Avianca carries dogs and cats in the cabin if the pet and its soft carrier together weigh no more than 10 kg (22 lb) and the carrier is no larger than 55 x 35 x 25 cm. Larger pets can fly in the hold up to 70 kg (154 lb) including a rigid crate you supply. Pets must be older than 4 months (2 months on domestic flights within Colombia), each passenger can take one pet in the cabin, and the service must be booked at least 48 hours before departure. Both options carry an extra fee.
Avianca's rules changed in 2023 and older pages online still quote different weights and carrier sizes, which is why owners often see 8 kg in one place and 10 kg in another. This guide follows Avianca's own Pets on board page as of October 2026, then covers the paperwork Colombia and the US require, which is where most trips actually go wrong. Confirm the details for your route before you pay, since availability and fees vary by route and season.
Avianca pet rules at a glance
The table lays out Avianca's four categories of animal travel side by side.
| Category | Weight limit | Container | Per passenger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pet in the cabin (dog or cat) | 10 kg including carrier | Soft carrier, max 55 x 35 x 25 cm, under the seat | 1 |
| Pet in the hold (dog or cat) | 70 kg including crate | Rigid crate of fiberglass, metal or plastic, supplied by you | Each pet in its own crate |
| Emotional support dog | Up to 10 kg in cabin; up to 70 kg in hold | Soft carrier in cabin; rigid crate in hold | 1 |
| Service dog | No limit if it does not block evacuation | None needed in the cabin | 1 (tickets bought from July 31, 2026) |
Which pets Avianca accepts
Avianca's pet service covers dogs and cats. Other animals, such as birds or rabbits, are not part of the standard cabin or hold service, so a family moving with other pets usually needs a cargo shipper. Pets must be older than 4 months on international flights. On domestic flights within Colombia, Avianca accepts pets from 2 months old if their vaccinations are up to date for their age.
Flying in the cabin
A dog or cat can fly in the cabin if the pet and carrier together weigh 10 kg (22 lb) or less. The carrier must be flexible, no larger than 55 cm long, 35 cm wide and 25 cm high, and it must fit under the seat in front of you for the whole flight. Each passenger can bring one pet in the cabin. Hard-sided carriers are not accepted in the cabin, so if you already own a rigid travel kennel, it will not work here. Our list of the best airline-approved dog carriers includes soft carriers in this size range.
Weigh your pet in its carrier before booking. A soft carrier often weighs 1 to 2 kg on its own, so a pet much over 8 kg will usually be over the limit once it is inside.
Flying in the hold
Pets over the cabin limit travel in the hold if the pet and crate together weigh 70 kg (154 lb) or less, one of the higher limits among airlines in the Americas. You supply the crate, and it must be rigid, made of fiberglass, metal or plastic, and large enough for the pet to move freely. If you are flying with more than one pet, each needs its own crate. Most airlines follow IATA crate standards on ventilation, door locks and water bowls, and Avianca's crate rules point the same way; see how to choose a pet transport crate for sizing.
Hold travel carries more risk for snub-nosed breeds, very young or old animals, and pets with heart or breathing problems, and many airlines restrict pets in the hold during hot months. Ask Avianca about any breed or temperature restrictions for your route and date when you book.
What changed in 2023, and why old pages disagree
Avianca rewrote its pet policy with effect from February 1, 2023, as Aviacionaldia reported at the time. The update set the 10 kg cabin limit including the carrier and the 55 x 35 x 25 cm flexible carrier that are still on Avianca's page today, required pet reservations at least 48 hours before departure, and capped cabin pets at 6 per flight, with hold space depending on the aircraft. Pages that still quote 8 kg or other carrier sizes are describing the older rules or a different Avianca subsidiary, so rely on Avianca's current page and your booking confirmation.
Snub-nosed breeds
When it announced the 2023 policy, Avianca said brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dogs and cats are not carried in the hold, so they can only fly if they meet the 10 kg cabin limit and cabin conditions. That rules out larger flat-faced breeds such as English Bulldogs and Boxers on Avianca unless they are unusually small. Confirm the current breed rule when you book, and read our guide to the snub-nosed dog breed flying ban for why airlines treat these breeds differently.
Traveling with two or more pets
Each passenger can take one pet in the cabin, so two small pets need two travelling adults or one pet in the cabin and one in the hold. In the hold, each pet needs its own crate, and every animal counts against the flight's limited space. Because cabin pets were capped at 6 per flight under the 2023 rules, families should book all pets at the same time and get each one confirmed before relying on the plan. Each pet also needs its own health certificate and rabies paperwork.
How to book a pet on Avianca
Pet travel is booked through Avianca's Contact Center, a travel agency or an Avianca sales point, not as a simple add-on in every online booking. Avianca says the service can be booked up to 48 hours before departure and is subject to availability, because each flight carries a limited number of animals. You also need to review the required documents and complete Avianca's form 48 hours before departure. In practice, book the pet the same day you buy your ticket, rather than waiting until two days before.
