Lufthansa Pet Travel in 2026: Cabin Rules, Cargo Hold Limits and the Documents You Need

Lufthansa pet travel is Deutsche Lufthansa AG's service for flying dogs and cats with their owners. Pets go either in the passenger cabin as extra carry-on baggage or in the air-conditioned cargo hold as excess baggage, and both options cost extra. As of October 2026, a dog or cat can fly in the cabin only if the animal and its soft-sided carrier weigh no more than 8 kg together. Heavier dogs and cats go in the hold, and you must register them at least 72 hours before departure (Lufthansa, 2026).

This guide is based on Lufthansa's official pages and its 2026 cabin-animal form. It also covers the European Union and United States entry rules that decide whether your pet can actually travel. The airline accepting your pet and the destination country letting it in are two separate checks.

Lufthansa pet travel rules at a glance

Lufthansa offers three ways to move an animal. Your pet can travel in the cabin, in the hold as excess baggage, or as air freight through Lufthansa Cargo. Which option applies depends on the species, the combined weight of animal and container, and the route.

Source: Lufthansa, Travelling with animals and Information for Transportation of Animals in the Passenger Cabin (2026).

Can my dog or cat fly in the Lufthansa cabin?

Yes, if your pet is a small dog or cat. Lufthansa states that only dogs and cats weighing no more than 8 kg including their transport container may travel as extra carry-on baggage. Larger dogs and cats, and all other species regardless of size, are not allowed in the cabin (Lufthansa, 2026).

Carrier requirements

On Lufthansa's 2026 cabin form, passengers must confirm that the carrier:

• is soft-sided and no larger than 118 cm in total (55 x 40 x 23 cm), weighing 8 kg or less with the animal inside;
• is big enough for the cat or dog to sit, stand, turn around and lie down in a natural position;
• stays closed for the whole flight and is adequately ventilated even when closed;
• is leak-proof and escape-proof;
• sits in the foot space in front of your seat and goes under the seat in front for take-off, landing and turbulence.

The same form says the animal must be clean, fit to travel, obedient in public and old enough, with documents to prove its age. Bring two signed printouts of this form to the check-in counter. Lufthansa says the form is not required for assistance dogs on direct flights to or from the USA.

How many pets can I bring?

Lufthansa allows a maximum of two animals per passenger, and they may not be for commercial purposes. The permitted combinations are:

• two animals of the same species in the cabin in one pet carrier;
• one animal in the cabin and one in the hold;
• two animals in the hold in two separate containers;
• two animals of the same species in the hold in one container.

When two animals share a container, Lufthansa allows either two adults of comparable size that are used to each other and weigh up to 14 kg each, or two weaned puppies or kittens from the same litter that are no older than 6 months. Lufthansa does not accept pregnant animals.

Flying a larger dog in the Lufthansa cargo hold

Dogs and cats weighing more than 8 kg including their container can travel as excess baggage in the aircraft's air-conditioned cargo hold. The registration deadline is the same as for the cabin: at least 72 hours before departure online, or up to 24 hours before departure through the Service Center (Lufthansa, 2026). The container must meet the IATA Live Animals Regulations.

IATA's pet guidance explains how to size a container. Internal length should be the animal's nose-to-tail-base length plus half its elbow height. Width should be twice its shoulder width, and height should be its standing height plus bedding. IATA adds that snub-nosed breeds need a container 10% larger (IATA, Traveler's Pet Corner).

Lufthansa says it may refuse animals in the hold at short notice or for a whole season if conditions at the destination are extreme. It also says large animals cannot go in the hold to some destinations because of local restrictions.

Snub-nosed and fighting dog breeds

Lufthansa has barred snub-nosed (brachycephalic) dogs and cats from the cargo hold since 1 January 2020. The airline explains that their restricted airways, combined with stress or heat, can lead to circulatory problems or death. The breeds Lufthansa lists include:

• Dogs: pugs, bulldogs (except American bulldogs), boxers, Boston terriers, Shih Tzus, Pekinese, Lhasa apsos, chow chows, Shar Pei, King Charles spaniels, bull mastiffs, Staffordshire bull terriers and American pit bull terriers.
• Cats: Persian, Himalayan, British shorthair, exotic shorthair and Scottish fold.

These restrictions also apply to cross-breeds. Snub-nosed pets can still fly in the cabin under the 8 kg rule, or go as air freight with Lufthansa Cargo. Lufthansa's cabin form warns that a snub-nosed animal that does not meet the cabin criteria will be refused carriage.

Breeds Lufthansa classifies as fighting dogs can only travel in the hold, in reinforced wooden or steel crates built to IATA specifications. The exception is dogs aged three to six months. Lufthansa also notes that Germany prohibits importing pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers and bull terriers, although export and transit are permitted.

