Delta Pet Flights in 2026: Fees, Carrier Size, Banned Routes and the Cargo Embargo

Delta pet flights are Delta Air Lines' in-cabin service for flying a small dog, cat or household bird with you in a kennel that fits under the seat in front of you. As of September 2026, Delta charges $150 each way within the U.S. and Canada and $200 on international routes, recommends a kennel of about 18 x 11 x 11 inches, and ships pets as cargo only for active U.S. military and Foreign Service officers with transfer orders.

This guide is written by the Animal Passport editorial team from Delta's official pet pages and from rules published by 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 rules change often, so check each point against Delta's page before you book. Last updated: September 30, 2026.

What are Delta pet flights?

For most travelers, a Delta pet flight means one thing: your pet rides in the cabin as a carry-on. According to Delta's Pet Travel Overview (2026), on domestic flights within the contiguous U.S., "small dogs, cats and household birds that meet the age, health, size and kennel requirements can travel in the cabin for a one-way fee that is collected at check-in."

The other option, putting a pet in the hold or shipping it through Delta Cargo, is largely closed. Delta's Shipping Your Pet page says that "until further notice" Delta ships pets only for active U.S. military or U.S. State Department Foreign Service Officers traveling with active permanent change of station orders. Delta's travel agent policy page adds that the pet-in-hold embargo "applies to all shipments and all stations globally" and currently has no end date.

Trained service animals follow a separate policy and are not covered here.

How much does it cost to fly a pet on Delta?

The in-cabin pet fee is charged per kennel, each way, and is collected at the airport check-in counter. The table below reproduces the fee schedule on Delta's Pet Travel Overview as of September 2026.

Delta states that the Canadian dollar amount is charged when leaving Canada, the euro amount when leaving Europe, and that fees are "established by the contract of carriage in effect at the time of ticket issuance." In practice, the date your ticket was issued decides your fee, not the date you fly.

Where sources disagree on fees

An older Delta page, Pet Travel Options, is still online and lists different numbers: $125 for the U.S. and Canada, $200 for the U.S. Virgin Islands and $75 for Brazil. It also gives a minimum age of 10 weeks, while the current overview says 8 weeks. Treat the newer Pet Travel Overview as the reference and confirm the fee with Delta Reservations when you add the pet.

There is also a conflict on Brazil. Delta's fee table includes a Brazil fee, but the same page lists Brazil under destinations where pets may not fly in the cabin, and notes that pet travel is not allowed for pets originating in Brazil. If your trip touches Brazil, get the answer from Delta in writing before you buy.

Delta in-cabin kennel requirements

Delta's Pet Travel Overview (2026) sets these kennel rules:

• One pet kennel per passenger, plus 1 personal item or 1 carry-on bag.
• The pet must fit comfortably and be able to move around without touching or sticking out of the sides.
• The kennel must fit fully under the seat directly in front of you.
• A soft-sided kennel must be leak-proof, with ventilation on 3 sides for domestic travel and 4 sides for international travel.
• Under-seat space varies by aircraft. Delta recommends a soft-sided kennel of no more than 18 x 11 x 11 inches because that size fits most of its aircraft.
• The pet stays in the kennel in the airport, during boarding and deplaning, in a Delta Sky Club and throughout the flight.

Age and number of pets

Delta requires pets to be at least 8 weeks old for domestic travel and at least 15 weeks old for travel to the European Union. Dogs traveling to the U.S. from another country must be 6 months old, and cats must be at least 16 weeks. One pet goes in each kennel, with two exceptions: a mother cat or dog with an unweaned litter aged 8 weeks to 6 months, or two compatible pets of the same breed and size aged 8 weeks to 6 months, which Delta charges as one pet.

Which cabins allow pets?

Delta limits pets per cabin on each flight and accepts them first come, first served. As of September 2026, the Pet Travel Overview allows up to 4 pets in Delta Comfort and Delta Main, up to 2 in domestic Delta First (not in cabins with flat-bed seats), and none in Delta One, Delta Premium Select or international business class. You also cannot sit in bulkhead rows, exit rows, "no stowage" seats, rows 46 to 51 on the A330-200, rows 54 to 59 on the A330-300, or center seats on the B757-200.

Where can't pets fly in the cabin on Delta?

Delta's Pet Travel Overview lists these destinations where pets are not allowed in the cabin to or from, as of September 2026:

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

Delta's travel agent pet policy page also lists Ireland, which the consumer page does not. That page gives the start dates of the embargoes on pets originating in these countries: January 24, 2025 for the Dominican Republic and June 7, 2021 for Brazil and Colombia. If you are flying to Ireland, check with Delta directly.

Can you ship a pet with Delta Cargo in 2026?

Not unless you are active-duty U.S. military or a U.S. State Department Foreign Service Officer with permanent change of station orders. Eligible travelers book through the Delta Cargo Customer Service Center at 1-800-352-2746 and must provide a copy of their orders, according to Delta's Shipping Your Pet page (2026).

