Flying With Pets on Delta in 2026: In-Cabin Rules, Fees, Kennel Size and Cargo Limits

Flying with pets on Delta means carrying a small dog, cat or household bird in an under-seat kennel in the cabin. As of October 2026, Delta Air Lines puts pets in the hold or ships them as cargo only for active U.S. military and State Department Foreign Service officers. Delta's pet travel page (2026) lists a one-way in-cabin fee of $150 USD/CAD within the U.S. and Canada for tickets issued on or after April 8, 2025, and $200 for international trips. The fee is collected at check-in.

The rest of this guide covers the details travelers search for most: who qualifies, kennel size, seating, the destinations where Delta bans pets, the cargo embargo, snub-nosed breed limits and government paperwork. Every rule is attributed to its source. Airline pet policies change often, so treat this as a snapshot as of October 2026 and confirm with Delta before you fly. For more animal travel and identity guides, see the Animal Passport blog.

Delta pet travel rules at a glance (October 2026)

Which pets can fly in the cabin on Delta?

Delta's Pet Travel Overview (2026) allows small dogs, cats and household birds in the cabin on domestic flights within the contiguous U.S. The pet has to meet age, health, size and kennel requirements. For travel outside the contiguous U.S., Delta accepts a dog or cat only if you carry every document the destination requires, plus any documents needed to return home.

Delta pet age requirements

• At least 8 weeks old for domestic travel (Delta, 2026).
• At least 15 weeks old for travel to the European Union (Delta, 2026).
• Dogs flying into the U.S. from another country must be at least 6 months old, and cats must be at least 16 weeks old (Delta, 2026).

Can two pets share one kennel?

Normally Delta allows one pet per kennel, with two exceptions in its 2026 policy. A female cat or dog can travel with her un-weaned litter if the litter is between 8 weeks and 6 months old. Two compatible pets of the same breed and size, aged 8 weeks to 6 months, can share a kennel if they fit, and they are charged as one pet.

How much does Delta charge to fly with a pet?

Delta charges a one-way pet fee at the airport check-in counter, not when you buy your ticket. The contract of carriage in effect when the ticket was issued sets the amount, which is why Delta's page shows different prices depending on the ticket's issue date.

Delta's sources do not fully agree on these fees. The consumer Pet Travel Overview (2026) lists $150 for domestic in-cabin travel. Delta's Pet Policies page for travel agents, on pro.delta.com, lists $200 USD within the U.S. and between the U.S. and Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, and it notes that fees are subject to change. Delta says the CAD amount applies when leaving Canada and the EUR amount applies when leaving Europe. Budget for the higher figure and ask Delta to confirm the fee when you add your pet to the booking.

Delta in-cabin kennel size and seating rules

For flying with pets on Delta, the under-seat space matters most. Under-seat dimensions vary by aircraft, so Delta's 2026 policy recommends a soft-sided kennel no larger than 18 x 11 x 11 inches, which fits most of its aircraft types.

• The kennel must fit completely under the seat in front of you.
• Your pet must be able to move around without touching or sticking out of the sides.
• A soft-sided kennel must be leak-proof and ventilated on 3 sides for domestic flights and 4 sides for international flights.
• You may bring 1 pet kennel plus 1 personal item or 1 carry-on bag.
• Your pet must stay in the kennel throughout the airport and on board, including in Delta Sky Club lounges. The only exception is a designated pet relief area.

Seats you cannot choose with a pet

Delta's 2026 policy bars passengers with an in-cabin pet from bulkhead seats, emergency exit rows, seats marked "no stowage", flat-bed or Delta One seats, and rows 46–51 on the A330-200. Rows 54–59 on the A330-300 and middle seats on the B757-200 are also off-limits.

How many pets fit on each Delta flight?

Delta accepts pets in the cabin on a first-come, first-served basis and caps each cabin. Its 2026 limits are 2 pets in domestic Delta First, 4 in Delta Comfort or Delta Main, and 0 in international business class, Delta One or Delta Premium. Delta First counts as domestic for flights within the U.S. and to Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam, and pets are not allowed in Delta First cabins with flat-bed seats. Service animals are handled under a separate Delta policy.

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

1. Check the destination. Make sure your route is not on Delta's in-cabin exceptions list (see below), then look up the entry rules on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) pet travel site.
2. Measure your pet and kennel. Write down the kennel's length, width and height. Delta asks for these when you call.
3. Book your own ticket first, then contact Delta Reservations as soon as possible to add the pet. Cabin pet spaces are limited and go first come, first served.
4. Get your documents. For international trips, see a USDA-accredited veterinarian early, because some destinations require tests or treatments weeks ahead.
5. Allow extra time at the airport. Check in at the Special Service Counter, where an agent inspects the pet and kennel, collects the fee and issues a cabin pet tag.
6. Go through security. Delta says you must take your pet out of the kennel at the security checkpoint, then put it back for the rest of the airport.

Where Delta does not allow pets in the cabin

As of October 2026, Delta's Pet Travel Overview lists these destinations where pets cannot travel in the cabin:

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

Delta's two pages disagree here too. The travel-agent Pet Policies page also lists Ireland, but the consumer overview does not. If you are flying to Ireland, get written confirmation from Delta before you book.

Can pets fly as checked baggage or cargo on Delta?

Most travelers cannot send a pet in the hold. Delta's Shipping Your Pet page (2026) says that until further notice, Delta Cargo ships pets only for active U.S. military or U.S. State Department Foreign Service officers traveling on active permanent change of station orders. Delta's travel-agent page describes this as an embargo on all pet-in-hold bookings with no end date.

