American Airline Pets Policy in 2026: Fees, Carrier Sizes, Cargo and Documents

American airline pets rules, as of October 2026, let small cats and dogs fly in the cabin with American Airlines for $150 per kennel, each way, on flights within and between the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. The pet must stay in a carrier under the seat for the whole flight. Checked pets are limited to active-duty U.S. military and State Department staff on orders. Every other pet that is too large for the cabin flies with American Airlines Cargo (American Airlines, 2026).

The phrase "American Airlines pet policy" refers to American Airlines' published rules on which animals can fly, where they can go, what they cost, and which carriers and health documents are accepted. This guide summarizes those rules from the airline's own pages and from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS). Rules change often, so check every number against the official page before you book.

American Airlines pet policy at a glance (October 2026)

American Airlines has three ways for an animal to travel: in the cabin as a carry-on pet, in the hold as a checked pet (only for some travelers), or as freight through American Airlines Cargo. Trained service dogs are handled separately and fly free.

All pet fees are nonrefundable and charged per kennel, each way. If your trip includes a stopover or connection of 4 hours or more, the fee applies again for each connecting segment, according to American Airlines' fee notes (2026).

Which pets can fly in the cabin on American Airlines?

Only cats and dogs can travel as carry-on pets, and they must meet size, age and destination requirements, according to the American Airlines pets page (2026). Pets flying within the U.S. and Puerto Rico must be at least 8 weeks old.

You can bring one pet carrier as a carry-on if you pay the fee and the pet stays inside the carrier, under the seat in front of you, for the entire flight. With the carrier you may bring either a personal item or a carry-on bag that fits in the overhead bin, but not both. Pet strollers must be checked at the ticket counter, and checked bag fees apply.

Carry-on pet carrier dimensions

American Airlines publishes these maximum carrier sizes (length x width x height) as of 2026:

• Soft-sided (recommended), all flights: 18 x 11 x 11 inches (46 x 28 x 28 cm).
• Hard-sided, American mainline flights: 19 x 13 x 9 inches (48 x 33 x 22 cm).
• Hard-sided, American Eagle regional flights: 16 x 12 x 8 inches (40 x 30 x 20 cm).

The pet must fit comfortably inside the closed, zipped carrier. Soft-sided carriers must be padded, water-repellent and have mesh ventilation on 3 or more sides. On a 3-cabin Airbus A321T, the pet plus carrier cannot exceed 20 lbs (9.07 kg) in the premium cabin, and staff will weigh them at check-in.

How many pets are allowed per flight?

Space is limited by aircraft. American Airlines (2026) allows a maximum of 20 pet carriers across all cabins on its Airbus A319, A320, A321, A321neo and Boeing 737 aircraft, which have no pet space in the premium cabin. On American Eagle regional jets (CRJ-200/700/900, ERJ-145/175/190), the limit is 1 carrier in the premium cabin and 5 in the main cabin. Pets are not permitted in the premium cabins of the Boeing 777-200, 777-300ER, 787-8 and 787-9 because there is no under-seat storage.

Seats you cannot choose with a pet

Carry-on pets cannot sit in bulkhead or exit-row seats, in seat 13D on the Airbus A321neo, or in First and Business on the Boeing 777 and 787 fleets, citing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety requirements and a lack of under-seat space (American Airlines, 2026).

How to add a carry-on pet to an American Airlines booking

1. Find your trip on aa.com or in the American app.
2. In Additional Services, select "Add carry-on pets."
3. Review and agree to the carry-on pet requirements.
4. Select the flights your pet will travel on.
5. Confirm the carry-on pet.
6. At the airport, go to the American ticket counter to pay the fee and have the pet and carrier checked.

American Airlines takes pet fees by credit card or paper voucher where accepted, not cash or checks. It does not collect pet fees for partner airlines, even on codeshare flights with an American flight number. Look for "Operated by" on your ticket and pay that carrier directly (American Airlines, 2026).

Where can American Airlines pets travel?

