JetBlue Airlines Pet Policy (2026): Fees, Carrier Size, Routes and Rules

The JetBlue airlines pet policy is the set of rules JetBlue Airways uses to carry small dogs and cats in the cabin of its aircraft. As of September 2026, JetBlue accepts only small dogs and cats, in a leak-proof carrier no larger than 17 x 12.5 x 8.5 inches that fits under the seat in front of you. It carries no pets as checked baggage or cargo, allows a maximum of six pets per flight, and charges a pet fee each way, reported at $150 in September 2026.

This guide is written by the Animal Passport editorial team and was last updated on September 28, 2026. Every rule below is tied to a named source, mainly JetBlue's own Traveling with Pets help page and its Contract of Carriage (revised July 29, 2026). Where JetBlue's own documents disagree with each other, or with third-party guides, we say so. Airline pet rules change often, so confirm the details with JetBlue before you book.

JetBlue pet policy at a glance (September 2026)

Which pets can fly on JetBlue?

JetBlue accepts only small dogs and cats. Its help page states plainly that "No large dogs are accommodated on JetBlue," and the Contract of Carriage (July 2026) adds that "no other animals are allowed" in the cabin. That rules out rabbits, birds, reptiles and every other species on JetBlue as a pet.

JetBlue also does not carry pets in the hold. The Contract of Carriage says no animals may be transported as checked baggage. So if your dog cannot fit in an under-seat carrier, you cannot fly it on JetBlue at any price.

Two more restrictions apply. Unaccompanied minors cannot travel with a pet, and JetBlue does not accept pet remains, cremated or otherwise, in the cabin or as cargo, according to JetBlue's help page (2026).

Is there a weight limit for pets on JetBlue?

This is where sources disagree. Several third-party guides, including Canine Cab Company (June 2026), state a 20-pound combined limit for pet plus carrier. That figure also appeared in JetBlue's 2008 JetPaws launch announcement. However, neither the current JetBlue help page nor the July 2026 Contract of Carriage we reviewed states a weight limit. Pet Travel Advisors (September 2026) likewise reports that JetBlue publishes no animal weight limit. In practice, the carrier size is the enforced test. If your pet plus carrier is close to 20 pounds, ask JetBlue before you book.

How much is the JetBlue pet fee?

The JetBlue pet fee is charged per pet, each way. Pet Travel Advisors and Canine Cab Company both reported it as $150 each way in 2026, or $300 for a round trip. Some older guides still list $125, which appears to be an earlier fee. JetBlue's Contract of Carriage (July 2026) does not print a dollar amount. It says only that "a fee will apply" and that payment must be made when you make the reservation.

Pet Travel Advisors (September 2026) reports that you add the pet in the Extras section while booking, or later through Manage Trips, and that the fee can be paid with TrueBlue points before check-in. The price shown in JetBlue's booking flow is the one that counts.

If you bring a second pet, JetBlue's help page says you must pay a second pet fee and buy a second seat. Budget for the extra seat, because on long routes it can cost more than the pet fee.

JetBlue pet carrier size and requirements

According to JetBlue's help page (2026), your carrier must meet all of these conditions:

• No larger than 17" L x 12.5" W x 8.5" H (43.18 cm x 31.75 cm x 21.59 cm).
• FAA-approved and small enough to fit comfortably under the seat in front of you.
• Leak-proof bottom and good ventilation.
• Soft-sided or hard-sided. Both are accepted.
• No containers that could let the pet escape.
• One pet per carrier. The pet must be able to stand up, turn around and move around easily when the carrier is closed.

The 8.5-inch height limit is the one most likely to catch you out. Pet Travel Advisors (September 2026) notes that a carrier bought to Delta's recommended 18 x 11 x 11 inches is 2.5 inches too tall for JetBlue. Measure your carrier's height before you book, not at the gate.

Your pet and its carrier count as your one personal item, according to JetBlue's help page, so you can still bring a standard carry-on bag. If you don't own a carrier that fits, JetBlue sells one at the airport ticket counter for USD $55, in limited quantities. Buying at the airport should be a last resort, since an animal that has never been inside a carrier is more likely to be stressed on travel day.

How to book and fly with a pet on JetBlue: step by step

1. Check eligibility. Confirm your animal is a small dog or cat and fits a carrier within 17 x 12.5 x 8.5 inches.
2. Check the route. Make sure you are not flying to or from the UK, the European Union, Barbados, or Trinidad and Tobago, where JetBlue does not carry pets (Contract of Carriage, July 2026).
3. Book early and add the pet. The cabin is capped at six pets per flight, so pet space can sell out. Pay the pet fee at booking.
4. Choose an eligible seat. Avoid exit rows, bulkhead seats, Mint, and seats with restricted under-seat stowage. JetBlue recommends a window or aisle seat.
5. Prepare documents. Check destination rules with the USDA APHIS pet travel tool and, for dogs entering the U.S., the CDC.
6. Check in. Once the pet fee is paid, check in online, in the app or at a kiosk 24 hours before departure.
7. Get your bag tag. At the airport, visit the full-service counter or a crewmember for a JetPaws® bag tag for the carrier.
8. Clear security. Take your pet out and carry it through screening while TSA inspects the empty carrier.

At the airport and through TSA security

JetBlue's help page (2026) says your pet must stay inside its closed, zipped carrier throughout the airport. You may unzip the carrier to feed or help your pet, but it must stay zipped the rest of the time. Pet relief areas vary by airport. You may need to leave the secure area and go back through security if your pet needs to relieve itself.

