American Airlines Pet Cabin Policy: The 2026 Guide to Flying With a Cat or Dog in the Cabin

The American Airlines pet cabin policy is the set of rules under which American Airlines lets a small cat or dog travel with you in the passenger cabin, inside a carrier stowed under the seat in front of you. As of October 2026, American charges $150 per kennel, each way, accepts only cats and dogs, and allows cabin pets on eligible flights within and between the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, according to American Airlines' official pet page.

This guide is published by Animal Passport and was last updated on October 10, 2026. It summarizes American's official pages, 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 American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Airline rules change often, so always confirm on aa.com before you fly.

American Airlines pet cabin policy at a glance

• Animals allowed: cats and dogs only, that meet size, age and destination rules (American Airlines, 2026).
• Fee: $150 per kennel, each way, non-refundable (American Airlines optional service fees page, 2026).
• Where the pet rides: inside the closed carrier, under the seat in front of you, for the entire flight.
• Extra bag: one personal item or one standard carry-on bag, not both.
• Minimum age: 8 weeks for travel within the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
• Flight length: most flights up to 12 hours on eligible routes.
• Sedation: sedated or tranquilized pets are not accepted.

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 its size, age and destination requirements. Rabbits, birds, ferrets and other species are not listed as eligible carry-on pets on the airline's pet page as of October 2026.

The pet must be small enough to fit comfortably inside the closed, zipped carrier. American's 2026 pet page does not publish a general weight limit for cabin pets, but it does set a combined pet-and-carrier limit of 20 pounds (9.07 kilograms) for pets in the premium cabins of the three-cabin Airbus A321T, and it says pets will be weighed at check-in on that aircraft. Older third-party guides often cite a different general weight figure, so treat American's current page as the authority.

Age rules

Cats and dogs traveling within the U.S. and Puerto Rico must be at least 8 weeks old, according to American Airlines (2026). Dogs entering the United States from a country the CDC classifies as high risk for dog rabies must be at least 16 weeks old and vaccinated against rabies, and American does not accept dogs as carry-on pets if they originated from or visited a high-risk country in the previous six months.

Emotional support animals and service dogs

American Airlines says service animals in training, emotional support animals and comfort animals may travel only as pets, so the pet fee and all carry-on pet rules apply. Fully trained service dogs fly in the cabin free of charge if the owner meets the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) form requirements, which American recommends submitting at least 48 hours before the flight.

How much does it cost to bring a pet in the cabin on American Airlines?

The carry-on pet fee is $150 per kennel on routes within and between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, according to American Airlines' optional service fees page (2026). The fee is the same in Main Cabin, Premium Economy, Business and First.

Three details change the final price:

• Per kennel, each way: a round trip with one carrier costs $300 before any taxes.
• Long connections: if a stopover or connection lasts 4 hours or more, the fee applies again for each connection segment (American Airlines, 2026).
• Partner flights: American does not collect pet fees for flights operated by another airline, even with an American flight number; you pay each operating carrier at its own check-in.

American accepts payment by credit card or paper voucher at the airport or a travel center, and it does not accept cash or checks. All pet fees are non-refundable. USA TODAY reported in April 2024 that the $150 fee was unchanged when American began allowing a full-size carry-on bag alongside the pet carrier, and the fee remains $150 on American's pages as of October 2026.

American Airlines pet carrier size requirements

American recommends soft-sided carriers. They may be slightly larger than hard-sided kennels, but they must still fit under the seat without being excessively collapsed, and they must be secure, padded, water-repellent and ventilated with nylon mesh on 3 or more sides.

Source: American Airlines, Traveling with pets, accessed October 2026. Non-collapsible kennels cannot exceed the under-seat space of any aircraft on your itinerary, so American advises calling Reservations to verify dimensions when your trip mixes mainline and regional jets.

How many pets are allowed per flight, and where can you sit?

American caps the number of carriers per flight, so booking early matters. The limits below come from American's pet page as of October 2026 and exclude service animals.

Carry-on pets cannot sit in bulkhead or exit-row seats, in First or Business on the Boeing 777-200, 777-300ER, 787-8 and 787-9, or in seat 13D on the Airbus A321neo. American cites Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety requirements and lack of under-seat storage for these restrictions. Row 11 on the A321XLR is also excluded.

Where can you fly with a pet in the cabin on American Airlines?

American says cabin pets can travel on most flights up to 12 hours, including within the 48 contiguous states and to or from Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Croix and St. Thomas, with extra restrictions for some destinations.

Routes where carry-on pets are not allowed

• To or from Hawaii (pets can go to Hawaii only as checked pets connecting via Honolulu, which is limited to eligible military and State Department travelers).
• Any trans-Atlantic trip, including Europe and the United Kingdom.
• Any trans-Pacific trip, including Japan.
• To Jamaica.
• To or from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay.

