American Airlines Carry-On Pet Requirements: The 2026 Guide to Carrier Size, Fees and Paperwork

American Airlines carry-on pet requirements are the rules American Airlines sets for flying a small cat or dog in the cabin: the pet must fit in a closed, ventilated carrier that stays under the seat in front of you for the whole flight. As of October 2026, American charges $150 per kennel each way, caps soft-sided carriers at 18 x 11 x 11 inches, requires pets to be at least 8 weeks old for U.S. travel, and bans in-cabin pets on Hawaii, trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific routes.

This guide is compiled from American Airlines' official Traveling with pets page, its published fee table, and government pet travel pages 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). Airline pet policies change often, so check the American Airlines page again within a few days of departure.

Quick answer: what American Airlines requires for a carry-on pet

According to American Airlines (2026), you can bring one pet carrier on board as your carry-on if you pay the carry-on pet fee and your pet stays inside the carrier, under the seat in front of you, for the entire flight. The essentials:

• Species: cats and dogs only.
• Fee: $150 per kennel, each way, nonrefundable.
• Carrier: soft-sided up to 18 x 11 x 11 inches (46 x 28 x 28 cm) on all flights; hard-sided up to 19 x 13 x 9 inches on mainline and 16 x 12 x 8 inches on American Eagle.
• Age: at least 8 weeks old within the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
• Extra bag: one personal item or one standard carry-on bag, not both.
• Health: no sedated or tranquilized pets.

Which pets can fly in the cabin on American Airlines?

American Airlines states that carry-on pets "are limited to cats and dogs that meet the size, age and destination requirements." Birds, rabbits, ferrets and other small animals cannot fly as carry-on pets. Fully trained service dogs are handled under a separate service animal policy and fly in the cabin at no charge if they meet American's requirements.

Your pet must be small enough to sit comfortably inside the carrier with it closed or zipped. American does not publish a general weight limit for carry-on pets. The one exception is the three-cabin Airbus A321T, where American says pet plus carrier must not exceed 20 pounds (9.07 kg) in First and Business and is weighed at check-in. Some third-party travel sites quote a universal weight cap for American. That figure does not appear on the official page, so treat carrier fit as the real test.

Minimum age

American Airlines requires pets traveling within the U.S. and Puerto Rico to be at least 8 weeks old. International trips can raise that age considerably. For example, the CDC requires dogs entering the U.S. from dog-rabies-free or low-risk countries to be at least 6 months old (CDC, 2024).

American Airlines carry-on pet carrier size limits

American Airlines publishes three maximum carrier sizes, depending on carrier type and aircraft. It recommends soft-sided carriers, which may be slightly larger as long as they fit under the seat "without having to excessively collapse the kennel." Soft carriers must be secure, padded, water-repellent and have nylon mesh ventilation on three or more sides.

A hard-sided kennel cannot be bigger than the under-seat space of any aircraft on your itinerary. If one leg of your trip is on a regional American Eagle jet, the 16 x 12 x 8 inch limit applies to the whole trip. American recommends calling Reservations to confirm the maximum dimensions for your specific flights.

How much is the American Airlines carry-on pet fee?

American Airlines lists the carry-on pet fee as $150 per kennel for travel within and between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, subject to each country's entry rules (American Airlines fee table, 2026). The fee is the same in Main Cabin, Premium Economy, Business and First.

• The fee applies each way, so a round trip costs $300 per kennel.
• If your trip includes a stopover or connection of 4 hours or more, the fee applies again for each connection segment.
• All pet fees are nonrefundable.
• American does not accept cash or checks. Pay by credit card or paper voucher where accepted.
• American does not collect pet fees for partner airlines, even on flights with an American flight number. Look for "Operated by" on your ticket and pay that airline directly.

American's fee table also notes that carry-on pets are not allowed to Hawaii. For comparison, checked pets are now limited to active-duty U.S. military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel on official orders, at $200 per kennel ($150 to or from Brazil). Everyone else with a pet too large for the cabin must use American Airlines Cargo, whose fees vary by trip.

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

American Airlines lets you add a carry-on pet online. Space is limited per flight, so add your pet as soon as you book:

1. Find your trip on aa.com or in the American app.
2. In the Additional Services section, 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 to complete the change.
6. On travel day, go to the American ticket counter to pay the fee and have staff check that your pet and kennel meet the requirements.

How many pets can be on one flight?

American Airlines caps carry-on pets per aircraft. Not counting service animals, mainline jets such as the Airbus A319, A320, A321, A321neo and Boeing 737 allow up to 20 pet carriers across all cabins. American Eagle regional jets (CRJ-200, CRJ-700, CRJ-900, ERJ-145, ERJ-175, ERJ-190) allow 1 carrier in the premium cabin and 5 in Main Cabin. Wide-body Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft and the Airbus A321XLR do not allow pets in premium cabins because there is no under-seat storage there.

Where can you sit with a carry-on pet?

American Airlines says carry-on pets are not permitted in these seats because of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety requirements or lack of under-seat storage:

• Bulkhead seats
• Exit row seats
• First and Business seats on the Boeing 777-200, 777-300ER, 787-8 and 787-9
• Seat 13D on the Airbus A321neo
• Row 11 on the Airbus A321XLR

On the three-cabin Airbus A321T, First and Business passengers must place the carrier in one of two dedicated animal-friendly compartments at the front of the plane.

