Delta Pet Travel Requirements in 2026: Fees, Carrier Size, Age Limits and Paperwork

Delta pet travel requirements are Delta Air Lines' rules on which pets can fly, at what age, in what carrier, for what fee and with what paperwork. As of October 2026, Delta takes small dogs, cats and household birds in the cabin only. The pet must be at least 8 weeks old for domestic flights and ride in a leak-proof carrier that fits under the seat (Delta recommends 18 x 11 x 11 inches). The one-way fee is $150 within the U.S. and $200 for international trips.

This guide was last updated on October 4, 2026. It is based on Delta's Pet Travel Overview, Delta's international and cargo pages, and federal rules from 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). Delta changes its pet rules often, so check with Delta Reservations before you book.

What are Delta's pet travel requirements? The short answer

• Allowed animals in the cabin: small dogs, cats and household birds. Delta's travel-agent policy page (2026) says household birds may fly only on domestic U.S. flights.
• How pets travel: in the cabin only, for most customers. Checked baggage and cargo are limited to active U.S. military personnel and U.S. State Department Foreign Service Officers with permanent change of station orders, according to Delta (2026).
• Carrier: one carrier per passenger. It must fit fully under the seat in front of you. Delta recommends a soft-sided carrier no larger than 18 x 11 x 11 inches.
• Fee: $150 USD/CAD each way within the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. International trips cost $200 USD/CAD/EUR each way. These fees apply to tickets issued on or after April 8, 2025 (Delta, 2026).
• Booking: call Delta Reservations with the carrier's length, width and height. Pet spaces go first come, first served, and each flight has a limit.

Which pets can fly in the cabin on Delta?

Delta's Pet Travel Overview (2026) allows small dogs, cats and household birds that meet its age, health, size and carrier rules to travel in the cabin on domestic flights within the contiguous U.S. For flights outside the contiguous U.S., Delta allows a dog or cat only if the owner has every document needed to enter the destination and, where relevant, to return home.

Delta's Cargo guidance (2026) says it does not accept snub-nosed (brachycephalic) dogs and cats, or their mixes, as checked baggage or cargo. Delta Cargo publishes the full list of restricted breeds. Talk to your veterinarian before flying any snub-nosed pet, even in the cabin.

Delta age requirements for pets

1. Domestic flights: at least 8 weeks old (Delta Pet Travel Overview, 2026).
2. Travel to the European Union: at least 15 weeks old.
3. Entering the U.S. from another country: dogs at least 6 months old, cats at least 16 weeks old. The CDC sets the same 6-month minimum for every dog entering the U.S.

Normally only one pet is allowed per carrier. Delta makes two exceptions. A mother cat or dog may travel with her un-weaned litter if the litter is between 8 weeks and 6 months old. Two pets of the same breed and size between 8 weeks and 6 months old may share one carrier if they fit and get along, and they are charged as one pet.

Delta in-cabin pet carrier requirements

Under-seat space differs between aircraft, so Delta does not set one maximum carrier size. Its Pet Travel Overview (2026) recommends a soft-sided carrier no larger than 18 x 11 x 11 inches, because that size fits most Delta aircraft. The carrier must also meet these rules:

• Leak-proof, with ventilation openings on 3 sides for domestic flights and 4 sides for international flights.
• Big enough for the pet to move around without touching or sticking out of the sides.
• Fully under the seat directly in front of you for the whole flight.
• Closed with the pet inside at all times in the airport, including check-in, boarding, deplaning and Delta Sky Club lounges. The only exceptions are the security checkpoint and designated pet relief areas.

The carrier counts toward your carry-on allowance. You may bring one personal item or one carry-on bag in addition to it. Delta warns that breaking its pet rules can cost you the right to fly with a pet in the future.

Where you can sit with a pet on Delta

Delta (2026) does not allow customers with an in-cabin pet to choose bulkhead seats, emergency exit rows, seats marked as having no under-seat storage, flat-bed or Delta One seats, rows 46–51 on the Airbus A330-200, rows 54–59 on the A330-300, or center seats on the Boeing 757-200.

How many pets are allowed per Delta flight?

Delta caps the number of in-cabin pets in each cabin. Its consumer overview page (2026) lists these limits:

Where Delta's pages disagree: Delta's travel-agent policy page says pets may be accepted in international Business and First Class when the aircraft has no flat-bed seats. The consumer page says pets are never allowed in international Business Class. If you plan to fly a premium cabin, confirm with Delta Reservations before you book.

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

Delta collects the pet fee at check-in, and it is charged each way. Delta's Pet Travel Overview (2026) lists these fees:

Delta charges the fee in Canadian dollars when leaving Canada and in euros when leaving Europe. You may still find an older Delta page that lists $125 for U.S. and Canada travel and a 10-week minimum age. That page appears to be out of date. The current overview page lists $150 and 8 weeks, and that is what this guide uses. Pet fees are not part of the free baggage allowance, including the allowance for Delta American Express cardholders.

Where Delta does not allow pets

Delta's Pet Travel Overview (2026) does not allow pets in the cabin to or from these places:

• Australia
• Barbados
• Brazil, Colombia and the Dominican Republic (pets cannot fly from these countries)
• Hawaii (no pets on flights to Hawaii)
• Hong Kong
• Iceland
• Jamaica
• New Zealand
• South Africa
• United Kingdom
• United Arab Emirates

Delta's travel-agent policy page also lists Ireland. However, Delta's international page explains how to fly to the Republic of Ireland with a pet in the cabin: you notify Ireland's Department of Agriculture in advance at [email protected]. Because the two pages conflict, confirm Ireland routes with Delta before you book. Delta has also placed a temporary embargo on pet travel to and from Egypt, following a CDC suspension of dogs from Egypt.