Pets flying to Trinidad and Tobago (POS) cannot arrive on a flight before 8 a.m. or after 4 p.m., according to American Airlines (2026).

Mexico: new screwworm certificate for dogs

Since August 3, 2026, Mexico requires pet dogs arriving from the United States to carry a New World screwworm (NWS) Inspection Certificate signed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and issued no more than 5 days before entry, according to USDA APHIS (page modified September 21, 2026). The certificate does not need APHIS endorsement. American Airlines says it verifies the certificate at check-in, and the rule also applies to service dogs. Pet cats do not need an NWS certificate or health certificate to enter Mexico, but Mexico's National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA) inspects them on arrival, the AVMA notes.

Flying into the United States with a dog

The CDC sets the entry rules for all dogs coming into the U.S., including returning pets and service dogs, under requirements that took effect on August 1, 2024. What your dog needs depends on where it was vaccinated and which countries it visited in the six months before arrival. For dogs that were only in rabies-free or low-risk countries, the AVMA says the CDC Dog Import Form is the only CDC document required. Dogs returning from Mexico must also meet USDA APHIS screwworm certification rules.

How to add a pet to an American Airlines booking: step by step

1. Check eligibility. Confirm your pet is a cat or dog, at least 8 weeks old, and that every flight on your route allows cabin pets.
2. Book early. Pet spaces are capped per aircraft, so add the pet as soon as you hold a ticket.
3. Add the pet online. Find your trip on aa.com or the American app, choose Add carry-on pets under Additional Services, agree to the requirements, select the flights and confirm.
4. Buy a compliant carrier. Use a soft-sided carrier no larger than 18 x 11 x 11 inches, and let your pet get used to it before travel.
5. Prepare documents. Gather any destination paperwork, such as Mexico's NWS certificate for dogs or the CDC Dog Import Form for entering the U.S.
6. Check in at the ticket counter. American says you pay the fee at the counter, where staff confirm the pet and kennel meet requirements.
7. Keep the pet in the carrier. The pet must stay inside the carrier, under the seat in front of you, for the whole flight.

Health certificates, sedation and pet welfare

American's official pet page lists a veterinary health certificate as a requirement for checked pets (issued within 10 days of travel), but it does not list one for carry-on pets on domestic flights. The AVMA notes that most airlines require a health certificate issued within 10 days of travel, so sources differ in emphasis; destination countries and some U.S. states may still require one. Ask a licensed veterinarian about your specific trip.

American does not accept pets that have been sedated or tranquilized. Following AVMA guidance, the airline says sedated pets face a higher risk of respiratory and cardiovascular problems at altitude. American also states that it assumes no liability for the health or well-being of carry-on pets, which makes owner preparation important.

What if your pet is too big for the cabin?

American only accepts checked pets for active-duty U.S. military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling on official orders, with a fee of $200 per kennel ($150 to or from Brazil), according to American Airlines (2026). Everyone else must ship a larger pet through American Airlines Cargo's PetEmbark service, where fees vary by route and kennel size. Brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dog and cat breeds, such as pugs, bulldogs and Persian cats, are not accepted as checked pets.

American Airlines pet rules versus Animal Passport

Search results for pet travel often mix up airline policies, government pet travel documents and animal ID products. They are different things:

• Airline pet policy (like American's) sets what can fly in the cabin, carrier sizes and fees.
• Government documents, such as the CDC Dog Import Form, USDA-accredited veterinarian certificates or the EU pet passport, are what border and health authorities accept for entry.
• Animal Passport is a digital animal and livestock identity record built on muzzle biometrics, because a nose print is unique like a fingerprint.

Animal Passport is not a government-issued travel document, and it does not replace a CDC, USDA APHIS or airline requirement. It captures the animal's muzzle by phone and binds the owner, breed, estimated age, body condition and vaccination history to that record. It estimates age from a dental photograph with a confidence score and gives a body condition score of 1 to 5 from a side-profile photo. In August 2025, it was used in a livestock flood rescue in Pakistan so farmers could reclaim animals after paper tags washed away. You can read more animal identity and travel explainers on the Animal Passport blog.

Bottom line

As of October 2026, the American Airlines pet cabin policy is straightforward if you plan ahead: a cat or dog in an under-seat carrier, $150 per kennel each way, eligible routes only, and no sedation. The biggest traps are long connections that trigger a second fee, regional jets with only 5 Main Cabin pet spots, banned routes such as Hawaii and trans-Atlantic flights, and Mexico's new screwworm certificate for dogs. Check American's pet page and the CDC or USDA APHIS pages for your route before booking.