What Avianca charges
Avianca charges an additional fee for both cabin and hold pets, and quotes it when you book the service. It does not publish a single fee table on its pet page. Third-party guides report a cabin fee of about USD 160 to 165 one way on routes to and from the US, with higher amounts possible in peak months. Treat that as an unofficial estimate and confirm the exact figure with Avianca for your route, since hold fees depend on weight and destination.
Emotional support dogs
Avianca still has a category for emotional support dogs, which many US airlines dropped after 2021. An emotional support dog up to 10 kg including its carrier can fly in the cabin in a 55 x 35 x 25 cm soft carrier, and one up to 70 kg must fly in the hold in a rigid crate. One emotional support dog is allowed per passenger, it must be older than 4 months (2 months on Colombian domestic flights), and it must be booked 48 hours ahead. In effect, an emotional support dog follows the same size rules as a pet; ask Avianca about fees and documents for your route. Our guide to emotional support animal flying rules explains how US airlines differ.
Service dogs
Trained service dogs fly in the cabin regardless of weight or size, as long as they can sit without blocking an evacuation route, and they do not need a container. They cannot sit in an emergency exit row. For tickets bought on or after July 31, 2026, Avianca accepts one service dog per passenger unless the rules of the origin or destination country allow more. In Colombia, service dogs must be trained at centers accredited by the Colombian Association of Zootherapy or authorized by the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) under Decree 1079 of 2015. For travel between Colombia and the US, Avianca asks passengers to validate the service dog's documents in advance through Open Doors Organization.
Flying from the US to Colombia
For personal pet dogs and cats going to Colombia, the US Department of Agriculture's APHIS page for Colombia says you need a health certificate issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and endorsed by APHIS within 10 days of travel, plus the rabies vaccination certificate and at least one photocopy of the health certificate. No import permit, notary or Colombian consular stamp is needed for dogs and cats. Colombia can refuse a pet whose paperwork does not match the posted requirements, so have your vet check the APHIS page right before the appointment.
Flying from Colombia to the US
This direction is much harder, and it is where Avianca bookings most often fall apart. Colombia is on the US Centers for Disease Control list of countries at high risk for dog rabies, so dogs flying from Colombia to the US must meet the CDC's high-risk rules on top of the CDC Dog Import Form and a microchip. A dog vaccinated outside the US needs an endorsed foreign rabies certificate and a rabies antibody test from a CDC-approved laboratory, and no such laboratory exists in Colombia, so the sample must be sent abroad. Without a valid titer, the dog must book a 28-day stay at a CDC-registered animal care facility, which only certain US airports have. A dog that left the US with a valid US-issued rabies vaccine can use a simpler certification. Our guide to pet transport from Colombia to the US walks through each path and timeline. Cats face no CDC rabies requirement, though airlines and some states still ask for vaccination records.
Avianca vs Copa for Latin America routes
Avianca and Copa are the two carriers most US travelers compare for Colombia and Central America. Avianca allows a heavier cabin pet (10 kg including the carrier) and a hold option up to 70 kg, while Copa caps cabin pets at 10 kg including the carrier and requires pets to be at least 16 weeks old. Copa routes most flights through Panama City, and Avianca through Bogota or San Salvador, so check where your connection is and how long the layover will be. See our guide to the Copa Airlines pet policy for the full comparison.
Connections and layovers
Avianca's network is built around hubs, so many US to South America trips connect in Bogota, Medellin or San Salvador. A pet in the hold is transferred between aircraft by ground staff, and a pet in the cabin stays with you in the terminal, still in its carrier. Allow a layover long enough for a hold pet to be moved without rushing, and avoid tight connections on hot days. If any leg is operated by a partner airline, ask whether the partner accepts pets booked by Avianca, because codeshare partners often have different rules.
Preparing your pet in the weeks before
Whether your pet flies under the seat or in the hold, the carrier should feel familiar before travel day. Start a few weeks ahead by leaving the carrier open at home with a blanket inside, feeding meals near it and then in it, and closing the door for short, calm periods. For a cabin pet, practice short car rides in the carrier too. Book a vet check early enough to fix any missing vaccination, since a rabies shot given too close to departure can make the paperwork invalid for some destinations.
Flight-day tips
- Arrive at least 2 hours before departure, as Avianca advises for pet travel.
- Carry the health certificate, rabies certificate, copies and Avianca's completed form in your hand luggage.
- Weigh the pet and carrier on the morning of travel; check-in staff will weigh them too.
- Give water before check-in and attach a water bowl inside a hold crate.
- Line the carrier or crate with an absorbent pad and a familiar blanket.
- Do not sedate your pet unless your vet specifically says it is safe for flying; most advise against it.