ITA Airways, Italy's national airline, carries dogs and cats in the cabin and in the hold. A pet can fly in the cabin if it weighs 8 kg or less with its carrier and food on international flights, or 12 kg on flights within Italy. Larger dogs and cats go in the hold, up to 75 kg with the carrier. On flights between Rome and New York, Boston, Miami, Washington or Chicago, the fee is USD 265 in the cabin or USD 350 in the hold, one way. Since October 26, 2025, ITA no longer takes snub-nosed breeds in the hold, and since December 1, 2025 it accepts only dogs and cats.
This guide follows ITA Airways' own pets in the cabin page, its pet fee table and its animals in the hold page as read in October 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with ITA before you book, and check the entry rules for every country on your route.
ITA Airways pet rules at a glance
The table brings together the fees and limits most people look for first. Fees are per single flight route; ITA charges in US dollars on departures from the US and in euros on departures from Europe and Japan.
| Route | Cabin (8 kg, 12 kg domestic) | Hold (up to 75 kg) |
|---|---|---|
| Within Italy | EUR 73 / USD 85 | EUR 83 / USD 105 |
| Europe, Algeria, Tunisia | EUR 95 / USD 120 | EUR 105 / USD 135 |
| Cairo, Tel Aviv, Amman, Beirut, Tripoli, Jeddah, Riyadh, Dakar, Accra, Dubai | EUR 100 / USD 125 | EUR 120 / USD 150 |
| Miami, Boston, New York, Washington, Chicago, Toronto, Delhi, Male | EUR 210 / USD 265 | EUR 280 / USD 350 |
| Los Angeles, Houston, San Francisco, Buenos Aires, Rio, Sao Paulo, Tokyo, Bangkok, Mauritius | EUR 230 / USD 290 | EUR 300 / USD 375 |
Which animals ITA Airways carries
From December 1, 2025, ITA carries only dogs and cats, both in the cabin and in the hold. Before that date the airline also took small pets such as rabbits, hamsters and caged birds in the cabin. Bookings for those animals made by November 30, 2025 are still honored until they are used up, but no new ones are accepted. If you have a rabbit or a bird to move, you will need a different airline or a cargo shipper.
Dogs and cats must be at least 3 months old. ITA limits the number of animals on each flight, in the cabin and the hold, without publishing a number, so space can run out on busy routes.
Flying with a pet in the ITA cabin
A cabin pet travels in a soft carrier under the seat in front of you and cannot leave it, even partly, during the flight. The rules:
- Weight: 8 kg including the carrier and food on international flights, 12 kg on domestic Italian flights.
- Carrier size: no larger than 55 x 40 x 23 cm (118 cm total). A carrier over these dimensions can mean refused boarding.
- The carrier must be well ventilated, closed on all sides, waterproof and strong enough, with room for the pet to stand, turn and lie down.
- Two animals of the same species can share a carrier if the total stays within the weight limit.
- The pet stays in the carrier until everyone has finished getting off the plane.
Before departure, you complete ITA's form for transporting a dog or cat as additional cabin baggage and bring two copies to check-in. ITA notes that the maximum carrier size varies by aircraft type, so it is worth checking with passenger assistance for your flight. If the conditions are not met, or the pet disturbs other passengers, the captain can move it to the hold. Our guide to flying with a dog in the cabin covers practical preparation.
The Large Dog On Board service
ITA also runs a separate Large Dog On Board service for dogs over the normal cabin limit and up to 30 kg, but only on a selection of domestic Italian routes. It has its own terms and is booked separately. For international trips, including any flight to or from the US, a dog over 8 kg goes in the hold.
Flying with a pet in the ITA hold
Dogs and cats too big for the cabin travel in the hold, up to 75 kg including the carrier. ITA's crate rules are strict:
- The carrier must be rigid, with a shell made only of fibreglass or rigid plastic.
- Wheels must be removed, or taped in place if they retract.
- Dog carriers need a metal door that locks at the center, top and bottom, and metal (not plastic) side vents.
- Maximum dimensions depend on the aircraft, so check with ITA before buying a crate.
Line the floor with a blanket, newspaper or other absorbent material; straw is not allowed. Do not leave a leash or muzzle inside the crate, and fix at least one empty food bowl that can be reached from outside. Our guide to choosing a pet transport crate covers sizing.
Snub-nosed breeds: no longer in the hold
From October 26, 2025, ITA stopped selling hold transport for all brachycephalic dogs and cats, which it says are more sensitive to changes in temperature and pressure and more prone to breathing problems. Bookings confirmed by October 25, 2025 are still honored, but no new sales or changes are possible. These breeds can still fly in the cabin if they meet the weight and carrier limits.
ITA's list, based on IATA guidance, is longer than many airlines'. The dogs are the Affenpinscher, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Bichon Frise, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Brussels Griffon, Bulldog, Bullmastiff, Cane Corso, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, apple-headed Chihuahua, Chow Chow, Dogo Argentino, Dogue de Bordeaux, English Mastiff, French Bulldog, Japanese Chin, King Charles Spaniel, Lhasa Apso, Maltese, Neapolitan Mastiff, Newfoundland, Pekingese, Presa Canario, Pug, Shar-Pei, Shih Tzu, Silky Terrier, Tibetan Spaniel, Valley Bulldog and Yorkshire Terrier. The cats are the Burmese, Exotic Shorthair, Persian and Himalayan.
