SWISS (Swiss International Air Lines) carries dogs and cats in the cabin and in the hold on any part of its network. Pets up to 8 kg including the carrier fly in the cabin; heavier pets go in the hold as excess baggage. On a long-haul flight such as New York to Zurich, the cabin fee is USD 145 to 165 and the hold fee is USD 225 or USD 445 depending on crate size, one way. Two rules stand out. Snub-nosed breeds can only ever fly in the cabin, never in the hold. And for dogs flying into the US, SWISS currently accepts new bookings only to a short list of US airports.
This guide is based on the SWISS travelling with animals page and its animal travel FAQ as read in October 2026. Confirm details with the SWISS Service Centre before you fly.
SWISS pet rules at a glance
The table sets out the main limits and the long-haul fees from the published fee table.
| Rule | Cabin | Hold |
|---|---|---|
| Animals accepted | Dogs and cats | Dogs and cats that are not snub-nosed |
| Weight | Up to 8 kg including soft carrier | Over 8 kg, or a carrier too large for the cabin |
| Container | Soft carrier up to 55 x 40 x 23 cm (118 cm total) | IATA crate, sizes 1 to 5 (up to 125 x 75 x 85 cm) |
| Long-haul fee, one way | USD 145 to 165 | USD 225 (crate size 1), USD 445 (sizes 2 to 5) |
| Europe fee, one way | USD 95 to 115 | USD 120 (size 1), USD 235 (sizes 2 to 5) |
| Transfer surcharge | None | USD 170 when connecting via Zurich, Geneva, Frankfurt or Vienna |
| Minimum age | 12 weeks (dogs flying into the US: 6 months) | |
| Per passenger | Up to 2 animals: one in the cabin and one in the hold, or two in the hold | |
Dogs flying to the US on SWISS
Since the CDC's dog import rules changed on August 1, 2024, SWISS has limited where it will fly dogs in the US. New bookings for dogs entering the USA are accepted only to Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK, Philadelphia and Washington DC. SWISS has also reinstated Newark, provided the dog has not been in a high-risk rabies country in the six months before entry. Dogs going to any other US airport have to travel as air freight through an animal forwarding agent.
Dogs must be at least 6 months old to fly into the US with SWISS. You also complete the CDC Dog Import Form and bring the confirmation, on paper or on your phone, to check-in and to US entry. SWISS says carriage is refused if the CDC documents are missing at check-in. The CDC dog import page has the full rules, and our guide to importing a dog into the US explains them in plain terms.
One practical point: cabin pets on flights to and from the USA cannot be added online through My bookings. For US flights you register the pet through a separate SWISS form or by contacting the Service Centre.
Flying with a pet in the SWISS cabin
Dogs and cats weighing up to 8 kg including their travel carrier can fly in the cabin. The carrier must be soft-sided, clean, leak-proof and scratch-resistant, and no larger than 118 cm in total (55 x 40 x 23 cm) so it fits under the seat in front. The pet must stay inside the closed carrier for the whole time on board. If the carrier does not fit under the seat, crew may stow it, with the pet inside, in a wardrobe or overhead bin for taxi, take-off, landing and turbulence.
No pets are accepted in First or Business on the Airbus A350-900, because of the seat design. On other aircraft, Business is possible if space allows.
For every flight with a cabin pet, SWISS asks you to confirm the pet meets its conditions on a form. Bring two printed, signed copies to the check-in desk. If you are preparing a small dog for its first flight, see our guide to flying with a dog in the cabin.
Flying with a pet in the SWISS hold
Dogs and cats over 8 kg, or in a carrier too big for the cabin, travel in the air-conditioned hold, provided they are not snub-nosed. SWISS says temperature and air pressure in the hold are comfortable even on long flights. You cannot visit the pet during the flight.
Check in together with your pet at least 2 hours, but no more than 3 hours, before departure. The pet must be clean, healthy, not dangerous and not pregnant. Animals other than dogs and cats are not accepted in the hold; some species can travel as freight instead.
The new crate rule from May 4, 2026
SWISS now enforces stricter IATA crate standards for checked pets. From May 4, 2026, ventilation openings may be no bigger than 25 x 25 mm for dogs and 19 x 19 mm for cats, or must be covered with mesh so no paw or nose can poke through. SWISS says non-compliant kennels will be refused at check-in, and it warns that many crates bought before 2024 do not meet the rules. Only a few airports sell compliant crates, so buy and check yours well before travel.
The rest of the crate rules follow IATA: a solid, watertight top (no wire tops), sturdy construction with the two halves screwed together, a secure door (cable ties recommended), ventilation on all four sides with the side and rear holes in the top two-thirds, spacers or handles so the vents are not blocked, absorbent bedding, and food and water bowls fixed to the crate. Wire and wire-mesh crates are not allowed, and wheels must be removed or disabled.
SWISS publishes five crate sizes: size 1 is 57 x 37 x 36 cm (about 4 kg), size 2 is 71 x 50 x 51 cm, size 3 is 82 x 57 x 60 cm, size 4 is 93 x 65 x 68 cm and size 5 is 125 x 75 x 85 cm (about 14 kg empty). The fee depends on which size you use. Our guide on choosing a pet transport crate explains how to measure your dog.
