JetBlue and Pets: What the 2026 In-Cabin Pet Policy Allows

JetBlue and pets: as of October 2026, JetBlue Airways accepts only small dogs and cats, and only in the cabin, inside a carrier no larger than 17 x 12.5 x 8.5 inches that fits under the seat in front of you. It accepts no pets as checked baggage or cargo. A maximum of six pets can fly on each flight. Pets are not allowed in Mint, or on flights to or from the UK or the EU. The in-cabin fee must be paid when you book.

In short, JetBlue's pet policy is a cabin-only program for small dogs and cats that travel in an under-seat carrier for a per-direction fee, and owners are responsible for every health and import document. This guide summarizes the airline's own help page and its Contract of Carriage dated June 1, 2026, along with the official rules from 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 Union. Where sources disagree, we say so.

By Animal Passport editorial team. Last updated October 10, 2026.

JetBlue pet policy at a glance

Which pets can fly on JetBlue?

JetBlue accepts only small dogs and cats. Its Traveling with Pets page says "no large dogs are accommodated on JetBlue." The June 2026 Contract of Carriage adds that "no other animals are allowed," so rabbits, birds, ferrets and reptiles cannot travel as pets. JetBlue also does not accept pet remains, cremated or otherwise, in the cabin or as cargo.

JetBlue does not publish a weight limit for pets. The rule is about fit: according to JetBlue's 2026 help page, the pet must be able to stand up, turn around and move comfortably inside the closed carrier, and the carrier must fit under the seat in front of you. Some third-party guides quote a 20-pound limit. That figure does not appear on JetBlue's own pages, so treat it with caution.

Does JetBlue fly pets in cargo?

No. The June 1, 2026 JetBlue Contract of Carriage says that "no animals are allowed to be transported on Carrier as checked baggage." Small dogs and cats in the cabin are the only option. If your dog cannot fit in an 8.5-inch-tall carrier, JetBlue cannot carry it as a pet.

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

The fee is where published sources disagree, so check the price shown at booking:

• JetBlue Contract of Carriage (June 1, 2026): states only that "a fee will apply to transport a pet in-cabin" and that payment must be made when the reservation is made. No amount is printed.
• Paws On Board pet-policy tracker (updated April 20, 2026): lists the JetBlue pet fee as USD $150 each way. It says the fee can be added in the Extras section, paid later in Manage Trips, or paid with TrueBlue points before check-in.
• Older JetBlue documents: JetBlue's August 2020 Contract of Carriage set the charge at $125 per pet, each way. JetBlue's May 2023 TrueBlue press release valued the Mosaic Pet Fee Waiver perk at "$125 value per flight."

The most consistent 2026 figure from independent trackers is $150 each way, which is $300 for a round trip. Because JetBlue's own current pages do not print the amount, confirm the fee during booking. If you bring a second pet in its own seat, JetBlue's help page says you pay a second seat and a second pet fee.

JetBlue pet carrier requirements

JetBlue's 2026 help page sets the following carrier rules:

• External size must not exceed 17 inches long, 12.5 inches wide and 8.5 inches high (43.18 x 31.75 x 21.59 cm).
• Soft-sided and hard-sided carriers are both accepted, but the carrier must be FAA-approved.
• The bottom must be leak-proof and the carrier must be well ventilated.
• Containers that could let the pet escape are refused.
• Only one pet may be in each carrier.
• The pet and carrier count as your personal item, not an extra bag.

Height is usually what rules a carrier out. JetBlue's 8.5-inch limit is low compared with many other U.S. airlines, so a carrier sized for another airline may not pass. JetBlue says carriers can be bought online or at the JFK Terminal 5 ticket counter for USD $55, while stock lasts and by credit card only.

How many pets can one passenger bring?

JetBlue's own documents disagree on this. The JetBlue help page says "a maximum of two pets per traveler is allowed, each in their own carrier," provided you buy a second seat and pay a second pet fee. The June 2026 Contract of Carriage says "a Passenger may not transport more than one pet per flight." If you plan to fly with two pets, get written confirmation from JetBlue before you buy tickets. Either way, the six-pets-per-flight limit means seats for pets can sell out.

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

1. Check the route. Make sure your flight is operated by JetBlue and does not go to or from the UK, the EU, Barbados or Trinidad and Tobago. Under the 2026 Contract of Carriage, codeshare and interline partners may apply their own pet rules.
2. Book the pet early. Add the pet when you book, because only six pets are allowed per flight and the contract requires payment at reservation.
3. Choose a valid seat. JetBlue says passengers with pets cannot sit in an emergency exit row, a bulkhead seat, a Mint seat or any seat restricted for under-seat stowage. The airline recommends a window or aisle seat.
4. Gather the documents. Collect any health certificate, rabies certificate and import forms your destination requires (see the next section).
5. Check in. Once the fee is paid, you can check in 24 hours before departure online, in the app or at a kiosk. Then visit the full-service counter for your JetPaws bag tag.
6. Clear security. At the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint, you carry your pet through screening while the carrier is inspected. JetBlue notes that the animal is never put through the X-ray machine.
7. Fly by the rules. The carrier goes under the seat for taxi, takeoff and landing. During the flight you may hold the carrier on your lap, but the pet must stay inside it at all times.

