American Airlines Traveling With Pets: Rules, Fees, Carrier Sizes and Documents (2026 Guide)

American Airlines traveling with pets means flying a small cat or dog in the cabin for a $150 fee per kennel, each way, on flights within and between the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. The pet must stay in an approved carrier under the seat in front of you for the entire flight. Pets too large for the cabin travel through American Airlines Cargo, and checked pets are accepted only for active-duty U.S. military and State Department personnel on official orders.

As of October 2026, those are the core rules published on American Airlines' official pet travel page. Below, Animal Passport walks through every requirement, from carrier dimensions and seat restrictions to temperature embargoes and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) dog import rules, with the source named for each one. Airline pet policies change often, so confirm your own itinerary with American before you fly.

What is American Airlines' pet policy?

American Airlines' pet policy is the set of rules the airline uses to decide whether an animal can fly in the cabin, as a checked pet, or through its cargo division. According to American Airlines (2026), "carry-on pets are limited to cats and dogs that meet the size, age and destination requirements." Any other species, and any cat or dog too big for an under-seat carrier, must use American Airlines Cargo.

There are four ways an animal can travel with American:

• Carry-on pet: a cat or dog in a carrier under the seat, for a fee.
• Checked pet: only for active-duty U.S. military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling on official orders.
• Cargo pet: shipped through the American PetEmbark service run by American Airlines Cargo.
• Service animal: a fully trained service dog, which flies in the cabin free of charge.

How much does it cost to fly a pet on American Airlines?

The carry-on pet fee is $150 per kennel, each way, according to American Airlines' bag and optional fees page (2026). American raised the fee from $125 to $150 for tickets issued on or after February 20, 2024, as Simple Flying reported in February 2024. The table below summarizes the current fees published by American Airlines.

Two fine-print rules matter for your budget. First, American Airlines (2026) states that all pet fees are nonrefundable and that a stopover or connection of 4 hours or more triggers a separate fee for each segment. Second, American does not collect pet fees for partner airlines, even on codeshare flights with an American flight number, so you must pay each operating airline at its own check-in.

Which pets can fly in the cabin on American Airlines?

Only cats and dogs can fly as carry-on pets on American Airlines. Pets traveling within the U.S. and Puerto Rico must be at least 8 weeks old, according to American Airlines (2026). The pet must be small enough to fit comfortably inside the closed, zipped carrier.

You can bring one pet carrier per passenger, and it replaces part of your cabin allowance. American Airlines (2026) says you may bring only one additional item with your pet: either a personal item such as a purse or small handbag, or a carry-on bag that fits in the overhead bin, but not both. Pet strollers must be checked at the ticket counter, and checked bag fees apply.

Where can you travel with a carry-on pet?

American Airlines (2026) allows carry-on pets on most flights up to 12 hours and on routes to and from the 48 contiguous states, Canada, Alaska, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Croix and St. Thomas. Carry-on pets are not allowed:

• To or from Hawaii
• On trans-Atlantic or trans-Pacific trips
• To Jamaica
• To or from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay

American Airlines pet carrier size requirements

Carrier size is the most common reason pets are turned away at the gate. American Airlines (2026) recommends a soft-sided carrier and publishes these maximum dimensions:

Soft-sided carriers must be secure, padded, made of water-repellent material and have nylon mesh ventilation on three or more sides. They can be slightly larger than the listed size but must fit under the seat without being excessively collapsed, according to American Airlines (2026).

How many pets are allowed per flight?

As of October 2026, American Airlines' official page lists a maximum of 20 pet carriers across all cabins on mainline Airbus and Boeing aircraft, excluding service animals. On American Eagle regional jets (CRJ-900, CRJ-700, CRJ-200, ERJ-190, ERJ-175 and ERJ-145), the limit is 1 carrier in the premium cabin and 5 in the main cabin. Sources disagree here: Simple Flying reported in February 2024 that mainline flights allowed only seven kennels, so older articles may quote a lower number. Treat American's current page as authoritative and book your pet early, because space is first come, first served.

Where can you sit with a pet?

Carry-on pets are not allowed in bulkhead seats or exit rows, according to American Airlines (2026), because of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety requirements or a lack of under-seat storage. Pets are also barred from First and Business on the Boeing 777-200, 777-300ER, 787-8 and 787-9, and from seat 13D on the Airbus A321neo. On the three-cabin Airbus A321T, premium passengers must use a dedicated animal-friendly compartment, and the pet plus carrier cannot exceed 20 pounds (9.07 kg).

How to book a pet on American Airlines: step by step

1. Book your own ticket first on a route and aircraft that allow pets.
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 be on and confirm.
6. Gather documents required by your destination, such as a veterinary health certificate or CDC dog import paperwork.
7. Check in at the American ticket counter on travel day to pay the fee and have the pet and carrier inspected. American Airlines (2026) accepts credit cards or paper vouchers, not cash or checks.

Can you check a pet on American Airlines?

Most travelers cannot. American Airlines (2026) accepts checked pets only for active-duty U.S. military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling on official orders. Eligible travelers may check up to two pets, must contact Reservations at least 48 hours ahead, and must check in 2 to 4 hours before departure with a health certificate issued by a vet within 10 days of travel.

