American Airlines Pet Carry-On Policy (2026): Fees, Carrier Sizes, Routes and Paperwork

American Airlines lets you bring one small cat or dog into the cabin for $150 per kennel, each way, if the pet stays zipped inside a carrier under the seat in front of you for the whole flight. An American Airlines pet carry-on is a cat or dog that flies with you in the passenger cabin instead of in cargo. As of October 2026, the recommended soft-sided carrier can be up to 18 x 11 x 11 inches. Carry-on pets are allowed within the U.S. (except Hawaii) and on many Canada, Mexico, Central America and Caribbean routes, according to American Airlines.

This guide uses American Airlines' official pet, fee and service-animal pages, plus guidance 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 American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Airline pet rules change often. Check your booking against the American Airlines pets page before you fly.

American Airlines pet carry-on rules at a glance

American Airlines lets you bring one pet carrier as a carry-on if you pay the carry-on pet fee and your pet stays in the carrier, under the seat in front of you, for the entire flight (American Airlines, 2026). The main rules are:

• Species: Only cats and dogs that meet the size, age and destination requirements can fly as carry-on pets.
• Minimum age: Pets traveling within the U.S. and Puerto Rico must be at least 8 weeks old.
• Fee: $150 per kennel, each way. The fee is nonrefundable.
• Bag allowance: Besides the pet carrier, you can bring one other item: a personal item such as a purse, or a carry-on bag that fits in the overhead bin. You cannot bring both.
• Strollers: Pet strollers must be checked at the ticket counter, and checked-bag fees apply.
• No sedation: American Airlines does not accept sedated or tranquilized pets. It cites the AVMA's warning that these drugs raise the risk of breathing and heart problems at high altitude.
• Liability: American Airlines says it assumes no liability for the health or well-being of carry-on pets.

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

The American Airlines carry-on pet fee is $150 per kennel, each way. It is the same in Main Cabin, Premium Economy, Business and First, according to the airline's bag and optional fees table (American Airlines, 2026). The fee applies to travel within and between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, where the destination country allows the pet to enter. Carry-on pets are not allowed to Hawaii.

Payment details from American Airlines (2026):

• You pay at the airport or at a travel center by credit card or paper voucher (where accepted). Cash and checks are not accepted.
• All pet fees are nonrefundable and are charged per kennel, each way.
• American Airlines does not collect pet fees for partner airlines, even on flights that carry an American flight number. If your ticket says Operated by another airline, you check in and pay that airline directly.
• Flights departing Canada have their own fee page priced in Canadian dollars.

One point the sources leave unclear: American Airlines' footnote saying fees apply again for each stopover or connection of 4 hours or more is attached to the checked-pet line of its fee table, not clearly to the carry-on line. If your trip has a long connection, ask Reservations whether you will be charged a second carry-on fee.

Carry-on pet carrier size limits

Your pet must fit comfortably inside the closed carrier, and the carrier must fit under the seat on every aircraft in your trip. American Airlines recommends soft-sided carriers. They must be secure, padded, water-repellent and have nylon mesh ventilation on at least three sides. They can be slightly larger than hard carriers, but they still have to fit under the seat without being squashed too much.

Source: American Airlines, Traveling with pets, 2026. If one flight in your trip is on an American Eagle regional jet, plan around the smaller hard-sided limit or use a soft carrier. American Airlines says non-collapsible kennels cannot be larger than the under-seat space on any aircraft in the journey, and suggests calling Reservations to confirm.

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

Space for pets in the cabin is limited by aircraft type. American Airlines (2026) publishes these caps, which do not count service animals:

Seats where carry-on pets are not allowed

Because of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety rules or a lack of under-seat storage, American Airlines does not allow carry-on pets in:

• 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

On the 3-cabin A321T, passengers in First or Business must put the carrier in the dedicated animal compartment at the front of the plane.

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

American Airlines says you can travel with a pet on most flights of up to 12 hours, and on flights to or from select places: the 48 contiguous states, Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Croix and St. Thomas (American Airlines, 2026). Extra rules may apply for Canada and Mexico.

Routes where carry-on pets are not allowed

• Hawaii: No carry-on pets to or from Hawaii.
• Jamaica: No carry-on pets when traveling to Jamaica.
• South America: No carry-on pets to or from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia or Uruguay.
• Trans-Atlantic trips: No carry-on pets, so a cabin pet cannot fly with you between the U.S. and Europe on American Airlines.
• Trans-Pacific trips: No carry-on pets.
• Trinidad and Tobago (POS): Flights with pets cannot arrive before 8 a.m. or after 4 p.m.

