American Airlines Pet Policy: Cabin, Checked, and Cargo Rules Explained

The American Airlines pet policy allows cats and dogs to travel in the cabin for a $150 one-way fee if the pet and its carrier together weigh no more than 20 lbs, with the carrier stowed under the seat for the entire flight. Larger pets can travel through the airline's separate PetEmbark cargo program, while checked-pet transport in the hold is limited to active-duty military and State Department families on relocation orders. Service dogs, by contrast, fly free under U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) rules that no longer cover emotional support animals.

This guide breaks down American Airlines' current cabin, checked, and cargo pet rules, the documents you need, and how its policy compares with other pet-travel frameworks people often confuse it with — including EU pet passports and livestock identification systems, which are entirely different things. As of August 2026, these figures reflect the airline's most recently reported fee schedule; American Airlines can change pricing and routes without notice, so confirm details on aa.com or by phone before booking.

American Airlines In-Cabin Pet Policy

American Airlines permits one small cat or dog per passenger in the cabin on most domestic and near-international routes, including flights within the 48 contiguous states, and to and from Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The pet must stay fully inside an approved, ventilated carrier for the whole flight, and the carrier counts as the passenger's one allowed carrier item under the seat.

Cabin Pet Requirements at a Glance

• Fee: $150 per kennel, each way (raised from $125 in February 2024, according to multiple current airline-fee trackers).
• Weight: Combined pet-plus-carrier weight should not exceed roughly 20 lbs (9 kg), and the animal must be able to stand and turn around inside the carrier.
• Minimum age: At least 8 weeks old.
• Species allowed: Cats and dogs only — no rabbits, birds, reptiles, or other species in the cabin.
• Sedation: American Airlines will not accept a visibly sedated pet at check-in.
• Route exclusions: No in-cabin pets on transatlantic or transpacific flights, or to/from Hawaii, the United Kingdom, Ireland, or most South American destinations.

Approved Carrier Sizes

Carriers must be leak-proof, padded, and ventilated on at least three sides. Cabin pet space is limited and sold first-come, first-served, so American recommends calling the airline's reservations or Special Assistance line as early as possible — ideally at least 48 hours before departure — since pets cannot be added through standard online booking the way a checked bag can.

Checked Pets: Limited to Military and Foreign Service Travelers

Unlike some carriers, American Airlines does not check pets in the cargo hold for the general public. Checked-pet transport is restricted to active-duty U.S. military members and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling on permanent change-of-station (PCS) orders. For this group, the fee is $200 per kennel each way ($150 to or from Brazil), and the pet must be checked in at the airport ticket counter, generally two to four hours before departure, with a veterinary health certificate issued within 10 days of travel.

Checked-pet travel is also blocked during hot months through hub airports prone to extreme heat — Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Phoenix, and Tucson are excluded from checked-pet routing between roughly May 1 and September 30 — and blocked on any route where a destination airport is forecast below 45°F.

American Airlines Cargo (PetEmbark): Shipping Pets as Freight

Pets that don't meet cabin or checked-pet eligibility — larger dogs, pets traveling without an accompanying passenger, or shipments arranged by breeders and relocation services — can move through American Airlines Cargo's PetEmbark program. This is a freight service, priced and booked separately from a passenger ticket, typically starting near $415 for domestic routings and running higher for international shipments depending on kennel size, weight, and distance.

PetEmbark requires an IATA-compliant rigid kennel with ventilation on multiple sides, secure locking hardware, and attached food and water containers. Requests generally need to be filed about 10 days before travel (minimum 24 hours), with drop-off at the cargo facility within about four hours of the flight.

Breed and Species Restrictions

American Airlines restricts or bans several brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds from cargo and checked transport because flattened airways make them more vulnerable to breathing distress in the hold. Commonly listed breeds include:

• Dogs: Boxers, Bulldogs (all varieties), Boston Terriers, Pugs, Shih Tzus, Pekingese, Lhasa Apsos, Mastiffs, and similar snub-nosed breeds.
• Cats: Persian, Himalayan, Burmese, and Exotic Shorthair breeds.

These breeds are typically still allowed in the cabin, where cabin air and temperature are controlled, since the restriction targets cargo-hold conditions specifically. Always confirm current breed lists directly with American Airlines before booking, since airline breed policies are updated periodically.

Temperature Rules That Can Ground a Pet Shipment

Across its checked and cargo programs, American Airlines will not transport pets in the hold if the ground temperature at the origin, layover, or destination airport is forecast to exceed 85°F (29.4°C) or drop below 45°F (7.2°C) at time of departure or arrival. A veterinarian-issued acclimation certificate can sometimes extend the cold-weather threshold to as low as 20°F (-6.6°C), but airlines apply this exception narrowly and require it in writing.

Service Animals: A Separate, DOT-Regulated Category

Service animals are not "pets" under federal rules and are not subject to American's pet fees or carrier-size limits. On December 10, 2020, the U.S. Department of Transportation published a final rule amending the Air Carrier Access Act's service-animal provisions, effective January 11, 2021. The rule narrowed the federal definition of a service animal to "a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability," and explicitly allowed airlines to treat emotional support animals as ordinary pets rather than service animals, according to the DOT.

