Traveling With Pets on Delta in 2026: Fees, Kennel Rules and Paperwork

Traveling with pets on Delta means flying a small dog, cat or household bird in the cabin with you, in a carrier that fits under the seat in front of you. As of September 2026, Delta Air Lines charges a one-way fee of $150 for domestic routes and $200 for international routes, and requires you to add the pet to your booking through Delta Reservations. Delta no longer accepts pets as checked baggage for most travelers. Larger animals travel separately through Delta Cargo.

This guide covers Delta's fees, pet limits, kennel sizes and route bans, plus the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) documents your pet may need. Every rule is sourced from Delta's own pages or a government agency. Airline rules change often, so treat this as a checklist and confirm the details with Delta before you fly.

What is Delta's pet policy in 2026?

Delta's pet policy has three routes for animals: the cabin, checked baggage and cargo. On its Pet Travel Overview page (2026), Delta Air Lines says small dogs, cats and household birds that meet its age, health, size and kennel requirements can travel in the cabin on domestic flights within the contiguous U.S. for a one-way fee collected at check-in. Delta's agency pet policy adds that household birds may only travel in the cabin on domestic U.S. flights.

Checked baggage is now mostly closed to pets. Delta's Pet Travel Requirements and Restrictions page states that Delta "does not accept pets as checked baggage" but will carry allowable pets in the cabin and ship pets within the United States as freight through Delta Cargo. According to Delta's travel-agent pet policy, the one exception is active U.S. military personnel and active U.S. State Department Foreign Service officers (and their spouses) with transfer orders. They must book at least 48 hours before departure, and only on flights shorter than 12 hours.

Service animals are handled differently

Under the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) defines a service animal as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. The DOT says emotional support animals are not service animals. Airlines may require DOT forms covering the dog's health, behavior and training, plus a relief form for flights of 8 hours or more. Emotional support animals therefore fly under Delta's regular pet rules and fees.

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

Delta's Pet Travel Overview page (2026) lists these in-cabin pet fees for each one-way trip:

Delta says the fee is set by the contract of carriage in effect when your ticket was issued. Trips leaving Canada are charged in Canadian dollars and trips leaving Europe in euros.

Where Delta's own pages disagree: Delta's consumer page lists $150 for domestic trips, but the pet policy on Delta Professional, its travel-agent site (accessed September 2026), lists $200 USD within the U.S. and to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and notes that "fees are subject to change." Some third-party guides repeat the $150 figure. Ask Delta Reservations to confirm the exact fee when you add your pet. The pet fee is not covered by any free checked bag allowance, including the allowance for Delta SkyMiles American Express cardholders, according to Delta's agency policy.

How many pets are allowed per flight, and where can you sit?

Delta limits the number of pets in each cabin and books them first-come, first-served. Its Pet Travel Overview page (2026) sets these limits:

• Delta First (domestic, including Canada, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam): 2 pets, and none in cabins with flat-bed seats.
• Delta Comfort and Delta Main (domestic and international): 4 pets. Restrictions may apply.
• Delta One, Delta Premium Select and international Business Class: 0 pets (service animals are exempt).

With a pet on board, you cannot choose bulkhead seats, emergency exit rows, seats marked "no stowage," flat-bed or Delta One seats, rows 46–51 on the Airbus A330-200, rows 54–59 on the A330-300, or center seats on the Boeing 757-200. You may bring one pet kennel plus one personal item or carry-on bag.

What size carrier does Delta allow in the cabin?

Delta requires the kennel to fit completely under the seat directly in front of you. Because under-seat space varies by aircraft, Delta sets no single maximum size. Instead, it recommends a soft-sided kennel no larger than 18 x 11 x 11 inches, which fits most of its aircraft types (Delta Pet Travel Overview, 2026). Your pet must be able to move around inside the kennel without touching or sticking out of the sides.

