22 of the 34 airlines we track carry dogs in the hold. Of the 11 based in the United States, only Alaska & Hawaiian Airlines and American Airlines do. Allegiant Air, BARK Air, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines don't; JSX and Sun Country Airlines don't say. 14 of the airlines that fly dogs in the hold ban short-nosed breeds from it. Hold prices are listed below for Emirates, ITA Airways, Norwegian, Qatar Airways and TAP Air Portugal.
Built from airline pages last verified October 2, 2026
PetFlightCheck is independent and not affiliated with any airline. This guide is built from the airlines' official pages; confirm the rules and prices with your airline before you book. Report an error
Airlines that fly dogs in the hold
"Cargo" here means your dog travels in the aircraft's hold instead of the cabin, either as checked baggage or through the airline's cargo service. Each airline calls it something different, and the rules, size limits and prices vary a lot.
Pets in the climate-controlled baggage compartment
Checked pets cost $200 each way per kennel ($100 wholly within Alaska or for active-duty U.S. military on travel orders, $60 wholly within Hawaii). Pet and kennel together can weigh up to 150 lbs (68 kg), and you must be on the same flights. Pets traveling without a passenger go through Pet Connect, the Alaska and Hawaiian Air Cargo service.
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.
Pets travel in the aircraft hold, booked through a pet agent at IAG Cargo. You can't bring a pet to the Aer Lingus check-in desk.
Aer Lingus accepts domestic cats and dogs only. Maximum weight limits apply to containers and animals, but the page doesn't give them: it refers you to IAG Cargo. Customers travelling with pets from North America can contact the North American Pet Desk at 1 (866) 300-4004 (Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST) or petdesk@iagcargo.com.
Dogs, cats and birds can fly checked in the hold on your flight, up to 45 kg with a hard kennel. No checked pets if it's above 35°C or below 7°C at the origin, transit or destination airport. The checked service covers Aeromexico-operated flights only: collect and re-check your pet at each connection. At most 4 checked pets per flight on the Embraer 190, and 10 on the 737-700, 737 MAX 8/9 and 787-8/9.
Pet and kennel together can weigh up to 100 lb (45 kg), up to 115 in (292 cm) in length + width + height, in a hard-sided kennel. One-way fees are $105 to $120.75 within Canada and Canada/U.S. and $270 to $318.60 international (CAD or USD, tax included). Heavy seasonal limits apply: no checked pets from December 18 to January 4, no pets under 10 lb in the hold, and summer embargoes on many routes. Pets traveling alone go through Air Canada Cargo (AC Animals).
Cats and dogs from 8 kg up to 75 kg (with the kennel) must travel in the hold, in an IATA-approved, bolted, rigid plastic or fiberglass kennel. Up to 3 animals per passenger. Add the pet at least 24 hours before departure.
Pets up to 70 kg (154 lb) with their kennel can fly in the hold in a rigid kennel you supply (fiberglass, metal or plastic). Heavier pets go through Avianca Cargo. No hold pets on aircraft with a non-ventilated hold.
Pets fly in the hold, with travel managed by a British Airways partner depending on where the trip starts: PetAir UK for pets leaving the UK, and IAG Cargo (British Airways' sister company) for pets coming to the UK.
Pets travel as cargo with Cathay Cargo's Cathay Live Animal service, which only takes direct bookings from approved parties. Cathay Pacific isn't accepting new bookings for pets as checked baggage until further notice.
From September 1, 2025, Cathay Cargo accepts direct bookings of pet shipments only from members of the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA) or the Animal Transport Association (ATA), IATA accredited freight forwarders, and holders of a valid IATA Live Animals Regulations training certificate. Cathay Pacific recommends using a pet travel agent that's an IPATA or ATA member. If your pet is travelling from Hong Kong, you can book Cathay Live Animal through any agent. Cathay Pacific can decide whether to accept your animal, subject to the laws of the places you depart from, arrive at and transit through.
Pets can fly in the hold as checked baggage or as cargo, depending on the route. Trips ending in Dubai are cargo only.
Emirates says pets can go as checked baggage on trips that start in Dubai and go to countries that allow animals as excess baggage, if the total journey time is under 17 hours (it counts about 1 hour for check-in and 1 hour for delivery at arrival). Journeys over 17 hours must go as cargo. Trips ending in Dubai, connections in Dubai over 6 hours, and cages over 300 cm must go as cargo (Emirates SkyCargo or a cargo agent). Up to two adult animals of similar size, up to 14 kg each, can share a container if they live together.
Hold prices
Checked baggage, pet and cage up to 23 kg (50 lb) and 150 cm (59 in)$500 by total weight of pet and kennel
Checked baggage, 24 to 32 kg, 150 to 300 cm$650 by total weight of pet and kennel
Checked baggage, over 32 kg, 150 to 300 cm$800 by total weight of pet and kennel
Cats and dogs up to 45 kg with the carrier, authorized in advance through Iberia's booking offices at least 48 hours before departure. Connections must be 90 minutes to 4 hours. Hold pets are restricted on some routes, such as Madrid to/from Boston, Toronto, Washington, San Juan, Recife and Fortaleza. Pets that can't fly as baggage can go through IAG Cargo or WOOF Airlines.
Pets that don't fit the cabin limits can fly in the hold on ITA Airways, up to 75 kg including carrier and food, in a rigid carrier. Hold carriage isn't sold for brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dogs and cats.
The carrier must have a rigid shell made only of fiberglass or hard plastic, a metal door that locks at the central, upper and lower points, and metal (not plastic) side air vents. Wheels must be removed, or secured with tape if retractable. The maximum carrier size depends on the aircraft on your flight, so check with ITA in advance.