American Airlines adopted this framework on February 1, 2021: emotional support animal bookings are no longer accepted, and qualifying service dogs travel free but require a DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form (and, if relevant, a Relief Attestation Form) submitted at least 48 hours before departure. American does not accept species other than dogs as service animals, and does not treat animals still in training as service animals.

Required Documentation

• Domestic in-cabin pets: Generally no formal health certificate required, though airlines can ask for proof of vaccination at the gate.
• Cargo, checked, and international routes: A veterinary health certificate — most commonly USDA APHIS Form 7001, the "U.S. Interstate and International Certificate of Health Examination for Small Animals" — issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian, typically no more than 10 days before travel. The United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) notes that almost all destination countries require this certificate to confirm the animal is fit to travel.
• Service animals: DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form, valid for one year or until the animal's vaccination expires, whichever comes first.

Because international entry requirements (rabies titers, quarantine periods, import permits) are set by the destination country and not by American Airlines, travelers going abroad should check USDA APHIS's pet travel guidance and the destination country's official requirements well before booking.

How American Airlines' Policy Differs From EU Pet Passports and Livestock ID

It's worth being precise about terminology, because "pet passport" gets used loosely. The European Union operates an official EU pet passport under the EU Pet Travel Scheme — a standardized document, issued by an authorized veterinarian, that records a pet's microchip number, rabies vaccination history, and owner details for travel within and into the EU. That is a government-recognized travel credential, separate from any airline's carry-on rules.

American Airlines' pet policy, by contrast, is an airline transport rule: it governs carrier size, cabin fees, and cargo eligibility, not legal pet ownership or vaccination status. It is not a substitute for a health certificate, a rabies certificate, or an EU pet passport where one is required by law.

Neither of these should be confused with Animal Passport, a separate digital identity product for livestock and working animals. Animal Passport uses phone-based muzzle biometrics — a nose print, similar in concept to a human fingerprint — to create a record binding an owner to a specific animal, along with breed, an estimated age from a dental photograph, and a body condition score from a side-profile photo. It was used during livestock flood rescue efforts in Pakistan in August 2025, helping farmers reclaim animals after paper ID tags were lost in flooding. Animal Passport is a livestock identification tool, not an airline pet-travel document, an EU pet passport, or a veterinary or legal credential. Readers researching cabin pet travel rules for a cat or dog should rely on American Airlines and DOT/USDA sources above; readers working with livestock identity and recordkeeping can read more on the Animal Passport blog.

Comparison: Cabin vs. Checked vs. Cargo

Tips Before You Book

1. Call American Airlines Reservations or Special Assistance as early as possible — cabin pet spots are limited and not guaranteed by fare class.
2. Measure your pet inside the carrier, not just the carrier itself, to confirm it can stand, turn, and lie down comfortably.
3. Check the route: transatlantic, transpacific, Hawaii, UK, and Ireland routes exclude in-cabin pets.
4. Get a veterinary health certificate dated within 10 days of travel if you're checking, shipping, or flying internationally with a pet.
5. If flying with a service dog, submit the DOT form at least 48 hours before departure.
6. Check seasonal temperature restrictions if routing through Phoenix, Las Vegas, Tucson, or Palm Springs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does American Airlines charge to fly with a pet?

American Airlines charges $150 each way for a cat or dog traveling in the cabin, per current airline fee trackers. This is up from $125 before the airline's February 2024 fee increase.

Can I check my dog or cat as luggage on American Airlines?

No, not for the general public. American Airlines only checks pets in the cargo hold for active-duty U.S. military and State Department Foreign Service members traveling on relocation orders; other travelers must use in-cabin travel or the PetEmbark cargo program.

What size carrier does American Airlines allow in the cabin?

Hard-sided carriers can be up to 19 x 13 x 9 inches on mainline aircraft (16 x 12 x 8 inches on American Eagle regional flights), and soft-sided carriers up to about 18 x 11 x 11 inches. The carrier must fit fully under the seat in front of the passenger.

Does American Airlines still allow emotional support animals?

No. Since February 1, 2021, American Airlines follows the DOT's December 2020 final rule and no longer treats emotional support animals as service animals; they must fly as standard pets and pay applicable pet fees, or as cargo.

Are pit bulls or short-nosed dogs banned on American Airlines?

Brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds like pugs, bulldogs, and Boston Terriers face cargo and checked-pet restrictions due to breathing-distress risk in the hold, though many are still permitted in the cabin. Restricted-breed rules can change, so confirm current lists directly with American Airlines before booking.

What documents do I need to fly with my pet?

Domestic in-cabin travel generally doesn't require a formal health certificate, but checked, cargo, and international travel typically requires a veterinary health certificate (commonly USDA APHIS Form 7001) issued within 10 days of travel, per USDA APHIS guidance. Service animals require a separate DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form.

Is American Airlines' pet policy the same as an EU pet passport?

No. American Airlines' pet policy is an airline transport rule covering carrier size, fees, and eligibility. An EU pet passport is a separate, government-recognized veterinary travel document used for entry into the European Union under the EU Pet Travel Scheme.

Is Animal Passport related to American Airlines' pet policy?

No. Animal Passport is a digital livestock identification product that uses muzzle (nose print) biometrics to record ownership, breed, estimated age, and body condition for livestock and working animals — it is unrelated to airline cabin, checked, or cargo pet travel rules.