American Airlines Pet Carrier Guidelines (2026): Carrier Sizes, Fees and Cabin Rules

American Airlines pet carrier guidelines let one cat or dog fly in the cabin per passenger, in a closed carrier under the seat ahead. As of October 2026, American Airlines caps soft-sided carriers at 18 x 11 x 11 inches on every flight. Hard-sided carriers are capped at 19 x 13 x 9 inches on Mainline jets and 16 x 12 x 8 inches on American Eagle regional jets. The carry-on pet fee is $150 per kennel, each way.

Put simply, the American Airlines pet carrier guidelines are the airline's published rules for how big an in-cabin pet carrier can be, what it must be made of, where it goes on the plane and what it costs. This guide summarizes the official American Airlines pets page and fee schedule, plus the government rules from 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 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) that apply once your carrier reaches the airport.

What size pet carrier does American Airlines allow?

American Airlines publishes three maximum carrier sizes, and which one applies depends on the carrier type and the aircraft. The figures below come from the American Airlines "Traveling with pets" page, checked in October 2026.

Soft-sided vs hard-sided: which should you buy?

American Airlines says soft-sided collapsible kennels are recommended. They "can be slightly larger" but still need to fit under the seat without being excessively collapsed. Non-collapsible (hard-sided) kennels cannot exceed the under-seat space of any aircraft on your journey, and the airline asks travelers to contact Reservations to confirm the maximum.

The practical point is simple. If your itinerary includes even one American Eagle regional leg, a hard-sided carrier has to meet the smaller 16 x 12 x 8 inch limit. A soft-sided carrier within 18 x 11 x 11 inches works on both Mainline and Eagle flights, so it is the safer choice for connecting trips.

Carrier construction rules American Airlines enforces

Size is only part of it. According to American Airlines (2026), these rules are enforced at the ticket counter:

• Your pet must be small enough to fit comfortably inside the closed or zipped carrier.
• Soft-sided carriers must be secure, padded and made of water-repellent material.
• Soft-sided carriers need nylon mesh ventilation on 3 or more sides.
• Your pet must stay inside the carrier, under the seat in front of you, for the entire flight.
• Pets that have been sedated or tranquilized are not accepted. American cites the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), which warns of higher respiratory and cardiovascular risk at altitude.

American Airlines also states that it "assume[s] no liability for the health or well-being of carry-on pets." Only cats and dogs qualify as carry-on pets. Within the U.S. and Puerto Rico, pets must be at least 8 weeks old.

How many pets can fly on an American Airlines flight?

Cabin space for pets is limited by aircraft type. American Airlines publishes these caps (2026), and service animals do not count toward them:

Seats you cannot choose with a pet

Because of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety requirements or missing under-seat storage, American Airlines does not allow carry-on pets in bulkhead seats, exit rows, First and Business on the Boeing 777-200, 777-300ER, 787-8 and 787-9, or seat 13D on the Airbus A321neo. On the three-cabin A321T, the carrier must go in the dedicated compartment at the front of the plane.

How much does American Airlines charge for a carry-on pet?

As of October 2026, American Airlines lists the carry-on pet fee as $150 per kennel, in every cabin, within and between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, depending on each country's entry rules. American's fee schedule also notes that carry-on pets are not allowed to Hawaii.

• 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 to each connection segment.
• Pay with a credit card or paper voucher where accepted. American does not accept cash or checks.
• American 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 airline at check-in.
• Your pet carrier counts as your carry-on. You can bring only one more item: either a personal item or a carry-on bag that fits in the overhead bin, not both. Pet strollers must be checked, and checked-bag fees apply.

Where older guides disagree

Many articles still list outdated numbers. A 2022 explainer by The Points Guy quoted a $125 in-cabin fee and a limit of seven kennels on Mainline flights, and said pets could only be added by calling Reservations. American Airlines' own 2026 pages list $150, up to 20 carriers per Mainline flight, and an online "Add carry-on pets" option. When sources conflict, follow the airline's current page.

Where can you fly with a carry-on pet on American?

According to American Airlines (2026), carry-on pets are allowed on most flights up to 12 hours, and on flights within the 48 contiguous states, between the U.S. and Canada, and to or from Alaska, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Croix and St. Thomas. Some of these destinations have extra restrictions.

Carry-on pets are not allowed:

• To or from Hawaii (checked pets only, under Hawaii quarantine rules, for eligible travelers)
• On trans-Atlantic or trans-Pacific trips
• To or from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay
• To Jamaica

American also refuses dogs as carry-on pets if they came from, or visited, a CDC high-risk country for dog rabies in the six months before travel. This does not apply to service dogs that meet CDC requirements.

