Finnair carries dogs and cats both in the cabin and in the hold, and it is one of the more generous European airlines on size: a pet and its crate can weigh up to 75 kg in the hold on Finnair-operated flights. Small pets fly in the cabin if the pet and carrier together weigh 8 kg or less. Fees on intercontinental routes are USD 130 for the cabin when booked at least 7 days ahead and USD 700 for the hold, one way. The rule that catches most travelers is at Helsinki: pets do not transfer automatically between flights, so a dog or cat connecting through Helsinki has to enter Finland, be collected in the arrivals hall and be checked in again.
This guide follows Finnair's own pets on Finnair flights page and its breed FAQ as read in October 2026. Fees, aircraft and rules change, so confirm with Finnair before you book, and check the entry rules of every country on your route.
Finnair pet rules at a glance
The table brings together the numbers most people look for first.
| Rule | Cabin | Hold |
|---|---|---|
| Animals accepted | Dogs and cats; rabbits, tortoises and hedgehogs only from the EU | Dogs and cats; ferrets; rabbits, tortoises and hedgehogs only from the EU |
| Weight limit | 8 kg (17.6 lb) pet plus carrier | 75 kg (165 lb) on Finnair-operated flights, 50 kg on Norra |
| Carrier size | Soft 55 x 40 x 23 cm, hard 35 x 30 x 20 cm | Up to 122 x 81 x 89 cm on Airbus aircraft |
| Pets per container | Up to 2 within the 8 kg limit | 2 adults of similar size or 3 littermates up to 6 months, each up to 14 kg |
| Intercontinental fee, one way | USD 130 (7+ days ahead), USD 140 (6 days or less) | USD 700 |
| Within Europe, one way | EUR 60 (7+ days ahead), EUR 65 | EUR 140 |
| How to book | Online in Manage booking before check-in opens | Book the flight 7+ days ahead, then tell Finnair by chat within 24 hours |
| Minimum connection | Standard connection rules | 3 hours, and the pet must be re-checked at Helsinki |
Which animals Finnair accepts
Dogs and cats can fly in the cabin or the hold on flights from both EU and non-EU countries. Rabbits, tortoises and hedgehogs are accepted in the cabin or the hold only on flights departing from the EU. Ferrets can travel only in the hold, from EU and non-EU countries. Any other animal has to move as cargo through a forwarding company working with Finnair Cargo, with drop-off and collection at the cargo terminal rather than the passenger terminal.
Puppies and kittens must be at least 8 weeks old and weaned. Finnair's breed FAQ answers the question "are there any dog breeds Finnair does not accept" with a plain no, which makes it unusual among long-haul carriers. That does not mean every breed can go anywhere: the destination country's own rules still apply, and some countries ban certain breeds outright. If you have a flat-faced breed, read our guide to snub-nosed breeds and flying before choosing the hold.
Flying with a pet in the Finnair cabin
The cabin limit is 8 kg for the pet and carrier combined, and the carrier goes under the seat in front of you. It must stay closed from the gate until you reach the arrival terminal. A soft carrier can be up to 55 x 40 x 23 cm (55 x 40 x 20 cm on Norra flights) and must be waterproof with a mesh front. A hard carrier can be up to 35 x 30 x 20 cm. Both need a solid bottom and ventilation.
Two pets can share one carrier as long as the total stays within 8 kg. Each customer can bring one carrier, and Finnair usually takes about two customers with cabin pets per flight, so space runs out on busy routes. Passengers with pets are usually seated toward the rear of the aircraft.
There is no cabin pet option in long-haul Business Class, because the seats there do not leave room underneath for a carrier. If you fly Business on a short-haul flight, Premium Economy on a long-haul flight, or a flight operated by Jettime, you contact Finnair customer service to add the pet rather than booking it online. On Jettime-operated flights only cats and dogs are accepted in the cabin.
You cannot check in online with a pet. At the check-in desk, staff weigh the pet in its carrier and look at its documents. If the total is over 8 kg, the pet cannot stay in the cabin. For more on preparing a small dog for this, see our guide to flying with a dog in the cabin.
Flying with a pet in the Finnair hold
Pets too big for the cabin travel in the hold as checked baggage. On Finnair-operated flights the pet and container can weigh up to 75 kg (165 lb). On flights operated by Norra the limit is 50 kg. Finnair usually accepts two pets in the hold per flight on its own aircraft and one on Norra.
The hold is air-conditioned and heated and stays above +10 C. There are no lights in the hold for fire safety reasons, and nobody can reach the animal during the flight. Pets are loaded last and unloaded at the arrival end, where you collect them in the arrivals hall using the baggage receipt.
Booking is a two-step process. Book your own flight online at least 7 days before departure, then tell Finnair about the pet through its chat within 24 hours, giving the container dimensions and the total weight. Finnair sends a payment link in the chat and aims to confirm within two days. For flights to and from the USA, Finnair says it aims to confirm at the latest two weeks before departure. If the pet cannot be accepted, the ticket is refunded. Hold pets cannot be booked on itineraries that include flights operated by other airlines.
The Helsinki transfer rule
This is the detail that most often upsets a plan. Finnair does not transfer pets automatically between flights at Helsinki. If your dog or cat is in the hold on a connecting itinerary, you collect it in the arrivals hall at Helsinki, clear Finnish entry, then check it in again in the departures hall for the next flight. The minimum connection time with a pet in the hold is 3 hours.