Rules for military and Foreign Service officers

• Pets traveling as checked baggage must be booked at least 48 hours before departure, and up to two kennels are allowed per flight (Delta Pet Policies, 2026).
• Animals are not accepted as checked baggage on Delta-operated flights longer than 12 hours or on itineraries with more than one connection.
• Delta does not accept pets as checked baggage from May 15 through September 15 on Delta- and Aeromexico-operated flights.
• Animals are not accepted as checked baggage or cargo on any Delta B767 or A330-200, or on Delta B757 flights to or from Europe. Military passengers get no exception.

Delta Cargo requirements

For eligible shipments, Delta's Shipping Your Pet page (2026) sets these conditions:

• A separate booking through the Delta Cargo Customer Service Center (1-800-352-2746), made no earlier than 14 days before departure.
• A crate that meets Container Requirement #1 of the International Air Transport Association Live Animals Regulations (IATA LAR).
• A health certificate from a USDA-accredited veterinarian issued within 10 days of travel.
• No sedatives or tranquilizers.
• Ground temperatures between 20°F (-7°C) and 80°F (27°C) at every point of the trip. Between 20°F and 45°F (7°C), a Certificate of Acclimation is also required.

Delta's snub-nosed breed ban

Delta Cargo's Restricted Animals page (2026) says brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dogs and cats, and mixes of those breeds, "will be refused transportation at all times, regardless of age, weight, or temperature limits." Delta gives the reason that their shortened facial structure makes it harder for them to cool down. The list, which Delta says is not complete, includes the Affenpinscher, American Bully, pit bull types, Boston Terrier, Boxer, all bulldogs, Chow Chow, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Lhasa Apso, all mastiffs except the Great Dane, Pekingese, all pugs, Shar Pei and Shih Tzu. Restricted cats include the British Shorthair, Burmese, Exotic Shorthair, Himalayan, Persian and Scottish Fold.

The Restricted Animals page frames the ban as a cargo rule. Delta's Shipping Your Pet page goes further and says these breeds "are not permitted on Delta or Delta Connection flights", while the in-cabin overview does not mention a breed ban at all. If you own a French bulldog, pug or Persian, confirm in-cabin eligibility with Delta before you buy a ticket.

Paperwork: CDC, USDA APHIS and destination rules

Delta checks documents, but governments set the requirements. The airline only enforces them at check-in.

Bringing a dog into the United States

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the main authority for dogs entering the U.S. Since August 1, 2024, CDC rules depend on where the dog was vaccinated against rabies and which countries it has been in during the previous 6 months. Delta's 2026 policy summarizes the basics: dogs entering the U.S. must appear healthy, be microchipped, be at least 6 months old and travel with a receipt for a completed CDC Dog Import Form. CDC says a dog that is not vaccinated against rabies and has been in a high-risk country in the past 6 months will not be allowed to enter.

Leaving the United States

USDA APHIS advises owners to contact a USDA-accredited veterinarian as soon as they decide to travel abroad. The vet can identify the destination's vaccination, testing and treatment rules and help obtain a USDA-endorsed health certificate (USDA APHIS, page last modified March 20, 2026). APHIS also says U.S.-vaccinated dogs that have been in a high-risk rabies country within 6 months need a "Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination" form, submitted by an accredited vet before the dog leaves the U.S.

New World Screwworm rules for Mexico

Delta's Pet Travel Overview states that from August 3, 2026, every dog entering Mexico must have a New World Screwworm Inspection Certificate completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian. The certificate must be issued no more than 5 days before arrival, and Delta checks it at check-in. USDA APHIS also requires dogs arriving in the U.S. from screwworm-affected countries to carry inspection documentation issued within 5 days of arrival.

Flying to the European Union

The European Commission says non-commercial movements of pet dogs, cats and ferrets into and within the EU are governed by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131. Pets arriving from non-EU countries generally must pass through a Travellers' Point of Entry for document and identity checks. That EU framework is separate from Delta's own rules, and you need to satisfy both.

Is an Animal Passport record a pet travel document?

No. Readers sometimes confuse the name, so the difference matters. Animal Passport is a digital animal and livestock identity record based on muzzle biometrics: an animal's nose print is unique, like a fingerprint. The owner captures it with a phone, and the record links the 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 from 1 to 5 using a side-profile photo.

Animal Passport is not an EU pet passport, a CDC Dog Import Form, a USDA-endorsed health certificate or an airline document, and Delta does not ask for it. Its main use is proving ownership and identity. In Pakistan's August 2025 floods, it helped farmers reclaim livestock after their paper tags washed away. For a Delta flight, rely on the official documents listed above and your veterinarian's advice.

Pre-flight checklist for flying with pets on Delta

• Confirm the pet fee and in-cabin eligibility with Delta, especially for snub-nosed breeds and flights to Ireland.
• Check under-seat dimensions for your exact aircraft and cabin.
• Avoid Delta One, Delta Premium and international business class, where pets are not allowed in the cabin.
• Print the destination's health and import documents, and bring the CDC receipt if you are bringing a dog into the U.S.
• Get your pet used to its kennel well before travel day.
• Allow extra time for the Special Service Counter and the security checkpoint.

Bottom line

As of October 2026, flying with pets on Delta works only for animals small enough to ride under the seat, unless you are an active U.S. military or Foreign Service officer on permanent change of station orders. Budget $150–$200 each way, check the no-pet destinations, and treat government paperwork from the CDC, USDA APHIS or the European Commission as the deadline that matters most. Delta's consumer and travel-agent pages differ on the domestic fee and on Ireland, so get a direct confirmation from Delta before you fly.