JSX lets cats and dogs fly in the cabin, and it is one of the few US carriers that takes a dog too big for a carrier. A cat or small dog under 30 pounds in a carrier costs $100 each way. A dog under 80 pounds can lie on the floor in front of the seat next to you, as long as you buy that seat. Everything else in this guide comes from JSX's own pet policy, revision 05, dated October 21, 2026.
That second option is the reason most people search for JSX in the first place. On the big airlines a 50 pound dog goes in the hold, travels as cargo, or doesn't fly at all. On JSX it sits at your feet. The trade off is that you pay for a whole extra seat, and seat prices on JSX change from route to route and day to day.
Plenty of pages about JSX still quote older rules, including a 65 pound limit and a lower fee. The current document says 30 pounds for small pets, 80 pounds for larger dogs, and $100 per one way flight for a pet in a carrier. If you read something different on a blog, go by the policy.
JSX pet rules at a glance
| Animal | Size limit | Cost | Where it rides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cat or small dog in a carrier | Under 30 lb, carrier up to 13 x 11 x 17 in | $100 each way | Under the seat in front of you |
| Medium or large dog | Under 80 lb | Price of an adjoining seat, plus any seat fee | On the floor in front of that seat, leashed |
| Small dog with no carrier | Under 80 lb | Price of an adjoining seat | Treated as a medium or large dog |
| Trained service dog | Must fit your seat footprint | No pet fee | On the floor, or your lap if no bigger than a lap infant |
| Emotional support animal | Same as pets | Same as pets | Travels under the pet rules |
Two limits sit over all of this. Each customer can bring only one pet, whether that is a cat in a carrier or a 70 pound dog. And no more than five pets can fly in the cabin on any one flight. Trained service animals don't count toward the five.
Flying with a cat or small dog
JSX takes cats and small dogs in the cabin for $100 each way. The pet has to weigh less than 30 pounds and fit comfortably in an approved carrier that goes under the seat in front of you. The policy gives the carrier's maximum size as 13 inches wide, 11 inches high and 17 inches long. The carrier counts as one of your two personal items, so plan the rest of your bag around it.
The carrier needs to be leak proof and well ventilated. One pet per carrier, one carrier per customer. It can't go in the bulkhead row, an exit row, the aisle or on a seat, and JSX says it will never put a pet out of your sight in a closet or overhead bin.
If you turn up without a carrier, JSX may lend you one, but only if it has one on hand. If it doesn't, the pet can't fly as a small pet. You can still buy a seat for it and fly it as a medium or large dog, if a seat is available. That is an expensive fix, so bring your own. Our guide to the best airline approved dog carrier covers soft sided carriers that fit under seat limits like this one.
Can your small dog come out of the carrier?
This is one of the bigger differences between JSX and other airlines. Cats have to stay in the carrier the whole time. Small dogs have to be fully inside the carrier, head and tail, for takeoff, landing and whenever the crew asks. In between, a small dog can come out as long as it stays under your control inside your seating area.
A small dog that is no larger than a lap infant and is well behaved can sit on your lap, except during takeoff and landing. It can't wander into the aisle, go up to other passengers or other pets, or get in the crew's way. If your dog is the type to climb over the armrest to say hello, keep it zipped in.
Flying with a medium or large dog
Dogs under 80 pounds that are too big for a carrier can fly in the cabin, but you have to buy the seat next to yours. The dog lies on the floor in front of that seat. It can't sit on any seat. You pay the advertised fare for the extra seat, plus any seat assignment fee, and JSX says seat prices vary by market for both of its fare types, Hop On and All In.
Where you sit is fixed. On aircraft with two seats on one side of the aisle and one on the other, the dog takes the floor space in front of the window seat, C, and you sit in the aisle seat beside it, B. On aircraft with one seat on each side, the dog goes on the C side and you sit across the aisle in A. Exit rows are out. The two seats have to be available together when you book.
The dog stays leashed the whole time. Before the aircraft moves, the leash has to be clipped to the seat frame so the dog can't reach the aisle during taxi, takeoff and landing. A short leash with a sturdy clip makes this much easier than a long retractable one. If you are weighing JSX against a dedicated dog charter, our Bark Air vs K9 Jets comparison covers those prices, and our guide to flying with a large dog in the cabin covers the other options.
What a big dog trip costs
There is no flat pet fee for a large dog. The cost is whatever the second seat costs on your flight. On a route where a seat is $250, that means $250 for the dog each way, plus any seat assignment fee. On a busy Friday the same seat can cost much more. Price both seats together before you commit, and remember the dog can't fly if the seat beside yours is gone.
