Etihad is the only airline in the United Arab Emirates that lets small dogs and cats fly in the cabin with their owners. The fee is USD 399 per flight in Economy, and in Business you also buy the pet its own seat. The pet must be at least 16 weeks old and weigh no more than 8 kg including its carrier. Before you build a trip around it, check the route list: Etihad does not carry pets on flights to the USA, to London or Manchester, or on a number of routes in Asia and Australia. A pet can fly from the US to Abu Dhabi with Etihad, but not back.
This guide follows Etihad's travelling with pets page as read in October 2026. Etihad changes its route restrictions from time to time, so confirm with the airline before you book.
Etihad pet rules at a glance
The table summarises the rules for cats and dogs flying as pets, not as trained service dogs.
| Rule | Etihad |
|---|---|
| Animals in the cabin | Small dogs and cats |
| Fee, Economy | USD 399 per flight |
| Fee, Business | Extra seat plus USD 399 |
| Weight limit | 8 kg including the carrier |
| Minimum age | 16 weeks |
| Carrier size | 40 x 40 x 22 cm under the seat, 50 x 43 x 50 cm with an extra seat |
| Booking deadline | Booking form 7 days before, documents 72 hours before |
| Airport arrival | 3 hours before departure |
| Pets on flights to the USA | Not permitted |
| Pets on flights to London and Manchester | Not permitted |
What makes Etihad different
Most Gulf carriers keep pets out of the passenger cabin. Etihad promotes its cabin option as a family product and says it is the only airline in the UAE that welcomes small dogs and cats on board. For owners of a small cat or a toy dog moving between Abu Dhabi and Europe, India or parts of Asia, that can be the difference between keeping the pet at your feet and sending it through cargo. For comparison, see our pages on Emirates pet transport and Qatar Airways pet transport, which work differently.
Etihad's pet page describes its cabin service for cats and dogs, a falcon service and trained service dogs. It does not describe a checked-baggage hold option for cats and dogs. Larger animals on Etihad routes generally move through Etihad Cargo with a pet shipper, which is a separate booking from your ticket.
Who can fly in the cabin
Etihad's eligibility rules are short and strict:
- The pet must be a dog or a cat, at least 16 weeks old.
- The pet and carrier together must weigh no more than 8 kg.
- Pets can travel in Economy and Business.
- The passenger must be at least 18 years old.
- You cannot sit in an exit row or a bulkhead seat.
- Pregnant pets are not accepted.
You may carry one pet on board. If you travel with another guest, the two of you may bring two pets, provided they come from the same household and know each other. Each pet needs its own booking form.
The carrier
The carrier must fit under the seat in front of you, with a maximum size of 40 x 40 x 22 cm. If you buy an extra seat, the limit rises to 50 x 43 x 50 cm. The carrier must be big enough for the pet to sit, stand, turn around and lie down naturally without touching the sides or top. At least 16 percent of it must be ventilated, with ventilation on at least three sides, and it must be escape-proof, leak-proof and lined with absorbent material.
Etihad also says the carrier cannot be larger than the under-seat space on any aircraft on your journey, so a soft carrier that fits a wide-body seat may not fit a narrower one on a connecting flight. If your cat is anxious in carriers, start training weeks ahead. Our guide to flying with a cat in the cabin has a step-by-step plan.
How to book
Etihad uses a booking form, not an online add-on:
- At least seven days before your flight, submit the pet booking form.
- At least 72 hours before your flight, email all required documents.
- If you fly in Business, call Etihad before booking to check whether a pet-friendly seat is available.
- If you fly to Abu Dhabi, apply for a pet release permit, complete a UAE Health Certificate and request an Abu Dhabi Customs Bill of Entry.
At the airport, check in three hours before departure with the pet in its carrier and every document in hand. Etihad says the pet will not be allowed to fly if anything is missing.
Fees and paying with miles
The fee is USD 399 per flight in Economy. In Business you pay for an additional seat plus the USD 399 fee. If you are transiting, Etihad applies a combined price for the journey. You can pay the fee with Etihad Guest miles by calling the Contact Centre.
If you upgrade after booking, call Etihad to rebook the pet; in Business the extra seat rule applies. You can change a pet request up to three hours before departure, but you must contact Etihad first to confirm space and complete the approval steps again. A full refund is given only when Etihad's own operational problem means it cannot carry the pet.
Routes where Etihad will not carry pets
This is the section to read twice. Because of government or operational restrictions, Etihad does not carry pets on these routes, as listed on its page in October 2026:
- USA: flights to the USA.
- United Kingdom: flights to London and Manchester.
- Australia: flights to Melbourne, and flights to and from Sydney.
- China: flights to Shanghai. Hong Kong: flights to Hong Kong.
- India: flights to and from Ahmedabad, Kozhikode, Jaipur and Thiruvananthapuram.
- Indonesia: Bali. Maldives: Male. South Africa: Johannesburg.
- Taiwan: flights to Taipei. Thailand: Krabi. Vietnam: Hanoi.
