Philippine Airlines (PAL) runs two pet programs. On domestic flights, its FurPAL service lets one small dog (and, since September 2026, a cat) of up to 10 kg fly in the cabin in a soft carrier for PHP 2,500. On international flights, including Manila to the US, the cabin is for service dogs only, and pets travel as checked baggage in the hold, up to 32 kg for pet and kennel together, booked at least 48 hours ahead. PAL refuses a long list of breeds as checked baggage, well beyond the usual snub-nosed dogs.
Those two programs are easy to mix up, and many third-party pages still say PAL takes no cabin pets at all, which is out of date for domestic flights. This guide follows PAL's own help center articles on travelling with pets and the FurPAL rollout, as read in October 2026. PAL updates these programs often, so confirm with PAL before booking.
PAL pet rules at a glance
The table compares PAL's three ways of moving a pet.
| Rule | FurPAL (domestic cabin) | Checked pets (domestic and international) | PAL Cargo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animals | Small dogs; cats added from September 2026 | Dogs and cats | Pets and other live animals |
| Weight | Up to 10 kg | Pet plus kennel up to 32 kg | Over 32 kg or unaccompanied |
| Container | Soft, leak-proof carrier, max 17 x 11 x 9.5 in | Secure hard case, leak-proof | Kennel the pet can move in freely |
| Age | 8 weeks, fully weaned | Per destination rules | 3 months domestic, 4 months international |
| Limit | 1 per passenger, 3 per flight | Depends on the aircraft hold | Booked with PAL Cargo |
| Fee | PHP 2,500 per pet | Excess baggage rules of the destination | Cargo rates |
| Snub-nosed dogs | Allowed if small enough | Refused | Refused |
FurPAL: small pets in the cabin on domestic flights
PAL launched FurPAL in November 2025 and extended it to every domestic route from February 18, 2026. According to PAL's announcement, only small dogs weighing up to 10 kg, at least eight weeks old and fully weaned, can fly in the cabin. Each passenger may bring one pet, and a flight carries at most three. The carrier must be soft-sided and leak-proof, no larger than 17 x 11 x 9.5 inches, with pee pads and at least two ventilation panels, and it stays under the seat in front of you for the whole flight. Sedation is not allowed.
News reports in September 2026 said PAL added small cats to FurPAL from September 1, 2026, kept the fee at PHP 2,500 per pet, and limits the smaller Dash 8-400 aircraft to two pets per flight. You select FurPAL when you book.
FurPAL documents
For FurPAL you need a health certificate, up-to-date vaccination records, a veterinary certificate, PAL's signed waiver and declaration form, and a shipping permit from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI). PAL's own waiver form asks for a health certificate issued within three days of the flight that states the dog is tick free. Give yourself time: the vet visit and BAI permit need to line up with your flight date, and staff can refuse a pet that looks sick or aggressive at check-in.
International flights: service dogs only in the cabin
On PAL's international routes, including its flights to and from the United States, only service dogs accompanying a person with a disability may travel in the cabin. Emotional support dogs are treated as checked pets. Every other dog or cat flies in the hold as checked baggage or as cargo. PAL itself notes that carrying a pet as checked baggage can affect its health, leading to weakness, injury or death, so the decision deserves a vet's input.
Checked pets: how it works
Dogs and cats can travel as checked baggage if you follow PAL's steps:
- Contact PAL at least 48 hours before your flight, and before you even reserve, to confirm the aircraft's hold can take live animals; not every aircraft can.
- Prepare the complete BAI requirements, and bring your documents and pet to BAI's airport office for inspection 1 to 2 hours before check-in.
- Use a secure, hard-sided, leak-proof kennel.
- Keep the combined weight of pet and kennel at or under 32 kg; heavier pets go as cargo.
- Have the pet accompanied by a passenger at least 12 years old.
PAL charges checked pets under the excess baggage rules of your destination, so the price depends on the route and weight. Ask for a quote when you call.
PAL's banned breed list for checked pets
This is where PAL is stricter than most airlines. It refuses all brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dogs and their mixes as checked baggage on every domestic and international flight, and its list goes well past the usual Pugs and Bulldogs. Breeds PAL names include:
- Bulldogs of all kinds (including French Bulldogs), Pugs, Boxers, Shih Tzus, Pekingese, Lhasa Apsos and Japanese Chins.
- Cavalier and King Charles Spaniels, Tibetan Spaniels, Brussels Griffons, Affenpinschers and Chow Chows.
- Mastiffs of all kinds (including Boerboels, Bullmastiffs and Cane Corsos), Rottweilers, Bernese dogs, Shar Peis and Tosas.
- American Bully, American Pitbull and terriers including American Staffordshire, Australian Silky, Yorkshire, Norwich and Boston.
- Small companion breeds including Maltese, Papillon, Bichon Frise, Havanese, Coton de Tulear, Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka, apple-head Chihuahuas and American Cocker Spaniels.
Service dogs flying in the cabin are exempt. If your dog is on the list and too big for FurPAL, a cargo shipper that uses a different airline is usually the only option. See our guide to the snub-nosed dog breed flying ban.
