Singapore Airlines only carries cats and dogs, and only as checked baggage in the temperature-controlled hold on the same flight as their owner. There are no pets in the cabin apart from assistance dogs. Pets must be at least three months old, the pet and crate together cannot exceed 32 kg (heavier animals must go through a cargo agent), and a long list of dog and cat breeds is refused, including all snub-nosed breeds. From the US, pets are not accepted on the Newark nonstop SQ21 or SQ23 from New York, but can fly from New York to Singapore on SQ25.
Singapore Airlines publishes one of the most detailed pet pages of any airline, and it contains several rules that catch travelers by surprise: destinations it will not fly pets into at all, a ban on pets connecting from other airlines, and a requirement that pets landing in Singapore be cleared by an approved pet agent. This guide summarizes Singapore Airlines' own Travelling with pets page as of October 2026. Confirm with the airline before you book, since aircraft and routes change.
Singapore Airlines pet rules at a glance
The table summarizes the rules that decide whether your pet can fly at all.
| Rule | What Singapore Airlines says |
|---|---|
| Animals accepted | Cats and dogs only |
| How pets travel | Checked baggage in the hold, on the owner's flight; no pets in the cabin except assistance dogs |
| Minimum age | 3 months |
| Weight | Over 32 kg for pet and crate together must go through a cargo agent |
| Breeds refused | Snub-nosed breeds and crosses, several large or guarding breeds, and six cat breeds (see below) |
| Aircraft | No pets on Boeing 737 flights (no hold temperature control) |
| US flights | Not on SQ21 (Newark) or SQ23 (New York); allowed New York to Singapore on SQ25 |
| Notice | Contact the airline at least two weeks before departure |
| Other airlines | No pets connecting to or from other airlines |
No pets in the cabin
Unlike most US airlines, Singapore Airlines has no in-cabin option for small pets. Every cat and dog, however small, travels as checked baggage in the bulk hold, which the airline says is temperature controlled, though conditions can differ from the passenger cabin. Trained assistance dogs are handled separately under the airline's special assistance rules. If you want a small dog or cat at your feet on a trans-Pacific trip, you will need another carrier or route; see pet cargo vs in cabin to weigh the two options.
Banned dog breeds
Singapore Airlines does not accept the following dog breeds as checked baggage, including crossbreeds and any other brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dogs:
- Akita, Boerboel, Boxer, Chow Chow, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Perro de Presa Canario, Shar-Pei and Tosa
- Boston Terrier, Brussels Griffon, Japanese Chin, Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu and Pugs including Pekingese
- Bulldogs, including American, French and English Bulldogs
- Mastiffs, including Neapolitan Mastiff and Dogue de Bordeaux
- Pit Bull types: American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bulldog and Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Brachycephalic spaniels: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, English Toy Spaniel and Tibetan Spaniel
The list mixes two kinds of ban: snub-nosed breeds, which face breathing risks in the hold, and large or guarding breeds that many destinations restrict. Our guide to the snub-nosed dog breed flying ban explains the medical side.
Banned cat breeds
Six cat breeds, plus their crosses and any other snub-nosed cats, are also refused: British Shorthair, Burmese, Exotic Shorthair, Himalayan, Persian and Scottish Fold. The British Shorthair and Burmese surprise many owners, since they are not usually thought of as flat-faced. If your cat is one of these breeds or a mix, ask the airline before booking rather than finding out at the counter.
Destinations Singapore Airlines will not fly pets to
Because of destination rules, Singapore Airlines does not carry pets as checked baggage into or out of Australia, Brunei, Denpasar (Bali), London Gatwick, Manchester, New Zealand or South Africa, or into London Heathrow, Dubai or Hong Kong. Several of these countries require pets to arrive as manifest cargo instead. If you are moving to one of them, a professional pet shipper is the usual route.
US routes and the SQ21, SQ23 and SQ25 rule
Singapore Airlines says that, for operational reasons, it cannot accept pets on SQ21 from Newark to Singapore or SQ23 from New York to Singapore, the ultra-long nonstop flights. You can travel with your pet from New York to Singapore on SQ25, which stops in Frankfurt. If you are booking from the US, pick the flight number first and only then buy the ticket. Pets also cannot fly on any Boeing 737 operated flight, because those holds have no temperature control.
Weight and crate rules
If the pet and its crate together weigh more than 32 kg, Singapore Airlines asks you to send the pet through a cargo agent rather than as checked baggage, for occupational health and safety reasons. The crate must meet IATA pet container standards. Its maximum height depends on the aircraft: 70 cm on the A350, 60 cm on the A380, 101 cm on the 777 and 111 cm on the 787. The crate needs ventilation on at least three sides, mostly toward the top, food and water containers that are fixed inside or can be filled from outside, and secure fastenings.
The airline gives a sizing formula. Length is the pet's nose-to-tail-base length plus half its ground-to-elbow height. Width is twice the width across the shoulders. Height is the pet's standing height to the top of its head or ear tips. Each pet needs its own crate, except that two puppies or kittens from the same litter, aged three to six months and under 14 kg each, may share. See how to choose a pet transport crate for help measuring.
