Pet Carrier on American Airlines: 2026 Size, Fee and Cabin Rules

As of October 2026, American Airlines lets you bring one cat or dog in the cabin in a pet carrier that fits under the seat in front of you. Soft-sided carriers can be up to 18 x 11 x 11 inches on any flight. Hard-sided carriers can be up to 19 x 13 x 9 inches on mainline jets or 16 x 12 x 8 inches on American Eagle regional jets. The fee is $150 per kennel, each way.

An American Airlines pet carrier is a closed, ventilated kennel holding a small cat or dog that travels as carry-on under the seat in front of its owner for the whole flight. This guide covers each rule from the American Airlines pets page, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS). It also explains where airline pet rules end and passport-style animal ID begins. For more travel and identification guides, see the Animal Passport blog.

What size pet carrier does American Airlines allow?

American Airlines publishes three maximum sizes, depending on the carrier type and the aircraft. Its pets page (accessed October 2026) lists them as length x width x height:

The size limits come with build rules. American Airlines says soft-sided carriers must be secure, padded and water-repellent, with nylon mesh ventilation on 3 or more sides. They can be slightly larger than the hard-sided limits but must still fit under the seat without having to excessively collapse the kennel. Your pet must fit comfortably inside with the carrier closed or zipped.

Hard-sided kennels have a stricter rule: they cannot exceed the under-seat space of any aircraft in your journey. If one leg is on an American Eagle regional jet, the smaller 16 x 12 x 8 inch limit applies to the whole trip. American Airlines asks travelers to contact Reservations to confirm the maximum dimensions for their itinerary.

Soft-sided or hard-sided?

American Airlines labels soft-sided carriers as recommended. The practical reason is that a soft carrier can be eased into an under-seat space that varies between aircraft, while a rigid shell either fits or does not. If your trip mixes mainline and regional flights, a soft carrier of 18 x 11 x 11 inches or smaller is the simplest way to stay within the rules.

Is there a weight limit for pets in the cabin?

Sources disagree on this point, so check before you fly. On the American Airlines pets page (accessed October 2026), the only stated in-cabin weight limit is in the row for premium cabins on the three-cabin Airbus A321T. There, the airline says the pet and carrier together must not exceed 20 pounds (9.07 kilograms) and will be weighed at check-in. Its general carrier guidelines say only that the pet must fit comfortably inside the closed carrier.

Some third-party guides treat 20 pounds as a general limit. Paws On Board, in a policy summary it dates April 19, 2026, says pet and carrier together must not exceed 20 lbs on American Airlines. Because the airline's own page ties the figure to the A321T, the safe approach is to plan for a combined weight under 20 pounds and confirm with American Airlines Reservations for your specific flights.

How much does American Airlines charge for a pet carrier?

The American Airlines fee table (accessed October 2026) lists these charges:

• Carry-on pet: $150 per kennel, for travel within and between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, subject to each country's entry rules.
• Checked pet: $200 per kennel ($150 to or from Brazil), available only to active-duty U.S. military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel on official orders.
• Cargo pet: varies and is confirmed at booking through American Airlines Cargo.
• Service animals: no charge.

American Airlines says all pet fees are nonrefundable and apply per kennel, each way. The fee covers each destination without a stopover. If you have a stopover or connection of 4 hours or more, the fee applies to each segment. The airline does not take cash or checks. It also does not collect pet fees for partner airlines, even on flights sold with an American flight number, so check the words "Operated by" on your ticket.

How many pet carriers are allowed on each American Airlines flight?

Cabin capacity depends on the aircraft. American Airlines publishes these limits (accessed October 2026), excluding service animals:

Spaces are limited, so add your pet to the booking as early as you can. On regional jets the main cabin has room for only five carriers.

Which seats can you not use with a pet carrier?

American Airlines says carry-on pets are not permitted in bulkhead seats or exit rows, citing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety requirements. They are also not allowed in First or Business on the Boeing 777-200, 777-300ER, 787-8 and 787-9, in seat 13D on the Airbus A321neo, or in row 11 on the A321XLR, because those spots lack under-seat storage.

Where can you fly with a carry-on pet on American Airlines?

American Airlines says you can travel with a pet on most flights of up to 12 hours, and to or from select places. These include the 48 contiguous states, Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Croix and St. Thomas. Extra restrictions may apply in Canada and Mexico. The airline lists these exclusions for carry-on pets:

• Hawaii: no carry-on pets on flights to or from Hawaii.
• Trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific trips: no carry-on pets.
• South America: no carry-on pets to or from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia or Uruguay.
• Jamaica: no carry-on pets.
• Dogs from high-risk rabies countries: American will not accept a dog as a carry-on pet if it comes from, or has visited, a CDC-listed high-risk country in the 6 months before travel. Service dogs that meet CDC requirements are exempt.

American Airlines also says pets traveling within the U.S. and Puerto Rico must be at least 8 weeks old.

How to add a pet carrier to an American Airlines booking

American Airlines describes this process on its pets page:

1. Find your trip on aa.com or in the American app.
2. In Additional Services, select Add carry-on pets.
3. Review and agree to the carry-on pet requirements.
4. Select the flights your pet will travel on.
5. Confirm the carry-on pet to save the change.
6. On travel day, go to the American ticket counter to pay the $150 fee and have staff confirm that your pet and carrier meet the rules.