Documents your pet may need beyond the carrier

A carrier that fits the rules will not get your pet on board if the destination's paperwork is missing. American Airlines tells travelers to bring all required documents and show them at check-in.

Dogs entering the United States (CDC)

The CDC's dog import requirements took effect on August 1, 2024. What your dog needs depends on where it was vaccinated and whether it was in a high-risk country for dog rabies in the 6 months before arriving. The CDC says an unvaccinated dog that has been in a high-risk country in that window will not be allowed in. The CDC's Dog Importation Navigator tells you which requirements apply.

Dogs flying to Mexico (USDA APHIS)

USDA APHIS states that, effective August 3, 2026, Mexico requires a New World Screwworm (NWS) Inspection Certificate for pet dogs. The certificate must be signed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and issued no more than 5 days before entry. American Airlines says the certificate applies to service dogs too and is checked at the airport during check-in. According to USDA APHIS, pet cats do not need a health certificate to enter Mexico but are inspected on arrival.

Pets entering the European Union

Carry-on pets cannot fly on American's trans-Atlantic routes. Pets going to the EU by another route follow EU rules: the European Commission's Your Europe portal requires a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and, from outside the EU, an EU animal health certificate issued by an official state vet no more than 10 days before arrival.

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

American Airlines (2026) lists this process:

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. At the airport, go to the American ticket counter to pay the fee and have your pet and carrier checked against the rules.

Because each flight has a fixed number of pet spaces, add your pet as soon as you book. Once a flight's cap is reached, you would have to change flights.

Getting your pet carrier through TSA security

The TSA says to take your pet out of its carrier at the checkpoint and send the empty carrier through the X-ray machine. Keep control of your pet on a leash, take the leash off when you carry your pet through the metal detector, and expect a visual or physical inspection of the carrier. Never put your pet through the X-ray. If your pet might bolt, ask a TSA officer about private screening.

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

American Airlines accepts checked pets at the ticket counter only for active-duty U.S. military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling on official orders. The checked-pet fee is $200 per kennel, or $150 to and from Brazil (American Airlines, 2026). For everyone else, a pet too large for the cabin has to go through American Airlines Cargo's American PetEmbark service. Cargo fees vary and are confirmed at booking.

Checked and cargo pets have separate kennel rules, including a 100 lb (45 kg) combined weight limit for checked pets. They also face temperature limits: no travel if any point on the itinerary is above 85°F (29.4°C) or below 45°F (7.2°C) on the ground, unless the cold limit is waived with a vet letter. American also bans brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dog and cat breeds as checked pets. These rules cover checked and cargo pets, not under-seat carriers.

Pet travel documents vs Animal Passport: not the same thing

Travelers often confuse the term "pet passport" with other animal ID products, so it helps to separate them. A European pet passport, as described by the European Commission, is an EU-standard identification document for dogs, cats and ferrets. Authorized vets issue it, and it records the microchip code and rabies vaccination. Airline rules like American's, CDC import rules and USDA APHIS health certificates are separate official requirements.

Animal Passport is a different product. It is a digital animal and livestock passport that identifies an animal by its muzzle biometrics, since a nose print is unique like a fingerprint. Using phone-based capture, the record links the owner, breed, estimated age (from a dental photograph, with a confidence score), body condition score (1 to 5, from a side-profile photo) and vaccination history. It was used in livestock flood rescue in Pakistan in August 2025, helping farmers reclaim animals after paper tags washed away. Animal Passport is not a government-issued travel document, an EU pet passport or a substitute for an airline's pet requirements, a CDC import record or a USDA-endorsed health certificate. For more on animal identification, see the Animal Passport blog.

Quick checklist before you fly

• Measure your carrier: soft-sided up to 18 x 11 x 11 in, or the hard-sided limit for every aircraft on your trip.
• Confirm the carrier is zipped, padded, water-repellent and ventilated on at least 3 sides.
• Add the pet to your booking early, since spaces are capped.
• Avoid bulkhead and exit-row seats.
• Budget $150 per kennel each way, plus extra segments for connections of 4 hours or more.
• Check CDC, USDA APHIS and destination rules for documents.
• Do not sedate your pet.

By Animal Passport. Last updated October 3, 2026. Airline pet rules change often, so recheck the official American Airlines pets page within a week of departure.