How to book Lufthansa pet travel: step by step

1. Check entry rules first. Confirm the import, transit and export rules for every country on your route before you buy a ticket. Lufthansa says it is not liable for rebooking, boarding or hotel costs if your pet is refused for non-compliance.
2. Check the minimum age. Dogs and cats must be at least 12 weeks old, or 15 weeks for flights to, from or via Germany. Dogs flying to the USA must be at least 6 months old.
3. Book your seat and your pet together. Pet spaces are limited, so Lufthansa recommends booking your pet when you book your own flight.
4. Register the animal. For non-US flights, add a cabin pet under My bookings, ideally at least 72 hours ahead, or use the online hold form. For flights to or from the USA, you can only register through the online form, at least 72 hours before departure. Assistance dogs have a 48-hour deadline.
5. Confirm the operating carrier. These rules apply only to flights operated by Lufthansa. On code-share or multi-airline trips, get written confirmation from every airline that will carry your pet.
6. Check in at the counter. Online check-in opens 30 hours before departure, but passengers with a pet in the cabin must collect their boarding pass at the airport check-in counter.
7. Pay the fee at the airport. Lufthansa charges extra for both cabin and hold carriage. Bring the signed cabin form and your pet's health documents.

How much does Lufthansa pet travel cost?

Lufthansa says animals travel at an extra cost and that the price depends on the route. In September 2026, Euronews reported a review of 22 European airlines by the compensation service AirAdvisor. It put Lufthansa's in-cabin pet fees at €50 to €110 one way and its cargo hold fees at €80 to €380 (Euronews, 2026). These figures are third-party estimates, so check the exact price for your route with Lufthansa before you travel.

Flying Lufthansa to the United States with a dog

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) changed its dog import rules on 1 August 2024. Under the current rules, what a dog needs depends on where it was vaccinated against rabies and whether it has been in a country the CDC lists as high-risk for dog rabies in the previous six months. The CDC states that an unvaccinated dog that has been in a high-risk country in that period will not be allowed into the United States (CDC, 2024).

Lufthansa requires two things for dogs flying to the USA:

• Registration through Lufthansa's US online form.
• A completed CDC Dog Import Form, with the confirmation shown in digital or printed form at departure and on arrival.

Lufthansa says that, until further notice, it accepts new bookings for dogs flying to the USA only to Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami, New York-JFK, Philadelphia and Washington DC. Since October 2024 it has also accepted dogs to Newark (EWR), provided the dog has not been in a high-risk rabies area in the six months before entry.

What documents does a pet need for Lufthansa flights in Europe?

Lufthansa's cabin form makes the passenger responsible for all import, transit, export and animal welfare rules, and for carrying documents such as the pet passport and vaccination certificate. For dogs, cats and ferrets, the official EU requirements, as summarised by the European Union's Your Europe portal, are:

• Microchip: implanted before the rabies vaccination. A clearly readable tattoo is accepted only if it was applied before 3 July 2011.
• Rabies vaccination: given at 12 weeks of age or older, followed by a wait of at least 21 days after the primary vaccination before travel.
• European pet passport: required for travel between EU countries, issued by an authorised vet, and available only to EU residents.
• EU animal health certificate: required when entering from a non-EU country, issued by an official vet no more than 10 days before arrival.
• Rabies antibody titration test: required when travelling from most non-EU countries. The blood sample is taken at least 30 days after vaccination, and you must then wait 3 months before travel.
• Tapeworm treatment for dogs: required 24 to 120 hours before travel to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway or Northern Ireland.

According to the European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, non-commercial pet movements are now governed by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131, under the EU Animal Health Law, Regulation (EU) 2016/429. Pets entering the EU from outside must pass through a designated travellers' point of entry. Your Europe also lists Germany among the countries that do not accept young pets that are unvaccinated or not yet fully immune to rabies. That fits with Lufthansa's 15-week minimum age on German routes.

Lufthansa also says it may refuse pet bookings on certain routes, giving the UK and Ireland as examples. Check UK and Irish routes with the airline early.

Preparing your pet for the flight

Lufthansa suggests getting your pet used to its closed carrier at home for about two hours at a time, rewarding it afterwards, and packing a familiar blanket or toy. Both Lufthansa and IATA advise against routine sedation. IATA says sedatives and tranquilisers can cause adverse effects in transit and should only be used under a veterinarian's direction, recorded on the health certificate. Dogs and cats may join you in Lufthansa lounges, but they must stay in their carrier, except for assistance dogs.

Key point: Lufthansa approving your pet for a flight does not mean the destination country will let it in. Your pet needs both the airline booking and the official health documents.

EU pet passport vs Animal Passport: not the same thing

Searches for pet travel often mix up two different kinds of passport. The European pet passport is an official EU-standard document issued by authorised vets for dogs, cats and ferrets. Airlines and border authorities check it alongside the microchip and rabies records. The EU animal health certificate plays the same role for pets entering from outside the EU.

Animal Passport is a different product. It is a digital animal and livestock identity record built on muzzle biometrics, because an animal's nose print is unique, like a fingerprint. A phone captures the muzzle, and the record links the owner, breed, estimated age, body condition and vaccination history. Age is estimated from a dental photograph and comes with a confidence score. A side-profile photo produces a body condition score from 1 to 5. In August 2025, during livestock flood rescue work in Pakistan, the system helped farmers reclaim animals after their paper tags washed away.

Animal Passport is not a government-issued travel document. It does not replace an EU pet passport, an EU animal health certificate, a CDC Dog Import Form or a veterinarian's assessment, and Lufthansa does not list it as an accepted document. For Lufthansa pet travel, follow the official rules above. For more on animal identity and traceability, browse the Animal Passport blog.

Sources and update policy

This article was written by Animal Passport and last updated on 1 October 2026. Airline pet policies and entry rules change often, so check Lufthansa's official pages and the destination country's veterinary authority before you fly. Nothing here is veterinary or legal advice.