Several of those, such as the Maltese, Yorkshire Terrier and Bichon Frise, are usually small enough for the cabin anyway. The Newfoundland and the mastiffs are not, so owners of those breeds need a pet shipper using another airline or cargo route. Our guide to snub-nosed breeds and flying covers the alternatives.
How to book
You must buy your ticket at least 48 hours before the flight and contact ITA's Information and Customer Service Office with the exact measurements of the carrier or cage. The pet fee depends on the weight, whether the pet goes in the cabin or the hold, and the airports. ITA quotes the fee per single flight route, so a trip from a US city to Naples through Rome counts both flights.
The cabin service is refundable without any supporting documents. The hold service is refundable if the animal falls ill or dies, with a vet's certificate or death certificate.
Flying from the US to Italy with a pet
For a dog or cat flying to Italy, EU entry rules apply: an ISO microchip, a rabies vaccination given after the chip, a 21-day wait after a first vaccination, and an EU animal health certificate signed by a USDA-accredited vet and endorsed by USDA APHIS within the allowed window. Italy's Ministry of Health publishes a guide to travelling to Italy with pets, and our guide to pet transport to Italy covers the steps from the US.
Flying from Italy to the US with a dog
Going the other way, the CDC rules apply. Every dog entering the US must be at least 6 months old, microchipped, healthy on arrival and travelling with a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. Italy is not on the CDC's high-risk list, so a dog that has only been in Italy or other low-risk countries has the simpler path. A dog that has spent time in a high-risk country in the last 6 months needs more paperwork. The CDC dog import page has the details, and our guide to importing a dog into the US walks through each case.
Guide dogs and service dogs
Guide dogs and service dogs with official training and recognition fly in the ITA cabin free of charge, under separate rules. Contact ITA before booking with the dog's documents.
Preparing your pet the ITA way
ITA gives some practical advice worth following. Start getting your pet used to its carrier at least 5 days before the trip, leaving it inside for around two hours at a time and rewarding it straight afterwards. Give water regularly in small amounts before departure, feed it up to 4 hours before the flight, and pack enough food for the whole journey. Ask your vet to confirm the pet is fit to travel; ITA will not accept an animal showing injuries or physical fatigue.
Working out the cost of a full trip
Because ITA charges per single flight route, a connecting trip costs more than the headline figure. A small dog flying in the cabin from Boston to Rome, then on to Catania, pays USD 265 for the transatlantic flight and the domestic fee for the connection, which departs from Italy and so is charged in euros: EUR 73. On the way back, a trip starting in Europe is charged in euros: EUR 73 for Catania to Rome and EUR 210 for Rome to Boston. A large dog in the hold on the same round trip pays the hold column on every flight. ITA notes the prices are those at the time you buy the service and can change, so lock it in when you book your ticket rather than at the airport.
Cats on ITA Airways
Most cats fit the cabin rules easily, and the cabin is usually the better choice for them: you can keep an eye on the cat, and the carrier sits under the seat for the whole flight. The 8 kg limit includes the carrier and food, so a large cat in a heavy bag can tip over it. Weigh both together at home. If you have a Persian, Himalayan, Burmese or Exotic Shorthair, the cabin is now the only option on ITA, because those breeds are on the snub-nosed list for the hold. Two cats from the same household can share one carrier if the total stays within the limit, which suits kittens or small adult cats travelling together.
On travel day
Arrive early, because staff need to see the pet, the carrier and the documents before you can check in. For a cabin pet, hand over both copies of the cabin pet form at the desk. For a hold pet, the crate is checked against ITA's rules, including the metal door and vents for dogs, so a crate that fails can mean the pet does not fly. Keep the health certificate, vaccination record and any CDC receipt in your hand luggage, not in a checked bag.
A sample plan: New York to Rome with a 20 kg dog
- Confirm the microchip and rabies vaccination, and book the USDA-accredited vet for the EU health certificate.
- Check the dog is not on ITA's snub-nosed list.
- Buy a fibreglass or rigid plastic crate with a metal door locking at three points and metal side vents.
- Buy your ticket at least 48 hours ahead and call ITA with the crate dimensions.
- Budget USD 350 for the hold on the New York to Rome flight.
- Arrive early with the endorsed health certificate.
Common mistakes with ITA pet bookings
- Assuming the 12 kg cabin limit applies on international flights; it is 8 kg.
- Booking a hold trip for a Maltese mix, Cavalier or another listed breed.
- Using a crate with a plastic door or plastic vents for a dog.
- Expecting to fly a rabbit or bird after December 2025.
- Forgetting the two copies of the cabin pet form.
ITA compared with nearby options
ITA is now part of the Lufthansa Group, but its pet rules and fees are its own. For transatlantic moves, compare it with Lufthansa and SWISS, which keep similar snub-nose rules but charge differently and connect through other hubs.