Lufthansa Pet Transport: Cabin, Cargo Hold and Document Rules (2026)

Lufthansa pet transport is the German airline's service for flying dogs and cats either in the passenger cabin or as checked excess baggage in the cargo hold. As of October 2026, Lufthansa accepts a dog or cat in the cabin only if the animal and its soft-sided bag together weigh no more than 8 kg and the bag measures no more than 55 × 40 × 23 cm. Heavier pets travel in an IATA-compliant crate in the hold. Every pet has to be registered in advance and meet the entry rules of the destination country.

This guide is written by the Animal Passport editorial team and was last updated on 3 October 2026. It covers Lufthansa's own rules and the official documents behind them: the European Union pet passport, the EU animal health certificate, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) endorsement and the CDC Dog Import Form. Airline and government rules change often, so check them again before every trip.

What is Lufthansa pet transport?

Lufthansa offers three ways to fly an animal. Small dogs and cats can travel in the cabin as additional carry-on baggage. Larger dogs and cats can travel as excess baggage in the air-conditioned cargo hold on the same flight as their owner. Animals that cannot travel either way can be shipped separately as air freight through Lufthansa Cargo. A September 2026 Euronews survey of European airline pet policies confirms that Lufthansa lets each traveller take up to two pets across the cabin, the hold or freight (Euronews, 2026).

The airline sets the rules for the trip itself, such as weight, carrier size, booking and fees. Governments set the rules for entry, such as microchips, rabies vaccination and health certificates. A pet that meets Lufthansa's carrier rules can still be refused entry at the destination, so you need to satisfy both.

Lufthansa cabin rules for dogs and cats

Lufthansa's official Information for Transportation of Animals in the Passenger Cabin form (Lufthansa, version dated June 2026) lists the conditions a passenger has to confirm before a dog or cat is accepted in the cabin:

• Weight: the dog or cat and its transport bag together weigh no more than 8 kg.
• Bag size: the soft-sided bag measures no more than 118 cm in total (55 × 40 × 23 cm).
• Space: the animal can sit, stand, turn around and lie down in a natural position inside the bag.
• Bag condition: the bag stays closed for the whole flight, is adequately ventilated when closed, and is leak-proof and escape-proof.
• Minimum age: at least 12 weeks, or at least 15 weeks on flights to, from or via Germany, with documents to prove it.
• Position on board: the bag stays in the footwell in front of your seat and goes under the seat in front for take-off, landing and turbulence.
• Behaviour: the animal is clean, fit to travel and behaves well in public, with no aggressive barking or growling.

On the same form, the passenger confirms that they are responsible for all import, transit and export rules and that they carry the required documents, for example a pet passport and vaccination certificate (Lufthansa, 2026). If an animal does not meet the conditions, Lufthansa may move it to the hold for a fee or refuse to carry it. The passenger has to pay any resulting costs, such as rebooking fees, a hotel or an animal shelter.

Snub-nosed breeds

Lufthansa's 2026 cabin form says snub-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds face a significant risk of death and secondary disease from breathing problems, so they are not carried in the cargo hold. A pug, French bulldog or Persian cat can therefore fly with Lufthansa only in the cabin, which means it has to meet the 8 kg limit. If it does not meet the cabin criteria, Lufthansa refuses carriage. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) separately advises against flying snub-nosed dogs in hot weather and says they need a container 10% larger than the standard size (IATA, 2026).

Lufthansa cargo hold rules for larger pets

Dogs and cats over the 8 kg cabin limit can travel as excess baggage in the air-conditioned hold in a rigid container that meets IATA standards. Lufthansa's own pages refer travellers to the IATA Live Animals Regulations (LAR), and IATA publishes Container Requirement 1 (CR1), the container standard for dogs and cats, as part of LAR 2026.

IATA's guidance for pet owners sets out the formula airlines use to work out the minimum inside size of a crate (IATA, 2026):

• Length = the animal's length from nose to base of tail (A) plus half its height from ground to elbow (B).
• Width = twice the width across the shoulders (C).
• Height = the animal's standing height to the top of its head or ear tip (D), plus bedding.
• Snub-nosed breeds need a container about 10% larger.

IATA also says that two adult animals of similar size can share a crate only if each weighs no more than 14 kg and they are used to living together. Animals over 14 kg have to travel in separate crates (IATA, 2026).

Transfers through Munich and Frankfurt

Lufthansa's booking pages state that animals in the hold are not accepted on connecting flights via Munich, because hold animals cannot be checked through at Munich Airport. Transfers via Frankfurt are still possible. The same pages list a transfer surcharge for hold animals connecting via Brussels, Geneva, Frankfurt, Vienna and Zurich. Confirm the routing with Lufthansa before you buy a connecting ticket.

Cabin vs. hold vs. air freight: comparison

How much does Lufthansa charge to fly a pet?

Lufthansa does not publish one flat fee. The price depends on the route and, for the hold, on the size of the crate. According to Lufthansa's booking pages, you pay once per direction, even if the trip includes a Lufthansa connection, and you pay again for the return flight or for any stopover longer than 24 hours. You pay at check-in or at the Lufthansa service counter.

Published figures vary. Euronews reported in September 2026 that Lufthansa charges €50 to €110 per direction for the cabin and €80 to €380 for the hold (Euronews, 2026). Older third-party summaries quote narrower cabin prices. Treat any figure as a guide and use Lufthansa's baggage calculator for your exact route.

