Avelo Airlines lets small cats, dogs, rabbits and birds fly in the cabin, inside a carrier that fits under the seat in front of you, for a fee of $125 per carrier each way. Avelo does not carry pets in the cargo hold or as checked baggage, so a pet that is too big for an under-seat carrier cannot fly Avelo at all. You can put up to two small animals in one carrier, and each flight takes no more than eight pet carriers.
Those are the headline rules from Avelo's own pet policy page. Below we walk through each rule, the parts the policy does not spell out, how to book, what happens at the airport, and what to do if your pet does not fit. If you are new to flying with an animal, our guide to flying with a dog in the cabin covers the basics that apply on every airline.
Avelo pet policy at a glance
Avelo keeps its pet rules short. Most of what you need to know fits in one table, and it is worth reading the whole thing before you buy a ticket, because the cabin-only rule is the one that catches people out.
| Rule | Avelo policy |
|---|---|
| Animals accepted as pets | Small cats, dogs, rabbits and birds |
| Where pets travel | Cabin only, under the seat in front of you |
| Cargo or checked baggage | Not offered |
| Fee | $125 per pet carrier, each way, non-refundable |
| Carriers per person | One |
| Animals per carrier | Up to two |
| Carriers per flight | Up to eight (sometimes fewer) |
| Hard-sided carrier size | 17 x 13 x 9 inches (43 x 33 x 22 cm) |
| Soft-sided carrier size | Must fit the same space |
| Health certificate required by Avelo | No |
| Service animals | Trained service dogs only; not counted as pets |
Which animals can fly on Avelo
Avelo is more generous than most US airlines on species. Many carriers take only cats and dogs in the cabin. Avelo also accepts small rabbits and household birds, which makes it one of the few low-cost options for rabbit and bird owners. The animal still has to be small enough to travel comfortably in a carrier that fits under the seat for the whole trip.
Avelo's page does not publish a weight limit or a minimum age. In practice the carrier size sets the limit: if your pet can stand and turn around in a 17 x 13 x 9 inch space, it is likely the right size. If you are flying a young puppy or kitten, ask your vet whether the animal is ready to travel, since the airline does not set an age floor for you.
Rabbits and birds need a little extra planning. Rabbits overheat easily and stop eating when stressed, so pack fresh hay and leafy greens for the trip and keep the carrier out of direct sun at the gate. Birds do best in a small travel carrier with a low perch and the cage cover you use at home. For both, check that your destination allows the species, since some states and many rental homes restrict birds and exotic pets.
Cabin only: why Avelo has no cargo option
The single most important line in the policy is that pets cannot travel in cargo. Avelo does not take animals as checked baggage either. That rules out medium and large dogs entirely. If your dog does not fit under a seat, Avelo is not an option, and buying an extra seat does not change that, because the carrier still has to go under the seat in front of you.
For larger dogs the realistic choices are an airline that still flies pets in the hold, such as Alaska Airlines, or a ground pet transporter who drives the dog door to door. Our guide to pet cargo versus in-cabin travel explains how the options compare on safety and cost.
The fee: $125 per carrier, each way
Avelo charges $125 per pet carrier for each one-way flight. A round trip costs $250 per carrier. The fee is non-refundable, so if your plans change or your pet cannot fly, you should not expect it back.
Because the fee is per carrier rather than per animal, two small animals sharing one carrier pay a single fee. That is unusual. Most airlines allow one pet per carrier, and the few that allow two usually limit it to a mother and her young or to two animals of the same species. Avelo's page simply says up to two small cats, dogs, rabbits or birds per carrier. Make sure both animals genuinely fit with room to stand and turn, and that they are used to being confined together before travel day.
Carrier size and type
Avelo lists a hard-sided carrier limit of 17 inches long, 13 inches high and 9 inches wide (43 x 33 x 22 cm). Soft-sided carriers must fit the same space under the seat. Soft carriers are usually the better choice because they can flex slightly to fit, but they must still keep their shape so your pet has room inside.
Older Avelo help pages and some third-party sites list a smaller size of 14 x 9 x 9.5 inches. The current pet policy page shows the larger 17 x 13 x 9 figure. Measure your carrier against the current page before you fly, and if in doubt, call Avelo. Our roundup of the best airline-approved dog carriers lists models that fit common under-seat limits.
How many pets per flight
Each flight accepts up to eight pet carriers, and Avelo notes that fewer may be allowed on some flights. Avelo flies narrow-body jets, and the number of usable under-seat spaces depends on the aircraft and seat layout. Spots go first come, first served, so book early, especially around holidays when many people travel with pets.
Each passenger can bring only one carrier. If you are traveling with two pets that cannot share a carrier, you need a second traveler with their own ticket to carry the second animal.
