Delta Pet Carry-On Rules (2026): Fees, Carrier Size, Age Limits and How to Book

Delta pet carry-on is Delta Air Lines' in-cabin pet service: a small dog, cat or household bird flies in a leak-proof, ventilated kennel that fits fully under the seat in front of you. As of October 2026, Delta charges $150 each way within the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and $200 for international trips. Your pet must be at least 8 weeks old, you must book it through Delta Reservations, and space on each flight is limited.

This guide is based on Delta's official pet travel pages, its travel-agent pet policy, and government sources: the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS), and the European Commission. Airline pet rules change often, so check every number here against Delta's own page before you fly. Published by Animal Passport, last updated October 1, 2026.

What is Delta's pet carry-on policy?

Delta lets small dogs, cats and household birds that meet its age, health, size and kennel rules fly in the cabin on domestic flights within the contiguous U.S., for a one-way fee collected at check-in (Delta Air Lines, Pet Travel Overview, 2026). Household birds are allowed on domestic U.S. flights only, according to Delta's travel-agent pet policy page.

Outside the contiguous U.S., Delta allows dogs and cats only when you have all the documents needed to enter the destination and, if relevant, to return home. In Delta's booking records, an in-cabin pet is coded PETC (Pet in Cabin).

How much does it cost to carry on a pet with Delta?

Delta's fee is per pet kennel, each way, and is collected at the airport. Delta's Pet Travel Overview lists these fees as of October 2026:

Delta says the CAD fee applies when leaving Canada and the EUR fee applies when leaving Europe. The fee that applies is the one in the contract of carriage when your ticket was issued (Delta, 2026).

Watch for outdated numbers. Some older Delta help pages that still show up in search list a $125 domestic fee. Delta's current Pet Travel Overview lists $150 for tickets issued on or after April 8, 2025. If you see two different numbers, trust the current overview page or ask Delta Reservations.

What size pet carrier does Delta allow in the cabin?

Delta does not set one maximum size for every flight. In its 2026 overview, Delta says the maximum in-cabin kennel size depends on the aircraft, because under-seat space varies. It recommends a soft-sided kennel no larger than 18 x 11 x 11 inches because that size fits most aircraft types.

Delta in-cabin kennel requirements

• You may bring one pet kennel on board.
• The kennel must fit fully under the seat directly in front of you.
• Your pet must be able to move around comfortably without touching or sticking out of the sides.
• A soft-sided kennel must be leak-proof and have ventilation on 3 sides for domestic flights and 4 sides for international flights (Delta Pet Travel Overview, 2026).
• Your pet must stay inside the closed kennel in the airport, in the boarding area, in a Delta Sky Club and on the aircraft.

Delta's pages disagree on ventilation. Delta's travel-agent pet policy says in-cabin kennels, soft or hard, must be leak-proof and ventilated on at least two sides. The customer overview asks for 3 sides on domestic flights and 4 on international ones. Meeting the stricter consumer rule will satisfy both.

Does the pet count as my carry-on bag?

Partly. In addition to the pet kennel, Delta lets you bring one personal item or one carry-on item, not both (Delta, 2026). If you usually fly with a roller bag and a backpack, plan to check one of them.

Which pets qualify, and how old must they be?

Delta's 2026 overview sets these age rules for in-cabin pets:

• Domestic travel: at least 8 weeks old.
• Travel to the European Union: at least 15 weeks old.
• Entering the U.S. from another country: dogs at least 6 months old and cats at least 16 weeks old.

The usual limit is one pet per kennel, with two exceptions. A mother cat or dog may travel with her un-weaned litter if the litter is 8 weeks to 6 months old. Two pets of the same breed and size, aged 8 weeks to 6 months, may share a kennel if they fit and get along, and Delta charges them as one pet.

The USDA APHIS Travel With a Pet page (last modified March 2026) defines a pet as a privately owned companion animal, not one intended for research or resale. It also says animals considered livestock or poultry, such as pigs or chickens, do not qualify for pet travel. Delta's in-cabin service is for dogs, cats and household birds only.

How many pets are allowed per flight, and where can you sit?

Delta takes in-cabin pets on a first-come, first-served basis and caps the number per flight. Its 2026 overview lists these limits:

If you have an in-cabin pet, Delta will not let you sit in bulkhead seats, emergency exit rows, seats marked no stowage, flat-bed or Delta One seats, rows 46 to 51 on the Airbus A330-200, rows 54 to 59 on the A330-300, or center seats on the Boeing 757-200. Delta's travel-agent page also excludes row 1 and First Class window seats on the Boeing 737-900ER because there is no under-seat storage.

