Jetstar does not fly pets. Its help centre says it in one sentence: "Jetstar is not equipped to transport your pets but you can organise pet travel with Qantas Freight." Its service dog page goes further and says Jetstar does not carry other service animals or pets in the aircraft cabin or in the aircraft hold. So there is no cabin option, no hold option and no fee you can pay to bring a cat or dog on a Jetstar flight, domestic or international.
The one exception is an accredited service dog, which can fly in the cabin if it meets Jetstar's conditions. For everyone else, the answer is to book the pet with Qantas Freight or, for small pets on some Australian routes, Virgin Australia's Pets in Cabin service. This guide covers all three, based on Jetstar's pet help article and service dog page, the Qantas Freight domestic pet travel guide and Virgin Australia's Pets in Cabin page, all read in November 2026.
Jetstar and the Australian alternatives at a glance
| Option | Pets carried? | Main limits | How to book |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jetstar | No. Accredited service dogs only, in the cabin | Service dog up to 45 kg, accredited, with a current Public Access Test | Tell Jetstar at booking; forms 14 days ahead for international or exemptions |
| Qantas Freight | Yes, in the hold of selected Qantas flights | IATA crate; snub-nosed breeds via an approved pet travel specialist | Online, up to 100 days ahead |
| Virgin Australia Pets in Cabin | Yes, small cats and dogs on selected domestic routes | 8 kg with carrier, soft carrier max 44 x 28 x 28 cm, 1 pet per guest | Call 13 67 89, more than 72 hours ahead |
| Virgin Australia cargo | Yes, through approved pet carrier services | Domestic services only | Through a pet transport company |
Why Jetstar does not carry pets
Jetstar is Qantas Group's low-cost airline, and like most budget carriers it keeps its operation simple. Its help centre says it is not equipped to transport pets. Older Jetstar guides also noted that its aircraft holds are not set up for animals. Rather than build that capacity, the group sends pet travel to Qantas Freight, which already runs a dedicated domestic pet service on Qantas flights.
The rule covers every animal that is not an accredited service dog. That includes cats, small dogs in carriers, birds, rabbits and emotional support animals. It also covers service animals other than dogs, and service dogs that do not meet Jetstar's accreditation standard.
Jetstar's rules for service dogs
Jetstar welcomes accredited service dogs, which it defines as guide, hearing or assistance dogs, in the cabin on its Jetstar Airways (JQ) flights, as long as the dog meets its Service Dog Conditions of Carriage. The dog must be trained to help a person with a disability, and it must be trained and certified by a recognised body: a full member of Assistance Dogs International or the International Guide Dog Federation, or a trainer approved under Queensland's Guide, Hearing and Assistance Dogs Act 2009, by the South Australian Dog and Cat Management Board, or by the Assistance Dog Assessment Association.
The dog also needs a current Public Access Test from one of those organisations, and it must meet appropriate standards of hygiene, behaviour and safety for an aircraft cabin. It cannot be a declared dangerous dog or a restricted breed, cannot have an infectious disease, and cannot weigh more than 45 kg. Jetstar also applies a length limit that depends on the aircraft, which it checks during booking.
How to book a service dog on Jetstar
Tell Jetstar that your service dog is travelling each time you make a booking. For international flights, including trans-Tasman flights to New Zealand, you must also send Jetstar's International Travel Declaration form to its customer advocacy team at least 14 days before you travel.
If your dog does not meet every condition, for example because its trainer is not on the approved list, you can apply for an exemption. The application goes to Jetstar customer advocacy with supporting documents at least 14 days before the proposed trip. If Jetstar approves it, you receive an official letter that you must carry while travelling. Jetstar says that without the letter, permission has not been given. The letter can be reused for later bookings, but you still need to tell Jetstar about the dog each time, and send the international form for each international trip.
On board with a service dog
The dog should wear a harness, vest, coat or medallion that identifies it as a service dog, and you may be asked to show documents at check-in, the gate or on board. On the aircraft, the dog sits on the floor in the space allocated. Jetstar provides an absorbent mat, and the dog is tethered by its lead to the seat leg or another approved point. It must not sit on a seat or on your lap at any time.
Jetstar asks you to prepare the dog for the length of the flight, and notes that some airports have assistance dog relief areas. The pilot in command has the final say on whether a dog is carried, and Jetstar can act if a dog behaves in an uncontrolled or aggressive way. Our guide to flying with a service dog covers preparation in more detail.
Service dogs in training and Jetstar Japan
Service dogs in training may travel in the cabin on Jetstar Airways domestic flights at Jetstar's discretion, if the trainer is an ADI member or approved under the Queensland Act, the dog has reached a standard suitable for public transport, and the flight is part of its final training or its delivery. Dogs in training are not carried on international flights or on Jetstar Japan domestic flights.
Jetstar Japan (GK) has its own rules. It accepts guide, hearing and mobility assistance dogs that are not emotional support dogs and have the certificate and health check book required under Japanese regulations. For Jetstar Japan domestic flights, you meet those requirements instead of filing Jetstar's exemption form.
