Delta Pet Fee: What It Costs to Fly With Your Pet in 2026

The Delta pet fee is a one-way charge Delta Air Lines collects at check-in when a small dog, cat, or household bird travels in the aircraft cabin in an approved kennel. As of August 2026, Delta charges $150 USD or CAD each way on U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands routes for tickets issued on or after April 8, 2025, according to Delta Air Lines. International routes cost $200 each way. The fee applies per kennel, not per passenger ticket.

Last updated: August 18, 2026. By Animal Passport.

Planning a trip with your dog or cat on Delta? The airline fee is only part of the cost. You also need an approved carrier, advance reservation, and—on many international routes—federal health documents from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS). This guide breaks down every Delta pet fee category, how fees changed in April 2025, and what documentation you need beyond the airline charge.

Note on “pet passports”: Delta’s pet fee covers cabin transport only. It is not an EU pet passport, a government-issued travel document, or a veterinary diagnosis. Animal Passport offers a separate digital livestock identity system using muzzle biometrics—a nose print as unique as a fingerprint—for owner-linked records including breed, estimated age, body condition, and vaccination history. That product helped farmers reclaim cattle after Pakistan flood rescues in August 2025 when paper ear tags washed away. It does not replace CDC dog import forms, USDA export certificates, or airline pet reservations.

Current Delta In-Cabin Pet Fees (August 2026)

Delta Air Lines publishes in-cabin pet fees on its official pet travel overview page. Fees are charged each way (one direction per flight segment) and collected at the Special Service Counter during check-in. The amount depends on your route and the date your ticket was issued, not the date you fly.

Source: Delta Air Lines, Pet Travel Overview, accessed August 2026. CAD is charged when exiting Canada; EUR when exiting Europe. These amounts are set by the contract of carriage in effect when your ticket is issued.

For a round-trip domestic flight with a ticket issued after April 8, 2025, budget roughly $300 in Delta pet fees alone ($150 outbound plus $150 return). A round-trip international itinerary adds up to $400 ($200 each way). Two compatible puppies of the same breed under six months may share one kennel and count as a single pet fee, per Delta policy.

How Delta Pet Fees Are Calculated and Collected

Understanding when and how Delta charges the pet fee prevents surprises at the airport.

One-way, per-kennel pricing

Delta charges the pet fee once per kennel, per flight direction. If your itinerary includes a stopover where you collect and re-check your pet, Delta may assess the fee again at each stopover point, according to Delta’s agency pet policies. Multi-city trips can therefore cost more than a simple round trip.

Ticket issuance date controls the rate

The April 8, 2025 fee increase raised domestic and Brazil in-cabin rates for newly issued tickets. If you bought your ticket before that date, Delta honors the lower rate ($95 domestic; $75 Brazil) even if you fly afterward. Reissued tickets follow the original ticket date rules, per Delta agency guidance.

Not part of free baggage allowance

Pet fees are separate from checked-bag allowances and are not waived by Delta SkyMiles American Express card benefits, according to Delta military pet travel documentation. You may still bring one personal item or one standard carry-on in addition to the pet kennel.

Where you pay

Arrive early and check in at the Special Service Counter. A Delta agent verifies your pet, kennel dimensions, and destination eligibility, then collects the fee. You receive a cabin pet tag before proceeding through security.

Delta Checked Pet and Cargo Fees (Who Qualifies)

Most travelers cannot check a pet as baggage or ship via Delta Cargo. As of August 2026, Delta Cargo accepts pet shipments only from active U.S. military personnel or U.S. State Department Foreign Service Officers (FSO) with permanent change-of-station orders, according to Delta’s shipping page.

Military and FSO checked-pet fees

Eligible military and FSO travelers pay a separate checked-pet fee:

• U.S., U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico: $200 USD each way
• International, Canada, or Caribbean: $200 USD/CAD/EUR each way
• Brazil: $200 USD for tickets issued on/after April 8, 2025; $150 USD if issued before that date

Source: Delta Air Lines, Military Travel With Pets, accessed August 2026. Booking is required at least 48 hours before departure. Up to two crates per flight are accepted for qualifying travelers.

General-public cargo embargo

Delta Cargo maintains an embargo on pet-in-hold bookings for the general public with no published end date, per Delta agency pet policies. If your pet is too large for an in-cabin kennel and you are not military or FSO, Delta does not currently offer a standard paid cargo option. Plan alternative transport or choose an airline that still ships pets as cargo.

How to Book Your Pet and Reserve Cabin Space

Delta limits the number of in-cabin pets per flight on a first-come, first-served basis. You must call Delta Reservations after booking your own ticket—online pet add-ons are not available for all routes. Have your kennel dimensions (length, width, height) ready.

