Dogs on Frontier Airlines: The 2026 Pet Policy, Fees, Carrier Sizes and Service Dog Rules

Yes, you can bring a dog on Frontier Airlines, but only in the cabin and only on flights within the United States. Frontier Airlines, the Denver-based ultra-low-cost carrier, lets each passenger bring one domesticated dog at least 8 weeks old in a carrier that fits under the seat in front of them. As of October 2026, the fee is $149 per pet, per direction, according to Frontier's Optional Services page. Frontier does not fly pets in cargo or as checked bags, and it no longer accepts new pets on international flights.

This guide covers the full policy for dogs on Frontier Airlines, using Frontier's own published rules alongside federal guidance from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), 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). We also explain how this differs from what Animal Passport does, because the two are often confused.

Quick answer: Frontier's dog policy at a glance

Here is the policy in one table, as published on Frontier's Family & Pets page, its pet FAQ, and its Optional Services fee schedule (all checked October 2026).

How much does it cost to fly a dog on Frontier?

Frontier lists its pet charge as $149 per pet, per direction (non-refundable) on its Optional Services page as of October 2026. A round trip with one dog therefore costs $298 in pet fees alone, on top of your fare.

Sources disagree on this number. NerdWallet's March 2026 ranking of pet-friendly airlines named Frontier its budget pick at $99 each way, and some other travel sites still repeat $99. Frontier's own fee page now shows $149, so treat that as the current figure and expect older articles to be out of date. Airline fees change often; confirm the amount at booking.

According to Frontier's Family & Pets page, you can pay the pet charge in advance during booking. If you do not, you pay it when you check in your pet. Frontier also charges separately for a carry-on bag, so budget for that if you plan to bring one alongside the carrier.

Does the pet carrier count as my personal item?

Not exactly. Frontier says that in addition to the pet's travel container, you may bring either a personal item (up to 8 x 14 x 18 inches) or a carry-on bag (up to 10 x 16 x 24 inches), with the carry-on costing extra. In practice, the carrier takes the under-seat space, so plan where your personal item will go.

How to add a dog to a Frontier booking

Frontier lets you add a pet online, which is one reason NerdWallet in 2026 credited it with an easier booking process than carriers that require a phone call. Per Frontier's pet FAQ:

1. New booking: select Cabin Pet in the Passenger Info section while booking.
2. Existing booking: go to Manage Trip and select Add Pet in Cabin.
3. Pay the fee in advance, or pay it when you check in your pet.
4. Choose a seat that is not in row 1 or an exit row. Frontier notes some seats may not fit a pet container and says it will work with you to find one with space.
5. Check destination rules for your state or territory and get any required health certificate from your veterinarian before you fly.

Frontier pet carrier size requirements

Carrier size is where most trips go wrong. Frontier's published limits as of October 2026 are:

• Hard-sided: maximum 18 inches long x 14 inches wide x 8 inches high.
• Soft-sided: maximum 18 inches long x 14 inches wide x 11 inches high.
• Frontier recommends a soft-sided carrier for all pets.
• The carrier must be large enough for your dog to stand, turn around, and lie down in a natural position.
• It must fit under the seat in front of you, and only one adult dog or cat may ride per container.

That combination effectively limits Frontier to small dogs. Because Frontier offers no cargo option, NerdWallet notes in its 2026 guide that owners of larger dogs that cannot fit under the seat will need to fly a different airline.

Rules for your dog during the flight

Frontier's Family & Pets page sets out in-flight conduct rules that apply to every cabin pet:

• Your dog must stay in its carrier at all times, including if it becomes restless. You are expected to soothe it without taking it out.
• Frontier asks that you do not give your pet food or water on board, and recommends no food or water within four hours of departure.
• Your pet must be harmless, not disruptive, odorless, and require no attention during the flight.
• No oxygen will be given to a pet in an emergency.
• Frontier notes that most veterinarians advise against sedating pets for travel because the effects of tranquilizers at altitude are unpredictable. Ask your own veterinarian before giving any medication.

Which animals does Frontier accept?

On flights within the United States, Frontier accepts domesticated dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and small household birds, according to its pet FAQ. Dogs and cats must be at least 8 weeks old.

Frontier never accepts large birds (such as parrots, macaws, and cockatoos), rodents (including mice, rats, and squirrels), beavers, ferrets, reptiles, amphibians, spiders, or insects.

Can I fly my dog internationally on Frontier?

No, not as a pet. Frontier's Family & Pets page states that Frontier will not accept new pets for international travel and will only accept service animals internationally. For international trips, Frontier requires every service dog to have:

• A CDC Dog Import Form receipt;
• An age of at least 4 months;
• A healthy appearance on arrival; and
• Proof of a microchip that can be read by a universal scanner.