SWISS pet fees in detail
Pets are never part of your baggage allowance; they are always charged as excess baggage, per animal, per one-way flight. SWISS groups routes into zones:
- Within Switzerland: cabin USD 80 to 100; hold USD 95 (size 1) or USD 190 (sizes 2 to 5).
- Europe: cabin USD 95 to 115; hold USD 120 or USD 235.
- Levant and North Africa: cabin USD 110 to 130; hold USD 155 or USD 305.
- Short-haul intercontinental: cabin USD 120 to 140; hold USD 175 or USD 350.
- Medium-haul intercontinental: cabin USD 135 to 155; hold USD 200 or USD 395.
- Long-haul intercontinental: cabin USD 145 to 165; hold USD 225 or USD 445.
- To and from Japan: cabin USD 250; hold USD 290 or USD 445.
On top of that, a hold animal that transfers via Zurich, Geneva, Frankfurt or Vienna pays a supplement of USD 170 (EUR 150 or CHF 170) for tickets issued after April 1, 2021. So a large dog flying from Chicago to Athens with a Zurich connection would pay the hold fees for each leg plus the transfer supplement. Fees are paid at check-in.
Snub-nosed breeds: cabin only
SWISS treats flat-faced breeds as too sensitive to temperature and stress for the hold, so it accepts them only in the cabin, which in practice means only if they are small enough to fit the 8 kg limit. The list covers these dogs: Affenpinscher, American Bully, all Bulldogs except the American Bulldog, all Pugs, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Brussels Griffon, Bullmastiff, Bull Terrier (except the Miniature Bull Terrier), Chow Chow, English Toy Spaniel, Japanese Chin, King Charles Spaniel, Lhasa Apso, Pekingese, Pit Bull, Shar Pei, Shih Tzu, Staffordshire Bull Terrier and Tibetan Spaniel. The cats are British Shorthair, Exotic Shorthair, Himalayan, Persian and Scottish Fold. Crossbreeds of any of these are included.
That means a 25 kg Boxer or a French Bulldog over 8 kg cannot fly with SWISS at all as baggage. Our guide to snub-nosed breeds and flying covers the alternatives.
Dangerous dog breeds
SWISS classes the American Bulldog, American Bully, Caucasian Ovcharka, Dogo Argentino, Kangal (Anatolian Shepherd) and Rottweiler as dangerous breeds, including crossbreeds. These dogs cannot fly in the cabin and must travel in a special reinforced cargo crate built to IATA Container Requirement 82: a frame of wooden or steel beams at least 25 x 25 mm, solid wood walls at least 12 mm thick, mesh-covered vents, door stops, a lock that can be secured with a cable tie and handles on both long sides. Puppies aged 3 to 6 months are exempt. The American Bully is effectively prohibited, because it is also on the snub-nosed list.
Countries where pets must go as cargo
Some countries only allow animals to be imported as cargo. SWISS names Hong Kong, Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and South Africa. Animals travelling without a human companion also go as cargo, booked through Swiss WorldCargo, and may or may not be on your flight depending on capacity.
Entering Switzerland
When you fly directly into Switzerland, customs checks the pet at the airport. If it does not meet the entry rules, the Border Veterinary Service can confiscate it and send it back to its country of origin at the owner's expense. Switzerland follows the EU pet movement rules, which the European Commission sets out on its pet movement page: a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination given after the microchip, and the right health certificate or pet passport. Our guide to pet transport to Switzerland has the full checklist for a move from the US.
Assistance dogs
SWISS carries one assistance dog per passenger free of charge, in the cabin, with no size or weight limit and no container required, as long as the dog fits in front of the seat. It must be trained to behave in public; a dog that barks, growls or jumps at people can be refused or moved to cargo at the owner's cost. You need a training certificate from an ADI, ADEu or IGDF accredited organisation, or a detailed certificate from a trainer. The cabin pet form is not needed for assistance dogs on direct US flights.
A sample plan: a 30 kg dog from Zurich to Los Angeles
Say you are moving home to Los Angeles after a posting in Switzerland with a 30 kg Labrador. Los Angeles is on the SWISS list of accepted US airports, so the dog can fly on your nonstop as checked baggage. Start by confirming the dog is at least 6 months old, microchipped and has not been in a high-risk rabies country in the last six months. Complete the CDC Dog Import Form and save the confirmation. Contact the SWISS Service Centre to register the dog in the hold, since US pet bookings are not made online. Buy a crate that meets the May 2026 vent rules, likely a size 4 or 5, and get the dog used to it. On the day, arrive between two and three hours before departure. Expect USD 445 for the hold, one way, paid at check-in.
If the same dog were heading to Dallas instead, it would not qualify for a SWISS passenger booking into the US. You would either fly into one of the listed airports and drive or connect domestically, or book the dog as air freight through an animal forwarding agent.
Common mistakes
- Arriving with an older crate whose vents are larger than the 2026 limits.
- Booking a flat-faced dog over 8 kg, which SWISS cannot carry in the cabin or the hold.
- Booking a dog into a US airport that is not on the SWISS list.
- Forgetting the two signed copies of the cabin pet form.
- Choosing Business on an A350-900 with a cabin pet.
- Arriving more than three hours early with a hold pet, before the counter will accept it.
Lounges and connections
Dogs and cats may come into SWISS lounges but should stay in their crate or carrier. Because SWISS is part of the Lufthansa Group, many itineraries combine SWISS with Lufthansa or Austrian flights; check each carrier's rules for every segment.