American Airlines Pets: What You Can Bring, What It Costs, and How to Prepare
Key takeaways
- American Airlines accepts only cats and dogs as passenger pets; carry-on pets ride in an approved under-seat carrier for $150 per kennel each way on qualifying routes per the airline fee schedule.
- Checked pets in the baggage hold are restricted to active-duty U.S. military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel on official orders, with a $200 per kennel fee on most eligible international routes.
- Carry-on pets are not allowed on trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific, or Hawaii itineraries, and several South American destinations prohibit cabin pets entirely according to American Airlines.
- CDC dog importation rules apply to all dogs entering the U.S., including service dogs; American bars many carry-on dogs with recent travel from CDC high-risk rabies countries.
- Emotional support and comfort animals must travel as paid pets; only qualified service dogs fly in the cabin at no charge under DOT forms and behavior rules.
- USDA APHIS health certificates and destination entry rules are separate from airline pet fees—plan with a USDA-accredited veterinarian before international trips.
- Animal Passport is a biometric livestock and animal ID app, not a substitute for American Airlines pet reservations or government pet travel documents.
American Airlines pets are cats and dogs that American Airlines allows in the cabin in an approved carrier under the seat, or—only for eligible travelers—as checked baggage or via American Airlines Cargo when size and route rules require it. As of September 2026, the carry-on pet fee is $150 per kennel each way on qualifying routes, according to American Airlines' published fee schedule; federal agencies set separate health rules for dogs entering the United States.
By Animal Passport · Last updated September 2026
This guide summarizes American Airlines' official pet policies for cabin, checked, and cargo travel, plus U.S. import requirements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS). It is not veterinary or legal advice. Airline pet rules are not the same as government-issued EU pet passports or biometric livestock identity records such as Animal Passport, which uses phone-based muzzle biometrics for farm and rescue animals—not for booking a cabin kennel on aa.com.
How American Airlines pets can travel
American Airlines states that depending on breed and size, animals may travel as a carry-on pet, a checked pet (very limited eligibility), or through American Airlines Cargo (including PetEmbark). Only cats and dogs are accepted as pets on passenger flights; other species must follow cargo or partner-airline rules.
Carry-on pets (cabin)
On American-operated flights you may bring one pet carrier as a carry-on if you pay the pet fee, your cat or dog stays inside the carrier under the seat for the entire flight, and your route allows cabin pets. You may also bring either one personal item or one standard carry-on bag—not both—in addition to the pet carrier, per American Airlines' traveling with pets page.
Recommended soft-sided carriers may be up to 18 × 11 × 11 inches (46 × 28 × 28 cm). Hard-sided limits depend on aircraft: up to 19 × 13 × 9 inches on mainline jets and smaller dimensions on American Eagle. Premium cabins on some wide-body aircraft (for example Boeing 777 and 787 types listed on aa.com) do not permit carry-on pets because of under-seat storage limits.
Cabin pet capacity is capped per flight and aircraft type—for example, American lists up to 20 pet carriers on many Airbus and Boeing narrow-body configurations and as few as one in premium cabin on some regional jets. Pets cannot sit in bulkhead or exit rows, and American recommends contacting Reservations to confirm kennel dimensions on mixed-aircraft itineraries.
Checked pets (baggage hold)
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, according to its pets policy. Up to two pets may be checked, subject to first-come capacity, kennel guidelines, and destination health rules. General leisure travelers cannot check a pet as luggage; they must use cargo if the animal does not qualify for the cabin.
Checked kennels must allow the animal to stand, turn, lie down, and sit naturally, with a combined pet-and-kennel weight limit of 100 pounds (45 kg) where applicable. Brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dogs and cats listed on aa.com—including breeds such as Bulldogs, Pugs, and Persian cats—are not accepted as checked pets.
Cargo and PetEmbark
Animals too large for the cabin and travelers who do not qualify for checked pets must ship through American Airlines Cargo and the American PetEmbark program, with fees confirmed at booking. American states cargo fees vary by itinerary, kennel size, and animal details.