Delta's two consumer pages differ on ventilation. The Overview page says soft-sided kennels must be leak-proof and ventilated on 3 sides for domestic trips and 4 sides for international trips. The older Requirements and Restrictions page says "at least 2 sides." Following the stricter rule meets both.

One pet per kennel is the default. Delta allows two exceptions:

• A mother cat or dog may travel with her unweaned litter, as long as the litter is between 8 weeks and 6 months old.
• Two compatible pets of the same breed and size, aged 8 weeks to 6 months, may share one kennel and are charged as one pet.

How old does a pet need to be to fly Delta?

Delta's Pet Travel Overview page (2026) sets these minimum ages:

• At least 8 weeks for domestic travel.
• At least 15 weeks for travel to the European Union.
• Dogs entering the U.S. from another country must be at least 6 months old, and cats at least 16 weeks old.

Delta's Requirements and Restrictions page separately notes that USDA regulations require animals to be at least 10 weeks old and fully weaned for domestic shipping. That rule applies to pets shipped as cargo or checked as baggage, which is why its age limits differ from the in-cabin rule.

Which destinations ban pets in the cabin on Delta?

Delta's Pet Travel Overview page (2026) does not allow pets in the cabin to or from:

• Australia
• Barbados
• Brazil, Colombia and the Dominican Republic (for pets originating in those countries)
• Hawaii (on flights to Hawaii)
• Hong Kong
• Iceland
• Jamaica
• New Zealand
• South Africa
• United Kingdom
• United Arab Emirates

Delta Professional's version of this list (accessed September 2026) also includes Ireland, which the consumer page leaves out. If you are flying to Dublin or Shannon, confirm with Delta before you book.

Delta's agency site also records when each embargo began. The ban on in-cabin pets from the Dominican Republic took effect on January 24, 2025. The bans for Brazil and Colombia apply to tickets bought on or after June 7, 2021.

What documents does a pet need to fly Delta?

For flights within the contiguous U.S., Delta does not require a health certificate for cabin pets, although some destination states may. Delta says that when one is required, a licensed veterinarian must issue it within 10 days of travel. It must include the animal's age, a statement of good health, any vaccinations given, and the veterinarian's signature and date.

International trips add government requirements, and Delta checks some of them at the airport.

Returning to the U.S. with a dog (CDC rules)

The CDC is the lead federal agency for dogs entering the U.S., according to USDA APHIS's Travel With a Pet page (last modified March 20, 2026). Under CDC rules in force since August 1, 2024, the requirements depend on where the dog was vaccinated against rabies and whether it has been in a high-risk rabies country in the previous 6 months. A dog that has been in a high-risk country and is not vaccinated will not be allowed in. Delta's Overview page also states that dogs entering the U.S. must look healthy, be microchipped, be at least 6 months old, and travel with a receipt showing a completed CDC Dog Import Form.

USDA APHIS adds that U.S.-vaccinated dogs visiting a high-risk rabies country need a "Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination" form. A USDA-accredited veterinarian must submit it before the dog leaves the United States.

Flying to Mexico with a dog (New World Screwworm rule)

According to USDA APHIS (page last modified September 21, 2026), Mexico has required every pet dog arriving from the U.S. to carry an NWS Inspection Certificate for Pet Dogs since August 3, 2026. New World screwworm (NWS) is a parasitic fly whose larvae infest wounds. The certificate must be signed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian no more than 5 days before arrival and does not need APHIS endorsement. Delta says it verifies the certificate at check-in. Pet cats still do not need a health certificate for Mexico, but dogs returning to the U.S. from Mexico must meet separate APHIS screwworm certification rules.

Flying to the European Union

The European Commission says non-commercial movement of pet dogs, cats and ferrets into and within the EU is governed by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131. Pets entering from outside the EU usually have to pass through a designated Travellers' Point of Entry for document and identity checks. An EU pet passport or EU health certificate is an official document under these rules. It is issued by authorized veterinarians and national authorities, not by an airline or a private app.

