Depending on animal breed and size, they can travel as a carry-on or be transported through American Airlines Cargo. Carry-on pets are limited to cats and dogs that meet the size, age and destination requirements.
We only accept checked pets at the ticket counter for active-duty U.S. Military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling on official orders. Fees and restrictions apply.
Fully-trained service dogs may fly in the cabin at no charge if they meet the requirements.
You can travel with a pet on most flights up to 12 hours or flights to / from select locations:
*Additional special restrictions may apply when traveling with pets to / from these destinations.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sets the requirements for bringing dogs into the United States. These rules apply to all dogs, including service dogs, and returning pets. All customers, regardless of citizenship, must follow the CDC’s requirements.
Check the CDC's guidelines for detailed information on bringing dogs into the U.S., including the latest updates.
New requirements take effect on August 1, 2024, and depend on your dog's travel history in the six months prior to arriving to the U.S. Dogs arriving from high-risk countries for rabies have additional requirements.
Bring all required documents and forms to the airport and present them at check-in.
American does not accept dogs as carry-on pets if they originate from or have visited a high-risk country for rabies in the six months prior to the date of travel. This restriction does not apply to service dogs that meet CDC requirements.
If your dog is coming from a country with screwworm, it must meet specific requirements set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
The Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources does not accept applications to import assistance or service animals of any species other than dogs.
An assistance or service dog which is accredited by an Australian State or Territory Government will also qualify. In most cases these animals are returning to Australia.
You’ll be responsible for fulfilling all entry requirements and must notify the department of the dog’s intended arrival at least 3 working days before export.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has issued a suspension on the import of commercial dogs from countries at high-risk for dog rabies.
Commercial dogs will not be permitted to enter Canada from the identified high-risk countries.
You cannot travel with a carry-on pet when traveling to Jamaica.
When traveling with a pet to Trinidad and Tobago (POS), you cannot arrive on a flight before 8 a.m. or after 4 p.m.
Pets traveling within the U.S. and Puerto Rico must be at least 8 weeks old.
All dogs (carry-on and checked) traveling to the U.S. must meet government regulations on vaccinations.
Requirements Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines.
You cannot travel with a carry-on pet when traveling to / from Hawaii.
You can travel with your pet to Hawaii as a checked pet if you:
*No pets are accepted on departures out of Honolulu prior to 8 a.m. HT between March 5 and November 1.
You cannot travel with your pet to Hawaii:
All pets traveling to Mexico must meet government regulations on vaccinations.
You cannot travel with a carry-on pet when traveling to / from:
You cannot travel with a carry-on pet on transatlantic trips.
When traveling to the European Union (EU) with a checked pet, you’ll be responsible for completing all entry requirements. Your pet must have a tattoo or implanted microchip that matches the ID number on their vaccination card.
Apart from service animals, you can't travel with a checked pet to the U.K. or Ireland, but you can transport dogs and cats to London (LHR) and Manchester (MAN) with American Airlines Cargo.
You cannot travel with a carry-on pet on transpacific trips.
Although you can travel with a checked pet from Japan to Los Angeles (LAX) or Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), pets are not allowed as checked bags to Japan. According to USDA restrictions, animals should be offered water every 12 hours, so for travel with a checked pet to LAX or DFW, you must book a flight 12 hours or less.
If you’re traveling with a checked pet for travel from Japan, you’ll need to:
On flights with American you can bring one pet carrier as a carry-on if:
You can bring only one additional item on board with your pet:
Remember, you can only bring one with your pet carrier, not both.
Pet strollers must be checked at the ticket counter, and all checked bag fees apply.
To add a carry-on pet to your trip, follow these steps:
At the airport, go to the American ticket counter to pay the fee and ensure your pet and kennel meet the requirements.
We assume no liability for the health or well-being of carry-on pets. These rules are enforced:
| Pet carrier type | Aircraft type | Dimensions (length + width + height) |
|---|---|---|
| Soft-sided (recommended) | All flights | 18 x 11 x 11 inches / 46 x 28 x 28 centimeters |
| Hard-sided | American Mainline flights | 19 x 13 x 9 inches / 48 x 33 x 22 centimeters |
| Hard-sided | American Eagle flights | 16 x 12 x 8 inches / 40 x 30 x 20 centimeters |
| Type of aircraft | Premium Cabin | Main Cabin |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing - B777-200 Boeing - B777-300ER Boeing - B787-8 Boeing - B787-9 |
Not permitted due to lack of under seat storage space. | A maximum of 20 pet carriers across all cabins. (excluding service animals) |
| Airbus – A321T (3 cabin) | 2 dedicated animal-friendly compartments at the front of the plane. No under seat stowage in First. Only smaller, soft-sided carriers will fit in Business. The total weight of your pet and its carrier must not exceed 20 pounds (9.07 kilograms). We will weigh them at check-in. |
A maximum of 20 pet carriers across all cabins. (excluding service animals) |
| Airbus – A319 Airbus – A320 Airbus – A321 Airbus – A321NEO Boeing – B737 |
– Not available | A maximum of 20 pet carriers across all cabins (excluding service animals) |
| American Eagle CRJ-900 CRJ-700 CRJ-200 ERJ-190 ERJ-175 ERJ-145 |
A maximum of 1 pet carrier. (excluding service animals) |
A maximum of 5 pet carriers. (excluding service animals) |
The type of plane you’re flying determines where you can sit with your carry-on pet.