Documents for flying with a pet on JetBlue

The JetBlue Contract of Carriage (2026) makes passengers responsible for meeting the laws of their destination, "including furnishing valid health and rabies vaccination certificates when required." JetBlue's help page adds that vaccination requirements vary by U.S. state and that Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands require vaccination documentation.

Flying a dog into the United States

For return trips from the Caribbean, Latin America or Canada, CDC rules apply. CDC is the main authority for dog imports, as USDA APHIS confirmed on its pet travel page in March 2026. Since August 1, 2024, CDC has required every dog entering the United States to:

• appear healthy on arrival;
• be at least 6 months old;
• have a microchip that a universal scanner can read;
• have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. The form is free and needed for each dog. For dogs that have been only in rabies-free or low-risk countries, the receipt is valid for 6 months.

Dogs that have been in a high-risk country for dog rabies in the previous 6 months face extra requirements. According to CDC, an unvaccinated dog in that situation will not be allowed to enter. USDA APHIS says U.S.-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries need a "Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination" form submitted by a USDA-accredited veterinarian before departure.

Leaving the United States with a pet

USDA APHIS advises contacting a USDA-accredited veterinarian as soon as you decide to travel abroad. The veterinarian can identify your destination's vaccinations, tests and treatments and help you get a USDA-endorsed health certificate. JetBlue also points travelers to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) online country database, and it notes that the USDA APHIS tool does not override JetBlue's own policy.

Why JetBlue pets cannot fly to the UK or EU, and what an EU pet passport is

The JetBlue Contract of Carriage (Section 34, 2026) states: "For travel to and from the United Kingdom and the European Union, pets will not be permitted by Carrier." Service animals are still carried there as the law requires. A European pet passport therefore does not get your dog or cat onto a JetBlue transatlantic flight.

For travelers who fly to Europe on another airline, the European Union's Your Europe portal explains the official scheme. A European pet passport is an identification document based on an EU standard model. It is issued by authorized veterinarians, only to owners living in the EU, and only for dogs, cats and ferrets. It records the microchip code, rabies vaccination and owner details. Pets arriving from outside the EU instead need an EU animal health certificate. An official state veterinarian must issue it no more than 10 days before arrival. The pet must also be microchipped before its rabies vaccination, and the first vaccination must be followed by a wait of at least 21 days.

Service animals versus pets on JetBlue

Service animals are not pets under JetBlue's rules. According to the 2026 Contract of Carriage, JetBlue accepts trained service dogs free of charge, with up to two per qualified passenger. The dog must be harnessed, leashed or tethered and must fit in the passenger's foot space. If the booking was made more than 48 hours before departure, the passenger must submit the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Service Animal Air Transportation Form at least 48 hours ahead. The contract also states that animals in training will not be transported.

How Animal Passport differs from airline pet documents

Travelers often search for "animal passport" when they mean an EU pet passport or an airline health certificate. Animal Passport is a different product. It is a digital animal and livestock passport that identifies an animal by its muzzle biometrics, because a nose print is unique like a fingerprint. An owner captures it with a phone, and the record links the owner, breed, estimated age, body condition and vaccination history. The product estimates age from a dental photograph with a confidence score, and it gives a body condition score from 1 to 5 based on a side-profile photo.

Animal Passport was used in livestock flood rescue in Pakistan in August 2025. It helped farmers reclaim their animals after paper tags washed away. It is not a government-issued travel document. It does not replace a CDC Dog Import Form, a USDA-endorsed health certificate, an EU pet passport or JetBlue's pet fee and carrier rules, and it does not provide veterinary diagnosis or legal advice. For a JetBlue flight, use the official documents above. For more on animal identification, see the Animal Passport blog.

Bottom line

JetBlue is a straightforward airline for owners of small dogs and cats on domestic, Caribbean and Latin American routes, but it is strict. The carrier must be no more than 8.5 inches tall, only six pets can fly per flight, pets never fly in cargo, and pets cannot fly on UK or EU routes. Book the pet when you buy the ticket, confirm the fee on screen, and check CDC and USDA APHIS requirements for any international leg. JetBlue can change these rules, and the policy described here reflects official sources as of October 2026.