PAL Cargo
Pets over 32 kg, pets flying without their owner, and other animals go through PAL Cargo. PAL's cargo page says it currently has an embargo on brachycephalic dogs as cargo on all PAL flights. For domestic cargo, a dog needs a BAI quarantine permit and a vet certificate and must be at least 3 months old. For international cargo, PAL lists an export declaration, a health certificate, a customs export permit, BAI and quarantine permits, a vet certificate and vaccination booklet, a minimum age of 4 months, and a rabies vaccination given after 3 months of age. Contact PAL Cargo reservations directly for space and rates.
A note on PAL's US cargo page
PAL's cargo FAQ still says there is a temporary suspension of dogs from high-risk rabies countries, including the Philippines, entering the US. That suspension ended on July 31, 2024, when the CDC's current dog import rules took effect on August 1, 2024. PAL's passenger pet article describes the newer rules. If a PAL agent quotes the old suspension, ask them to check again, and follow the CDC's own pages.
Flying a dog from the Philippines to the US
The Philippines is on the CDC list of countries at high risk for dog rabies, so dogs flying to the US need to meet the CDC dog import rules for high-risk countries. Every dog needs the CDC Dog Import Form and a microchip, and must be at least 6 months old. A dog vaccinated in the US can return with the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination. A dog vaccinated abroad needs a Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip, a valid titer from a CDC-approved lab, and a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility at one of a few airports. PAL notes in its own guidance that it flies to JFK and LAX, two of those airports. Our guide to pet transport from the Philippines to the US walks through each path.
Flying a pet from the US to the Philippines
Going the other way, the Philippine Bureau of Animal Industry requires an import permit for dogs and cats arriving in the Philippines, along with a USDA-endorsed health certificate and rabies vaccination. Line up the BAI permit before you book PAL, because the airline will ask for it. See our guide to pet transport to the Philippines for the US-side steps.
Timing the paperwork
Most PAL pet trips fail on timing, not on the airline. For FurPAL, PAL's waiver asks for a health certificate issued within three days of the flight, so book the vet for the day or two before you fly, not a week ahead. The BAI shipping permit has to match the same trip. For international flights, work backwards from the flight date: the destination's permit and vaccination waiting periods come first, then the health certificate inside its window, then BAI's export papers and the airport inspection on the day. For the US, the CDC Dog Import Form must be submitted before check-in, and the receipt shown to the airline. Keep a single folder with originals and copies of everything, in the order the check-in agent will ask for them.
BAI at the airport
Whichever direction you fly, BAI's Veterinary Quarantine Service has an office at Ninoy Aquino International Airport covering all terminals. PAL recommends presenting your documents and pet there 1 to 2 hours before check-in, so plan to reach the airport earlier than you would without a pet. Keep copies of every document in your carry-on, separate from the originals.
FurPAL, checked or cargo: which one fits
The choice usually makes itself. If you are flying within the Philippines with a small dog or cat that weighs 10 kg or less in its carrier, FurPAL is the simplest and kindest option, because your pet stays at your feet the whole way. If the pet is bigger, or you are flying internationally, it travels as checked baggage in the hold on your flight, provided the aircraft can take it and the breed is not on PAL's list. If the pet is over 32 kg with its kennel, needs to fly on a different day from you, or is a breed PAL will not check, PAL Cargo or a cargo shipper using another airline is the route. Our guide to pet cargo vs in cabin covers the tradeoffs.
Cats on Philippine Airlines
Cats have historically had fewer options on PAL than small dogs, since FurPAL launched for dogs only. Reports in September 2026 said small cats were added to FurPAL on domestic routes from September 1, 2026, with the same PHP 2,500 fee and one pet per passenger. On international flights, cats travel as checked baggage in the hold like dogs, in a hard, leak-proof kennel. Flat-faced cat breeds face the same breathing risks as snub-nosed dogs, so ask PAL how it treats Persian and Exotic Shorthair cats before booking. Cats flying into the US do not need the CDC dog paperwork, but they still need whatever the airline and destination state ask for.
Choosing and preparing the kennel
For checked travel, PAL asks for a secure, hard-sided, leak-proof kennel. In practice that means an IATA-compliant crate with a metal door, a firm lock, ventilation on several sides and enough room for your pet to stand, turn around and lie down naturally. Put an absorbent pad on the floor and fix a water container that cannot spill. Introduce the kennel weeks before the trip with meals inside so it feels familiar on the day. See how to choose a pet transport crate for measuring.
When to hire a pet shipper instead
A professional pet relocation company is worth considering when your dog is a banned breed, weighs more than 32 kg, needs to fly separately from you, or is moving between the Philippines and the US with a foreign rabies vaccination, which brings in the CDC titer, animal care facility and airport rules. A good shipper books the cargo space, times the BAI and CDC paperwork, and meets the pet on arrival. Compare options in our guide to the best international pet transport companies.
Tips that prevent problems
- Call PAL before reserving to confirm your aircraft's hold takes pets.
- Check your dog's breed against PAL's list before paying for anything.
- Weigh pet and kennel together; stay under 10 kg for FurPAL and 32 kg for checked baggage.
- Time the vet visit so the health certificate is inside PAL's window on your flight date.
- Never sedate a pet for a PAL flight; PAL does not allow it.
- For international moves, sort the CDC or BAI paperwork first, then book the flight.