Carry-on pets are not permitted in these seats due to FAA safety requirements or because there is a lack of under-seat storage:
If you’re flying in First or Business on a 3-cabin Airbus A321T, you must place the carrier in the dedicated animal-friendly compartment at the front of the plane.
As recommended by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), we don’t accept pets that have been sedated or tranquilized. Pets that have been given sedatives or tranquilizers are at a higher risk of respiratory and cardiovascular problems at high altitudes.
If your pet is too large to fly in the cabin, it must travel with American Airlines Cargo. Keep in mind, we only accept checked pets for active-duty U.S. Military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling on official orders, and the pet carrier must meet all kennel guidelines for checked-pets. If you don’t meet these requirements, your pet may not travel. Fees and restrictions apply.
We only accept checked pets for active-duty U.S. military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling on official orders. Up to 2 pets may be checked and they must meet the minimum age and health requirements of the destination. Since capacity is limited, we accept checked pets on a first-come basis.
When checking a pet, you need to:
Reservations and ticket changes
To ensure the health and safety of your pet, the health certificate you provide must be issued by a vet within:
American Airlines Cargo offers the American PetEmbark® service for pets that don’t qualify to travel as carry-on or checked pets.
When checking in your pet, there are specific requirements for their kennel:
If you travel with 2 of your pets in the same kennel, they must be:
Checked pets cannot travel on:
| Aircraft type | Maximum kennel height |
|---|---|
| A321T | 46 inches / 117 cm |
| B737-800 | 28 inches / 71.12 cm |
| B777-200 / 300 | 40 inches / 101.6 cm |
| B787-800 / 900 | 40 inches / 101.6 cm |
We don’t accept brachycephalic cats of any 'mix' as checked pets, such as:
Cats must be at least 8 weeks old when traveling within the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
We don’t accept brachycephalic or snub-nosed dogs of any 'mix' as checked pets, such as:
Dogs must be at least 8 weeks old when traveling within the U.S. and Puerto Rico. If you're traveling into the U.S., your dog's age and vaccine requirements depend on the risk of dog rabies where your trip starts. Dogs arriving from high-risk countries need to be at least 16 weeks old and have their rabies shots before traveling into the U.S.
Check if your trip starts in a high-risk country.
If you’re traveling on a connecting flight, checked pets will only be able to connect through these cities:
Due to Federal Regulations, you’ll need to provide written certification that:
You’ll also need to provide feeding and watering instructions for a 24-hour period. Unless specified by a vet, you cannot leave instructions saying 'no food or water.'
As recommended by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), we don’t accept pets that have been sedated or tranquilized. Pets that have been given sedatives or tranquilizers are at a higher risk of respiratory and cardiovascular problems at high altitudes.
If you’re flying with American Airlines, you can pay your pet travel fee at the airport or at a travel center with a credit card or paper voucher (where accepted). We don’t accept cash or checks for payment.
We don’t collect pet fees for other operating airlines on your trip (even if it has an American flight number). You’ll need to check in with each airline and pay your fees at check-in. To find out if you're on a partner airline, look for the words, "Operated by" on your ticket.
| Service | Region | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Checked pet for Active-duty U.S. Military and State Department personnel only* | Within and between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean, Europe and from the United Kingdom | $200 per kennel $150 to/from Brazil |
| Cargo pet | Varies | Varies, Fees will be confirmed at time of booking. |
| Carry-on pet | Within and between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean (based on specific country's entry policy) | $150 per kennel |
| Service animals | All destinations | No charge |
*Fees shown apply for each destination without a voluntary stopover / connection of 4 hours or more. If your trip includes a voluntary stopover / connection of more than 4 hours, fees apply for each connection segment. All pet fees are non-refundable and apply per kennel, each way. Fees for transporting your pet with American Airlines Cargo may vary depending on the trip details and size of the animal and kennel.
Find out how much you'll pay for pet and other fees on roundtrip and one-way flights departing Canada, displayed in CAD.
We have temperature restrictions to make sure checked pets and pets traveling with American Airlines Cargo aren’t exposed to extreme heat or cold:
You cannot travel with a pet if the current or forecasted temperature is above 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29.4 degrees C) at any location on the itinerary.
Pets not traveling in cabin cannot travel to / through / from Phoenix (PHX), Tucson (TUS), Las Vegas (LAS) or Palm Springs (PSP) May 1 – September 30.
You cannot travel with a pet if the ground temperature is below 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7.2 degrees C) at any location on the itinerary.
We may waive the cold temperature restrictions if you have a written letter from a licensed vet that includes:
The letter must be dated:
You may need an additional letter for lengthy trips. If the temperature is below 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-6.6 degrees C), your pet cannot be checked even with a letter from your vet.
Find helpful information if your trip includes 1 or more flights with our partner airlines.