How to book
Contact Singapore Airlines at least two weeks before departure. The airline asks for the pet's type and breed, sex, name, age, color, weight, crate weight and crate dimensions. Space is confirmed by the airline, so do not assume your pet is booked because your own ticket is. Pregnant pets are not accepted.
Documents the airline asks for
For pets leaving Singapore, the airline asks for an export license, an indemnity form, a veterinary health certificate, a rabies vaccination letter, any transshipment license and a pet passport if you have one. For pets arriving in or transiting Singapore, it asks for an import or transshipment license valid for 90 days, the indemnity form, a veterinary health certificate and vaccination records showing the microchip number. For dogs going to the US, the airline points travelers to the CDC dog import requirements, including the Dog Import Form. Every country has its own rules, so check the departure, transit and destination requirements as well.
Arriving in or transiting Singapore
Singapore's Animal and Veterinary Service runs strict import rules, and all pets entering through Changi are inspected at the Changi Animal and Plant Quarantine Station. Singapore Airlines says import clearance for personal pets must go through an AVS-recognized pet agent, so engage one before your pet arrives. If your pet lands outside the station's opening hours, ground handler SATS holds it in an air-conditioned area with water but does not feed or walk it, so pack enough food and water in the crate for a delay. Transits of more than six hours are handled the same way. Our guide to pet transport to Singapore covers the AVS license and quarantine timeline.
Singapore's own entry rules
The airline's rules sit on top of Singapore's government rules, which are handled by the Animal and Veterinary Service. AVS sorts countries into rabies risk schedules, and the US is in Schedule II. The conditions for each schedule cover vaccinations, blood tests, parasite treatments and post-arrival quarantine, several of which must be done within set time windows, so read the conditions before you start. AVS also keeps its own list of dog and cat breeds that cannot be imported into Singapore, separate from the airline's list, so check both. Owners can apply for home quarantine in some cases; AVS says it reviews those applications within 5 working days and uses smart collar tags to make sure pets stay at the approved address. You need the AVS import license before you fly.
Flying from Singapore to the US
On the return trip, you need AVS export documents and an export license, a health certificate, the rabies vaccination letter and the airline's indemnity form, plus the US requirements. Singapore is not on the CDC list of high-risk rabies countries, so dogs follow the simpler CDC path with a microchip and the Dog Import Form. Singapore Airlines names the SQ21 and SQ23 restriction for flights into Singapore, so ask whether your return flight number accepts pets when you book. For the US side of an international move, see importing a dog into the US.
If your pet is refused: the alternatives
Many families find their pet is ruled out by breed, by weight over 32 kg, by an aircraft type or by a destination such as Australia or Dubai. In those cases the usual answer is manifest cargo booked through a pet shipper, which is also how Singapore Airlines handles heavier pets. A shipper books cargo space, handles AVS or destination paperwork, and can route a pet on a different day from you if needed. Expect to pay more than checked baggage, but for a large dog or a restricted destination it is often the only practical route.
No connections from other airlines
Singapore Airlines does not accept pets travelling to or from other airlines on any of its flights. If you are connecting from a partner, your pet cannot be checked through. Build the whole itinerary on Singapore Airlines flights, or use a cargo shipper that books the pet separately. When connecting to another airline after Singapore Airlines, that airline's rules apply.
Preparing your pet
The airline recommends getting your pet used to its crate a few weeks before departure, by placing it inside with the door closed for about two hours at a time and rewarding it afterward. Put a familiar blanket and absorbent material on the floor. On travel day, give a light meal and a little water about two hours before crating, walk your dog before leaving for the airport, and remove the leash before the pet goes into the crate. Singapore Airlines says not to give any sedatives or tranquilizers before the flight; for why, see should you sedate a dog for travel.
Older pets and very long flights
New York to Singapore via Frankfurt takes well over 18 hours including the stop, and a pet stays in its crate in the hold for all of it. For an older dog or cat, or one with a heart, kidney or airway condition, ask your vet whether that is realistic before you book. A route with a longer stopover where a shipper can check on the pet, or a cargo booking on a shorter itinerary, may be kinder than the most convenient flight for you.
At the airport
Check in at least two hours before departure, or three hours when departing the US, to allow for security screening. Pets check in at the same counter as you, with all documents and the signed indemnity form. The pet waits in baggage storage and goes to the aircraft just before departure to limit weather exposure. During the flight, it can drink from bowls fixed inside the crate, which staff can only refill on the ground. On arrival, collection points and quarantine procedures vary by airport.
What it costs
Pets and their crates do not count toward your free baggage allowance; they are charged as additional baggage, and prepaid or discounted baggage rates do not apply. On flights to and from the US, the pet and its crate count as two extra pieces under the piece concept and are charged separately. On other routes, the charge depends on the total weight of the pet and crate. Extra fees may apply when a pet transits or is transshipped in Singapore, and AVS charges its own license fees.