British Airways and Pets: How Dogs and Cats Fly With BA in 2026

British Airways and pets: British Airways (BA) does not allow pets in the cabin on any route. Pet dogs, cats and ferrets fly in the temperature-controlled hold as cargo. IAG Cargo, BA's sister company, handles pets flying into the UK, and PetAir UK handles pets leaving the UK. Recognised assistance dogs fly free in the cabin. Emotional support dogs must travel in the hold as pets.

In short, flying with a pet on British Airways is a cargo shipment, not a passenger booking. Your pet travels on the same aircraft network but is booked, checked in and collected separately from you. This guide sets out the rules as of October 2026. It is based on official British Airways, International Airlines Group Cargo (IAG Cargo) and UK Government (GOV.UK) guidance.

Does British Airways allow pets in the cabin?

No. British Airways says on its official travel-assistance pages that it does not carry pets in the cabin on any route. Small dogs and cats in soft carriers are not accepted under the seat, even on short European flights. This is different from some other airlines.

The only animals allowed in the cabin are recognised assistance dogs. In 2026, British Airways says it can carry an assistance dog free of charge in the cabin on the majority of its flights. If a dog doesn't meet BA's assistance dog guidelines, or is an emotional support dog, it must travel as a domestic pet and cannot be in the cabin.

Why pets fly in the hold on BA

Part of the reason is UK law. GOV.UK guidance (2026) for bringing pets into Great Britain says pets have to travel as cargo on a plane. The two exceptions are flights on a chartered private plane and travel with a guide or assistance dog. Because British Airways is based at London Heathrow and London Gatwick, much of its network is affected by this rule.

How British Airways pet travel works: IAG Cargo and PetAir UK

British Airways does not book pets through ba.com. Its cargo arm, IAG Cargo, transports pets on British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling and LEVEL flights. IAG Cargo says it has carried pets since the 1950s. Which company you book with depends on where the journey starts.

• Leaving the UK: IAG Cargo has partnered with PetAir UK to handle all pets departing the UK. In a 5 February 2019 announcement, IAG Cargo said the service included UK-wide home collection, custom crates, and veterinary and document support. It also opened a meet-and-greet pet area at London Heathrow.
• Coming into the UK: IAG Cargo asks owners to complete its pets enquiry form. It then connects them with a specialist pet travel agent who provides a quote and makes the booking.
• Departing Ireland: IAG Cargo uses a separate Ireland enquiry form.

According to its Live Animals page, IAG Cargo requires all live animal bookings to go through a freight forwarder or pet relocation agent with animal experience. The exception is pet bookings from North America and the Caribbean. IAG Cargo points owners to the International Pet and Animal Transport Association (IPATA) or the Animal Transport Association (ATA) to find an agent.

Scale of the service

IAG Cargo said in its 2019 PetAir UK announcement that it shipped over 12,000 pets in the previous year. The most frequently shipped dog breeds were Labradors, retrievers, labradoodles, cockapoos and cocker spaniels. These figures date from 2019. IAG Cargo has not published a newer pet count on the pages we reviewed.

Step-by-step: flying your pet with British Airways

The process below combines IAG Cargo's booking rules with the GOV.UK Pet Travel Scheme steps for entering Great Britain. It applies to dogs, cats and ferrets. Other species follow separate GOV.UK and destination-country rules.

1. Check the route. GOV.UK's list of Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) approved air routes, last updated 5 October 2026, lists British Airways into London Heathrow (Animal Aircare) and London Gatwick (Animal Aircare). There are no approved routes into Wales.
2. Contact the right booking partner. Use PetAir UK for departures from the UK. Use IAG Cargo's pets form, or an IPATA agent, for arrivals from elsewhere.
3. Microchip your pet. GOV.UK requires the microchip to be implanted before or at the same time as the rabies vaccination. If it isn't, the vaccination has to be repeated.
4. Vaccinate against rabies. The pet must be at least 12 weeks old. GOV.UK says you must wait at least 21 full days after the first vaccination before travel. Some countries also require a rabies blood test.
5. Get the correct travel document from a vet. The document depends on the country of departure, as explained in the next section.
6. Give dogs tapeworm treatment if required. For entry to Great Britain, GOV.UK says most dogs must be treated no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days before arrival.
7. Sign the declarations. For pets entering the UK, IAG Cargo asks owners to sign a Form of Indemnity. It covers British Airways against costs if the pet fails arrival checks and goes into quarantine. GOV.UK also requires a non-commercial declaration.
8. Prepare the crate and check in early. IAG Cargo says live animals must be checked in 4 hours before departure, subject to station capability.

GOV.UK warns that pets that do not meet these rules may be put into quarantine for up to 4 months, at the owner's expense.

Which documents does your pet need?

The answer depends on the direction of travel. Here, “pet passport” means an official veterinary document. It is not an airline product.