Service dogs coming from countries the CDC lists as high-risk for dog rabies need additional documentation. The CDC's dog importation guidance says the requirements depend on where the dog was vaccinated and which countries it has been in during the 6 months before entering the U.S., and a dog that has been in a high-risk country without a rabies vaccination will not be allowed to enter. The CDC also points owners to its Dog Importation Navigator to work out which rules apply.

Do dogs need a health certificate to fly Frontier?

For domestic cabin pets, Frontier says it does not require a health certificate, but the state you land in may require one. That matches USDA APHIS guidance (last modified June 2026), which states that APHIS does not regulate the interstate movement of pets by their owners and that requirements are set by the receiving state or territory.

In practice, that means the paperwork depends on your destination. Your veterinarian can issue a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI), often called a health certificate, if your destination requires one. APHIS maintains a state-by-state list and recommends contacting the destination's state animal health official with questions.

Flying a dog to Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands

U.S. territories have stricter rules, and Frontier publishes them on its Family & Pets page:

• Puerto Rico: an official health certificate valid for 30 days, rabies vaccination within six months for pets over four months old, external parasite treatment within 72 hours before entry, and official identification (a microchip or a collar with a metal ID tag). Frontier also notes Puerto Rico requires a sturdy collar and two ID tags.
• U.S. Virgin Islands: a health certificate stating the animal did not come from a rabies-quarantined area, and rabies vaccination within six months before travel for dogs and cats 12 weeks or older.

Service dogs and emotional support animals on Frontier

Service dogs are not pets under federal law, and they do not pay the pet fee. The DOT final rule on Traveling by Air with Service Animals, published in the Federal Register on December 10, 2020, defines a service animal as a dog, regardless of breed or type, that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability, including a psychiatric disability. The same rule lets airlines treat emotional support animals as pets.

Frontier follows that rule. According to its Special Services page, Frontier:

• Accepts only dogs as trained service animals in the cabin, including fully trained psychiatric service dogs;
• Does not recognize comfort, companionship, or emotional support animals as service animals;
• Limits each passenger to two service animals; and
• Requires service dogs to be harnessed, leashed, or tethered at all times in the airport and on the aircraft.

You must complete the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form. If you booked more than 48 hours before departure, Frontier requires the form at least 48 hours before travel. If you booked within 48 hours, you hand it to an agent at the airport. This mirrors the 48-hour advance-notice option the DOT's 2020 rule gives airlines. Frontier also allows a passenger with a trained service dog to bring one pet in the cabin as well, if all pet requirements are met.

If an animal does not qualify as a service dog, Frontier says it may still fly under the regular pet policy for the pet fee.

Frontier pet travel checklist

1. Confirm your route is domestic (pets cannot fly Frontier internationally).
2. Measure your dog and carrier against the 18 x 14 x 8 inch (hard) or 18 x 14 x 11 inch (soft) limits.
3. Make sure your dog is at least 8 weeks old.
4. Add Cabin Pet during booking or through Manage Trip, and pay the $149 per-direction fee.
5. Pick a seat outside row 1 and exit rows.
6. Check your destination state's or territory's entry rules on the USDA APHIS site and get any required certificate.
7. Keep your dog's vaccination record with you.
8. Withhold food and water for about four hours before departure, per Frontier's guidance, unless your veterinarian advises otherwise.

Animal Passport is not an airline pet document

Because people search for both airline pet rules and animal passports, it is worth being clear. Frontier's pet policy, CDC dog import forms, state CVIs, and the EU pet passport are official or airline-specific travel requirements. Animal Passport is a different product. It is not a government-issued travel document, Frontier does not list it as a requirement, and it does not replace a health certificate, rabies certificate, or the DOT service animal form.

Animal Passport is a digital animal and livestock identity record built on muzzle biometrics: an animal's nose print is unique, much like a human fingerprint. Using a phone, an owner captures the nose print, and the record binds 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 1 to 5 from a side-profile photo.

Its main use is proving who owns an animal when paper tags fail. During livestock flood rescue in Pakistan in August 2025, Animal Passport was used so farmers could reclaim animals after paper tags washed away. For a dog owner, a well-kept vaccination history is useful background when talking to a veterinarian, but the documents you show Frontier or a state official must come from the official sources above.

For more on animal identification and travel paperwork, browse the Animal Passport blog.

Bottom line

Frontier is one of the few U.S. airlines that lets you add a dog online, but its policy is narrow: small dogs only, in-cabin only, domestic only, at $149 each way as of October 2026. If your dog is too big for an 18-inch under-seat carrier, or you are flying abroad, Frontier will not work unless your dog is a trained service dog. Check Frontier's pages and your destination's rules before every trip, since fees and requirements change.

By Animal Passport. Last updated October 3, 2026. This article summarizes published airline and government policies and is not legal or veterinary advice.