On board, your pet must stay inside the carrier and under the seat in front of you for the entire flight. You can bring only one other item: either a personal item, such as a purse, or a carry-on bag that fits in the overhead bin. You cannot bring both. Pet strollers must be checked at the ticket counter, and checked bag fees apply.

Can my pet be sedated for the flight?

No. American Airlines says it does not accept sedated or tranquilized pets, following the recommendation of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The airline explains that sedated pets face a higher risk of breathing and heart problems at high altitude. Ask your own veterinarian about calming strategies for travel. This article is not veterinary advice.

What if my pet is too big for an in-cabin carrier?

A pet that does not fit in an under-seat carrier cannot fly as a carry-on. American Airlines accepts checked pets at the ticket counter only for active-duty U.S. military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel on official orders, up to 2 pets per person. Other travelers must use the American PetEmbark service from American Airlines Cargo.

Checked kennels follow different rules from cabin carriers. The airline says a checked kennel must:

• Let the pet stand, turn, sit and lie down naturally without touching the sides or top.
• Weigh no more than 100 lbs (45 kg) combined with the pet.
• Be made of rigid material, with a welded or cast metal door.
• Have ventilation on at least 3 sides for U.S. domestic travel and 4 sides for international travel.

American Airlines does not accept brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dog and cat breeds, including mixes, as checked pets. It also applies heat and cold limits to pets that do not travel in the cabin. For example, it will not fly a checked pet if the temperature anywhere on the itinerary is above 85°F (29.4°C) or below 45°F (7.2°C), and it bars these pets from Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas and Palm Springs from May 1 to September 30.

What documents does a pet in a carrier need?

The carrier gets your pet on the plane, but government rules decide whether the animal can enter your destination. As of October 2026, these are the main ones for American Airlines routes:

Dogs entering the United States (CDC)

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the primary authority for dogs entering or returning to the United States, according to USDA APHIS (2026). Under rules that took effect on August 1, 2024, what a dog needs depends on where it was vaccinated and which countries it visited in the 6 months before arrival. The CDC says a dog that has been in a high-risk country for dog rabies and is not vaccinated will not be allowed to enter. Its high-risk list includes Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Peru. The CDC offers an online Dog Importation Navigator to work out your requirements.

Dogs flying to Mexico (USDA APHIS and SENASICA)

USDA APHIS says Mexico has required a New World screwworm (NWS) inspection certificate for pet dogs since August 3, 2026. A USDA-accredited veterinarian must sign it no more than 5 days before the dog enters Mexico, and it does not need APHIS endorsement. American Airlines says it checks this certificate at check-in, including for service dogs. USDA APHIS also says Mexico does not require a health certificate for pet cats, which are inspected on arrival by Mexico's National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA).

Leaving the United States

For travel from the U.S. to other countries, USDA APHIS advises contacting a USDA-accredited veterinarian as soon as you decide to travel. That veterinarian can confirm the destination's entry rules and help you get a USDA-endorsed pet health certificate where one is required. APHIS also notes that airlines set their own pet policies on top of government rules.

Pet carrier rules vs. pet passports: what is the difference?

Many travelers confuse three things: the airline's carrier rules, official pet travel documents and private animal ID records. They do different jobs.

• American Airlines carrier rules are the airline's own conditions of carriage: carrier size, fees, seats and cabin capacity. They do not prove an animal's identity or health status to a border authority.
• The EU pet passport is an official identification document for pet dogs, cats and ferrets. The European Commission says it records the microchip number, owner details and rabies vaccination history, is issued by an authorized veterinarian, and is only for pets whose owners live in an EU country. Pets coming from a non-EU country generally need an animal health certificate from an official veterinarian instead. American Airlines separately notes that pets checked to the EU must have a tattoo or microchip that matches the ID number on their vaccination card.
• Animal Passport (animalpassport.co) is a digital animal and livestock passport built on muzzle biometrics. An animal's nose print is unique, like a fingerprint. A farmer photographs the animal with a phone, and the record links the owner, breed and vaccination history, plus an estimated age from a dental photograph (with a confidence score) and a 1–5 body condition score from a side-profile photo.

Animal Passport is not an EU pet passport, a CDC or USDA form, or an airline document. It does not replace a microchip, a rabies certificate or a veterinarian-issued health certificate for air travel. Its field use has been in livestock identification. During the August 2025 floods in Pakistan, it helped farmers reclaim animals after their paper tags washed away. For pet air travel, follow the official rules above. To learn how biometric ID works for herds, read more on the Animal Passport blog.

Pre-flight checklist for an American Airlines pet carrier

1. Check that your pet is a cat or dog, at least 8 weeks old for U.S. travel, and that your route allows carry-on pets.
2. Measure the carrier. Soft-sided should be 18 x 11 x 11 in or smaller. Hard-sided should be 16 x 12 x 8 in if any leg is on American Eagle.
3. Weigh your pet and carrier together. Aim for under 20 lbs and confirm the limit with Reservations.
4. Add the carry-on pet in Additional Services early, before cabin spots run out.
5. Choose a seat that is not a bulkhead, an exit row or a restricted premium seat.
6. Get the paperwork your destination requires, such as CDC dog-entry documents or the Mexico NWS certificate.
7. Arrive early enough to pay the $150 fee at the ticket counter and have the carrier checked.
8. Pack only one other bag.

Last updated: October 7, 2026, by Animal Passport. Airline pet policies and government entry rules change often, sometimes within months. Mexico's screwworm rules, for example, were updated in August 2026. Always check the American Airlines pets page, the CDC and USDA APHIS shortly before you fly.