Carry On Pet Fee on American Airlines: What You Pay in 2026

As of October 2026, the carry on pet fee on American Airlines is $150 per kennel, each way. It applies to cats and dogs flying in the cabin within or between the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. That means a round trip costs $300 per carrier. The fee is the same in every cabin, and American Airlines does not refund it. Fully trained service dogs fly free. American Airlines lists the $150 fee on both its pets page and its bag and optional fees page (2026).

The American Airlines carry-on pet fee is the charge American Airlines collects for each pet carrier that travels with you in the cabin and stays under the seat in front of you. It is separate from your ticket and your checked bag fees. American Airlines' own pages are the authority on what you will pay, and the official rules on documents come from government agencies such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS). This guide brings both together.

How much is the American Airlines carry-on pet fee in 2026?

American Airlines' optional service fees page (2026) lists the carry-on pet fee as $150 in Main Cabin, Premium Economy, Business and First. The fee is charged "per kennel" and applies to travel "within / between U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central America and Caribbean (if the country allows entry)", with a note that carry-on pets are "not allowed to Hawaii."

American Airlines' pets page (2026) adds the terms that matter for your budget: "All pet fees are nonrefundable and apply per kennel, each way." In practice:

• One-way trip, one carrier: $150
• Round trip, one carrier: $300 ($150 each way)
• Two travelers, each with one carrier, round trip: $600
• Service dog that meets American Airlines' requirements: $0

Fees on flights departing Canada

The Canadian version of American Airlines' bag and optional fees page (2026) shows the carry-on pet fee in Canadian dollars as C$180 – C$258 per kennel. American Airlines does not explain the range on that table, so check the exact amount for your trip when you add the pet to your booking.

Does the fee apply again on connections?

The sources are not fully consistent here. On American Airlines' U.S. pets page (2026), the footnote saying fees apply "for each connection segment" when a stopover or connection lasts 4 hours or more is attached to the checked pet row. On the Canadian fee page (2026), the same footnote sits under the animal fee table, close to the carry-on pet row. If your itinerary has a long layover, confirm with American Airlines Reservations whether you will be charged a second time.

American Airlines pet fees compared

The table below summarizes American Airlines' published animal fees as of October 2026, from its pets page and bag and optional fees page.

Which pets can fly in the cabin on American Airlines?

American Airlines (2026) states that "carry-on pets are limited to cats and dogs that meet the size, age and destination requirements." Its key rules are:

• Species: cats and dogs only.
• Age: pets traveling within the U.S. and Puerto Rico must be at least 8 weeks old.
• One carrier per passenger: you may bring "one pet carrier as a carry-on."
• Stays in the carrier: your pet must stay in the carrier and under the seat in front of you for the whole flight.
• No sedation: following the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recommendation, American Airlines does not accept sedated or tranquilized pets.
• Flight length: you can travel with a pet on most flights of up to 12 hours.

Carrier size limits

American Airlines' pets page (2026) publishes these maximum carrier dimensions:

• Soft-sided (recommended), all flights: 18 x 11 x 11 inches (46 x 28 x 28 cm)
• Hard-sided, American mainline flights: 19 x 13 x 9 inches (48 x 33 x 22 cm)
• Hard-sided, American Eagle regional flights: 16 x 12 x 8 inches (40 x 30 x 20 cm)

Soft-sided carriers must be secure, padded, made of water-repellent material and ventilated with nylon mesh on 3 or more sides. Your pet must fit comfortably inside with the carrier closed.

Is there a weight limit?

Here the sources disagree. The third-party guide Paws On Board (policy updated April 2026) says the pet and carrier together must not exceed 20 pounds (9.07 kg) on any flight. American Airlines' own pets page (2026) mentions the 20-pound limit only for the dedicated animal compartments in First and Business on the three-cabin Airbus A321T, where American Airlines says it weighs pet and carrier at check-in. On other aircraft, the official test is whether the pet fits comfortably in a carrier that fits under the seat. If your pet is close to 20 pounds, ask American Airlines Reservations before you book.

What else can you bring on board with a pet carrier?

American Airlines (2026) says that with a pet carrier you can bring only one more item. That can be a personal item, like 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 normal checked bag fees apply.

Where are carry-on pets not allowed?

The $150 fee only covers routes where American Airlines accepts cabin pets. As of October 2026, American Airlines' pets page says you cannot travel with a carry-on pet:

• To or from Hawaii (pets may go to Hawaii only as checked pets via Honolulu, which is limited to eligible military and State Department personnel)
• To Jamaica
• To or from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay
• On trans-Atlantic trips
• On trans-Pacific trips

American Airlines also 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 from that rule.

Cabin limits by aircraft

Space is limited, so add your pet early. American Airlines (2026) allows a maximum of 20 pet carriers across all cabins on its Airbus A319, A320, A321, A321neo, A321T and Boeing 737, 777 and 787 aircraft (service animals excluded). On American Eagle regional jets (CRJ-200/700/900, ERJ-145/175/190), the limit is 1 carrier in the premium cabin and 5 in the Main Cabin. On Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft, pets are not allowed in Premium cabins because there is no under-seat storage. Bulkhead and exit-row seats are also off-limits.