Dogs from high-risk rabies countries

American Airlines does not accept dogs as carry-on pets if they come from, or have visited, a country the CDC lists as high risk for dog rabies in the six months before travel. Service dogs that meet CDC requirements are exempt. The CDC's current dog import rules took effect on August 1, 2024. They depend on where the dog was vaccinated and which countries it has been in during the 6 months before arriving in the U.S. (CDC, 2024). The CDC sends travelers to its online Dog Importation Navigator to work out which rules apply.

Flying to Mexico with a carry-on dog: the 2026 screwworm certificate

This rule is new in 2026 and catches many travelers. Since August 3, 2026, Mexico has required pet dogs arriving from the U.S. to carry a New World Screwworm (NWS) Inspection Certificate for Pet Dogs. The certificate must be signed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian no more than 5 days before entry (USDA APHIS, 2026). It does not need an APHIS endorsement. American Airlines says it will check the certificate at airport check-in and that the rule also covers service dogs.

When you land, Mexico's National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA) inspects the dog in a clean carrier. Officials check for signs of contagious disease, external parasites and fresh or healing wounds. A carrier with puppy pads, newspaper, toys or food may be disinfected and its contents destroyed. You may bring only the day's portion of food (USDA APHIS, 2026). Pet cats do not need a health certificate or NWS document to enter Mexico. APHIS warns owners not to add cats to the dog form, because doing so makes the form invalid.

Getting back into the U.S. is a separate process. The AVMA (2026) explains that dogs and cats entering or returning from Mexico must meet USDA APHIS screwworm requirements, in addition to any CDC rabies rules. That means a certificate from a full-time salaried official government veterinarian in the region of origin, dated within the previous 5 days.

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

1. Check eligibility. Confirm that your pet is a cat or dog, meets the age rule, and that no flight in your trip is on a restricted route or aircraft.
2. Find your trip on aa.com or in the American app.
3. Select 'Add carry-on pets' in the Additional Services section.
4. Review and agree to the carry-on pet requirements.
5. Choose the flights your pet will travel on, then confirm. Do this early, because cabin pet spaces are capped per flight.
6. Get the paperwork ready. For international trips, see a USDA-accredited veterinarian as soon as you decide to travel, as USDA APHIS advises.
7. At the airport, go to the American ticket counter to pay the $150 fee and have the pet and carrier checked.

Carry-on pet vs. service animal vs. cargo

Many people search for the American Airlines pet carry-on policy when a different option fits them better. Here is how the three compare (American Airlines, 2026):

American Airlines says emotional support animals, comfort animals and service animals in training fly as pets, so all pet rules and fees apply to them.

Practical tips from the official rules

• Measure the carrier with your pet inside it. The rule is that the pet fits comfortably in the closed carrier, not only that the empty carrier meets the size limit.
• Plan for the smallest aircraft in your trip. American Eagle regional jets have the tightest hard-carrier limit and allow only 5 Main Cabin pets.
• Don't book bulkhead or exit rows. Pets are not allowed in those seats.
• Don't sedate your pet. American Airlines refuses sedated pets.
• Check partner flights. If any flight is operated by another airline, that airline's pet rules and fees apply to it.

Airline pet documents vs. Animal Passport's biometric ID

The documents that matter for an American Airlines pet carry-on are government and veterinary records. Examples include the CDC Dog Import Form, the NWS Inspection Certificate for Mexico, and health certificates issued by USDA-accredited veterinarians. Airlines and border officials accept these documents. No private app can replace them.

Animal Passport is something different. It is a digital animal and livestock identity record built on muzzle biometrics: the nose print, which is unique to each animal like a fingerprint. An owner takes photos on a phone, and the record links the animal to its owner, breed, estimated age (from a dental photo, with a confidence score), body condition score (1 to 5, from a side-profile photo) and vaccination history. In August 2025, it was used during livestock flood rescues in Pakistan so farmers could reclaim animals after paper tags washed away. Animal Passport is not a government-issued travel document, an EU pet passport, or a substitute for any certificate an airline or border agency requires. For more on animal identity and travel rules, see the Animal Passport blog.

Bottom line

As of October 2026, flying with a pet in the cabin on American Airlines costs $150 per kennel each way. Your cat or dog must fit in a carrier under the seat (soft-sided up to 18 x 11 x 11 inches), and the route must allow cabin pets. That rules out Hawaii, trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific trips, and several South American countries. Book the pet spot early, plan for the smallest aircraft in your trip, and get government paperwork such as Mexico's screwworm certificate from a USDA-accredited veterinarian well before you leave.

By Animal Passport. Last updated October 3, 2026. This article is general information, not veterinary or legal advice. Always confirm the current rules with American Airlines and the relevant government agencies before you travel.