American Airlines pets: fees as of September 2026
American Airlines publishes pet fees in its optional service fee tables. Carry-on pet fees are paid at the airport or an American travel center; American's customer FAQs state carry-on pet fees are not payable online even when you add the pet to your reservation in the app or on aa.com.
| Travel mode | Who qualifies | Fee (American Airlines) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carry-on pet | Cats and dogs in approved under-seat carrier | $150 per kennel, each way | Within/between U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America, and Caribbean where entry is allowed; not to Hawaii |
| Checked pet | Active-duty U.S. military and State Department on official orders | $200 per kennel, each way ($150 to/from Brazil) | Health certificate timing rules apply; brachycephalic breeds excluded |
| Cargo pet | Animals not eligible for cabin or checked pet | Varies | Quoted at booking through American Airlines Cargo |
| Service dog | Qualified disability service dogs only | $0 | Emotional support animals travel as pets with fees |
If your itinerary includes a voluntary connection of four hours or more, American applies pet fees to each connection segment, and all pet fees are non-refundable per kennel each way, according to the airline's fee footnotes.
Routes and destinations where cabin pets are restricted
American allows pets on most flights up to 12 hours or on select long-haul markets listed on aa.com, including travel within the 48 contiguous United States, Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and certain Caribbean islands, subject to national entry law.
Notable cabin restrictions from American Airlines include:
- Hawaii: No carry-on pets to or from Hawaii; checked pets may be allowed only for eligible military/State travelers connecting via Honolulu with state quarantine compliance.
- Trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific: No carry-on pets on trans-Atlantic or trans-Pacific trips; checked and cargo rules differ by country.
- South America: No carry-on pets to or from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, or Uruguay.
- Jamaica: No carry-on pets.
- United Kingdom and Ireland: Checked pets to the U.K. or Ireland are not accepted except via cargo arrangements to specific airports such as London Heathrow (LHR) or Manchester (MAN), per American's destination guidance.
Always verify both airline and destination government rules before ticketing; American explicitly assigns responsibility for EU entry paperwork—including microchip matching vaccination records for checked pets—to the traveler.
Federal health rules for dogs on American Airlines
CDC dog importation (flights to the U.S.)
The CDC is the primary U.S. authority for importing dogs. American Airlines requires all customers bringing dogs into the United States—including service dogs—to follow CDC rules. The CDC states requirements depend on where the dog was vaccinated and which countries it visited in the six months before U.S. entry, with separate pathways for dogs from high-risk rabies countries.
American enforces an embargo on carry-on dogs that originated from or visited a CDC high-risk rabies country in the prior six months, except service dogs that meet CDC requirements. Dogs arriving from high-risk countries must meet age and vaccination rules American lists on its pets page (for example, at least 16 weeks old with rabies vaccination when entering from high-risk locations).
USDA APHIS export and health certificates
For international pet movement, USDA APHIS advises contacting a USDA-accredited veterinarian early to obtain destination-specific health certificates and endorsements. American requires health certificates for checked pets within 10 days of travel (or within longer windows on round trips per its checklist). Travel to Mexico with a dog requires a USDA-accredited veterinarian to complete a New World Screwworm Inspection Certificate within five days before entry, according to both American Airlines and USDA pet-travel guidance.
USDA APHIS also clarifies that species considered livestock or poultry—not private companion pets—follow different regulations. American Airlines passenger pet policies apply to cats and dogs only; farm species are not handled as cabin pets.
Service dogs vs. pets on American Airlines
American accepts fully trained service dogs in the cabin at no charge when they meet U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) documentation and behavior standards. The airline states that emotional support animals, comfort animals, and service animals in training must travel as pets, with pet fees and carrier rules applying.
Service dogs must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, at least 4 months old, and able to fit at the traveler's feet without blocking the aisle. American recommends submitting the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form to its Special Assistance Desk at least 48 hours before departure, and an additional relief attestation for flights over eight hours.
Booking American Airlines pets step by step
- Confirm route eligibility on aa.com for cabin, checked, or cargo options, including partner-operated segments (fees may differ).
- Add a carry-on pet via “Find your trip” → Additional Services → “Add carry-on pets,” then select applicable flights.
- Pay the pet fee at the airport (or travel center) and present required health or import documents at check-in.
- Choose an approved carrier that fits under the seat on every aircraft in the itinerary; avoid sedatives—American cites American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) guidance against sedated air travel.
- Plan connections for checked pets only through approved hub cities American lists (such as Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, and Charlotte).
- Monitor temperature embargoes: American prohibits pet travel when forecast ground temperatures exceed 85°F (29.4°C) or fall below 45°F (7.2°C) on any itinerary point, with additional summer restrictions for Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas, and Palm Springs for non-cabin pets.
Temperature, welfare, and airline liability
American states it assumes no liability for the health or well-being of carry-on pets and enforces carrier containment rules throughout the flight. For checked and cargo pets, federal regulations require written certification that the animal was offered food and water within four hours of delivery to the aircraft, with feeding instructions attached to the kennel.
