American Airlines Approved Pet Carrier: Sizes, Fees and Rules for 2026

An American Airlines approved pet carrier is any cabin kennel that meets the size and construction rules American publishes on aa.com. As of October 2026, American recommends a soft-sided carrier up to 18 x 11 x 11 inches (46 x 28 x 28 cm) on all flights. Hard-sided carriers can be up to 19 x 13 x 9 inches on American Mainline or 16 x 12 x 8 inches on American Eagle. Your pet must fit inside comfortably, the carrier must stay under the seat in front of you, and the fee is $150 per kennel each way.

This guide is written by the Animal Passport editorial team and checked against American Airlines' own pet travel page, the American Airlines Cargo kennel guidelines, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS), and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Airline pet rules change often, so confirm with American before you book. Last updated: October 7, 2026.

What does "American Airlines approved" actually mean?

Many carriers sold online carry an "airline approved" label, but American Airlines' pet page lists dimensions and construction requirements, not brand names. In practice, "approved" means the carrier meets American's written rules and gets past the ticket counter on your travel day. American says you should go to the ticket counter at the airport to pay the fee and to "ensure your pet and kennel meet the requirements" (American Airlines, 2026). The final check happens there, not on the product box.

American Airlines (2026) enforces these core rules for carry-on pet carriers:

• Your pet must be small enough to fit comfortably inside the closed, zipped carrier.
• Non-collapsible (hard) kennels cannot exceed the under-seat dimensions of any aircraft in your journey.
• Soft-sided collapsible kennels are recommended. They may be slightly larger, but must fit under the seat without excessive collapsing.
• Soft carriers must be secure, padded, made of water-repellent material, and have nylon mesh ventilation on three or more sides.
• Only cats and dogs can travel as carry-on pets.

American Airlines pet carrier size limits (2026)

American publishes three limits rather than one. The difference between mainline and regional aircraft is where most refusals at the gate come from.

Source: American Airlines, "Traveling with pets," accessed October 2026.

Why the regional limit matters

American Eagle flies regional jets such as the CRJ-900, CRJ-700, CRJ-200, ERJ-190, ERJ-175 and ERJ-145. A hard carrier that fits on a mainline Boeing 737 can be too tall for a regional connection on the same ticket. Because American requires hard kennels to fit the under-seat space of every aircraft in the journey, size your carrier to the smallest plane you will board. If you are unsure, American advises contacting Reservations to verify maximum dimensions.

Is there a weight limit?

American's passenger pet page does not publish a general weight cap for carry-on pets in the main cabin. The rule is fit: the pet must fit comfortably in a carrier that fits under the seat. The one stated weight limit applies to First and Business on the three-cabin Airbus A321T, where pet and carrier together must not exceed 20 pounds (9.07 kg) and are weighed at check-in (American Airlines, 2026).

How to choose an American Airlines approved pet carrier

1. List every flight in your trip. Note whether each leg is American Mainline or American Eagle, and whether any segment is operated by a partner airline.
2. Pick soft-sided if possible. American recommends soft-sided carriers, and the 18 x 11 x 11 inch limit applies on all flights.
3. Measure your pet. IATA's container guidance measures length from nose to the base of the tail, height to the elbow, shoulder width, and standing height to the top of the head or ear tip. Your pet must be able to stand, turn and lie down naturally.
4. Check ventilation and material. Look for padding, water-repellent fabric and mesh on at least three sides, as American requires.
5. Train at home. IATA recommends letting your pet get familiar with the carrier weeks or months before departure. American Airlines Cargo suggests at least two or three weeks of acclimation for kennels.
6. Book the pet early. Cabin pet spaces are capped per flight, so add your pet as soon as you book.

How much does a carry-on pet cost on American?

The carry-on pet fee is $150 per kennel within and between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, according to American Airlines (2026). Fees are nonrefundable and apply per kennel, each way. If your trip includes a stopover or connection of four hours or more, the fee applies to each segment.

American does not collect pet fees for partner airlines, even on codeshares with an American flight number. Look for "Operated by" on your ticket and pay the partner directly. American accepts credit cards or paper vouchers at the airport, not cash or checks.

Does the pet carrier count as a carry-on bag?

Yes. American Airlines (2026) lets you bring one additional item with your pet carrier: either a personal item such as a purse, or a carry-on bag that fits in the overhead bin. You cannot bring both. Pet strollers must be checked at the ticket counter, and checked bag fees apply.

Which aircraft and seats allow a pet carrier?

