flydubai does not let passengers bring pets into the cabin. Not a cat in a soft bag, not a toy dog under the seat. The only animals it allows in the cabin are falcons, with special prior approval, and seeing-eye dogs working with a passenger who is blind or partially sighted. Every other pet travels in the hold as cargo through flydubai Cargo, the airline's freight arm, whether you are on the same flight or not.
That makes flydubai a very different booking from a European low-cost airline. You are not adding a pet to your ticket. You are shipping a live animal under the IATA Live Animals Regulations, with a rigid crate, an air waybill and a list of breeds the airline will not accept. This guide explains how it works, using flydubai's special baggage page, its service animal page and the flydubai Cargo live animal transportation guide (revision 7), all read in November 2026.
flydubai pet rules at a glance
| IATA crate size | Dimensions (L x W x H) | Max weight, pet and crate |
|---|---|---|
| 100 (small) | 60 x 40 x 40 cm | 17 kg |
| 200 (medium) | 71 x 52 x 55 cm | 34 kg |
| 300 (intermediate) | 81 x 57 x 60 cm | 48 kg |
| 400 (large) | 91 x 63 x 68 cm | 67 kg |
| 500 (extra large) | 101 x 68 x 76 cm | 90 kg |
Those are the recommended crate sizes in flydubai Cargo's guide. If your crate is bigger than any of them, the guide asks you to email flydubai Cargo for advice before you book.
No pets in the cabin
flydubai's special baggage page says that, generally, you will not be allowed to carry any animals in the cabin. It names one exception for passengers: falcons, which can sometimes travel in the cabin with special prior approval from customer support. Falconry is a big part of life in the Gulf, which is why that line exists. For cats and dogs there is no cabin option at any price.
If you have seen older forum posts claiming flydubai took small pets in the cabin, treat them with caution. The airline's current pages say the opposite, and those are the rules staff at the desk will apply.
Pets fly as cargo through flydubai Cargo
The same page tells you to transport pets and other live animals through flydubai Cargo. The cargo guide says flydubai follows the IATA Live Animals Regulations and that pets travel in the cargo hold whether they are accompanied by their owners or not. So even if you are sitting in seat 14A on the same flight, your dog is booked separately as a cargo shipment, with its own air waybill and its own drop-off at the cargo terminal, not at the passenger check-in desk.
That is the same model several Gulf airlines use for pets. Our Emirates pet transport guide covers how Emirates SkyCargo handles it, and our Etihad pet policy guide covers the main exception in the region, since Etihad does take small pets in the cabin on some routes.
What a flydubai crate needs
flydubai's guide says each crate must meet both its own rules and IATA standards. The pet must be able to move freely, stand with its head up, turn around and lie down normally, and the crate must be tall enough that the pet's head or ear tips, whichever is higher, do not touch the roof when it stands or sits.
Acceptable crates are rigid plastic, metal or wood with a metal grated door, leak-proof and escape-proof, in good condition, and held together with metal nuts, bolts or screws, with no exposed screw points that could injure the animal. Plastic-coated metal wingnuts are fine. The crate needs adequate ventilation, and any wheels must be removed, locked or disabled.
flydubai will not accept snap-side crates that have been modified with added bolts, collapsible or folding crates, crates with plastic doors or top-opening doors, or plastic that bends when you press it. The guide also says to buy the crate well before the trip so the animal can get used to it. Our guide to choosing a pet transport crate explains IATA sizing in more detail.
Labels and paperwork on the crate
flydubai Cargo requires a 24-hour emergency contact number on the crate and in the handling information box of the air waybill. The crate and the waybill must also show the animal's ideal temperature range in a set form of words: "Keep between X and Y degrees Celsius whenever possible during transportation and storage." Some animals also need a fit-to-travel certificate from a qualified vet. Get the vet to write the temperature range on that certificate too, so the numbers on the crate have a source.
Breeds flydubai will not carry
flydubai refuses snub-nosed cats and dogs and their mixes, because they are more prone to heat stroke, breathing problems and travel stress, and it refuses breeds it considers historically aggressive. The dog list in the guide includes the Affenpinscher, Akita, American Bully, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Boerboel, Boston Terrier, every Boxer and Bulldog breed, every Mastiff breed including the Bullmastiff, Bull Terrier, Bully Kutta, Presa Canario, Cane Corso, Caucasian Shepherd, Chow Chow, Dobermann, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, French Bulldog, Dogue de Bordeaux, Japanese Chin, Kangal, Lhasa Apso, Pekingese, Pug, Rottweiler, Shar-Pei, Shih Tzu, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Tibetan Spaniel, Tibetan Mastiff, Tosa, Brussels Griffon and English Toy Spaniel.
The cat list covers the British Shorthair, Burmese, Exotic, Himalayan, Persian and Scottish Fold. That is a longer list than many airlines use, and it catches breeds people do not always think of as flat-faced, such as the Shih Tzu and the British Shorthair. Our guide to snub-nosed breeds and flying bans explains why airlines treat them differently.
