PetFlightCheck

American Airlines Pet Policy (2026): Fees, Carrier Size & Rules

Yes. American allows dogs and cats in the cabin on domestic and international flights for $150 each way, per kennel. The carrier must fit under the seat in front of you, up to 18 × 11 × 11 in (soft-sided), with other sizes for other carriers or aircraft listed below.

Last verified against American's official pages

How to add your dog to a booking

  1. Find your trip on aa.com or in the American app.
  2. In the Additional Services section, select "Add carry-on pets", agree to the requirements, choose the flights your pet will be on and confirm.
  3. At the airport, go to the American ticket counter to pay the fee and have your pet and carrier checked against the requirements.
  4. On board, keep your pet in the carrier under the seat in front of you for the entire flight.

Source: Traveling with pets

Pet fee

$150

Within and between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean

each way, per kennel

  • Pay at the airport or a travel center with a credit card or paper voucher (where accepted). No cash or checks.
  • Pet fees are nonrefundable.
  • A stopover or connection of 4 hours or more means the fee applies again for each connection segment.
  • American doesn't collect pet fees for flights operated by partner airlines. You pay each airline at its own check-in.

Source: Traveling with pets

Carrier size and weight

American doesn't publish a weight limit for pets in the cabin. What matters is the carrier: your pet has to fit inside it, and it has to fit under the seat in front of you. The one exception: in First and Business on a 3-cabin Airbus A321T, your pet and carrier together can't weigh more than 20 lbs (9.07 kg).

Soft-sided carrier (recommended)

All flights

18 × 11 × 11 in

≈ 46 × 28 × 28 cm (L × W × H)

Hard-sided carrier

American Mainline flights

19 × 13 × 9 in

≈ 48 × 33 × 23 cm (L × W × H)

Hard-sided carrier

American Eagle flights

16 × 12 × 8 in

≈ 41 × 30 × 20 cm (L × W × H)

  • Soft-sided carriers are recommended. Your pet must fit comfortably inside the closed carrier, and a non-collapsible kennel can't be bigger than the under-seat space of any plane on your trip.
  • Your pet carrier plus one other item: either a personal item or a carry-on bag, not both.
  • Pets must be at least 8 weeks old.
  • The number of pets allowed on each flight depends on the aircraft.
  • 1 carrier per passenger.

Where you can sit

  • Not in bulkhead seats
  • Not in exit row seats
  • Not in First or Business on the Boeing 777-200, 777-300ER, 787-8 or 787-9
  • Not in seat 13D on the Airbus A321neo
  • Not in row 11 on the Airbus A321XLR
  • In First or Business on a 3-cabin Airbus A321T, the carrier goes in the dedicated animal-friendly compartment at the front of the plane

Source: Traveling with pets

Routes, breeds and other restrictions

Where pets can't fly

Carry-on pets are allowed on most flights up to 12 hours, or to/from the 48 contiguous states, Canada, Alaska, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Croix and St. Thomas. They're not allowed on these routes:

  • Hawaii (no carry-on pets to or from Hawaii)
  • Jamaica (no carry-on pets)
  • Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay (no carry-on pets to or from)
  • Trans-Atlantic trips (no carry-on pets)
  • Trans-Pacific trips (no carry-on pets)

Breeds

Short-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds are not accepted in cargo. American doesn't accept brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dogs or cats of any mix as checked pets, for example Boxers, Bulldogs, Pugs, Shih Tzus, Boston Terriers and Persian cats. Its carry-on rules don't list a breed ban.

Also good to know

  • Dogs that come from, or visited, a high-risk country for rabies in the 6 months before travel aren't accepted as carry-on pets (service dogs meeting CDC rules are exempt).
  • Dogs flying to Mexico need a New World Screwworm (NWS) Inspection Certificate from a USDA-accredited vet, issued within 5 days before entering Mexico and checked at check-in.
  • Trinidad and Tobago (POS): you can't arrive with a pet on a flight before 8 a.m. or after 4 p.m.
  • American doesn't accept pets that have been sedated or tranquilized.
  • Pet strollers must be checked at the ticket counter, and checked bag fees apply.

Source: Traveling with pets

Cargo and checked pets

American carries pets in the cargo hold through American PetEmbark (American Airlines Cargo). Checked pets at the ticket counter are only for active-duty U.S. military and State Department Foreign Service personnel on official orders. PetEmbark is American Airlines Cargo's service for pets that don't qualify to travel as carry-on or checked pets, and its fees are confirmed at booking.

Source: Traveling with pets

Service dogs and emotional support animals

  • Only trained service dogs are accepted as service animals.
  • Emotional support animals fly as regular pets, under the pet rules and fee on this page.
  • Required paperwork: U.S. DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form (plus the DOT Service Animal Relief Attestation Form for flights over 8 hours).

Source: Service animals

Other details

  • Checked pets (military and State Department on official orders only): up to 2 pets, $200 per kennel ($150 to/from Brazil), contact Reservations at least 48 hours before travel, and bring a health certificate issued within 10 days of travel.
  • Checked and cargo pets face heat and cold limits (no travel above 85°F or below 45°F anywhere on the itinerary), and can't travel to, through or from Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas or Palm Springs from May 1 to September 30.
  • On a 3-cabin Airbus A321T, First and Business have 2 dedicated animal-friendly compartments at the front of the plane.
  • Fully trained service dogs fly in the cabin at no charge.

Before you fly

American can change its pet policy at any time. We last checked these official pages on September 26, 2026. Confirm the rules with American before you book and again before you travel.

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