Thai Airways doesn't allow pets in the cabin. Dogs and cats can fly in the hold as checked baggage on the same flight as you, and that costs USD 320 for a pet and container up to 32 kg, or USD 540 from 32 to 70 kg, on international flights. Thai refuses 34 dog breeds in the hold, including all the common flat faced ones, and won't carry pets as baggage on a list of routes that includes Australia, Hong Kong and Dubai. These rules come from Thai's own pets as checked baggage page, with fees that took effect on March 2, 2026.
Thai calls a checked pet AVIH, short for animal in hold. If your pet is any other kind of animal, such as a rabbit or a bird, it can only travel as cargo through Thai's cargo department.
Most pages about Thai's pet rules are old. Several still mention cabin pets or older fees. The current pages are clear that pets aren't allowed in the cabin, with exceptions only for some assistance dogs.
Thai Airways pet rules at a glance
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Pets in cabin | Not allowed, except guide, hearing and some assistance dogs |
| Animals in the hold | Dogs and cats only |
| Minimum age | Over 4 months on international flights, none on Thai domestic flights |
| Maximum weight | 70 kg including the container |
| International fee, up to 32 kg | USD 320 (THB 11,120 from Bangkok) |
| International fee, 32 to 70 kg | USD 540 (THB 18,765 from Bangkok) |
| Thai domestic fee | THB 1,500 up to 70 kg |
| Booking deadline | Request complete at least 3 working days before |
| Check in | At least 2 hours before departure |
| Not on | A320 aircraft |
The fee is per animal, based on the combined weight of the pet and container and the direction of travel. It isn't part of your baggage allowance, and it is non refundable, whether you cancel all or part of the trip. For trips that start in Bangkok or stay inside Thailand, Thai charges in baht. For other international trips, it charges in US dollars, converted to local currency on the day.
Why Thai doesn't take pets in the cabin
Thai's pets in cabin page says pets in the cabin are generally not permitted, for safety and regulatory reasons. A small dog or cat that would ride under the seat on many other airlines has to go in the hold on Thai, or travel with a different carrier.
If you want your small pet next to you, look at airlines that take cabin pets on your route. In the region, Asiana and Korean Air both allow pets up to 7 kg in the cabin on their own flights. Our Asiana pet policy guide has the details. Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific, on the other hand, don't take cabin pets either.
Assistance dogs in the cabin
Thai makes three exceptions. Guide dogs for blind passengers and hearing dogs for deaf passengers fly free in the cabin on all Thai flights. Other assistance dogs that help a passenger with a disability, for example with seizures, a heart condition or diabetes, fly free only on flights to and from Europe, under EU law, and to and from the US, under US Department of Transportation rules.
Thai recommends the dog wears a harness. For flights over eight hours, it may ask for papers showing the dog won't need to relieve itself on board or cause a sanitation problem. The dog doesn't take a seat. It lies next to you, but not in an exit row. Contact your local Thai office at least 48 hours ahead to set it up.
Thai's US page also says emotional support dogs can fly free between Bangkok and Los Angeles, with a letter from a licensed mental health professional no more than a year old. Be careful with that one. Thai's Thailand site says the airline doesn't currently fly to or from the US, so check whether the route is running on your dates before you rely on it.
Flying a dog or cat in the hold
Thai checks your pet in at the passenger terminal and hands it back at the arrival airport, on the same flight as you. It travels in a temperature controlled part of the hold, just under the passenger cabin.
Only one animal can go in each container. The exception is two puppies, two small dogs or two kittens, which can share as long as their total weight is no more than 10 kg. Pets must be healthy and not pregnant.
Thai's AVIH service isn't available on A320 aircraft, which it uses on some regional routes. Check the aircraft before you book, because a change of plane can stop the pet from flying.
The container
You have to supply a container suitable for air travel. Thai says it must be strong, leak proof, clean and disinfected, with a layer of absorbent material on the bottom, such as wood shavings or sawdust. Hay and straw aren't allowed. The pet needs room to stand, lie down and turn around naturally.
You also have to pack enough food and water for the whole journey, including any transit or transfer time. Thai asks you to contact your local office for container specifications. Most owners use a hard plastic crate built to the IATA Live Animals Regulations, since that is the standard airlines and border officials expect. Our guide on how to choose a pet transport crate covers sizing.