Flying from Great Britain to the EU

GOV.UK states that people living in England, Scotland or Wales cannot use a pet passport to enter the EU, even one issued in the EU. They need an animal health certificate (AHC) from a vet for each trip. After issue, the AHC is valid for 10 days for entry into the EU, 6 months for onward travel within the EU, and 6 months for re-entry to Great Britain. Residents of Northern Ireland can still use an EU pet passport.

Flying into Great Britain

All pets entering Great Britain need a microchip, a rabies vaccination and a valid travel document. Dogs usually also need tapeworm treatment. GOV.UK adds that extra rules, known as Balai rules, apply in three cases: if the pet is being sold or rehomed, if it arrives more than 5 days before or after the owner, or if more than 5 pets are travelling outside a competition or show. British Airways pets often fly on a different flight from their owners, so check the 5-day window carefully.

British Airways pet rules at a glance

Crate and breed rules on British Airways

IAG Cargo says it follows the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Live Animals Regulations (LAR), the worldwide standard for moving animals by air. Its published container rules include the following:

• Pets must be able to stand, sit upright and turn around without touching the top of the kennel.
• Ventilation is required on all four sides. The pet's nose and paws must not fit through the vents or the door mesh.
• The door must be secured so the pet cannot open it. The crate needs a water pot that can be filled from outside.
• Fibreboard, wire mesh and wicker containers are not accepted.
• Cats departing the USA and Canada need at least a 200-series kennel (68 x 50 x 48 cm internal). Series 100 kennels are acceptable from other countries.
• Snub-nosed (brachycephalic) dogs and cats need a crate 10% larger than the minimum.

On breeds, IAG Cargo says some dangerous dog breeds and snub-nosed breeds of cats and dogs may not be accepted, and your pet travel agent will advise. Separately, GOV.UK says banned dog breeds cannot enter Great Britain without a valid Certificate of Exemption.

What the journey is like for your pet

IAG Cargo describes the hold as temperature-controlled and unlit. Its experience is that pets settle and travel better in the dark. It advises a light meal before travel and a chance to toilet before the pet goes into its crate. It also recommends asking your vet to confirm the microchip can still be read, because chips sometimes move within the body.

How much does it cost to fly a pet with British Airways?

British Airways and IAG Cargo do not publish a fixed pet fare. Prices are quoted for each pet by PetAir UK or the pet travel agent. They depend on the route, the pet's weight, the crate size and handling fees.

Airport handling charges add to the total. As an example, the City of London's Heathrow Animal Reception Centre (HARC) lists a £104 fee to collect pets from the aircraft and £213 to £293 for boarding and paperwork checks (City of London, page updated 5 October 2026). However, HARC says pets travelling with IAG Cargo are usually handled elsewhere, so British Airways owners should ask their agent for the exact fees at Animal Aircare.

Assistance dogs on British Airways

British Airways says an assistance dog is one trained to support a person with a visible or non-visible disability or medical condition. Assistance dogs fly free in the cabin on most BA flights. Owners have to register the dog so it is approved to travel. BA recommends doing this before booking, in case the dog is not cleared. It also asks passengers to request any assistance at least 48 hours before departure, through Manage My Booking.

Assistance dogs still have to meet the Pet Travel Scheme health rules to enter Great Britain. GOV.UK notes that there are more approved routes for guide and assistance dogs than for pets.

Official pet passports vs Animal Passport: an important distinction

Animal Passport readers often ask whether our product can replace a pet passport for a British Airways flight. It cannot. The documents airlines and border officials check are the official ones described above. These are the UK animal health certificate, the EU pet passport where it is still valid, and the vet-certified microchip and rabies records required under the Pet Travel Scheme.

Animal Passport is a digital animal and livestock identity record built on muzzle biometrics. A cow's nose print is unique, like a human fingerprint. The record is captured on a phone and links the animal to its owner, breed, estimated age, body condition and vaccination history. Age is estimated from a dental photograph and comes with a confidence score. Body condition is scored from 1 to 5 using a side-profile photo. During the August 2025 floods in Pakistan, it helped farmers reclaim livestock after paper ear tags washed away.

Animal Passport is not a government-issued travel document. It does not replace a microchip, rabies certificate or animal health certificate, and it does not provide veterinary or legal advice. For the official rules, rely on GOV.UK, your vet and your airline's cargo partner. You can read more about animal identification on the Animal Passport blog.

Final checklist before your BA pet booking

• Confirm that your route is on the APHA approved list for British Airways (Heathrow or Gatwick, Animal Aircare).
• Request a quote from PetAir UK (UK departures) or IAG Cargo and a pet relocation agent (arrivals).
• Schedule the microchip, rabies vaccination and 21-day wait, plus any blood test, well ahead of the travel date.
• Book tapeworm treatment for dogs 1 to 5 days before arrival in Great Britain.
• Buy an IATA-compliant hard kennel and let your pet get used to it before travel.
• Plan to arrive within 5 days of your pet to avoid the stricter Balai rules.

By Animal Passport. Last updated October 9, 2026. Airline and government pet travel rules change often, so check the linked official sources before you book.