For those who qualify, Delta's cargo rules include:

• A crate that meets Container Requirement #1 of the International Air Transport Association Live Animals Regulations (IATA LAR), large enough for the pet to stand, sit, lie down and turn around.
• A health certificate from a USDA-accredited veterinarian within 10 days of travel.
• No sedatives or tranquilizers for dogs and cats.
• No brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dogs, cats or their mixes on Delta or Delta Connection flights.
• No shipping when ground temperatures exceed 80°F (27°C) or fall below 20°F (-7°C) at any point in the trip, and a Certificate of Acclimation between 20°F and 45°F (7°C).
• International shipments through a pet shipper approved by the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA).

Everyone else with a pet too large for the cabin needs another airline or a professional pet shipper.

How to book a pet on a Delta flight: step by step

1. Check the route. Make sure neither your origin nor destination is on Delta's in-cabin exceptions list, and that the flight is operated by Delta. Delta tells customers on partner-operated flights to check that airline's pet policy.
2. Measure your pet and kennel. Have the kennel's length, width and height ready. Aim for 18 x 11 x 11 inches or smaller.
3. Book your own ticket in an eligible cabin. Avoid Delta One, Delta Premium Select and flat-bed Delta First.
4. Call Delta Reservations to add the pet. Pet spots are limited per cabin and given first come, first served.
5. Get the destination paperwork. For international trips, see a USDA-accredited veterinarian as soon as you decide to travel, as USDA APHIS advises.
6. Check in at the Special Service Counter. An agent checks the kennel and collects the fee. At security, you must take the pet out of the kennel.
7. Keep the pet in the kennel until you reach a pet relief area or leave the airport.

Health documents for international Delta pet flights

Delta accepts pets on international routes only if you carry all the documents your destination requires, and for the trip home if you are returning. The airline points travelers to three government sources.

Dogs entering the United States (CDC)

The CDC's Bringing a Dog into the U.S. page says requirements depend on where the dog was vaccinated and which countries it has been in during the 6 months before arrival. A dog that has been in a high-risk country for dog rabies and is not vaccinated "will NOT be allowed to enter the U.S." Delta's overview adds that every dog entering the U.S. must look healthy, be microchipped, be at least 6 months old and travel with a receipt for a completed CDC Dog Import Form.

If a U.S.-vaccinated dog will visit a high-risk country, USDA APHIS says (March 2026) that a USDA-accredited veterinarian must submit a "Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination" form before the dog leaves the United States.

Dogs flying to Mexico (USDA APHIS and SENASICA)

Since August 3, 2026, Mexico has required pet dogs from the U.S. to carry a New World screwworm (NWS) Inspection Certificate signed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian no more than 5 days before arrival, according to the USDA APHIS Pet Travel From the United States to Mexico page (updated September 21, 2026). The certificate does not need APHIS endorsement. Delta says it checks this certificate at check-in. Cats still need no health certificate for Mexico, but Mexican officials (SENASICA) inspect them on arrival.

Returning from Mexico also has a screwworm step. USDA APHIS treats Mexico as affected by screwworm since November 22, 2024, so dogs coming back to the U.S. need screwworm-freedom certification.

Pets flying to the European Union

The European Commission's pet movement page says non-commercial travel with dogs, cats and ferrets into and within the EU is now governed by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131. Pets entering from outside the EU must go through a designated Travellers' Point of Entry for document and identity checks. Delta adds its own minimum age of 15 weeks for EU travel.

Delta pet flights vs. an animal passport: don't confuse them

The word "passport" gets used loosely in pet travel, so here is the difference. A Delta in-cabin booking is an airline service. The documents that let an animal cross a border are government-issued or government-endorsed: CDC dog import records, USDA-endorsed health certificates and EU pet documents. Animal Passport, the publisher of this article, is neither of these.

Animal Passport is a digital animal and livestock identity record based on muzzle biometrics, since an animal's nose print is unique like a fingerprint. A farmer or owner captures it by phone, and the record links the animal to its owner, breed, estimated age, body condition and vaccination history. It estimates age from a dental photograph with a confidence score and gives a body condition score of 1 to 5 from a side-profile photo. In August 2025 it was used in livestock flood rescue in Pakistan, so farmers could reclaim animals after paper tags washed away.

Animal Passport is not a government travel document, not a Delta requirement and not a veterinary diagnosis. It does not replace a CDC Dog Import Form, a USDA health certificate or an EU pet document. USDA APHIS also notes that animals considered livestock or poultry, like pigs or chickens, do not qualify for pet travel at all and fall under separate import and export rules.

Practical tips before your Delta pet flight

• Screenshot Delta's policy page on the day you book. Delta's own pages disagree on details like fees and minimum age, and a dated screenshot helps at the counter.
• Get your pet used to the kennel for several weeks before the trip. Delta's cargo guidance notes that getting a pet used to confinement can take weeks to months.
• Arrive early. Pet check-in happens at the Special Service Counter, not at a kiosk.
• Time your paperwork carefully. Mexico's screwworm certificate is valid for only 5 days, and Delta requires cargo health certificates within 10 days of travel.
• Keep records in one place. Carry vaccination records, microchip numbers and import forms on paper, since border officials may ask for originals.

For more guides on animal identity, travel documents and livestock records, visit the Animal Passport blog.