IndiGo doesn't fly pets. The airline's own booking FAQ says: "IndiGo does not permit the carriage of pets or animals on its aircraft." The only exception is guide dogs for blind customers, which have to be booked through the IndiGo call centre. There is no pet fee, no pet seat and no hold or cargo option for your cat or dog.
That surprises a lot of people, because IndiGo is India's biggest airline and flies almost every domestic route. If you need to move a pet inside India, or between India and another country, you need a different airline. This guide covers what IndiGo allows, which Indian airlines do carry pets, and how international moves usually work. IndiGo's rules here were checked on its own site in November 2026.
Searchers often see a different "IndiGo pet policy" in results. That is usually Hotel Indigo, the IHG hotel brand, which does take pets at many properties. It is a separate company with nothing to do with the airline.
Indian airlines and pets at a glance
| Airline | Cabin pets | Checked or cargo | Main limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| IndiGo | No. Guide dogs for blind customers only | No | Book guide dogs through the call centre |
| Akasa Air | Cats and dogs up to 10 kg with container | Checked up to 32 kg, cargo up to 100 kg | Domestic only, 3 months old, book 24 hours ahead, 2 in cabin per flight |
| Air India | Cats and dogs up to 10 kg with kennel | Checked 10 to 32 kg, cargo above that | Currently no pets into or out of the USA, Canada or Australia |
The other airlines' limits and fees move around, so confirm in the booking flow or with the airline's pet desk before you pay.
What IndiGo's rule covers
The ban is total for pets. A cat in a soft carrier can't go in the cabin. A puppy can't go in the hold as checked baggage. And a larger dog can't go through IndiGo's cargo arm either, because IndiGo's cargo pages list the goods it handles and live pets are not among them. The airline runs a very tight schedule on hundreds of daily flights, and live animal handling doesn't fit that model.
The one exception is a guide dog for a blind or partially sighted customer. IndiGo says these are exempt from the rule but must be booked through the IndiGo call centre rather than online. Call well before the flight, have the dog's training and vaccination papers ready, and get a written confirmation of the booking.
IndiGo's long haul flights operated by Norse
IndiGo also sells some long haul flights operated on its behalf by Norse Atlantic Airways under a lease. According to IndiGo's Norse lease FAQ, these currently serve Mumbai to Amsterdam and Mumbai to Manchester. The booking shows when a flight is operated this way. IndiGo's FAQ for these flights discusses guide dogs with documents such as proof of training and vaccination, but it does not open them to pets. If you are booking one of these routes with a guide dog, confirm the exact paperwork with IndiGo before you fly.
Emotional support animals on IndiGo
IndiGo's exemption names guide dogs for blind customers. It doesn't extend to emotional support animals, therapy dogs or pets with a doctor's letter. If you are used to US rules, note that even US airlines no longer treat emotional support animals as service animals. Our guide to service dogs, emotional support animals and therapy dogs explains the categories.
Akasa Air: the main domestic alternative
Akasa Air is the airline most Indian pet owners switch to. Its Pets on Akasa page takes cats and dogs at least 3 months old on domestic flights within India. In the cabin, the pet and container together can weigh up to 10 kg, in a container no larger than 19 x 12.6 x 10 inches. Pets up to 32 kg can be checked in at the airport in a container up to 36 x 28 x 28 inches, and pets over 32 kg, up to 100 kg, are booked through the cargo terminal.
Akasa carries a maximum of three pets on a flight: two in the cabin and one in the hold. You have to book at least 24 hours before the flight, by phone or by email to the pets desk. Bring a vaccination and health certificate from a registered vet, issued within 72 hours of travel, and the signed indemnity form Akasa provides. The pet stays in a closed, zipped container at the airport and for the whole flight.
Akasa's page doesn't publish a fee, and its conditions of carriage say pet carriage is charged separately from the free baggage allowance. Ask for the price when you book. Because there are only two cabin spots per flight, book as early as you can on busy routes and around festival weekends.
Air India: domestic and some international routes
Air India also carries cats and dogs, in the cabin and as checked baggage, with cargo for heavier animals. Its cabin limit is 10 kg including a soft kennel, and pets between 10 and 32 kg travel as checked baggage. The big catch for families moving to North America is that Air India currently says it is unable to carry pets into or out of the USA, Canada or Australia, in the cabin or as checked baggage. Our full Air India pet policy guide covers the fees, the kennel sizes and the routes where pets can fly.
Moving a pet from India to the US
With IndiGo out and Air India not flying pets to the US, an India to US move usually runs through a foreign airline with a cargo service, often with a connection in Europe or the Gulf, and usually booked by a licensed pet shipper. Dogs face extra rules on the US side, because the CDC lists India as a high risk country for dog rabies. That means a CDC Dog Import Form, a microchip, a minimum age of six months, and either a valid rabies titer or a booking at a CDC registered animal care facility on arrival.