At the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint, JetBlue says you will be asked to hold your pet while you walk through the screening equipment and the carrier is inspected. Your animal will never go through an X-ray machine. If you cannot hold your pet, it will get a secondary visual and physical inspection by security officers.

Pet strollers count as carry-on items and are subject to carry-on size limits, according to JetBlue. A stroller used by a service dog counts as an assistive device instead.

On board: seats, Mint and in-flight rules

JetBlue's help page (2026) says customers traveling with pets cannot sit in an emergency exit row, a bulkhead seat, a Mint seat, or any seat restricted for under-seat stowage. The pet must stay inside its carrier for the entire flight.

During taxi, takeoff and landing, the carrier must be under the seat in front of you. During the flight, JetBlue says you may hold your pet, still inside its carrier, on your lap. If you bought an extra seat, you may place the carrier on that seat during the flight. Some third-party guides, including Canine Cab Company (June 2026), say the pet cannot be on your lap. JetBlue's own help page is the authority here and allows it, as long as the pet stays in the carrier.

One pet or two per traveler?

JetBlue's own documents conflict. The help page allows "a maximum of two pets per traveler," each in its own carrier, with a second seat and fee. The Contract of Carriage revised July 29, 2026 says "a Passenger may not transport more than one pet per flight." Because the Contract of Carriage is the legal agreement, confirm with JetBlue in writing before you plan to fly with two pets.

Flying internationally with a pet on JetBlue

JetBlue's Contract of Carriage (July 2026) makes passengers responsible for meeting every law and government regulation of the destination, including valid health and rabies vaccination certificates when required. It also sets route bans:

• United Kingdom and European Union: Pets are not permitted to or from these destinations. Service animals are carried as required by law.
• Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago: Pets and live animals are not permitted because of local government requirements.

For travel within the U.S., JetBlue's help page notes that vaccination requirements vary by state. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands require vaccination documentation for pets.

For destination rules, JetBlue points travelers to the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) pet travel tool, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) database. JetBlue adds that the APHIS tool does not override JetBlue's own policies. USDA APHIS (page last modified March 20, 2026) advises contacting a USDA-accredited veterinarian as soon as you decide to travel abroad.

Bringing a dog back into the United States

The CDC is the main authority for dogs entering or returning to the U.S. According to the CDC Dog Import Form instructions (2026), every dog needs a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. Dogs must also be at least 6 months old, appear healthy, and have a microchip readable by a universal scanner. For dogs that have been only in dog rabies-free or low-risk countries, the receipt is valid for six months of entries from the same country. Dogs that have been in a high-risk country in the past six months need additional rabies documents, and foreign-vaccinated dogs from those countries must enter through an airport with a CDC-registered animal care facility.

Codeshare and interline itineraries

Section 36 of JetBlue's Contract of Carriage (July 2026) says that on interline itineraries, the partner airline's rules may apply to pets in the cabin. Pet Travel Advisors (September 2026) goes further and reports that JetBlue does not accept pets on interline or codeshare bookings at all. Either way, book pet trips directly with JetBlue on JetBlue-operated flights.

Service animals and search-and-rescue dogs

Service animals follow a separate policy, not the pet policy. Under JetBlue's Contract of Carriage (July 2026), service animals for qualified individuals with a disability fly at no charge, up to two per passenger. They must be harnessed, leashed or tethered, and must fit in the passenger's foot space. If you book more than 48 hours before departure, JetBlue requires the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Service Animal Air Transportation Form 48 hours in advance. The same document says search-and-rescue dogs may be carried in certain cases, and a fee may apply.

What is JetPaws, and does it still exist?

JetPaws is the name JetBlue gave its pet program when it launched in December 2008. Sources disagree about its current status. Pet Travel Advisors (September 2026) says the JetPaws name no longer appears on JetBlue's pet pages. However, the JetBlue help page we reviewed on September 28, 2026 still tells travelers to collect a "JetPaws® bag tag" at the airport. Third-party guides also say JetPaws members earn 300 bonus TrueBlue points per segment, but we could not confirm that on a current JetBlue page. Treat any points bonus as unconfirmed until it shows up in your booking.

Airline pet documents vs. Animal Passport's biometric livestock ID

Airline pet rules and government travel certificates are official requirements set by JetBlue, the CDC, USDA APHIS and destination countries. Animal Passport is a different kind of product. It is not a pet travel document, is not issued by any government, and does not replace a health certificate, a rabies certificate or a CDC Dog Import Form receipt.

Animal Passport is a digital animal and livestock passport built on muzzle biometrics. Each animal's nose print is unique, like a fingerprint. Using a phone, a farmer captures the muzzle, 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. Body condition is scored from 1 to 5 from a side-profile photo.

The product was built for farm animals, a group USDA APHIS says does not qualify for pet travel. APHIS notes that animals considered livestock or poultry, such as pigs or chickens, fall under separate import and export regulations. Animal Passport was used in livestock flood rescue in Pakistan in August 2025, so farmers could reclaim animals after paper tags washed away. For more on animal identification, travel documents and livestock records, see the Animal Passport blog.

Bottom line

JetBlue is a straightforward airline for small dogs and cats and not an option for larger animals. The deciding factor is whether your pet fits a carrier 8.5 inches tall. After that, book early (only six pets per flight), budget for a fee reported at $150 each way, avoid banned routes such as the UK and EU, and get your paperwork done well before the trip. Because JetBlue's help page and Contract of Carriage disagree on some points, confirm anything unusual with JetBlue directly.