Vietnam Airlines carries dogs, cats and pet birds, in the cabin, as checked baggage or as cargo. A dog or cat can fly in the cabin only if the pet and its cage weigh 6 kg or less, in a cage no larger than 35 x 30 x 20 cm. Heavier dogs and cats, up to 32 kg with the cage, travel as checked baggage. The rule that matters most for American travelers is simple and strict: Vietnam Airlines does not carry dogs on flights between Vietnam and the United States, in the cabin or as checked baggage. Cats can still fly that route, and the fees to and from the US are the highest in the airline's zone table.
This guide follows Vietnam Airlines' own travelling with pets page and its fee pages for pets in the cabin and pets as checked baggage, as read in October 2026. Rules and fees change, so confirm with Vietnam Airlines before you book, and check the entry rules for every country on your route.
Vietnam Airlines pet rules at a glance
The table brings together the rules and the fees for the zone that includes the United States (Zone D). Fees are in US dollars, exclude VAT and are charged per flight sector.
| Rule | Cabin | Checked baggage |
|---|---|---|
| Animals | Dogs and cats, 10 weeks or older | Dogs, cats (10 weeks or older) and ornamental birds |
| Dogs between Vietnam and the US | Not carried | Not carried |
| Weight | 6 kg pet plus cage | 32 kg pet plus cage |
| Cage size | 35 x 30 x 20 cm | Fits the pet; see container rules |
| Per flight | 1 in A321 Business, 2 in Premium Economy, 2 in Economy | Up to 9 pets |
| Zone D fee (incl. US) | USD 650 per sector | USD 350 (to 9 kg), 450 (9 to 16 kg), 550 (16 to 32 kg) |
| Booking | Through a Vietnam Airlines office at least 24 hours before departure | |
The rule for dogs and the United States
Vietnam Airlines states twice on its pet page, once for the cabin and once for checked baggage, that it does not transport dogs on flights between Vietnam and the United States. That covers both directions. It applies whatever the dog's size or documents, so a small dog that would otherwise qualify for the cabin is refused on these flights too.
Vietnam is on the CDC's list of high-risk countries for dog rabies, and dogs coming into the US from those countries face the strictest rules. If you are moving a dog between the two countries, the realistic options are a specialist pet shipper using cargo on another airline, or an itinerary on a different carrier that accepts dogs on its own route. Our guide to importing a dog into the US explains the CDC process, and the CDC dog import page has the official rules.
Cats are not covered by this ban and can fly the route in the cabin or as checked baggage under the normal rules.
Flying with a pet in the Vietnam Airlines cabin
The cabin option is for small dogs and cats aged 10 weeks or older. Birds cannot fly in the cabin; they have to go as checked baggage. The rules:
- One pet per cage, with the pet and cage together weighing no more than 6 kg. If the total is over 6 kg, the pet has to travel as checked baggage.
- The cage can be no larger than 35 x 30 x 20 cm.
- Limits per flight: 1 pet in Business Class on A321 aircraft (cabin pets are not accepted in Business on the A350 or Boeing 787), 2 in Premium Economy and 2 in Economy.
- The cage sits on the floor in front of your seat for the whole flight.
- You cannot sit in a row next to an emergency exit, and Vietnam Airlines may move you from the seat you bought or chose.
The 6 kg limit and the small cage are tighter than at most airlines, so many cats and only the smallest dogs fit.
Pets as checked baggage
Dogs, cats aged 10 weeks or older and ornamental birds can travel as checked baggage in the hold. The pet and cage together can weigh up to 32 kg; anything heavier has to go as cargo. Each flight carries no more than 9 checked pets, and each passenger can check up to 3.
Normally each container holds one animal. The exceptions are two pets that have lived together, if their combined weight with the kennel is no more than 14 kg; a pet under 6 months travelling with its mother; and two birds in one cage covered with fabric.
Container rules
For the cabin or the hold, the container must let the pet move around, stand, sit and lie down comfortably. It can be made of fibreglass, metal, rigid plastic, welded metal mesh, solid wood or plywood, though wooden containers are only accepted for cats, not dogs. One whole end must be the door, covered with securely fixed bars and locked; you can add plastic ties to secure it. The floor must be solid and leak-proof, wheels removed or folded, the inside smooth with no sharp edges, and water and food containers firmly attached. Our guide to choosing a pet transport crate explains sizing.
Vietnam Airlines pet fees by zone
Fees are based on the total weight of the pet and cage, exclude VAT and apply only to flights operated by Vietnam Airlines. The airline groups countries into zones: Zone A is Vietnam's neighbors in Southeast Asia plus Hong Kong and Macao; Zone B is China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, India, Sri Lanka and the rest of Asia; Zone C is Europe, Africa and the Middle East; and Zone D includes Russia, Australia and the United States.
Cabin fees per flight sector are USD 300 in Zone A, USD 400 in Zone B, USD 600 in Zone C and USD 650 in Zone D, or VND 5,000,000 within Vietnam. Checked baggage fees by weight band are:
- Up to 9 kg: USD 100 (A), 200 (B), 300 (C), 350 (D), or VND 1,000,000 domestic.
