Every US airline's pet policy, decoded
In-cabin fees, cargo programs, weight limits, breed restrictions, paperwork - for American, United, Delta, Southwest and the rest. Verified May 2026, updated monthly.
Airline pet policies change constantly. Brachycephalic bans, weight-tier shifts, embargo dates, paperwork requirements - the official policy pages bury the details that actually matter when you're planning a trip. Our airline guides extract the practical version: real fees, real weight limits, real breed restrictions, real paperwork timelines.
We currently cover the two highest-volume US airlines for pet transport (United and American), with Delta, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue, Frontier, Spirit, Hawaiian, and Allegiant rolling out in Wave 2.
Moving a pet to the UK from the US? Post-Brexit requirements are different from EU destinations. See our dedicated UK pet transport guide.
Military PCS pet move? The DoD reimburses up to $4,000 OCONUS per the 2024 JTR. See our military pet transport guide for reimbursement tiers, Patriot Express booking, and OCONUS destinations.
For an overview of every pet transport option, see our how to transport a pet guide, covers 7 methods with a decision matrix.
Bringing a pet to Hawaii? It is the only US rabies-free state and has a unique 5-Day-Or-Less bypass program. See our Hawaii pet transport guide for the full step-by-step.
Moving to Germany? See our Germany pet transport guide for EU 576/2013 requirements, TRACES filing, and approved airports.
Moving to Australia is one of the most complex pet imports in the world: 180+ day prep, mandatory Mickleham quarantine. See our Australia pet transport guide for the full AQIS BICON process.
Checking a specific carrier's rules? Jump straight to the airline guides: Air France pet policy, Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, KLM pet policy, Southwest Airlines.
Cabin species lists are narrow and actively changing, as which airlines take exotic pets sets out.
More airline-specific pet policies worth checking before you fly: American Airlines pet transport, JetBlue Airlines pet transport.
What's in this hub
- American Airlines pet transport - cabin, cargo, PetEmbark cost
- United Airlines pet transport - in-cabin + PetSafe cargo guide
- Wave 2 airlines (in progress): Delta, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue, Frontier
- Airline pet policy comparison tool - side-by-side filterable table
Numbers worth knowing
- Typical in-cabin fee (US domestic): $95–$200 each way
- Typical cargo fee (cross-country, 50-lb dog): $500–$1,400
- Brachycephalic breeds banned from cargo on: United, American, Delta, Alaska
- Paperwork lead time for international: 10 days for CVI, 21+ days for rabies wait
Read everything we've published on this
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Qantas Pet Policy: What US Travelers Need to Know
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