Planning ahead reduces denial at the gate when flight pet limits are reached. Because capacity is limited, American accepts checked pets on a first-come basis for eligible military and State Department travelers.
Permanent animal ID vs. airline pet reservations
Airline pet bookings, CDC import forms, and USDA health certificates solve movement compliance for a specific trip. They are not a lifelong biometric registry. Animal Passport is a separate digital identity product for animals and livestock: phone-based capture of muzzle biometrics (nose prints treated as unique identifiers), owner linkage, breed and estimated age from dental photos with confidence scores, body condition scoring from side-profile images, and vaccination history in one record.
That approach differs from EU pet passports under the PETS scheme or from American's cabin fee and kennel dimensions. In August 2025, Animal Passport supported livestock flood rescue in Pakistan so farmers could reclaim cattle when paper ear tags were lost—illustrating why durable digital ID complements, but does not replace, carrier pet policies. For more context on animal identity and welfare, see the Animal Passport blog.
Before you fly: practical checklist
- Match your pet carrier to American's soft-sided or hard-sided dimension table for every aircraft type in your booking.
- For dogs entering the U.S., complete the CDC Dog Import Form and any high-risk-country requirements before departure, as American requires for inbound dogs.
- Schedule a USDA-accredited veterinarian visit for export certificates when leaving the U.S., per USDA APHIS pet-travel guidance.
- Do not sedate pets for flight; American will not accept sedated or tranquilized animals per AVMA-aligned policy.
- If your dog is reclassified from service animal to pet due to behavior or paperwork gaps, budget the $150 carry-on fee and carrier compliance.
Policies change with public-health orders and fleet configurations. Reconfirm fees and embargoes on American Airlines' official pets and optional service fee pages before each trip.
FAQ
- How much does it cost to bring a pet on American Airlines?
- American Airlines charges $150 per kennel each way for an eligible carry-on cat or dog on routes within and between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean where the destination allows entry. Checked pets for qualifying military and State Department travelers are $200 per kennel each way ($150 to or from Brazil), and cargo fees vary by booking.
- Can any passenger check a pet as baggage on American Airlines?
- No. American Airlines accepts checked pets only from active-duty U.S. military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling on official orders, subject to kennel rules, capacity limits, and health certificates. Other travelers must use an approved under-seat carrier or American Airlines Cargo.
- What size carrier does American Airlines allow for cabin pets?
- American recommends soft-sided carriers up to 18 x 11 x 11 inches. Hard-sided carriers may be up to 19 x 13 x 9 inches on mainline aircraft or smaller on American Eagle. The pet must fit comfortably inside the closed carrier under the seat for the entire flight.
- Are pets allowed in the cabin on flights to Hawaii with American Airlines?
- American Airlines does not permit carry-on pets on flights to or from Hawaii. Eligible checked pets for military or State Department travelers may connect via Honolulu with Hawaii Department of Agriculture quarantine compliance, but general travelers cannot use cabin pet service to Hawaii.
- Does American Airlines allow emotional support animals in the cabin for free?
- No. American Airlines states that emotional support animals, comfort animals, and service dogs in training must travel as pets with applicable fees and carrier rules. Only fully trained service dogs that meet U.S. Department of Transportation requirements may fly in the cabin at no charge.
- What documents do I need to fly a dog into the United States on American Airlines?
- The CDC sets U.S. dog import rules based on vaccination history and countries visited in the prior six months, and American requires compliance for all inbound dogs including service dogs. You may need the CDC Dog Import Form, rabies vaccination proof, and USDA or state requirements depending on origin.
- How do I add a pet to my American Airlines reservation?
- Use Find your trip on aa.com or the American app, open Additional Services, choose Add carry-on pets, select flights, and confirm requirements. You still pay the pet fee at the airport or travel center and must show that your carrier and documents meet American's rules at check-in.
- Is Animal Passport the same as an airline pet ticket or EU pet passport?
- No. Animal Passport is a digital muzzle-biometric identity record for animals and livestock, not an airline booking or government travel document. EU pet passports under the PETS scheme and American Airlines pet fees solve different problems than Animal Passport's phone-based ID and health history capture.
Sources
- Traveling with pets — American Airlines
- Traveling with a service animal — American Airlines
- Bag and optional fees — American Airlines
- Pet Travel | Domestic and International Travel With a Pet — USDA APHIS
- Bringing a Dog into the U.S. — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Customer service FAQs — American Airlines
Animal Passport binds a muzzle biometric to a digital record farmers, buyers, and insurers can verify in the field.