Flying with a dog or cat: carriers, documents and your cabin bag

Check the destination's entry rules and make sure the airline will accept the animal on every flight. Then choose a transport method that suits its size and needs. Travel documents and a confirmed place cover the formal part of the journey. Check the carrier separately, as a large cat may still have too little room despite a correct booking.

Before buying a ticket, note the animal's species, breed, age, approximate weight and measurements. If you already own a carrier, measure the outside and weigh it with the pet and the liner inside. Ask whether the service is available on the chosen flight and how final confirmation will reach you. If several people are travelling, adding an ordinary bag to one booking may not cover the pet service.

When comparing routes, count the time from leaving home until you can safely open the carrier at your destination. An overnight transfer or long connection can turn a short flight into an all-day journey. A cat will need a quiet, secure room before leaving the carrier. A dog will also need a chance to relieve itself. Consider the animal's temperament and health alongside the fare.

Ryanair and Wizz Air do not accept ordinary pets, although both have separate procedures for recognised assistance dogs. Start by choosing an airline that accepts your animal. Then check its carrier dimensions, because there is no shared European limit.

These details were checked on 26 September 2026. KLM asks for a reservation at least 48 hours before departure, while Lufthansa's cabin registration page states 72 hours. Places for pets are limited, so keep a confirmation for every flight.

Check the fee for your route when booking. Find out whether it applies to each flight, what personal baggage the handler may carry, and what happens after a schedule change. A higher cabin class does not always allow more options. KLM does not carry ordinary pets in Premium Comfort or intercontinental Business Class. KLM class restrictions.

In the cabin, a pet travels in an approved carrier, usually under the seat. It cannot sit on your lap or put its head out of the bag.

A pet travelling in the hold as part of a passenger booking and an animal shipped as cargo are different services. Booking rules, paperwork, drop-off and collection points can all differ. Lufthansa carries a dog or cat in a suitable part of the hold as excess baggage in a purpose-built container. Lufthansa hold registration. Confirm availability for the route and aircraft.

Cargo has its own booking and handover arrangements. Ask for the exact service name and terms. On a connection, find out who is responsible for the animal between flights, whether the container changes and whether another check-in is required. During the wait, you may have no access to a pet travelling outside the cabin.

Inside a closed carrier, the animal must be able to stand naturally, turn around and lie down. A 5 kg dog may still be too tall for a particular bag. A large cat can need a wider base than a smaller dog of the same weight.

Test the carrier at home on a flat surface. Add the liner, let the animal enter, close it and check that the pet can change position. Measure the bag as it will travel to the airport, including its base and anything that protrudes. A flexible roof still has to leave enough room for the animal. Outside dimensions determine whether the bag fits under the seat; inside space determines whether the pet fits comfortably.

Before ordering, check that the zips are easy to reach, the base is stable and the ventilation is adequate. Make sure you can replace the liner easily. A hold container needs separate approval because a soft cabin bag cannot replace it. Take photos of the model and fastenings for your conversation with the airline. A bag that worked for a friend may have carried a smaller animal on a different aircraft.

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Check all three. A combined weight under 8 kg does not prove that the carrier fits.

For a typical journey with a dog or cat between EU countries, you need valid identification, rabies vaccination and travel documents. The microchip should be implanted before the vaccination used for travel. After a first vaccination, the usual wait is at least 21 days. Ask your vet to confirm the first valid travel date. Your Europe pet travel guide.

Ask the vet to scan the microchip and check the paperwork. Compare the handler's name, animal description, dates and signatures well before departure. For boosters, uninterrupted validity matters, so do not treat every dose like a first vaccination. Check the airline's minimum-age rule separately.

Keep the valid document with you and save offline scans as backups. A screenshot cannot replace an original when one is required. If someone other than the owner travels with the pet, check whether they need written authorisation and how local rules link the owner's journey with the animal's. Different formalities may apply to larger numbers of animals, sales or transfers to a new owner.

Ordinary pets generally enter Great Britain, meaning England, Scotland and Wales, as cargo. Official guidance lists exceptions including guide or assistance dogs and private charter flights. Northern Ireland has separate guidance. GOV.UK approved routes. An airline's general cabin-pet policy does not by itself let you book a cat into London in the cabin.

A dog entering Great Britain may need tapeworm treatment. A vet must administer it 24 to 120 hours before arrival and record the date and time correctly. Exceptions depend on where the journey began. If the flight is delayed, ask the operator what to do because the changed arrival time may matter. GOV.UK tapeworm treatment.