How to add and pay the carry-on pet fee on American Airlines

American Airlines (2026) describes this process:

1. Find your trip on aa.com or in the American app.
2. In the Additional Services section, choose "Add carry-on pets."
3. Review and agree to the carry-on pet requirements.
4. Choose the flights your pet will travel on, then confirm.
5. On the day of travel, go to the American Airlines ticket counter. Staff will take the fee and check that your pet and carrier meet the rules.
6. Pay with a credit card or paper voucher (where accepted). American Airlines does not accept cash or checks for pet fees.

Codeshare warning: American Airlines (2026) does not collect pet fees for flights operated by other airlines, "even if it has an American flight number." Look for "Operated by" on your ticket. You will need to follow that airline's pet policy and pay its fee at check-in.

Documents you may need beyond the fee

Paying $150 does not replace government entry rules. These are set by public agencies, not the airline.

Flying from the U.S. to Mexico with a dog

USDA APHIS (page last modified September 21, 2026) states that, effective August 3, 2026, Mexico requires a New World screwworm (NWS) Inspection Certificate for pet dogs traveling from the United States. A USDA-accredited veterinarian must sign it no more than 5 days before entry, and it does not need APHIS endorsement. American Airlines (2026) says it checks this certificate at airport check-in. According to USDA APHIS, pet cats still do not need a health certificate or NWS document to enter Mexico. Instead, Mexico's National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA) inspects them on arrival.

Bringing a dog into the United States

The CDC's dog import requirements took effect on August 1, 2024. They depend on where your dog has been in the 6 months before arrival and where it was vaccinated against rabies. The CDC says a dog that has been in a high-risk country and is not vaccinated "will NOT be allowed to enter the U.S." The CDC publishes the list of high-risk countries, including Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti and Honduras, all places American Airlines flies. The CDC's Dog Importation Navigator shows which rules apply to your dog.

Service dogs, emotional support animals and the fee

American Airlines (2026) defines a service animal as "a dog that's individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability." Service dogs fly in the cabin at no charge. American Airlines recommends submitting the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Service Animal Air Transportation Form at least 48 hours before the flight. For flights over 8 hours, it also requires the DOT Service Animal Relief Attestation Form.

Emotional support animals, comfort animals and service animals in training do not count as service animals at American Airlines. They can travel only as pets, and the $150 carry-on pet fee and all pet rules apply.

When your pet is too big for the cabin

If your pet will not fit in an under-seat carrier, American Airlines (2026) says it must travel with American Airlines Cargo through the American PetEmbark service. Prices vary and are confirmed at booking. Checked pets are accepted only for active-duty U.S. Military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel on official orders. Cargo and checked pets also face heat limits: travel is not allowed above 85°F (29.4°C) anywhere on the itinerary. They also face cold limits and breed rules (brachycephalic, or snub-nosed, cats and dogs are not accepted as checked pets).

Practical tips before you pay $150

• Add the pet as soon as you book. The per-flight carrier limits fill up, especially on American Eagle regional jets.
• Measure the carrier against your smallest aircraft. Hard-sided limits are smaller on American Eagle flights than on mainline flights.
• Avoid bulkhead and exit-row seats. Pets are not allowed there.
• Book around codeshares. A partner-operated leg means a second airline policy and possibly a second fee.
• Arrive early. The fee is paid and the carrier is checked at the ticket counter, not at the gate.
• Keep paperwork on paper. For Mexico, bring the signed NWS certificate for your dog. For U.S. entry, bring the documents the CDC requires.

Airline pet documents vs. Animal Passport: an important distinction

Search engines often mix up "pet passport" travel documents with digital animal identity records, so here is the difference. The documents airlines and border agencies check include health certificates, the CDC's dog import documents and the USDA-accredited veterinarian's NWS certificate for Mexico. They are issued under official government schemes. American Airlines does not ask for any private ID app in place of them.

Animal Passport is something different. It is a digital animal and livestock identity record built on muzzle biometrics: an animal's nose print is unique, like a fingerprint. Using a phone, the record links an animal to its 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 from 1 to 5 using a side-profile photo. It was used in livestock flood rescue in Pakistan in August 2025, helping farmers reclaim animals after paper tags washed away. Animal Passport is not a government-issued travel document, does not replace a veterinary health certificate, and does not satisfy American Airlines, CDC or USDA APHIS requirements. For more on animal identification and travel rules, see the Animal Passport blog.

The bottom line

As of October 2026, the American Airlines carry-on pet fee is $150 per kennel each way (C$180 – C$258 from Canada). It is non-refundable and the same in every cabin, and it covers cats and dogs in an under-seat carrier on routes within North America, Central America and the Caribbean. Airline fees and government entry rules can change, so check American Airlines' pets page and the relevant CDC or USDA APHIS page shortly before you fly.

By Animal Passport. Last updated October 11, 2026. This article is general information, not legal or veterinary advice.