For a small pet, the $100 each way is the whole fee. A round trip is $200. That used to be free on JSX, which is why older guides call it a cheap airline for pets. It is still cheaper than buying a seat, but it is now in line with what the major airlines charge.
Booking a pet and the acceptance form
When you book online, mark that you are travelling with a pet. If you have already booked, call JSX Customer Support before you fly to add the pet to your reservation. Travel agents can't add pets themselves. JSX's agency guidance says pets, both large dogs and pets in carriers, can only be booked through its support team.
Every customer flying with a pet has to fill in the JSX Pet Acceptance Form. Tell the airport concierge at check in that you have a pet with you. Because of the five pet limit per flight, book early on popular routes and don't assume space will still be there the week you fly.
Behaviour rules that can get you denied boarding
JSX's policy says pets must be well behaved, non aggressive and properly groomed. It lists the kinds of behaviour that can get both you and the pet removed from the flight:
- Barking a lot and not responding to commands
- Biting, growling, snapping or lunging at crew, other passengers or other animals
- Wandering or running around without a leash
- Relieving itself in the cabin or anywhere other than a pet relief area
- Jumping on people or other animals
- Sitting on a seat or a tray table, or eating off a tray table
Pets can't sit in exit rows or the aisle. With up to five pets on a 30 seat jet, the cabin can feel busy, so if your dog reacts to other dogs, think hard before booking. A calm dog that is used to crowds and short leashes will have a much easier time.
Service dogs and emotional support animals
JSX accepts trained service dogs, which it describes as dogs individually trained to do work or tasks for a person with a physical or mental disability. Service dog handlers fill in the US Department of Transportation service animal form instead of the pet form and bring a printed copy to check in. A vest, harness, ID card or registration isn't enough on its own, and staff can ask what tasks the dog does.
The dog has to fit within the footprint of your seat. If it is too large, you can buy a second seat or wait for a flight with empty seats. Service dogs stay on the floor, or on your lap if they are no bigger than a lap infant.
JSX doesn't accept emotional support animals as service animals. They can still fly, but as pets, with the same fees and size limits. That matches the federal rule change covered in our guide to flying with an emotional support animal.
Flying JSX to or from Mexico with a dog
JSX flies a few routes to Mexico, and the policy has a section on them. Going from the US to Mexico with a dog, you need a New World screwworm inspection certificate filled in by a USDA accredited vet no more than five days before you enter Mexico. JSX checks it at check in. The form and rules are on the USDA APHIS Mexico page.
Coming back, every dog entering the US, including a US dog returning from a trip, needs a receipt for a completed CDC Dog Import Form. It also needs a signed screwworm freedom certificate from a qualified vet in Mexico, issued no more than five days before arrival. JSX checks both at check in. If you plan a short trip, that means two vet visits inside a few days, one on each side of the border. Our guides to pet transport to Mexico and importing a dog into the US walk through the paperwork.
The Petco tie up
In January 2026, JSX added a pet amenity partnership with Petco, reported by Private Jet Card Comparisons. It layers perks on top of the existing service. It doesn't change the size limits, fees or seating rules in the policy above.
How JSX compares with the big airlines
On most US airlines the cabin limit is whatever fits in a carrier under the seat, which in practice means a dog of about 15 to 20 pounds. Anything bigger goes in the hold or as cargo, if the airline takes it at all, and several no longer carry pets in the hold. JSX is different because it lets a dog up to 80 pounds ride at your feet. The catch is the route map. JSX flies a much shorter list of city pairs than the big airlines, so it only helps if it flies where you are going. Check the route before you plan around it, and compare the cost of two seats with a ground transporter for a one way move.
What to bring
Pack a short leash with a strong clip for the seat frame, a mat or small towel for the floor, a collapsible water bowl, poop bags and a couple of treats. Bring a printed copy of the pet acceptance form and, for Mexico, the vet certificates. Keep your dog's rabies certificate with you on any trip, because the policy makes you responsible for meeting the health rules at both ends.
Tips for the flight
JSX flights leave from small private terminals, which helps. There is less walking, less noise and a shorter wait than at a main terminal. Give your dog a good walk and a toilet stop before you arrive, because there is no relief area on board and flights can run two hours or more.
Practise the setup at home. For a small dog, that means time in the carrier with the door shut. For a big dog, it means lying down on a mat on a short leash for an hour. If you have never flown with a pet before, our guide on how to book a pet on a flight covers the steps that apply to every airline.