The 34 banned dog breeds
Thai doesn't accept 34 dog breeds as checked baggage. Some are short nosed, and Thai says those dogs have a higher risk of breathing problems and death at altitude or in hot or cold sorting areas. Others are on the list for different reasons. The full list is:
- Affenpinscher, Brussels Griffon, Japanese Chin and Japanese Spaniel
- American Bulldog, American Bully, Bulldog, English Bulldog, French Bulldog and Olde English Bulldog
- American Pit Bull Terrier, Pit Bull, American Staffordshire Terrier, English Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier and Bull Terrier
- Boston Terrier and Boxer, all breeds
- Pug, Chinese Pug, Dutch Pug and Japanese Pug
- Cavalier Spaniel, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, King Charles Spaniel, English Toy Spaniel and Tibetan Spaniel
- Chow Chow, Lhasa Apso, Pekinese, Shar Pei and Shih Tzu
- Dogue de Bordeaux, Mastiff, all breeds, and Spanish Alano
Thai says owners of these breeds should contact its cargo department, which may be able to take them under cargo rules. Our guide to the snub nosed dog breed flying ban explains the health reasons behind lists like this.
Routes where Thai won't carry pets as baggage
Because of quarantine and other local rules, Thai doesn't carry pets as checked baggage:
- On flights to Auckland, Denpasar (Bali), Dubai and Hong Kong
- On flights to or from Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney
- On any flight operated by an A320
On flights to or from London, a pet and container over 32 kg has to go as cargo. These destinations generally require pets to arrive as manifested cargo through approved agents, so the airline can't simply take them as baggage.
How to book
Make the request at least three working days before the flight, and make sure it is complete by then, with the pet's details and container size. The fee has to be assessed and paid before you board. On the day, arrive at the check in counter at least two hours before departure.
You are also responsible for the entry, health and transit documents for every country on the trip. Thai notes that no documents are needed for a Thai domestic flight, but every international trip needs them.
Taking a pet into Thailand
Dogs and cats entering Thailand need an import permit from Thailand's livestock department, issued before you travel, plus a microchip, rabies vaccination and a health certificate issued close to departure. Thailand only clears pets at certain airports, and cargo clearance runs on set hours. Our guide to pet transport to Thailand sets out the full list and timeline.
Bringing a dog from Thailand to the US
Thailand is on the CDC's list of countries at high risk for dog rabies. A dog that has been in Thailand in the past six months has stricter entry rules for the US than one coming from a low risk country, including a rabies antibody test or a stay at a CDC registered animal care facility on arrival. Start with the CDC dog import page and our guide to importing a dog into the US. Plan this well before the return flight.
Getting from the US to Thailand with a pet
Most US travellers reach Bangkok with a connection, and that shapes the pet plan. Pets generally can't be transferred between two different airlines on one ticket, so the simplest route is one airline from start to finish. A few options from the US:
- Korean Air or Asiana through Seoul. Both take small pets in the cabin up to 7 kg and larger pets in the hold, all the way to Bangkok on their own flights.
- Japan Airlines or ANA through Tokyo. Neither takes pets in the cabin, and ANA refuses many short nosed breeds in summer. See our Japan Airlines pet policy guide.
- Thai from a European or Asian gateway. If you are already flying to Europe or elsewhere in Asia, Thai can carry the pet in the hold on the last leg, as long as the route isn't on its excluded list.
Splitting the trip across two airlines with separate tickets is possible, but you have to collect the pet, clear customs if required, and check it in again. That needs a long layover and, in many countries, a transit permit. A pet shipper can book the whole journey as cargo instead, which is often simpler for big dogs or banned breeds.
When cargo makes more sense
Cargo is the only Thai option for animals other than dogs and cats, for the 34 banned breeds where cargo will take them, for pets over 70 kg with the container, and for the routes Thai won't serve as baggage. It is also the usual route if you aren't flying on the same plane as your pet. Cargo is booked through Thai Cargo or an agent, costs more, and needs the export and import papers lodged ahead of time. The upside is that agents deal with the clearance at both ends, which helps in Thailand, where pets are only cleared at set airports and set hours.
Heat on the ground in Bangkok
Bangkok is hot all year, often above 32 C in the afternoon. The hold itself is temperature controlled, but a pet can spend time on the apron and in sorting areas while the plane is loaded and unloaded. Choose flights that land or leave in the early morning or at night where you can, give the pet a light meal several hours before the flight, and freeze a water bowl so it melts slowly in the crate. Never use sedatives. Many airlines refuse sedated animals, and vets generally advise against sedation for air travel.
Is Thai a good choice for a pet?
For a dog or cat that would ride in the hold anyway, Thai's rules are clear and the fee is fixed. The limits are the route list, the breed list and the lack of cabin pets. If you have a small pet you would rather keep with you, or a flat faced breed, another airline will usually suit you better. If you are moving to or from a destination on the excluded list, plan for cargo through a pet shipper from the start.
Thai also flies a lot of connecting itineraries through Bangkok. A pet checked to a final destination stays in the hold through the connection, so a long layover means a long wait for the animal. Pick the shortest legal connection you can, and ask Thai how pets are handled at Suvarnabhumi during the transfer. If the layover is long, ask where the pet waits between flights and whether anyone checks on it with water.