Best Dog-Friendly Airlines in the U.S. (2025 Guide to In-Cabin Pet Travel)
dog-airline-travel
Flying with your dog can feel overwhelming — every airline has different rules, fees, and limits. Here you’ll see the policies side by side, so you can plan with confidence and keep your pup safe.
Click a card below to see key rules (fee, size, limits) for each airline
American Airlines
Policy & fees →
| In-cabin fee | $150 each way (per kennel) |
| Weight rule | No published limit; pet + carrier must fit under seat |
| Carrier | Soft/hard; size varies by aircraft (under-seat fit required) |
| Pets allowed | Dogs & Cats |
| Checked/Cargo | AA Cargo (route & weather limits) |
| Notes | From 2024: pet carrier + one carry-on allowed |
Delta
Policy & fees →
| In-cabin fee | $150 US/Canada (tickets issued ≥ Apr 8, 2025); intl $200 |
| Weight rule | Under-seat fit; small Dogs/Cats + (US) household birds |
| Carrier | Must fit under seat; limited kennels per flight |
| Pets allowed | Dogs, Cats (+ birds on some US routes) |
| Checked/Cargo | Delta Cargo on select routes (restrictions apply) |
United
Policy & fees →
| In-cabin fee | $150 each way (long layover +$150) |
| Weight rule | No stated limit; under-seat fit required |
| Carrier | Hard ≤17.5×12×7.5 in / Soft ≤18×11×11 in (guide) |
| Pets allowed | Dogs & Cats |
| Checked/Cargo | General pet cargo not offered (military/FS exceptions) |
JetBlue
Policy & fees →
| In-cabin fee | $150 each way |
| Weight rule | Pet + carrier ≤ 20 lb (9 kg) |
| Carrier | ≤17×12.5×8.5 in; counts as personal item |
| Pets allowed | Dogs & Cats |
| Checked/Cargo | Not offered |
Alaska
Policy & fees →
| In-cabin fee | $100 each way |
| Weight rule | Under-seat fit (size only) |
| Carrier | Counts as carry-on; limit per flight applies |
| Pets allowed | Dogs, Cats, Rabbits, Household birds |
| Checked/Cargo | Baggage compartment accepted on many routes ($150) |
Southwest
Policy & fees →
| In-cabin fee | US mainland $125 / Interisland HI $35 |
| Weight rule | Under-seat fit (size only) |
| Carrier | Counts as carry-on/personal item |
| Pets allowed | Dogs & Cats |
| Routes | Domestic only (no international) |
Air Canada
Policy & fees →
| In-cabin fee | $50 (CA↔US & within CA) / $100 (other intl) per way |
| Weight rule | Pet + carrier ≤ 10 kg (22 lb) |
| Carrier | Soft-sided only from Jun 1, 2025 |
| Pets allowed | Dogs & Cats (1 per pax) |
| Checked/Cargo | Available (weather/aircraft limits) |
WestJet
Policy & fees →
| In-cabin fee | $100–$118 (CA/US) / $200–$236 (intl) |
| Weight/size | In-cabin: soft ≤16×8.5×10 in; Checked: pet+kennel ≤100 lb |
| Pets allowed | Dogs & Cats (others for checked vary) |
| Checked/Cargo | Accepted on many routes (temp/country limits) |
| Notes | Some destinations (e.g., Hawaii, UK/Ireland) not allowed |
Heads-up for U.S. entries: From Aug 1, 2024, all dogs entering the U.S. must be
microchipped, ≥6 months old, and have a CDC Dog Import Form; extra steps apply if coming from high-risk rabies countries.
Check the CDC site before booking.