Other animals flydubai refuses
The guide lists further exclusions: animals under sedation or tranquilisers, pregnant animals, females with suckling young and unweaned animals, sick or dead animals, poisonous animals, invertebrates, animals that produce strong odours, and some rodents such as mice, hamsters, chinchillas and guinea pigs. Cats and dogs under six months old can only travel with approval from flydubai Cargo headquarters. Individual weight limits may also apply.
The sedation rule is worth stressing. Many owners assume a calming drug will make a cargo trip easier, but flydubai will not accept a sedated animal, and most vets advise against sedation for flying because it affects breathing and balance at altitude.
Protected species and CITES
flydubai Cargo needs special approval for animals listed in CITES Appendix II, and does not accept CITES Appendix I species unless special approvals are in place from its Special Handling Desk and the relevant authorities. That mostly affects parrots, some reptiles and exotic pets rather than cats and dogs, but if you are moving a bird, check its CITES status before anything else.
Seeing-eye dogs and other service animals
flydubai's service animal page says it currently accepts only seeing-eye dogs in the cabin, travelling with passengers who have visual impairments, with some limits depending on the itinerary. The service is free but requires 72 hours' notice before departure, with supporting documents. You cannot sit in an emergency exit row, and if you connect onto another airline you must get that airline's confirmation that it will take the dog and show proof if asked.
All other service animals, including other types of assistance dog, travel in the cargo hold. That is stricter than US rules for US airlines, so if you are used to flying with a service dog in the US, plan for the difference. Our guide to flying with a service dog explains the US framework.
How to book a pet with flydubai Cargo
You book through flydubai Cargo, not through the passenger website. In practice that means contacting flydubai Cargo or a pet relocation agent with the route, the animal's breed, weight and crate size, and getting a quote for the cargo shipment. Book the pet's space before you commit to your own ticket, because cargo space, aircraft type and the destination's import rules can all limit what is possible on a given day. Plan to drop the animal at the cargo terminal several hours before departure, and collect it from the cargo terminal at the other end, not from the baggage belt.
What a cargo shipment costs
flydubai does not publish a flat pet fee the way a low-cost airline publishes a cabin pet charge, because a pet in the hold is priced as cargo. The quote depends on the route and on the chargeable weight, which for a bulky crate is often its volume rather than what the animal weighs. A large dog in a size 500 crate costs far more than a cat in a size 100 crate on the same flight. On top of the airline charge, expect handling fees at each cargo terminal, the vet visit and health certificate, any import permit at the destination and, if you use one, an agent's fee. Ask for a full written quote that lists each item.
Getting your pet ready for a cargo flight
The weeks before the flight matter more than the day itself. Buy the crate early, as flydubai advises, and leave it open at home with bedding and treats inside so the pet chooses to rest in it. Build up to short periods with the door shut, then longer ones. Fit a water container that can be refilled from outside the crate without opening the door, which is standard under IATA rules. Ask your vet how far ahead to feed, as a full stomach is not ideal for flying but long fasting is not either. Add a familiar blanket or an old T-shirt for the smell, and remove anything that could be chewed into pieces. Label the crate clearly with your contact details and the emergency number flydubai requires.
Heat and timing in the Gulf
Summer temperatures in Dubai regularly pass 40C, and the riskiest part of any cargo trip is the time a crate spends on the ground, not the flight itself. The temperature range written on the crate and air waybill is there to guide handlers, but it is still worth choosing flights that depart and arrive in the cooler hours of the night or early morning, and avoiding long connections in the hottest months. Ask flydubai Cargo whether it applies any seasonal limits on your route before you book, and follow your vet's advice on whether a long summer trip is wise for an older or heavier dog.
Collecting your pet on arrival
Because the pet is cargo, it does not come out on the baggage belt. After you land, you go to the cargo terminal at the destination airport with your passport, the air waybill number and the pet's documents. Customs and veterinary checks happen there, and in many countries a vet inspects the animal and its paperwork before release. That can take a few hours, longer at night or on public holidays, so do not plan a tight onward connection on the day you land. Bring water, a lead and a towel in case the crate needs a clean.
Flying a pet into or out of Dubai
Most flydubai pet shipments start or end in Dubai, and the UAE has its own import rules on top of the airline's: an import permit, a microchip, rabies vaccination and, from many countries, a rabies antibody test, plus a health certificate. Our Dubai pet transport guide covers the UAE side. The airline will not move an animal that does not have the right documents for the destination.
Is flydubai the right choice for your pet?
For a small cat or dog on a short regional hop, the lack of a cabin option makes flydubai harder work than an airline that lets the pet ride with you. For a medium or large dog of an accepted breed moving around the Gulf, Central Asia or Eastern Europe, flydubai Cargo can be a practical route, especially on direct flights that avoid long connections. If your dog is on the banned list, flydubai will not take it at all, and you will need a different airline or a specialist shipper. Our comparison of cargo and in-cabin travel can help you weigh up the options.