American Airlines says pets can travel on most flights of up to 12 hours, including within the 48 contiguous states, between the U.S. and Canada, Alaska, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Croix and St. Thomas. Its 2026 destination list also contains these important exceptions:

• Hawaii: no carry-on pets. Checked pets must connect only through Honolulu (HNL) and follow Hawaii's quarantine rules. No pets on nonstop flights to Maui, the Big Island or Kauai.
• Europe and the trans-Atlantic: no carry-on pets. Checked pets going to the European Union need a tattoo or implanted microchip that matches the ID number on the vaccination card.
• U.K. and Ireland: no checked pets, except service animals. Dogs and cats can go to London Heathrow (LHR) and Manchester (MAN) through American Airlines Cargo.
• Trans-Pacific: no carry-on pets. Pets are not accepted as checked bags to Japan.
• South America: no carry-on pets to or from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia or Uruguay.
• Caribbean: no carry-on pets to Jamaica. Pets cannot arrive in Trinidad and Tobago (POS) before 8 a.m. or after 4 p.m.

Checked pets: military and State Department only

American Airlines accepts checked pets only for active-duty U.S. military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling on official orders. Up to 2 pets may be checked, on a first-come basis (American Airlines, 2026). Eligible travelers must:

• Contact Reservations at least 48 hours before travel.
• Check in at the ticket counter with official orders, at least 2 and no more than 4 hours before the flight.
• Provide a health certificate issued by a veterinarian within 10 days of travel. For the return, it must be issued within 60 days on the same ticket or within 10 days on a separate ticket.
• Use a rigid kennel with a metal door, ventilation on at least 3 sides for domestic flights (4 for international), and a combined pet and kennel weight of no more than 100 lbs (45 kg).

Checked pets can connect only through Charlotte (CLT), Chicago O'Hare (ORD), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), New York JFK and LaGuardia (LGA), Miami (MIA), Philadelphia (PHL), Phoenix (PHX) and Washington Reagan (DCA).

Breed restrictions

American Airlines does not accept brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dogs or cats of any mix as checked pets. The list includes Pugs, Bulldogs, Boxers, Boston Terriers, Shih Tzus, Pit Bulls, Persian and Himalayan cats, Burmese and Exotic Shorthair cats (American Airlines, 2026).

Temperature restrictions

Pets that do not fly in the cabin cannot travel if the current or forecast temperature is above 85°F (29.4°C) or the ground temperature is below 45°F (7.2°C) anywhere on the itinerary. A veterinarian's acclimation letter can waive the cold limit, but not below 20°F (-6.6°C). From May 1 to September 30, pets outside the cabin cannot travel to, through or from Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas or Palm Springs (American Airlines, 2026).

American Airlines Cargo and PetEmbark for larger pets

If a pet is too large for the cabin and you are not eligible to check it, it has to fly as freight through American PetEmbark, the American Airlines Cargo animal service. The American Airlines Cargo FAQ (2026) says smaller pets flying domestically go as Priority Parcel Service (PPS). Larger pets, and any pet flying internationally, go as ExpediteFS, priced by rate sheet.

• Bookings open up to 10 days in advance. Cargo recommends booking at least 24 hours ahead.
• Pets are not carried on Airbus A319, A320 and most A321 variants, except between New York JFK and LAX or San Francisco (SFO), because those aircraft lack the heating and ventilation pets need.
• Dogs and cats need a veterinary health certificate dated within 10 days of travel, for both the outbound and the return trip.
• Active-duty U.S. military traveling under PCS or TDY orders can get a 50% discount on domestic and San Juan cat and dog shipments.
• If a pet misses its booked flight for reasons within the airline's control and you cancel, Cargo refunds 25% of PPS freight charges or 100% of ExpediteFS charges.

The Animal Desk can be reached at 1-800-227-4622 or [email protected], according to American Airlines Cargo.

Service animals and emotional support animals

American Airlines defines a service animal as a dog individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. Fully trained service dogs fly in the cabin free of charge. Emotional support animals, comfort animals and service animals in training travel as pets, and pet fees apply (American Airlines, 2026).