Checked pets face extra restrictions. American Airlines (2026) does not accept brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dogs or cats of any mix as checked pets, including Pugs, Bulldogs, Boxers, Shih Tzus, Persians and Himalayans. Checked pets cannot fly on Airbus A319, A320 or A321-family aircraft, and connections are limited to ten hubs, including Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Charlotte (CLT), Chicago O'Hare (ORD) and Miami (MIA).

Shipping larger pets with American PetEmbark

If your pet is too large for the cabin and you are not eligible to check it, American Airlines Cargo offers the American PetEmbark service. American Airlines Cargo (2026) requires a rigid plastic, metal or wood kennel with a metal door, ventilation on three sides for domestic and four sides for international flights, and attached food and water dishes. Soft-sided, collapsible and wire-mesh kennels are prohibited. Two dogs or two cats may share a kennel only if each is under 20 pounds and under six months old, and all animals must be at least eight weeks old and weaned.

Temperature and sedation rules

American Airlines (2026) will not transport checked or cargo pets if the current or forecast temperature anywhere on the itinerary is above 85°F (29.4°C) or the ground temperature is below 45°F (7.2°C). Pets not traveling in the cabin cannot fly to, through or from Phoenix (PHX), Tucson (TUS), Las Vegas (LAS) or Palm Springs (PSP) from May 1 to September 30. A vet letter can waive the cold limit, but not below 20°F (-6.6°C).

American also refuses sedated or tranquilized pets. The airline cites the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), which warns that sedated pets face a higher risk of respiratory and cardiovascular problems at altitude. Ask your own veterinarian about calming strategies that do not involve sedation.

International trips: CDC and USDA APHIS documents

International pet travel adds government rules on top of airline rules. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the primary authority for dogs entering or returning to the United States, as the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) confirms on its pet travel page (last modified March 2026).

• Dogs entering the U.S.: CDC requirements in effect since August 1, 2024 depend on where the dog was vaccinated and which countries it visited in the previous six months. The CDC's Dog Importation Navigator shows which rules apply.
• High-risk rabies countries: American Airlines (2026) does not accept dogs as carry-on pets if they originated from or visited a CDC high-risk rabies country in the six months before travel. Service dogs that meet CDC requirements are exempt.
• Leaving the U.S.: USDA APHIS (2026) advises contacting a USDA-accredited veterinarian as soon as you decide to travel, to obtain any USDA-endorsed health certificate the destination requires.
• Mexico: American Airlines (2026) requires a New World Screwworm (NWS) Inspection Certificate, completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian within 5 days before entering Mexico, for all dogs, including service dogs.
• European Union: for checked pets, American Airlines (2026) requires a tattoo or implanted microchip that matches the ID number on the vaccination card.

Service animals vs. emotional support animals

American Airlines (2026) defines a service animal as a dog individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a qualified individual with a disability. Service dogs fly free in the cabin, but American recommends submitting the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Service Animal Air Transportation Form at least 48 hours before the flight. Emotional support animals, comfort animals and service animals in training travel as pets, and pet fees apply.

Airline pet paperwork vs. Animal Passport biometric ID

Travelers sometimes confuse airline and government pet documents with digital animal ID products, so it is worth being precise. The documents that get a pet onto an American Airlines flight are those issued or required by official bodies: CDC import forms, USDA-endorsed health certificates, the DOT service animal form and destination-country rules such as EU microchip requirements.

Animal Passport is a different kind of tool. It is a digital animal and livestock passport that identifies animals by muzzle biometrics, since a nose print is unique like a fingerprint. A phone captures the nose print, and the record binds the owner, breed, estimated age, body condition and vaccination history. Age is estimated from a dental photograph with a confidence score, and body condition is scored 1 to 5 from a side-profile photo. During flooding in Pakistan in August 2025, the system helped farmers reclaim livestock after paper ear tags washed away.

Animal Passport is not a government-issued travel document, and it does not replace a CDC form, a USDA health certificate or an airline's acceptance check. It is also built mainly for livestock, which USDA APHIS (2026) notes do not qualify as pets for pet travel purposes and fall under separate import and export rules. For more on animal identification and records, browse the Animal Passport blog.

Practical tips before you fly

• Measure under-seat space by aircraft. Your carrier cannot exceed the under-seat dimensions of any aircraft on your journey, so check every leg, including regional flights.
• Add the pet right after booking. Cabin pet limits are per flight, and space fills up.
• Avoid long connections. A layover of 4 hours or more can double the fee.
• Check partner flights separately. Codeshare segments follow the operating airline's pet rules and fees.
• Start international paperwork early. USDA APHIS warns that meeting requirements takes time.
• Arrive early. Your pet and carrier are inspected at the ticket counter, not at the gate.

Bottom line: as of October 2026, American Airlines is a workable option for small cats and dogs on North American and Caribbean routes, but anyone flying a larger pet, crossing an ocean or heading to Hawaii needs American Airlines Cargo or another plan.

By Animal Passport. Last updated October 2, 2026. This guide summarizes publicly available rules and is not legal or veterinary advice. Always confirm requirements with American Airlines, the CDC, USDA APHIS and your veterinarian before travel.