Carry-on bag allowance when you fly with a pet

The pet carrier counts as your carry-on. American Airlines allows one additional item: either a personal item such as a purse or small handbag, or a carry-on bag that fits in the overhead bin. This became more generous in April 2024, when USA TODAY reported that American began allowing a full-size carry-on alongside the pet carrier. Before that change, pet owners were limited to a small personal item. Pet strollers must be checked at the ticket counter, and normal checked bag fees apply.

Route restrictions: where carry-on pets cannot go

American Airlines allows pets on most flights up to 12 hours and lists these eligible areas: the 48 contiguous U.S. states, the U.S. and Canada, Alaska, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Croix and St. Thomas. As of October 2026, carry-on pets are not allowed:

• To or from Hawaii
• To Jamaica
• To or from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay
• On any trans-Atlantic trip
• On any trans-Pacific trip

American also restricts pet arrivals in Trinidad and Tobago (POS) to flights landing between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Dogs that come from, or have visited, a country the CDC lists as high-risk for dog rabies in the previous six months are not accepted as carry-on pets. That embargo does not apply to service dogs that meet CDC requirements.

Documents you may need beyond the airline's rules

American's pet fee covers the cabin space. It does not satisfy government entry rules. American states that passengers are responsible for meeting each destination's requirements, and it checks some documents at check-in.

Flying a dog to Mexico

According to USDA APHIS (page updated September 2026), Mexico has required a New World screwworm (NWS) Inspection Certificate for pet dogs since August 3, 2026. A USDA-accredited veterinarian must sign it no more than 5 days before entry, and APHIS endorsement is not required. American Airlines says it verifies this certificate at check-in, and that the rule also applies to service dogs. Pet cats do not need a health certificate or NWS document to enter Mexico, but SENASICA, Mexico's agriculture health authority, inspects them on arrival. USDA APHIS also notes that U.S.-origin dogs returning from Mexico must meet APHIS screwworm requirements on re-entry.

Bringing a dog into or back to the United States

The CDC sets the rules for dogs entering the U.S., including returning pets and service dogs. Since August 1, 2024, dogs that have been only in dog-rabies-free or low-risk countries for the previous six months need a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. They must also look healthy, be at least 6 months old and carry a microchip readable by a universal scanner (CDC, 2024). The form is free, each dog needs its own form, and the receipt stays valid for six months unless the dog's travel changes. Dogs that have been in high-risk countries face stricter requirements, and unvaccinated dogs from those countries are refused entry.

Health certificates

American's official carry-on pet section does not list a general health certificate requirement for domestic in-cabin travel. Its 10-day health certificate rule appears under checked pets. Destination countries, U.S. territories and connecting carriers can impose their own document rules, though. If you are unsure, ask a USDA-accredited veterinarian.

Sedation, temperature and other rules

Following American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) guidance, American Airlines does not accept pets that have been sedated or tranquilized. It says such pets face a higher risk of respiratory and cardiovascular problems at altitude. The heat and cold embargoes on American's pet page (no travel above 85°F or below 45°F at any point on the itinerary) apply to checked and cargo pets, not to pets riding in the cabin. American also states that it assumes no liability for the health or well-being of carry-on pets.

Airline pet rules vs. pet passports vs. Animal Passport

The word "passport" gets used loosely around pet travel, so here is how the three differ:

• Airline carry-on pet rules are commercial policies set by American Airlines: carrier size, fees, seats and routes.
• Government pet travel documents include the CDC Dog Import Form, USDA-endorsed health certificates, Mexico's NWS certificate and the EU pet passport. Government agencies issue or require them, and they decide whether an animal can cross a border.
• Animal Passport is a digital animal and livestock identity record. It is not a government-issued travel document and does not replace any of the documents above.

Animal Passport identifies an animal by its muzzle biometrics, since a nose print is unique like a fingerprint. Owners capture the record on a phone, and it links the animal to its owner, breed, estimated age, body condition and vaccination history. Age is estimated from a dental photograph with a confidence score, and body condition is scored from 1 to 5 using a side-profile photo. In August 2025, during livestock flood rescues in Pakistan, these records helped farmers reclaim animals after paper ear tags washed away. That is livestock identity work. For a cat or dog flying on American Airlines, the documents that count are the airline's booking and the government forms described above. You can read more about animal identification on the Animal Passport blog.

Pre-flight checklist

1. Confirm your route allows carry-on pets (no Hawaii, trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific or the listed South American countries).
2. Add the pet to your booking early, because per-flight carrier limits fill up.
3. Measure your carrier against the smallest aircraft on your itinerary.
4. Get your pet used to the carrier and do not sedate it.
5. Collect destination documents: the NWS certificate within 5 days for dogs going to Mexico, and the CDC Dog Import Form for dogs entering the U.S.
6. Arrive early, check in at the ticket counter and pay the $150 fee by card.
7. Choose a seat that is not in a bulkhead or exit row.

By Animal Passport. Last updated October 7, 2026. This article summarizes published airline and government policies and is not legal or veterinary advice.