American Airlines (2026) caps carry-on pets by aircraft and cabin:

• Airbus A321XLR, Boeing 777-200, 777-300ER, 787-8 and 787-9: no pets in premium cabins because there is no under-seat storage. Up to 20 carriers across the main cabin. Row 11 on the A321XLR is not permitted.
• Airbus A321T (three-cabin): two dedicated animal-friendly compartments at the front of the plane; no under-seat stowage in First; only smaller soft carriers fit in Business; 20-pound combined limit.
• Airbus A319, A320, A321, A321neo and Boeing 737: no pets in the premium cabin; up to 20 carriers across all cabins.
• American Eagle regional jets: a maximum of one carrier in premium and five in the main cabin.

Service animals are excluded from these counts. Carry-on pets are also not permitted in bulkhead seats, exit rows, or seat 13D on the Airbus A321neo, because of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety requirements or a lack of under-seat space.

Where can a carry-on pet fly with American?

American allows carry-on pets on most flights up to 12 hours within the 48 contiguous U.S. states and to or from Canada, Alaska, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Croix and St. Thomas, with extra restrictions on some routes (American Airlines, 2026). Carry-on pets are not accepted on trans-Atlantic or trans-Pacific trips, to or from Hawaii, to Jamaica, or to or from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay.

Pets traveling within the U.S. and Puerto Rico must be at least 8 weeks old. For Mexico, American says dogs need a New World Screwworm inspection certificate from a USDA-accredited veterinarian, issued within 5 days before entry and checked at check-in.

What paperwork does a carry-on pet need?

The carrier gets your pet on the plane; the documents get your pet into the destination. These come from government agencies, not the airline:

• Dogs entering or returning to the U.S.: the CDC sets the rules, which took effect August 1, 2024 and depend on where the dog was vaccinated and which countries it visited in the previous six months. The CDC's Dog Importation Navigator tells you which requirements apply.
• High-risk rabies countries: American does not accept dogs as carry-on pets if they originate from or visited a CDC high-risk rabies country in the six months before travel. Service dogs that meet CDC requirements are exempt from this embargo.
• Leaving the U.S.: USDA APHIS advises contacting a USDA-accredited veterinarian as soon as you decide to travel, because destination requirements and endorsed health certificates take time (USDA APHIS, last modified March 2026).

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the primary authority for dog imports, including dogs returning to the United States, according to USDA APHIS (2026).

Can you sedate your pet for the flight?

No. Following the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recommendation, American does not accept pets that have been sedated or tranquilized, because they face higher respiratory and cardiovascular risk at altitude (American Airlines, 2026). IATA also discourages sedatives for pets in the cabin or in cargo. Any medication for valid medical reasons should be directed by a veterinarian.

What if your pet is too big for an under-seat carrier?

American only accepts checked pets at the ticket counter for active-duty U.S. military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling on official orders. That service costs $200 per kennel ($150 to or from Brazil) and allows up to two pets (American Airlines, 2026). Other pets that are too large for the cabin travel through American Airlines Cargo's PetEmbark service.

Cargo kennels follow different rules from cabin carriers. American Airlines Cargo requires rigid plastic, metal or wood kennels with a metal door, secured with metal nuts, bolts or screws. It bans soft-sided, collapsible, wire-mesh and top-opening kennels. Ventilation is required on three sides for domestic flights and four for international flights. An older American Airlines Cargo transport checklist (2022) says ventilation on all four sides, so check the current page before buying. Pet and kennel together must stay under 100 pounds for checked pets, and the minimum kennel length is the animal's length plus half its leg length, which matches the IATA formula.

Temperature limits apply to checked and cargo pets, not cabin pets. American will not fly them if forecast temperatures exceed 85°F (29.4°C) or fall below 45°F (7.2°C) anywhere on the itinerary, though a veterinarian's letter can waive the cold limit down to 20°F.

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

It is easy to mix up travel documents and identity records, so we want to be clear about our own product. Animal Passport is a digital animal and livestock passport built on muzzle biometrics: a phone photo of the nose print, which is unique like a fingerprint. The record binds the owner, breed, estimated age (from a dental photo, with a confidence score), body condition score from 1 to 5 (from a side-profile photo) and vaccination history.

Animal Passport is not an airline pet approval, a CDC dog import form, a USDA-endorsed health certificate or an EU pet passport. American Airlines and border authorities rely on their own official documents and, for the EU, a matching microchip or tattoo. Animal Passport is designed for livestock identity and ownership. During the August 2025 floods in Pakistan, it helped farmers reclaim animals after paper tags washed away. For more on animal identification and travel rules, see the Animal Passport blog.

Pre-flight checklist

1. Confirm every flight is operated by American or American Eagle, and check the aircraft type.
2. Buy a soft carrier no larger than 18 x 11 x 11 inches, or a hard carrier that fits the smallest aircraft.
3. Add the carry-on pet in Additional Services on aa.com or the American app.
4. Pick a seat that is not a bulkhead or exit row.
5. Gather CDC, USDA or destination documents if crossing a border.
6. Arrive early and pay the $150 fee at the ticket counter, where staff check the pet and carrier.