How to book a pet on Avelo
You can add a pet in two ways. During checkout on the Avelo website, buy the pet add-on with your ticket. Or call the Avelo Customer Solutions Center at (346) 616-9500 after booking. Adding the pet at the time you buy your ticket is the safer route, because it confirms that one of the limited spaces is still open before you commit to the flight.
A few practical tips for booking:
- Book the pet and your seat together, so you do not end up on a flight where the pet spaces are already gone.
- Avoid basic connections. Avelo mainly sells nonstop flights, which is good news for pets: no layovers, no plane changes.
- Keep your confirmation showing the pet add-on, and bring it to the airport.
Our step-by-step guide on how to book a pet on a flight covers the general process that applies to every airline.
Documents: what Avelo asks for and what your destination may ask for
Avelo's pet page says no health certificate or other documentation is required by the airline. That is different from many carriers, which ask for a recent vet certificate. It does not mean no paperwork is needed. Your destination state, or the rules for your housing or hotel, may still ask for proof of rabies vaccination. Hawaii, in particular, has strict entry rules for dogs and cats under its Animal Quarantine checklists, so check before booking any flight there.
A sensible minimum is to carry a copy of your pet's rabies certificate and recent vaccine records on every trip. Our guide to the pet health certificate for travel explains when a certificate is actually required for domestic trips.
At the airport and on board
Pets must stay in their carrier at all times in the gate area, during boarding and deplaning, and for the whole flight. Lap-holding is not allowed. At security, you take your pet out of the carrier and carry it through the screening device while the empty carrier is inspected, the same routine the TSA describes for pets at every US checkpoint. Avelo recommends a collar with your contact details, which is good advice, since the security checkpoint is the most likely place for a nervous pet to slip away.
Pet travelers board with their normal boarding group unless they qualify for preboarding or buy Priority Boarding. Paying for early boarding can be worth it, since it gives you time to settle the carrier under the seat before the aisle fills. Avelo also notes that its customer service staff can point you to the airport's pet relief areas. Avelo does not have a dedicated pet section on its aircraft, so your neighbor may not know a pet is on board.
Service animals and emotional support animals
Avelo accepts only dogs as trained service animals, in line with the US Department of Transportation service animal rules. Service animals do not count toward the eight-carrier limit and do not pay the pet fee. Service animals in training are not accepted for transport.
Avelo's pet page does not have a separate category for emotional support animals. Since the 2021 DOT rule change, US airlines may treat emotional support animals as ordinary pets, so plan on paying the pet fee and meeting the carrier rules. If you travel with both a service dog and a pet, Avelo requires you to buy an additional, non-refundable seat, with the pet carrier placed under the seat in front of it. Our guide to flying with a service dog covers the DOT form and what airlines can ask.
Tips for a smoother Avelo flight with a pet
Get your pet used to the carrier for a week or two before travel by leaving it open at home with bedding and treats. Take a short car ride in it. On travel day, feed a light meal several hours before the flight and offer water until you reach security. Line the carrier with an absorbent pad.
Arrive early. Security with a pet takes longer, and you may need time at a relief area before boarding. Choose a window seat where possible so the carrier is out of the aisle. Avelo's traveling with pets FAQ adds that you cannot sit in an exit seat or in a seat with no under-seat stowage in front of it, so check your seat map before paying for a seat selection. Keep the carrier zipped for the whole flight, even if your pet cries for the first few minutes. Most settle once the engines reach a steady hum.
If your pet is too big for Avelo
If your dog does not fit under the seat, look at three options. First, an airline that still takes pets in the hold on your route. Second, driving yourself, which works well for many domestic moves. Third, a professional ground transporter, who drives your pet in a climate-controlled vehicle with regular stops and handles the whole trip for you. For long moves with a large dog, ground transport is often the calmest choice, and quotes are free.
How Avelo compares with other low-cost airlines
Avelo sits at the higher end of US pet fees but is more flexible on species and on two animals per carrier. Many other low-cost carriers accept only cats and dogs in the cabin, and most limit each carrier to one animal. Like Avelo, several budget airlines do not offer cargo at all. If you are comparing carriers on the same route, our guides to Frontier and Sun Country show how their rules differ. Fees and limits change, so confirm the current policy with each airline before you book.
Before you fly: a quick Avelo checklist
- Your pet is a small cat, dog, rabbit or bird that fits in a carrier no larger than 17 x 13 x 9 inches.
- The pet add-on is on your booking, or Avelo has confirmed it by phone.
- You have budgeted $125 per carrier for each direction.
- You carry rabies and vaccine records, plus any documents your destination requires.
- Your pet wears a collar or tag with your phone number.
- You know where the pet relief areas are at both airports.