That has two consequences. First, the pet must meet Finland's entry requirements even if Finland is not your destination, which for a dog coming from the US means EU rules on microchips, rabies vaccination and a veterinary health certificate. Second, you need enough time for the collection, the customs channel and a fresh check-in, so a tight connection is not realistic. If your final destination has stricter rules than the EU, you are meeting both sets of rules on one trip.
Containers for the hold
The container must follow IATA live animal rules: rigid, escape-proof, well ventilated, with enough room for the pet to stand, turn around and lie down naturally. A pet over 40 kg needs a particularly strong box. Finnair does not sell or rent containers, so buy one in advance and let the pet get used to it.
The largest container Finnair accepts depends on the aircraft: 122 x 81 x 89 cm on its A330, A350 and A319 to A321 family, 101 x 68 x 76 cm on the Embraer E90 that Norra flies, and 81 x 57 x 53 cm on ATR turboprops. A giant breed in an extra-large crate may fit on the long-haul Airbus but not on a regional connection, so check every aircraft on the route. Our guide on choosing a pet transport crate covers sizing.
Two adult pets of comparable size can share a container, as can up to three littermate puppies aged 6 months or less, provided each animal weighs no more than 14 kg. Finnair recommends a sipper bottle for water and, in line with IATA, discourages sedatives.
Finnair pet fees in detail
Fees are charged per carrier or container, per one-way flight on a Finnair-operated flight with an AY flight number. They can also be paid in Avios.
- Cabin, within Europe: EUR 60 or 7,800 Avios when booked 7 or more days ahead; EUR 65 or 8,500 Avios when booked 6 days or less ahead.
- Cabin, intercontinental (including the Middle East): EUR 120 or USD 130 or 15,800 Avios when booked 7 or more days ahead; EUR 130 or USD 140 or 17,100 Avios when booked 6 days or less ahead.
- Hold, within Europe: EUR 140 or 18,500 Avios.
- Hold, intercontinental: EUR 650 or USD 700 or 86,500 Avios.
For departures from India, local taxes are added. A US to Asia trip through Helsinki counts as two flights, so a hold pet pays the fee for each one-way segment as Finnair prices it, which can make a connecting itinerary noticeably more expensive than a nonstop on another airline.
Where Finnair will not carry pets as baggage
Some destinations only accept pets as cargo. Finnair gives Great Britain, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and Australia as examples, including transfers through them. For those routes you need a forwarding company that books the pet with Finnair Cargo. Our guides to pet transport to the UK and pet transport to Australia explain how those cargo moves work.
Documents: who checks them
Finnair puts the responsibility for documents on the owner. Its page says the airline does not check whether the pet meets entry requirements and that the customer must reimburse any fines the airline receives because of missing documents. Within the EU, cats, dogs and ferrets need an EU pet passport. Coming from outside the EU, a dog or cat needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination given after the microchip, a waiting period after a first vaccination and an EU animal health certificate. The European Commission's pet movement page sets out the rules, and the Finnish Food Authority publishes Finland's own entry guidance, including the arrival checks at Helsinki airport. Because a hold pet on a connection enters Finland at Helsinki, that guidance applies to transit passengers as well as people moving to Finland. Keep paper copies of everything in your hand luggage, since you will show them more than once on the same day.
Flying a dog into the US on Finnair means meeting the CDC dog import rules: the dog must be at least 6 months old, microchipped and travel with a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, and dogs from high-risk rabies countries face extra steps. The CDC dog import page has the current rules, and our guide to importing a dog into the US walks through them.
Assistance dogs and working dogs
Trained assistance dogs fly in the cabin. Finnair asks passengers to submit its special assistance form at least 48 hours before departure. Working dogs on official missions also travel in the cabin free of charge. Emotional support animals are handled as pets.
A sample US to Finland plan
For a 20 kg dog flying from the US to Helsinki in the hold, a workable order is: confirm the microchip and rabies vaccination; book your own flight at least 7 days out, ideally much earlier; message Finnair within 24 hours with the crate size and the total weight; pay through the chat link; wait for confirmation, which Finnair aims to give at least two weeks before a US flight; get the USDA-endorsed EU health certificate within the allowed window; and arrive early enough for desk check-in. Expect USD 700 one way for the hold on the intercontinental segment.
For a small cat in the cabin, add the pet in Manage booking before check-in opens and keep the total under 8 kg. If the flight is long-haul in Business, plan on Economy or Premium Economy instead, because Business has no space for a carrier.
Common mistakes
- Planning a tight Helsinki connection without allowing time to collect and re-check the pet.
- Booking a connection on a partner airline, which rules out hold pets.
- Choosing long-haul Business and expecting to keep a cat under the seat.
- Weighing the pet but not the carrier, then failing the 8 kg check at the desk.
- Assuming the airline will catch a missing document before departure.
- Sending the crate details by chat after the 24-hour window, which can leave the pet unconfirmed close to departure.
Finnair compared with nearby options
Among European carriers, Finnair's 75 kg hold limit is higher than most. Lufthansa and KLM are common alternatives for transatlantic moves, and both connect through hubs with their own transfer handling. If your trip is between the US and Europe more broadly, our guide to pet transport from Europe to the US compares routes.