International travel with a service dog
Jetstar reminds service dog handlers that each country sets its own rules for boarding, landing, vaccination and quarantine, and that checking them is your responsibility. Australia and New Zealand both have strict biosecurity rules for dogs arriving from overseas, and assistance dogs are not automatically exempt. Our guides to pet transport to Australia and pet transport to New Zealand explain the import permits and quarantine periods.
Emotional support animals on Jetstar
Jetstar's service dog conditions are tied to accreditation and a Public Access Test, and the Jetstar Japan rules exclude emotional support dogs by name. An emotional support animal, however much it helps you, is treated as a pet by Jetstar and cannot fly. That is a common surprise for travellers from the US, where emotional support animals once flew in the cabin on many airlines. Our explainer on service dogs, emotional support animals and therapy dogs sets out the difference.
Option 1: Qantas Freight
Qantas Freight is the route Jetstar itself points you to. It runs a domestic pet travel service on selected Qantas flights, with pets flying in the hold in an IATA-approved crate. Its domestic guide says you can book up to 100 days before departure and change or cancel online without penalty up to 24 hours before the flight. You drop the pet off and collect it at the freight terminal, not at the passenger check-in desk.
Book the pet's flight first and then your own seat, because only some Qantas flights carry pets and space on each is limited. If your pet is a brachycephalic breed, Qantas Freight says you must book through one of its approved pet travel specialists, because extra health requirements and flight restrictions apply. Our Qantas pet policy guide covers the crate rules and timings in more detail.
Option 2: Virgin Australia Pets in Cabin
Virgin Australia was the first Australian airline to let small pets fly in the cabin, and the service is now available from Cairns, Melbourne, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Adelaide on selected routes. It takes small cats and dogs only, and the pet plus carrier must weigh no more than 8 kg. The pet must be at least 8 weeks old (16 weeks on some routes), vaccinated, not a prohibited breed, and fit in a soft-sided, leak-proof, escape-proof carrier of no more than 44 x 28 x 28 cm, with all but one opening secured by cable ties before you reach the airport.
Pet owners sit in designated window seats, 18A, 18F, 20A or 20F, and the carrier stays closed under the seat in front for the whole flight. Bookings are by phone on 13 67 89, more than 72 hours before travel, with one pet per guest. You must check in in person at least 75 minutes before departure. Virgin Australia lists an introductory fee of AUD 149 per flight. You cannot book a pet if you are under 18 and travelling alone, travelling alone with an infant, or travelling alone with an assistance animal.
Getting ready for a Qantas Freight booking
A few steps make a freight booking go smoothly. Buy or hire the IATA crate early and let the pet sleep in it at home for a couple of weeks. Attach a water bowl that can be filled from outside the door, and label the crate with your name, phone number and the destination. Check the freight terminal's lodgement time on your booking and arrive in good time, since late pets can be bumped to a later flight. Ask your vet whether your pet is fit to fly, especially if it is old, very young or heavy, and do not sedate it unless your vet specifically advises it for that trip. At the other end, you collect the pet from the freight terminal, so plan the drive there rather than heading straight to the passenger exit.
Pets on trans-Tasman routes
Jetstar flies a busy network between Australia and New Zealand, but pets cannot travel on any of those flights except accredited service dogs with the 14 day declaration. Pets moving between the two countries travel as cargo, usually through a pet shipper, because both governments require import permits, vet checks and set travel windows. New Zealand also limits the countries a pet can arrive from without extra steps. Start that process months ahead if you are relocating.
Option 3: a pet transport company
For larger dogs, regional routes, or any trip where you would rather not handle the logistics, a specialist pet transport company can book cargo space with Qantas Freight or with Virgin Australia's cargo service, supply the crate and manage drop-off and collection. Virgin Australia says it will keep offering pet transport as cargo on eligible domestic services through approved pet carrier services. That is also the usual route for snub-nosed breeds, which need extra care in transit, as our guide to snub-nosed breeds and flying bans explains.
Leaving a pet at home for a short trip
Many Jetstar trips are short holidays to the Gold Coast, Cairns or Bali, and for those the kindest option is often to leave the pet at home. A visiting or live-in sitter keeps the animal on its usual routine, while a freight booking for a weekend away adds two crate journeys, two freight terminal visits and a strange house at the other end. Bali is a special case anyway, because Indonesia restricts pet imports heavily. If you go the sitter route, book early for school holidays and leave care notes and your vet's details.
Flying a pet between Australia and the US
Jetstar does not fly to the US mainland, and its international network does not carry pets anyway. For a move from Australia to the US, pets go as cargo on a long-haul airline, usually booked through a pet shipper, because Australian export rules require a government permit and certificate. Our guide to pet transport from Australia to the US walks through the export steps and US entry rules.
A quick decision guide
If you have an accredited service dog, Jetstar can carry it in the cabin: tell Jetstar at every booking and send the forms 14 days ahead for international trips or exemptions. If you have a small cat or dog and you are flying a route Virgin Australia covers, Pets in Cabin is the closest thing to taking your pet on board. For any other pet, book Qantas Freight, or use a pet transport company. In every case, sort out the pet's booking before your own, because the pet's options are the ones that are limited.