How to book Lufthansa pet transport: step by step

1. Check the destination's entry rules first. Use the EU "Your Europe" portal for travel into or within the EU, or the USDA APHIS country pages for trips that start in the United States.
2. Weigh and measure your pet in its carrier. If the total is 8 kg or less and the bag fits 55 × 40 × 23 cm, book the cabin. Otherwise, get an IATA CR1 crate.
3. Book your own ticket on a Lufthansa-operated flight. Avoid codeshares and connections through Munich if your pet will travel in the hold.
4. Register the pet at least 72 hours before departure. Lufthansa's booking pages say to contact the Service Center if there are fewer than 72 hours left (up to 24 hours before departure). Register each animal separately and wait for email confirmation.
5. Get the health documents ready. This means an ISO microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, and either an EU pet passport or an EU animal health certificate. Add a CDC Dog Import Form receipt if a dog is flying to the United States.
6. Print and sign Lufthansa's cabin animal form. For flights to or from the United States, Lufthansa's pages ask for two signed printouts at check-in.
7. Let your pet get used to the carrier. IATA recommends introducing the crate weeks or months before the trip, giving a light meal about two hours before handing the animal over, and not sedating it unless a veterinarian directs this.
8. Pay at check-in and arrive early if your pet is going in the hold.

The official documents: EU pet passport and EU health certificate

The European Commission's Your Europe portal (2026) says a dog, cat or ferret travelling into or within the EU for non-commercial reasons needs:

• a microchip that meets Annex IV of the EU pet-traceability rules (or a readable tattoo applied before 3 July 2011);
• a valid rabies vaccination, given at 12 weeks of age or older and after the microchip. You must wait at least 21 days after a first vaccination before travelling;
• a European pet passport for travel between EU countries (issued only to EU residents by authorised vets), or an EU animal health certificate for entry from outside the EU, issued by an official vet no more than 10 days before arrival;
• a rabies antibody titration test for entry from most non-EU countries;
• tapeworm treatment for dogs 24–120 hours before entering Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway or Northern Ireland.

Pets arriving from outside the EU have to enter through a designated travellers' point of entry, where officials check the documents and identity. If a pet fails these checks, it may be sent back, quarantined, or as a last resort euthanised, according to the European Commission (2026). Germany's Federal Customs Service (Zoll) applies the same rules at German airports.

Flying Lufthansa from the United States to Germany

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) page for Germany, last modified 15 May 2026, says the microchip must be implanted and scanned before the rabies vaccination. The microchip should be ISO 11784/11785 compliant; otherwise you have to bring your own scanner. A USDA-accredited veterinarian issues the "non-commercial" EU health certificate when the owner travels within 5 days of the pet and no more than five pets are travelling. USDA must endorse that certificate with an original ink signature within 10 days of arrival in the EU (USDA APHIS, 2026). APHIS also notes that a first ("primary") rabies vaccination given in the United States counts as valid for only one year under EU rules.

Flying Lufthansa into the United States with a dog

Since 1 August 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has required every dog entering the United States to have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. Dogs that have been only in dog-rabies-free or low-risk countries for the previous 6 months must also appear healthy, be at least 6 months old and have a microchip (CDC, 2024–2026). In response, Lufthansa's booking pages say it accepts dogs on US routes only if they are at least six months old, and only to a short list of US airports: Washington DC, New York-JFK, Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. One regional Lufthansa page also lists Newark. Because the airline's own pages differ, confirm your arrival airport when you book.

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

The documents above are official schemes. The European pet passport and the EU animal health certificate are issued by authorised or official veterinarians under EU law. US export certificates are endorsed by USDA APHIS, and the CDC Dog Import Form is a US federal requirement. Lufthansa staff and border officials check these documents.

Animal Passport is a different product. It is a digital animal and livestock passport that identifies an animal by its muzzle biometrics: the nose print, which is unique like a fingerprint. An owner captures it on a phone, and the record links the animal to its 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. In August 2025, the system was used in livestock flood rescue in Pakistan so farmers could reclaim animals after paper ear tags washed away.

Animal Passport is not a government-issued travel document. It does not replace a microchip, an EU pet passport, an EU animal health certificate, a USDA-endorsed certificate or a CDC receipt, and Lufthansa does not list it as an accepted document. It is a tool for identifying and keeping records on animals, especially livestock. For more on animal identity and travel paperwork, browse the Animal Passport blog.

Practical tips for a smoother Lufthansa flight with a pet

• Book early. IATA notes that airlines limit the number of animals per flight, and Lufthansa confirms each pet booking by email.
• Bring your own carrier. Lufthansa says you generally cannot buy a suitable carrier or crate at the airport.
• Carry original documents. USDA APHIS warns that destination officials do not accept electronic copies of health certificates.
• Use two ID tags. IATA recommends one permanent tag with your home address and one temporary travel tag with a contact at your destination.
• Check for route bans. Lufthansa reserves the right to refuse pet bookings on some routes, for example to the UK and Ireland, where pets usually have to arrive as air freight.

Lufthansa's rules in one line: if your pet and its bag weigh 8 kg or less, it can fly in the cabin; if it is heavier, it flies in an IATA-compliant crate in the hold, unless it is a snub-nosed breed, which Lufthansa does not carry in the hold.