Can you check a pet or ship it with Delta Cargo?

For most travelers, no. Delta's Shipping Your Pet page (2026) says that until further notice, Delta Cargo ships pets only for active U.S. military personnel and U.S. State Department Foreign Service Officers with active permanent change of station orders. Delta's agent page adds that these customers, and their spouses, may also check pets as baggage, but only on flights of 12 hours or less and itineraries with no more than one connection. These pets must be booked at least 48 hours before departure.

Pets that qualify for cargo must meet these Delta (2026) rules:

1. Use a crate that meets Container Requirement #1 of the International Air Transport Association Live Animals Regulations (IATA LAR).
2. Bring a health certificate issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian within 10 days of travel. International trips require an international health certificate.
3. Fly only when temperatures stay between 20°F and 80°F on the ground at every point of the trip. A certificate of acclimation is required when temperatures are between 20°F and 45°F.
4. Do not sedate the pet. Delta does not allow sedation of household dogs and cats.
5. Use a pet shipper approved by the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA) for international shipments.

Documents your pet needs to fly Delta

Delta checks documents at the Special Service Counter, but most of the rules come from governments. These are the main ones as of October 2026.

CDC rules for dogs entering the United States

The CDC (2024) is the main federal authority for dogs entering or returning to the U.S. Every dog must appear healthy, be at least 6 months old and have a microchip that a universal scanner can read. Dogs that have been only in rabies-free or low-risk countries for the past 6 months need just one document: a receipt for the free online CDC Dog Import Form. That receipt can be used for multiple entries for up to 6 months.

Dogs that have been in a high-risk rabies country need more paperwork. USDA APHIS (2026) notes that U.S.-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries need a "Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination" form. A USDA-accredited veterinarian must submit it before the dog leaves the United States.

New World screwworm rules for Mexico

USDA APHIS (updated September 2026) says that since August 3, 2026, every pet dog entering Mexico needs a New World screwworm inspection certificate ("NWS Inspection Certificate for Pet Dogs Moving (Exporting) from the United States to Mexico"). A USDA-accredited veterinarian must sign it no more than 5 days before arrival, and APHIS endorsement is not required. Delta says it checks this certificate at check-in. Pet cats do not need a health certificate for Mexico. They are inspected on arrival.

Dogs entering the U.S. from countries affected by New World screwworm need documentation issued no more than 5 days before arrival. It must state that the dog was inspected and is free of screwworm, or that it was quarantined and treated until free.

Domestic and European Union travel

Delta does not require a health certificate for every domestic in-cabin pet. However, Delta (2026) notes that some U.S. states may require one, so check your destination state's rules. For the European Union, Delta notes that dogs, cats and ferrets need a veterinary certificate and a microchip. Tattoos are no longer accepted as identification.

Step-by-step: how to book a pet on Delta

1. Check the route. Make sure your destination is not on Delta's list of places where pets are not allowed.
2. Check government rules. Use the USDA APHIS pet travel tool, and the CDC Dog Importation Navigator for any dog returning to the U.S. For international trips, contact a USDA-accredited veterinarian as soon as you decide to travel.
3. Buy and measure the carrier. Aim for 18 x 11 x 11 inches or smaller, and note the length, width and height.
4. Book your own ticket, then call Delta Reservations to add the pet before the flight's pet spaces fill up.
5. Get documents in the right order. Do the CDC Dog Import Form up to 6 months ahead. Get a Mexico screwworm certificate within 5 days of arrival, or a cargo health certificate within 10 days of travel.
6. Arrive early. Check in at the Special Service Counter and pay the fee. At security, take the pet out of the carrier.

Delta pet travel documents vs. Animal Passport: not the same thing

The word "passport" causes confusion. The documents airlines and border officials accept are government documents: a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, a health certificate from a USDA-accredited veterinarian, an EU veterinary certificate, or a destination-specific form such as Mexico's screwworm certificate. Delta checks these documents. It does not issue them.

Animal Passport is something different. It is a digital animal and livestock passport that identifies animals by muzzle biometrics, because an animal's nose print is unique like a fingerprint. The record is captured with a phone and links the owner, breed, estimated age, body condition and vaccination history. The age estimate comes from a dental photograph and includes a confidence score. Body condition is scored from 1 to 5 using a side-profile photo. During the August 2025 floods in Pakistan, farmers used it to reclaim livestock after their paper ear tags washed away.

Animal Passport is not a government-issued travel document. It does not replace a CDC form, a USDA-endorsed health certificate or an airline booking, and it does not provide a veterinary diagnosis or legal advice. If you are flying Delta with a cat or small dog, follow the official steps above. You can read more about animal identification on the Animal Passport blog.

Bottom line

As of October 2026, flying with a pet on Delta means one small dog, cat or household bird per passenger, in a carrier that fits under the seat (ideally 18 x 11 x 11 inches or smaller), booked through Delta Reservations, for $150 each way in the U.S. or $200 internationally. Checked baggage and cargo are open only to military and Foreign Service Officer families. Government rules, especially the CDC rules for dogs entering the U.S. and Mexico's screwworm certificate, usually decide whether a trip is possible. Check those first and give yourself plenty of time.