The airline recommends submitting the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Service Animal Air Transportation Form at least 48 hours before the flight. Flights over 8 hours also require the DOT Service Animal Relief Attestation Form. Service dogs must be at least 4 months old and must fit at your feet, under the seat or on your lap. Each passenger can bring at most 2 service animals.

Documents for American Airlines pets: CDC, USDA and destination rules

The airline's rules come on top of government entry rules. Three official schemes affect most American Airlines pet trips.

Dogs entering the United States (CDC)

The CDC is the primary authority for dogs entering or returning to the U.S., and USDA APHIS's pet travel page (updated March 2026) confirms this. CDC guidance (updated April 2026) says every dog needs a CDC Dog Import Form. If the dog has been only in dog rabies-free or low-risk countries in the previous 6 months, that form is the only document needed. You must show the receipt to the airline before boarding. Dogs that have been in a high-risk country need extra rabies paperwork, and U.S. re-entry certificates must show the dog is at least 6 months old.

American Airlines (2026) also refuses dogs as carry-on pets if they come from, or have visited, a high-risk rabies country in the past 6 months. Service dogs that meet CDC requirements are exempt. One point to check: the airline's breed section says dogs from high-risk countries must be at least 16 weeks old, while CDC documents cite 6 months. CDC rules govern entry, so plan for the stricter age.

Dogs flying to Mexico (USDA APHIS and SENASICA)

American Airlines and USDA APHIS (page updated September 2026) both say dogs entering Mexico need a New World screwworm (NWS) Inspection Certificate signed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian no more than 5 days before entry. This applies to service dogs too, and Mexico's requirement took effect on August 3, 2026. APHIS also says pet cats do not need a health certificate for Mexico, and that Mexico currently bars pet ferrets and pet rabbits from the United States.

Pets flying to the European Union

The European Commission says non-commercial movements of dogs, cats and ferrets into and within the EU are now governed by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131. Pets arriving from outside the EU must pass documentary and identity checks at a designated Travellers' Point of Entry. Because American Airlines does not allow carry-on pets on trans-Atlantic trips, most U.S. owners will use the checked-pet or Cargo route, and the official EU and destination-country rules apply in either case.

Airline pet documents vs. Animal Passport: not the same thing

The word "passport" causes confusion. An EU pet passport, a USDA-endorsed health certificate or a CDC Dog Import Form receipt is an official document that a government or airline checks at a border or check-in counter. Animal Passport is something else: a digital animal and livestock identity record built on muzzle biometrics, because an animal's nose print is unique, like a fingerprint.

With Animal Passport, an owner photographs the animal with a phone. The record links the owner, breed, estimated age (from a dental photograph, with a confidence score), a 1–5 body condition score (from a side-profile photo) and vaccination history. In August 2025 it was used in livestock flood rescue in Pakistan, so farmers could reclaim animals after paper tags washed away. Animal Passport is not a government-issued travel document. American Airlines will not accept it in place of a health certificate, microchip, CDC form or EU pet documents. For the airline, use the official documents described above. For animal identity and record-keeping, read more on the Animal Passport blog.

Pre-flight checklist for American Airlines pets

1. Decide the route: cabin, checked (military or State Department only) or Cargo.
2. Confirm the destination is on American's pet-eligible list and has no carry-on ban.
3. Measure the carrier against the 18 x 11 x 11 inch soft-sided limit, or the hard-sided limit for mainline or Eagle flights.
4. Add the pet to your booking early, since cabin spaces per flight are capped.
5. Book a USDA-accredited veterinarian for the health certificate, rabies records, microchip check and any NWS or CDC forms.
6. Do not sedate the pet. American Airlines follows the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recommendation against sedation at altitude.
7. Arrive early, and pay the fee at the ticket counter.

Last updated October 7, 2026 by Animal Passport. Fees and rules are taken from American Airlines, American Airlines Cargo, CDC, USDA APHIS and European Commission pages opened on that date. Airlines can change policies without notice, so confirm on aa.com before you fly. This article is general information, not veterinary or legal advice.