Hold prices
Domestic flights€83 per route
To/from Europe, Algeria, Tunisia€105 per route
Cairo, Tel Aviv, Amman, Beirut, Tripoli$150 per route
Jeddah, Riad, Dakar, Accra, Dubai$150 per route
To/from New York, Boston and six other cities (Miami, Delhi, Malè, Washington, Chicago, Toronto)$350 per route
Los Angeles, Houston, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Tokyo, Bangkok, San Francisco, Mauritius$375 per route
Up to 3 pets in the hold; pet and kennel together under 75 kg. Kennel max 122 x 81 x 89 cm (102 x 69 x 76 cm on KLM European flights with Boeing 737 and Embraer aircraft). No hold pets on the Boeing 787-9, 787-10 or Airbus A321neo, on German Airways flights, on KLM Cityhopper flights over 2 hours, or with a transfer of 3 hours or more.
Rigid kennel in the hold. Twin-aisle aircraft (B767, B777, B787): up to 45 kg with the kennel (32 kg to, from or via Europe, Argentina or Venezuela). Single-aisle (A319, A320, A321): up to 32 kg on flights up to 4 hours, 23 kg for 4 to 5 hours, not over 5 hours. Fees depend on weight and route.
Pets as excess baggage in the air-conditioned cargo hold
Dogs and cats over 8 kg with their carrier travel in the hold, in an IATA-compliant hard kennel secured with metal screws. The price depends on the route and kennel size, plus a EUR 150 / USD 170 surcharge for transfers via Brussels, Geneva, Frankfurt, Vienna or Zurich. No pets in the hold on connecting flights via Munich.
Cats and dogs can fly in the cargo hold on flights within Schengen and/or the EU (Ireland and Iceland excluded) and, for dogs only, to or from Svalbard. The container can be up to 125 x 81 x 86 cm, with no weight limit.
Up to two cats or two dogs can share a crate if they know each other and are of similar size, at most 14 kg each; a dog and a cat can't share. On connecting flights within Norway (not Svalbard) via Oslo Gardermoen, Bergen Flesland or Trondheim Værnes, pets can fly in the hold if the transfer is between 1 and 2 hours. Norwegian warns that hold temperatures change with the weather and flight stage, and can drop to 0°C or rise while the plane is on the ground. When connecting from an international to a domestic flight, you collect your pet in the cargo hold, clear customs and check in again.
Cats, dogs and birds fly as checked baggage in a dedicated part of the hold. Pets must go as Qatar Airways Cargo instead if they travel alone, weigh over 75 kg, exceed 300 cm, connect from another airline, or fly to or from Australia or New Zealand.
Hold prices
Checked baggage, up to 32 kg (pet + kennel), to/from Qatar$200 by total weight of pet and kennel
Checked baggage, up to 32 kg, all other routes$350 by total weight of pet and kennel
Checked baggage, 32 to 75 kg, to/from Qatar$300 by total weight of pet and kennel
Checked baggage, 32 to 75 kg, all other routes$450 by total weight of pet and kennel
Pets fly as checked baggage in the temperature-controlled hold.
Your pet flies on the same flight as you, as checked baggage in the temperature-controlled bulk cargo hold, in an IATA-standard container. If your pet and its container weigh more than 32 kg together, it has to travel through a cargo agent instead. The container's maximum height depends on the aircraft: 70 cm on the A350, 60 cm on the A380, 101 cm on the B777 and 111 cm on the B787.
Pets too heavy for the cabin fly in the hold: up to 32 kg (70 lb) including the carrier on flights to, from or via the U.S., in a sturdy carrier with locks and screws, no wheels, and ventilation on all four sides. Heavier pets go as cargo. TAP doesn't accept snub-nosed breeds in the hold.
Hold prices
Intercontinental flights, hold up to 32 kg (low season, via the Contact Center)$272 per route
Intercontinental flights, hold up to 32 kg (high season, via the Contact Center)$295 per route
Pet and kennel up to 50 kg, kennel up to 125 x 75 x 75 cm with a hard shell. Dogs up to 14 kg each and cats up to 10 kg each can share a kennel in some cases. Bigger kennels go through Turkish Cargo.
Pets and kennel up to 45 kg (100 lb) can fly checked, in a rigid, ventilated, wheel-free kennel no taller than 90 cm. Up to USD 190 on international routes.
Pet and hard-sided kennel up to 45 kg (100 lb), kennel up to 101 x 68 x 81 cm. Checked pet fees are $100 to $118 within Canada and the U.S., and $200 to $236 elsewhere. Pets traveling on their own go through WestJet Cargo.
These airlines only take pets in the cabin (or, for some, not at all). If your dog is too big for the cabin, you'll need another airline or a pet shipper.
Delta Air Lines Delta Cargo ships pets only for active U.S. military or U.S. State Department Foreign Service Officers traveling with permanent change of station orders.
United Airlines United has pet exemptions for U.S. military members on permanent change of station (and their spouses) and State Department foreign service officers (and their spouses).
We haven't verified whether Copa Airlines, Etihad Airways, JSX and Sun Country Airlines carry pets in the hold. Their pages are linked below; check with the airline.
Alaska & Hawaiian Airlines, American Airlines, Aeromexico, Air Canada, Air France, Avianca, Iberia, ITA Airways, KLM, LATAM Airlines, Lufthansa, TAP Air Portugal, Turkish Airlines and WestJet don't accept short-nosed (brachycephalic) dogs and cats in the hold. The other airlines above either accept them with conditions or say nothing about them, so check each airline's page.
Built from each airline's official pages. Rules change, so confirm with your airline before you book. Full details and sources are on each airline page.