Cabin
A pet travels in the passenger cabin under the operating airline’s conditions. Species, container, size and booking limits can apply. Availability is not universal.
Understand the options before booking.
International pet air transport
Compare pet cabin, accompanied hold and cargo arrangements. Review airline acceptance, containers, connections and handover before booking travel.
Itinerary-specific review. No automatic booking or travel guarantee.
Three arrangements to distinguish.
Accompanied hold
Where offered, an animal may travel in the aircraft hold as part of an accompanied baggage arrangement. This is distinct from cargo booking and requires specific confirmation.
Air cargo
Cargo has its own booking, acceptance, documentation and handling arrangements. Confirm the operating service and destination release process rather than treating it as ordinary excess baggage.
Read the primary guidance: IATA: Traveling with Pets, Lufthansa: Transporting animals in the aircraft, Emirates: Unusual baggage and special allowances — pets. Rules apply only within each source’s stated jurisdiction or airline scope. Reviewed 3 November 2026; reconfirm before travel.
Confirm every operating carrier and transfer.
A ticket seller’s airline name may differ from the company operating a flight. Ask which carrier operates each sector, which pet arrangements each accepts and whether the proposed transfer can handle the animal. A connection that works for a passenger may not be suitable for a pet.
Check origin, destination and transit rules as separate steps. Weather, aircraft, capacity or animal restrictions can change the options. Ask who is responsible if a sector changes or acceptance is refused before travel.
Read the primary guidance: Lufthansa: Transporting animals in the aircraft. Rules apply only within each source’s stated jurisdiction or airline scope. Reviewed 3 November 2026; reconfirm before travel.
Container review comes before purchase.
Share the animal’s measurements and the intended container’s dimensions and construction. Use current IATA guidance as a starting point and obtain operating-airline confirmation. An “approved” label from a retailer is not evidence of acceptance for the chosen flight.
Dogs and cats have published IATA container guidance; do not use that extract as a bird transport standard. Species-specific requirements need their own review.
Read the primary guidance: IATA: Container Requirement 1, 52nd edition, January 2026. Rules apply only within each source’s stated jurisdiction or airline scope. Reviewed 3 November 2026; reconfirm before travel.
Ask about the whole handover chain.
- Collection location, check-in deadline and accepted documentation.
- Feeding, water and any individual veterinary instructions.
- Named responsibilities during a connection or unexpected delay.
- Destination release, collection and any authority inspection.
- Change, cancellation and contingency costs in the written scope.
No carrier partnership, guaranteed flight or fixed handling protocol is implied here. Request a case-specific review before making commitments.
KEEP PLANNING
Discuss your pet’s move →Useful next steps.
Dogs
International dog relocation
Breed, size, travel history and carrier acceptance: what to review before making plans.
Explore the guide CatsInternational cat relocation
Carrier preparation, identification and a quieter handover plan for your cat.
Explore the guide Quote planningWhat shapes the total cost?
Build an itemized comparison of transport, preparation and third-party charges.
Explore the guide PreparationPet travel documentation
Map the authorities, evidence and deadlines that apply to your actual itinerary.
Explore the guide