How to book a pet on Delta, step by step

1. Check eligibility. Make sure your pet is an allowed species, meets the minimum age for your route, and that your destination is not on Delta's list of banned routes.
2. Measure the pet and the carrier. Look up the under-seat dimensions for your aircraft and cabin. Choose a leak-proof, ventilated carrier around 18 x 11 x 11 inches.
3. Book your own ticket first, in Delta Main or Comfort, or in Delta First on a domestic aircraft without flat-bed seats.
4. Call Delta Reservations right away to add the pet, because each cabin has a limited number of pet spots. Have the kennel's length, width and height ready.
5. Get the paperwork. For international trips, contact a USDA-accredited veterinarian as soon as you decide to travel, as APHIS advises. Check CDC rules if your dog will come back to the U.S.
6. Check in at the Special Service Counter. An agent will inspect the pet and kennel, collect the fee and issue a cabin pet tag. Allow extra time.
7. Clear security. You must take your pet out of the kennel at the checkpoint. After that, the pet must stay in its kennel everywhere in the airport, including Delta Sky Club lounges, except in designated pet relief areas.

Delta warns that failing to keep your pet in its kennel may cost you the ability to travel with a pet on future flights.

What if my pet is too big for the cabin?

Delta's travel-agent pet policy describes Delta Cargo as a separate booking with a separate drop-off and pick-up location. Domestic shipments cannot be booked more than 14 days before departure. Forecast temperatures must be between 20°F and 80°F at every point in the journey. Delta Cargo accepts international pet shipments only from known shippers and suggests using a member of the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA).

Several restrictions apply to cargo. Delta does not accept snub-nosed or pug-nosed dogs and cats, such as French Bulldogs, Pugs, Boxers, Persians and Himalayans, as checked baggage. Its consumer page says some of these breeds may still ship as cargo. Delta also does not carry animals as checked baggage or cargo on any Delta-operated Boeing 767 or Airbus A330-200. The same agency page records an embargo on pet-in-hold bookings, so call Delta Cargo on 800-352-2746 to confirm what is currently accepted.

On sedation, Delta's Requirements page says the effect of tranquilizers at high altitude is "unpredictable." If you sedate your pet, you need your veterinarian's written consent attached to the kennel. Ask your own veterinarian whether sedation is appropriate.

Airline pet rules vs. Animal Passport: not the same thing

People searching for "pet passport" often mix up three different things, so here is how they differ:

• Airline pet rules (such as Delta's) cover how an animal travels on a specific carrier: fees, carriers, cabin limits and route bans.
• Government travel documents, such as a USDA-endorsed health certificate, a CDC Dog Import Form receipt or an EU pet passport, decide whether a country will let the animal in.
• Animal Passport is a digital animal and livestock identity record built on muzzle biometrics. A cow's or buffalo's nose print is unique, like a fingerprint. The record is captured by phone and links the animal to its owner, breed, estimated age (from a dental photograph, with a confidence score), a 1–5 body condition score from a side-profile photo, and vaccination history.

Animal Passport is not a government-issued travel document. It does not replace a USDA, CDC or EU pet travel certificate, and it does not give veterinary or legal advice. It was built for proving who owns an animal. In the Pakistan livestock floods of August 2025, farmers used it to reclaim animals after their paper ear tags washed away. For Delta travel, rely on the official documents listed above. You can read more about livestock identification on the Animal Passport blog.

Bottom line

Flying your pet on Delta works best when you book early, measure carefully and verify everything. Put the pet on your reservation as soon as you have a ticket, buy a carrier that fits under the seat on your specific aircraft, and check government entry rules at least a month ahead for international trips. Because Delta's consumer and travel-agent pages disagree on the domestic fee and on Ireland, confirm both with Delta Reservations before you travel.

By Animal Passport. Last updated September 30, 2026. Sources: Delta Air Lines, Delta Professional, USDA APHIS, CDC, U.S. Department of Transportation and the European Commission.