the US to Austria
Going to Austria, EU rules apply: an ISO microchip, a rabies vaccination given after the chip, a 21-day wait after a first vaccination, and an EU animal health certificate signed by a USDA-accredited vet and endorsed by USDA APHIS. The European Commission's pet movement page explains the EU rules, and the USDA pet travel export page lists the steps by country.
Assistance dogs
On direct flights to and from the US, Austrian carries up to two trained assistance dogs free of charge, using the US Department of Transportation forms. Emotional support dogs and dogs in training are handled as pets. On other routes, Austrian carries one assistance dog free and asks for a training certificate, preferably from an organisation accredited by Assistance Dogs International, Assistance Dogs Europe, the International Guide Dog Federation or the Messerli Research Institute. The dog must be at least four months old, sit in the footwell and wear a muzzle if needed.
Codeshares, connections and lounges
Austrian's rules apply only to flights it operates. On a codeshare flight sold by Austrian but operated by another airline, that airline's pet rules and fees apply. If your trip involves more than one airline, check that every airline on the itinerary accepts the pet, in the same cabin or hold position, before you pay for the tickets. Our guide to connecting flights with a pet explains how to plan a layover.
Cats and dogs can come into Austrian lounges, but they have to stay in their carriers and cannot roam. Assistance dogs are the exception.
A sample plan: Vienna to New York with a 25 kg dog
- Confirm the dog has a microchip and a current rabies vaccination and is at least 6 months old.
- Buy an IATA-compliant crate with vent holes no larger than 25 x 25 mm.
- Book your ticket to JFK and contact the Service Centre straight away to add the dog in the hold, giving the crate size and weight.
- Complete the CDC Dog Import Form and keep the confirmation.
- Budget EUR 340 for the hold on the Vienna to New York segment, plus the ticket service fee.
Common mistakes with Austrian pet bookings
- Using a hard carrier or one with wheels in the cabin.
- Bringing an older crate with large vent holes after May 4, 2026.
- Forgetting the EUR 150 surcharge for a hold pet connecting through Vienna or another hub.
- Booking a dog to a US airport outside Austrian's list.
- Planning the hold for a snub-nosed breed.
Austrian compared with its group partners
Austrian follows Lufthansa Group rules closely, so the cabin size, breed lists and hub surcharge look much like those of Lufthansa and SWISS. The fees differ by airline, so compare segment by segment. For a full picture of routes from Europe, see our guide to pet transport from Europe to the US.