How to book a pet carry-on on Delta: step by step

1. Check the destination. Make sure Delta allows in-cabin pets on your route (see the list below), and look up the entry rules for your destination on the USDA APHIS pet travel site.
2. Measure your pet and the kennel. Have the kennel's length, width and height ready. Delta's travel-agent policy says a pet booking also records breed and weight.
3. Book your own ticket first, then call Delta Reservations as soon as possible to add the pet, because pet spaces fill on a first-come, first-served basis.
4. Choose an allowed seat. Avoid bulkheads, exit rows and the other excluded seats listed above.
5. Get documents for international trips. Contact a USDA-accredited veterinarian early. USDA APHIS says meeting destination requirements takes time.
6. Check in at the Special Service Counter. A Delta agent checks your pet and kennel, collects the fee and gives you a cabin pet tag. You cannot complete pet check-in on the app alone.
7. Go through TSA screening, then keep your pet in the kennel until you land, except in a designated pet relief area.

What happens at TSA security with a pet?

The TSA says to take your pet out of its carrier and send the empty carrier through the X-ray machine. Keep control of your pet with a leash, but take the leash off when you carry the pet through the metal detector. Officers will also inspect the carrier by eye or by hand (TSA, Small Pets). TSA press guidance for travelers says pets should never go through the X-ray machine. If your pet is likely to bolt, you can ask for screening in a private room, where the pet stays in its carrier.

Where can't you fly with a pet in the cabin on Delta?

Delta's 2026 overview lists these destinations where pets cannot fly in the cabin, to or from:

• Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong
• Barbados and Jamaica
• Brazil, Colombia and the Dominican Republic (no pets on trips that start there)
• Hawaii (no pets on flights to Hawaii)
• Iceland, the United Kingdom, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates

Ireland is listed inconsistently. Delta's travel-agent policy page includes Ireland on this list, but the customer overview does not. If you are flying to or from Ireland, ask Delta Reservations before you book.

Extra rules for international and Mexico trips in 2026

Dogs entering the United States. The CDC is the main authority for dog imports. Its requirements have applied since August 1, 2024 and depend on where the dog was vaccinated and which countries it has been in over the past 6 months. Delta's page summarizes them this way: every dog must look healthy, be microchipped, be at least 6 months old, and travel with a receipt for a completed CDC Dog Import Form.

Dogs going to Mexico. From August 3, 2026, Mexico requires every pet dog to have a New World Screwworm (NWS) Inspection Certificate. A USDA-accredited veterinarian must complete it no more than 5 days before arrival (USDA APHIS, page modified September 2026). Delta says it checks this certificate at check-in. USDA APHIS also says Mexico does not require a health certificate for pet cats, which are inspected on arrival.

Travel to the European Union. The European Commission's Your Europe portal says dogs, cats and ferrets entering the EU from outside it need a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an EU animal health certificate. An official state vet must issue the certificate no more than 10 days before arrival. Pets coming from most non-EU countries also need a rabies antibody titration test. The European pet passport is a separate document, issued only to owners who live in the EU, for travel between EU countries. Delta's 15-week minimum age for EU flights is an airline rule on top of these government rules.

Delta pet carry-on vs. service animals

Trained service animals are handled under a separate Delta policy. Delta's service animal page says a service animal must be a dog fully trained to help a person with a disability. The owner must submit the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Service Animal Air Travel Form, plus a Relief Attestation Form for flights of 8 hours or more, at least 48 hours before departure. Delta does not charge a fee for a trained service animal, and it does not count toward your carry-on allowance. Delta says emotional support animals are not service animals and must travel under the pet rules, including the in-cabin fee.

Is Animal Passport a pet travel document? No.

Because of the name, we want to be clear. Animal Passport is a digital animal and livestock passport that identifies an animal by its muzzle biometrics: the nose print, which is unique to each animal like a fingerprint. A phone captures the record, which links the animal to its owner, breed, estimated age, body condition and vaccination history. Animal Passport estimates age from a photo of the teeth, with a confidence score, and gives a body condition score of 1 to 5 from a side-profile photo.

Animal Passport is not a government-issued travel document, an EU pet passport, a USDA health certificate or a CDC Dog Import Form. Delta Air Lines does not ask for it or accept it in place of any of those documents. For a Delta pet carry-on, use the official documents described above.

Animal Passport was built for livestock identity. In the August 2025 floods in Pakistan, it helped farmers reclaim their animals after paper tags washed away. More on livestock identification is on the Animal Passport blog.

Practical tips before you fly

• Book early and confirm the pet booking when you get your ticket, because each flight allows only a few pets.
• Ask Delta about under-seat dimensions for the specific aircraft. On smaller regional jets, an 18 x 11 x 11 inch carrier may be too big.
• Leave extra time at the airport, because pet check-in must happen at the Special Service Counter.
• On partner-operated flights, including Air France, KLM, Aeromexico, Korean Air, LATAM and Virgin Atlantic, check the operating airline's pet policy. Delta's travel-agent page says partners may have different rules.
• Delta says breaking its pet policies, including letting your pet out of the kennel, may cost you the ability to travel with a pet on future flights.