Cabin pet caps vary by product, according to Delta:

• Delta First (domestic): up to 2 pets (not on flat-bed aircraft)
• Delta One, Business Class, Delta Premium: 0 pets (service animals excepted)
• Delta Comfort / Delta Main: up to 4 pets

Pets are not permitted in bulkhead seats, exit rows, flat-bed seats, or certain aircraft-specific rows listed on Delta’s pet overview page.

In-Cabin Kennel Rules That Affect Your Fee

Paying the Delta pet fee does not guarantee boarding if your carrier fails inspection. Delta recommends a soft-sided kennel no larger than 18 inches by 11 inches by 11 inches, though maximum dimensions depend on the aircraft type. The kennel must fit fully under the seat in front of you.

Additional kennel requirements from Delta Air Lines:

• Pet must stand, sit, turn, and lie down without touching kennel sides or top
• Leak-proof with ventilation on 3 sides (domestic) or 4 sides (international)
• Pet must stay inside the secured kennel at the airport, in Delta Sky Clubs, and onboard
• At security, you remove the pet from the kennel; afterward it goes back inside

Accepted in-cabin animals: dogs, cats, and household birds on domestic U.S. flights only. Minimum age is 8 weeks for domestic travel; dogs entering the U.S. from abroad must be at least 6 months old, per Delta and CDC rules.

Destinations Where the Delta Pet Fee Does Not Help You Board

Delta prohibits in-cabin pets entirely on routes to or from certain destinations, regardless of willingness to pay. As of August 2026, blocked destinations include Australia, Barbados, Hawaii, Hong Kong, Iceland, Jamaica, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom, according to Delta’s pet overview. Pets originating in Brazil, Colombia, or the Dominican Republic face additional embargoes.

Always confirm route eligibility before paying for a non-refundable ticket. Partner-operated flights may follow different rules.

Federal Documentation Beyond the Delta Pet Fee

The airline fee covers transport only. U.S. federal agencies impose separate entry and export requirements that can block boarding even after you pay.

CDC dog import rules (effective August 1, 2024)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requires every dog entering the United States to appear healthy, be at least six months old, carry an ISO-compatible microchip, and have a completed CDC Dog Import Form receipt, according to CDC guidance published July 22, 2024. The form is free and can be submitted online; the receipt is valid for six months under specified conditions.

Dogs that visited high-risk rabies countries in the prior six months need additional rabies documentation. Delta checks CDC compliance for dogs arriving in the U.S., including on return trips from Canada or Europe.

USDA APHIS export and state health rules

For international travel, destination countries set their own veterinary requirements. USDA APHIS publishes country-specific pet travel guidance at aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel. Some U.S. states also require a health certificate for incoming pets. Delta requires customers traveling outside the contiguous U.S. to hold all documents needed for entry and return.

New World Screwworm certificates

As of August 2026, Delta notes that dogs entering Mexico need a USDA-accredited veterinarian screwworm inspection certificate issued within five days of arrival (effective August 3, 2026). Dogs arriving in the U.S. from screwworm-affected countries need similar USDA APHIS documentation. These veterinary costs are separate from the Delta pet fee.

Service Animals vs. Pets: Who Pays the Delta Pet Fee?

Trained service dogs fly free on Delta. Delta Air Lines states it does not charge fees for transporting trained service animals or their assistive devices, including kennels and essential items like food or bedding. Service animals must be dogs fully trained to assist a person with a disability; emotional support animals are not recognized as service animals and must travel under standard pet rules with the applicable pet fee.

Service dog handlers submit U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Service Animal Air Travel forms at least 48 hours before departure when possible. CDC dog import requirements apply to service dogs entering the U.S. as well.

Delta Pet Fee Compared to Other U.S. Airlines (2026)

Major U.S. carriers converged near $150 each way domestically after 2025 fee adjustments. International rates and cargo availability still differ significantly. Verify current fees on each carrier’s official site before booking.

Practical Tips to Avoid Delta Pet Fee Surprises

1. Confirm cabin space early. Call Delta Reservations immediately after ticketing; popular routes fill pet slots quickly.
2. Measure your kennel against your aircraft. Under-seat dimensions vary by plane type. Delta recommends 18″ × 11″ × 11″ soft-sided carriers.
3. Check your ticket issuance date. Pre–April 8, 2025 tickets keep the $95 domestic rate.
4. Budget federal paperwork. CDC Dog Import Forms are free, but veterinary health certificates and USDA endorsements add cost.
5. Do not confuse airline fees with identity records. A paid Delta pet fee does not create a permanent animal ID. For livestock or multi-owner scenarios, biometric records—such as those captured by Animal Passport’s phone-based muzzle scan—can supplement paper tags that may fail in disasters, but they do not substitute for airline reservations or government import forms.
6. Arrive early. Special Service Counter check-in takes longer than standard boarding.

For broader guides on flying with animals, visit Animal Passport’s blog on airlines and pet travel documentation.