- Over 9 kg to 16 kg: USD 150, 250, 400, 450, or VND 1,500,000.
- Over 16 kg to 32 kg: USD 250, 300, 500, 550, or VND 2,000,000.
An unusual detail: on Vietnam Airlines, the cabin costs more than the hold. A cat in the cabin to the US costs USD 650, while the same cat in a light cage as checked baggage costs USD 350.
Destinations with special rules
Vietnam Airlines lists several countries where the usual options do not apply:
- Australia: pets are not accepted in the cabin or as checked baggage. See our guide to pet transport to Australia.
- United Kingdom: flights to the UK take animals only as cargo; flights from the UK take them as checked baggage or cargo.
- Singapore: every arriving pet is cleared by the quarantine office before it is handed over. The flight should land at least 1.5 to 2 hours before the office closes. Pets on flights VN655, VN657 and on weekend or public holiday arrivals are held overnight at the owner's expense until the next working day. Our guide to pet transport to Singapore covers the entry rules.
How to book and what happens at the airport
Contact a Vietnam Airlines branch or sales office to book the pet at least 24 hours before departure. At the airport, arrive at least 2 hours before your flight and sign a Waiver of Liability form, which you can also download and fill in beforehand. Vietnam Airlines can ask for a certificate of acclimation, or refuse to carry a pet, if the weather is very hot or cold. Feed the pet at least 4 to 6 hours before departure, and on flights over 12 hours fill the water container no more than two-thirds full.
Bring the exit and entry quarantine certificates, a health certificate and any other documents the departure and destination countries require. Vietnam Airlines also advises checking the pet's health over the day or two before the flight, and asking a vet if it has never flown before.
Pets Vietnam Airlines will not carry
Pregnant pets are refused, and pets must be healthy, fully vaccinated and free of any unpleasant smell, whether they fly in the cabin or as checked baggage. So are certain dog and cat breeds that Vietnam Airlines considers vulnerable to temperature, humidity, light, pressure and noise; the airline publishes the list as a separate document, so check it before booking a flat-faced breed. A pet that disturbs passengers or crew can be refused or moved to the hold by the captain. Our guide to snub-nosed breeds and flying explains the wider picture.
Service dogs
Passengers with reduced mobility can bring a trained service dog without paying a fee, but it must be reserved in advance. The dog wears a muzzle, lead or similar device throughout the flight, sits in front of its owner and must have its documents ready.
A sample plan: a cat from Los Angeles to Ho Chi Minh City
Say you are moving with a 4 kg cat. With a light cage, the total may squeeze under 6 kg, but the 35 x 30 x 20 cm limit is small, so measure the cat lying down and standing before choosing the cabin. If the cage would be too tight, checked baggage is kinder and cheaper. A workable order:
- Ask your vet about Vietnam's entry requirements for cats and get the health certificate and any export endorsement in the right window.
- Book your seat on a Vietnam Airlines-operated flight.
- Contact a Vietnam Airlines office at least 24 hours before departure, giving the cage size and the total weight of cat and cage.
- Budget USD 650 for the cabin or USD 350 as checked baggage (up to 9 kg), excluding VAT.
- Arrive at least 2 hours early and sign the waiver at the counter.
If you need to move a dog between Vietnam and the US
Because Vietnam Airlines will not carry dogs on this route, plan the move around another carrier from the start. Many families use a specialist pet relocation company, which books the dog as cargo and handles the export certificate in Vietnam and the US entry steps. Others route through a hub on an airline that accepts dogs as checked baggage, though that means meeting the rules of the hub country too. Either way, start early: a dog coming from a high-risk rabies country needs a CDC-approved rabies titer and other steps, and some US airports cannot receive these dogs at all. Check whether your arrival airport has a CDC-registered animal care facility before you book anything.
Getting your pet ready for a long-haul flight
Flights between Vietnam and the US or Europe are long. Get the pet used to its cage at home over a couple of weeks, with a familiar blanket inside. Follow the airline's feeding guidance of a meal 4 to 6 hours before departure, and on flights over 12 hours fill the water container no more than two-thirds. Ask your vet before giving any calming product, since sedation can make it harder for a pet to cope in the hold.
Common mistakes with Vietnam Airlines pet bookings
- Planning to fly a dog between Vietnam and the US; the airline does not carry dogs on that route.
- Assuming the cabin is cheaper than checked baggage; on Vietnam Airlines it is not.
- Using a cage over 35 x 30 x 20 cm or a total weight over 6 kg for a cabin pet.
- Arriving in Singapore on a weekend or late flight and facing an overnight hold.
- Using a wooden crate for a dog.
Vietnam Airlines compared with nearby options
For flights between Asia and the US with a dog, other carriers may be the only route. EVA Air and China Airlines both fly pets in the hold only, with their own aircraft and seasonal limits, while Singapore Airlines carries cats and dogs as checked baggage on some US routes.