India's own export side runs through the Animal Quarantine and Certification Service, which issues the export health certificate at the main international airports. Our guide on pet transport from India to the US walks through the timeline, the cost and which carriers are currently flying pets on that route.
Moving a pet to India
The reverse trip has its own permit. Pets coming into India need a No Objection Certificate from the Animal Quarantine and Certification Service, applied for before you fly, and airlines won't load the pet without it. The rules also depend on why you are moving, for example a transfer of residence after living abroad. Our pet transport to India guide explains the permit, the documents, and which airports can clear a pet.
Flying within India by road instead
For shorter domestic trips, driving or using a pet taxi is often easier than any airline. A 400 km trip by road takes a day, but there is no crate fitting, no cargo terminal and no 24 hour booking deadline. For longer distances, a ground pet transport service that drives your pet door to door is an option in larger cities, and it avoids the cabin and hold limits completely. The trade off is time: a cross country drive in India can take two or three days.
Getting ready for a pet flight on another airline
Whichever airline you switch to, the preparation is similar. Get your pet used to the carrier or crate weeks before the trip by feeding meals inside it. Book the pet as soon as you book your own seat, because cabin spots are limited. Ask your vet about the health certificate timing, since many Indian airlines want it issued only a few days before departure. And don't sedate the pet without your vet's advice, because sedatives affect breathing and balance at altitude. Our guide to booking a pet on a flight covers the steps in order.
Snub-nosed breeds need extra care. Pugs, bulldogs, Shih Tzus and Persian cats have narrow airways and are more at risk from heat and stress in flight. Many airlines refuse them in the hold, and some limit them in the cabin too. Our guide to the snub-nosed breed flying rules explains why.
Cabin or hold on Akasa: how to choose
If your pet fits the 10 kg cabin limit with its container, the cabin is usually the better choice. The pet stays with you, you can see it, and you avoid the separate check-in and collection that come with the hold. The trade off is space: a 19 x 12.6 x 10 inch container is small, and a dog that is near the weight limit may be cramped for a long flight. Weigh the pet in the carrier at home and see whether it can lie down and turn around comfortably.
For a bigger dog, the hold is the only option on a domestic Indian flight. Pick a sturdy crate the right size for your dog, with room to stand, turn and lie down, and get the dog used to it well before the trip. Ask the airline how it handles pets on the ground on hot days, and avoid flights in the middle of the day in the summer months if you can.
Heat is the biggest risk on Indian routes
Much of India sees extreme heat from April to June, and pets waiting on the tarmac or in a cargo area feel it fast. Early morning or late evening flights are kinder. Freeze a water bowl the night before so it melts slowly, label the crate with your phone number, and tell the check-in staff if your pet is old or has a heart or breathing condition. Snub-nosed breeds are at much higher risk in heat, and for them the honest answer is often not to fly in summer at all.
A checklist for booking a guide dog on IndiGo
If you are travelling with a guide dog, call the IndiGo call centre as soon as you have your travel dates rather than booking online first. Have the dog's training documents and current vaccination record ready to share. Ask which seat the dog can sit at, since dogs usually go on the floor at your feet and can't be placed in an exit row. Confirm whether any document needs to be sent before the flight, and carry paper copies of everything at the airport. Arrive early so the check-in team has time to review the papers without rushing you.
Leaving a pet at home in India
For a short work trip or a family visit, the simplest fix may be not to fly the pet at all. Pet sitters who visit or stay at your home and boarding kennels are now common in Indian cities. Ask any sitter or kennel for references, check how they handle emergencies and which vet they use, and do a short trial stay before a long trip. A familiar home and a steady routine are often far less stressful for a cat or an older dog than two flights.
What to do if you already booked IndiGo
There's no way to add a pet to an IndiGo booking. Check what it costs to change or cancel the ticket under your fare rules, and compare it with booking yourself and your pet on Akasa or Air India for the same day. On some routes it is cheaper to keep the IndiGo seat for yourself and have a relative drive the pet, or to leave the pet with a sitter or boarding kennel for a short trip. For a permanent move, book the pet's route first and fit your own ticket around it.
Hotel Indigo is not the airline
One last point, because it confuses a lot of searches. Hotel Indigo is an IHG hotel brand with properties around the world, and many of its hotels accept dogs, with fees and limits set by each property. That has no link to IndiGo the airline. If you are planning a hotel stay rather than a flight, our guide to the Holiday Inn and IHG pet policies covers the IHG brands.