Airline pet policy

American Airlines pet policy

American Airlines takes dogs and cats in the cabin (1 per passenger) and dogs, cats, rabbits and ferrets as cargo (1 per crate), but not as checked baggage on the routes we cover. 1 of 12 policy rows still needs the airline's confirmation before you book.

Policy checked Oct 26, 2026Source: American Airlines By the CollarPass team
In cabinConfirm before bookingDogs and cats1 per passengerRead the route rules Checked baggageNot acceptedNot carried on the routes we cover.Read the route rules CargoAcceptedDogs, cats, rabbits and ferrets1 per crateRead the route rules

In the cabin

Pets in the cabin travel in a carrier under the seat in front of you. The rows below are per route, so check yours.

Dogs

Not acceptedFrom 112 places, including United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan and Armenia to United States and Hawaii

American doesn't take dogs in the cabin to the US from a country the CDC rates high-risk for dog rabies.

  • This also applies to dogs that have been in a high-risk country in the 6 months before the flight, wherever they fly from.

Sources: Traveling with pets · Checked Oct 21, 2026

Dogs and cats

AcceptedFrom 5 places, including United States, Canada and Mexico to 5 places, including United States, Canada and Mexico

American takes one cat or dog carrier per person in the cabin on flights of up to 12 hours within the US and to or from Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. The pet must fit in a carrier under the seat in front: soft-sided up to 46 × 28 × 28 cm, hard-sided up to 48 × 33 × 22 cm (40 × 30 × 20 cm on American Eagle).

  • 1 per passenger

Fees: USD 150 — Per carrier, each way; charged again for each stopover or connection of 4 hours or more

Before you fly: Add the pet to your trip ahead of time; space is limited on each flight. Call Reservations to check a hard-sided carrier fits every aircraft on your trip.

  • American's cabin rules don't say whether two pets may share a carrier; we count one pet per person.
  • Not in bulkhead or exit rows, or in First and Business on the 777 and 787. The carrier takes the place of your personal item or carry-on bag.
  • Space is capped per flight: up to 20 carriers on mainline aircraft; 1 in First and 5 in Main on American Eagle.
  • Dogs flying into Mexico need a screwworm inspection certificate issued within 5 days before travel. Sedated pets are refused.

Sources: Traveling with pets · Checked Oct 26, 2026

Confirm before bookingFrom 34 places, including Belize, Costa Rica and Guatemala to United States

American takes one cat or dog carrier per person in the cabin on flights of up to 12 hours within the US and to or from Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. The pet must fit in a carrier under the seat in front: soft-sided up to 46 × 28 × 28 cm, hard-sided up to 48 × 33 × 22 cm (40 × 30 × 20 cm on American Eagle).

  • 1 per passenger

Fees: USD 150 — Per carrier, each way; charged again for each stopover or connection of 4 hours or more

Before you fly: Add the pet to your trip ahead of time; space is limited on each flight. Call Reservations to check a hard-sided carrier fits every aircraft on your trip.

  • American's cabin rules don't say whether two pets may share a carrier; we count one pet per person.
  • Not in bulkhead or exit rows, or in First and Business on the 777 and 787. The carrier takes the place of your personal item or carry-on bag.
  • Space is capped per flight: up to 20 carriers on mainline aircraft; 1 in First and 5 in Main on American Eagle.
  • Dogs flying into Mexico need a screwworm inspection certificate issued within 5 days before travel. Sedated pets are refused.
Confirm with the airline before booking

American's list of cabin-pet routes leaves out Central America and the Caribbean but its fee table includes them, so ask American whether your flight takes pets in the cabin before booking.

Sources: Traveling with pets · Checked Oct 26, 2026

Not accepted

American only takes cabin pets on flights of up to 12 hours within the US and to or from Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. It takes none across the Atlantic or Pacific, or to or from Hawaii.

Sources: Traveling with pets · Checked Oct 26, 2026

Rabbits and ferrets

Not accepted

American only takes cats and dogs in the cabin.

Sources: Traveling with pets · Checked Oct 26, 2026

As checked baggage

Pets in the hold as checked baggage check in with you at the desk and fly on the same flight.

Dogs, cats, rabbits and ferrets

Not accepted

American only takes checked pets for active-duty US military and State Department staff travelling on official orders. Other pets too big for the cabin go as cargo (American PetEmbark).

Sources: Traveling with pets · Checked Oct 26, 2026

As cargo

Pets flying alone go as cargo, usually through the airline’s freight arm, with different drop-off and collection rules.

Dogs, cats, rabbits and ferrets

Accepted

American PetEmbark (American Airlines Cargo) flies pets that can't go in the cabin, in a pressurised, climate-controlled hold. Pet and kennel together may weigh up to 45 kg. Snub-nosed breeds and some strong breeds are refused.

  • 1 per crate
  • Max 45 kg incl. crate
  • At least 8 weeks old

Not for snub-nosed breeds

Fees: Depends on the route and the size of the pet and kennel; confirmed when you book.

Before you fly: Book American PetEmbark up to 10 days ahead (at least 24 hours ahead is recommended). From outside the US, book through an IATA freight forwarder or pet shipper; a customs broker is needed at destinations outside the US.

  • No pets when it's above 85°F (29°C) or below 20°F (−7°C) at any airport on the route; between 20°F and 44°F a vet's acclimation letter is needed.
  • No pets to, from or through Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas or Palm Springs from 1 May to 30 September.
  • No warm-blooded animals on any single flight of 12 hours or more, or on A319, A320 and A321 aircraft (except New York JFK–Los Angeles and San Francisco).
  • Two puppies or kittens under 6 months and under 9 kg (20 lb) each may share a kennel.
  • UK: only into London Heathrow or Manchester, with a customs broker. Hawaii: Honolulu only, prepaid. No ferrets to or from California. Dogs leaving Colombia must be at least 1 year old.
  • Refused breeds include pugs, bulldogs, boxers, Boston terriers, shih tzus, Pekingese, mastiff and pit bull types, and Persian, Himalayan, Burmese and Exotic Shorthair cats.

Sources: Traveling with pets · Pets & Animals (American PetEmbark) · FAQs - Pets & Animals · Policies & Restrictions - Pets & Animals · Checked Oct 26, 2026

Dogs

Not acceptedFrom 112 places, including United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan and Armenia to United States and Hawaii

American Airlines Cargo has stopped taking new bookings for dogs coming to the US from a country the CDC rates high-risk for dog rabies, until further notice.

  • This also applies to dogs that have been in a high-risk country in the 6 months before the flight, wherever they fly from.

Sources: Pets & Animals (American PetEmbark) · Checked Oct 26, 2026

Rabbits

Not acceptedTo United Kingdom

Into the UK, American Airlines Cargo only takes cats, dogs and ferrets (London Heathrow and Manchester).

Sources: Policies & Restrictions - Pets & Animals · Checked Oct 26, 2026

Country pages for these routes

Entry rules for the countries named in the rows above.

🇨🇦Canada🇨🇳China (mainland)🌺Hawaii🇲🇽Mexico🇬🇧United Kingdom🇺🇸United StatesCountries

Official sources

Every row above cites one of these pages. Dates show our last check, not the page’s own update.

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