The wording matters. The US restriction is on flights to the USA, so a pet can leave the US for Abu Dhabi on Etihad but cannot come back the same way. If you are moving to the UAE for a fixed term and plan to return with your dog, book the return leg on another carrier or as cargo from the start. For the UAE end of the move, see our guide to pet transport to Dubai and the UAE.
The London and Manchester restriction reflects the UK's own rule that pets enter Great Britain only as cargo on approved routes. Our guide to pet transport to the UK explains how that works.
Banned breeds
Etihad does not carry dogs it classes as dangerous, including their mixes and hybrids: Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bully, Brazilian Mastiff (Fila Brasileiro), Argentinian Mastiff (Dogo Argentino), any Mastiff or Mastiff hybrid, Japanese Tosa, Rottweiler, Doberman Pinscher, Presa Canario and Boxer. Most of those breeds are well over 8 kg as adults anyway, but the ban also covers puppies and small mixes. For flat-faced breeds more generally, see our guide to snub-nosed breeds and flying.
Flying into Abu Dhabi with a pet
The UAE end has its own paperwork. Etihad lists three items for pets arriving in Abu Dhabi: a pet release (import) permit, a UAE Health Certificate, and an Abu Dhabi Customs Bill of Entry. The health certificate must be signed and stamped by a government-accredited official in the departure country within five days before the flight. Travelers from some listed countries can use a local government health certificate instead.
Once Etihad has approved the pet, you request the Customs Bill of Entry by email to the address on Etihad's page, up to 48 hours before the flight. Etihad describes it as mandatory for every guest travelling to Abu Dhabi with a pet. Customs and veterinary checks at arrival are run by the airport authorities and can take several hours.
From the US, the export side runs through a USDA-accredited veterinarian and APHIS endorsement. The APHIS pet export page lists the current UAE requirements, which include a microchip, rabies vaccination and a rabies antibody test for dogs and cats from many countries.
On-board rules
Etihad's terms add several practical points:
- The pet stays in its closed carrier for the whole flight and cannot occupy a seat unless you bought one.
- Bring enough absorbent sheets for the whole journey, including connections, and dispose of them yourself.
- Only dry pet food is allowed in cabin baggage, in a sealed container.
- If a passenger with a documented animal allergy is on board, crew may move you; the request booked first is confirmed.
- A trained service dog always has priority over a pet in the same cabin.
- Etihad does not recommend sedation except under veterinary supervision.
Your whole journey must be on Etihad-operated flights. If a connection is operated by another airline, Etihad will not carry the pet.
Service dogs on Etihad
Trained service dogs are treated separately and fly free in the cabin. You can bring one trained service dog, or two on flights to and from the US. Psychiatric service dogs are accepted only on direct US flights. Emotional support dogs and service dogs in training are not accepted as service dogs. For US flights you complete the US Department of Transportation service animal forms, and for flights to the US also the CDC Dog Import Form. Etihad says the US pre-clearance facility in Abu Dhabi is temporarily closed, so you select your destination airport as the port of entry. Service dogs vaccinated outside the US and coming from a high-risk rabies country cannot travel to the US. The CDC dog import page has the details. See also our guide to flying with a service dog.
Falcons on Etihad
Etihad is also unusual in carrying falcons in the cabin, which reflects falconry's place in Gulf culture. Falcons are allowed on all Etihad-operated flights, booked by phone in advance. In Economy you can bring one falcon per person, or two per additional seat; in Business, two per person or three per additional seat; in First, two per person. A falcon in the cabin counts toward your cabin baggage allowance at no charge, while a falcon in a cage as checked baggage costs USD 500 per cage. Falcon routes have their own restrictions, including flights to and from the USA.
A sample plan: a cat from New York to Abu Dhabi
Say you are relocating to Abu Dhabi with a 4 kg cat. Allow two to three months. Confirm the microchip and rabies vaccination, then ask your vet about the UAE's rabies antibody test requirement, since the blood draw and lab turnaround take weeks. Book your Economy ticket and submit Etihad's pet form well before the seven-day deadline. Apply for the UAE import permit. In the final days, your USDA-accredited vet completes the health certificate and APHIS endorses it, inside the five-day window Etihad requires. Email the documents to Etihad at least 72 hours before departure, request the Customs Bill of Entry once approved, and arrive at JFK three hours early. Budget USD 399 for the pet fee, plus vet, lab, endorsement and permit costs. Then plan the return now: Etihad will not fly the cat back into the US.
When Etihad is not the right choice
If your pet weighs over 8 kg with its carrier, if it is a restricted breed, or if your route ends in the US, the UK, Australia or another restricted destination, Etihad's passenger product is not an option. In those cases a cargo booking through a pet shipper is the usual route, and it often means a different airline for at least one leg. Etihad's pet product works best for small, calm cats and dogs on routes between Abu Dhabi and cities that accept pets in the cabin.
Common mistakes
- Booking a round trip from the US and finding the return leg cannot carry the pet.
- Missing the seven-day booking form deadline.
- Getting the UAE health certificate signed more than five days before the flight.
- Forgetting the Abu Dhabi Customs Bill of Entry.
- Buying a carrier that fits under a 787 seat but not under the seat on a connecting aircraft.