Check return rules before leaving your home region. When the test is completed correctly and entered in an EU passport before departure, the return can be simpler. A vaccination given abroad may change the required paperwork. Plan this with a vet before the trip.

Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway and Northern Ireland have extra Echinococcus treatment requirements for dogs. Your Europe national rules. For other destinations, use the local veterinary authority's official guidance. Check even for a short transfer if you collect the animal, leave the transit area or stay overnight outside the airport.

Keep a small journey kit within reach: familiar food, a bowl, absorbent pads, waste bags and wet wipes. Add a lead and well-fitting harness. Pack enough for an overnight arrival after checking food import rules. For a long flight or a major change in climate, ask your vet how to feed and water this animal for the chosen transport method.

Pet food may not receive the same exemption as milk for a baby. Canada's CATSA classes wet and spreadable pet food as liquids. CATSA food and screening. Check your departure airport.

Border rules are separate from security screening. A pouch allowed through security may still breach import controls on products of animal origin. Before packing meat-based treats, check the country of origin, ingredients and point of entry.

Approach the checkpoint with the carrier closed and tell staff immediately that it contains a live animal. Before opening it, agree on the procedure and a safe place to remove the pet. For a skittish cat, ask whether a quieter enclosed room is available. Do not open the carrier alone in a crowd while also removing your jacket and electronics.

Never put a carrier containing an animal through a baggage scanner. Canada's CATSA describes screening an empty carrier while the dog or cat is checked separately. CATSA pet procedure. Ask staff about local details before putting anything on the belt. Secure the animal before dealing with your belongings.

If two people are travelling, one can handle the animal while the other manages documents and trays. Solo travellers should minimise loose items. Practise fitting the harness and carrying the pet at home, and point out metal fittings to staff. After screening, return the animal to the carrier, close every opening and check the zips before packing your laptop.

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When the carrier is open, one person should focus entirely on the animal.

Flying with a French bulldog, pug or Persian cat needs particular care. Each airline sets its own list of restricted breeds and crossbreeds. Lufthansa does not accept short-nosed dogs or cats in the hold as excess baggage. Lufthansa hold restrictions. Cabin travel still depends on the cabin rules and the animal's condition before the journey.

Ask the airline about temperature limits at departure, during connections and after arrival. Include every part of the handling process, including time on the apron. If weather or an aircraft change stops the animal from travelling, you need a care plan and a way to change the route. Temperature thresholds vary by airline and service.

Start carrier training early enough for the pet to enter calmly and rest inside. Before departure, inspect the fastenings and liner, then practise carrying the full bag. Discuss severe anxiety, motion sickness, breathing problems and medication with a vet. Any sedative and its dose should be chosen by the vet.

Plan the first hour after landing. Arrange a calm collection, transport to your accommodation and a secure room in which to open the carrier. Never release a cat beside a baggage carousel. If the animal travelled in the hold, inspect the pet and container before leaving. Seek veterinary help for worrying symptoms and show any container damage to staff.

An assistance dog is trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability. Airlines carry one under the relevant law and their own procedure. A purchased vest or a general letter saying that an animal improves someone's wellbeing is insufficient. Ryanair requires specific documents and distinguishes a recognised assistance dog from an emotional support or therapy dog. Ryanair Guide & Assistance Dogs.

Wizz Air also does not accept emotional support animals. Assistance dogs are registered through its special assistance process. Wizz Air Special Assistance. Before booking, check the training evidence and required forms. Confirm the route, cabin position and notification deadlines. Entry rules for the destination still apply.

Tell the airline about the passenger's and dog's actual needs, including a long flight, airport assistance and the connection plan. Assistance-dog status depends on the animal's training and the applicable requirements; a full pet allocation does not change that status. For a dog that does not qualify, use an airline that offers regular pet transport.

At every connection, check who operates the next flight and whether the animal is confirmed on it. Verify that the container fits and whether you must collect it before checking in again. With separate tickets, allow enough time for collection, formalities and another handover. A connection that works for a passenger alone may be too short with a pet.

After a flight change, ask for fresh confirmation of the pet service. A different aircraft may have another carrier limit or no hold service. If the animal has already been handed over, find out where it is and how to reach the responsible team. A new flight number on the passenger's boarding pass does not transfer the pet booking automatically.

For an overnight delay, identify a pet-friendly hotel and transport that can take the loaded carrier. Save at least one option in advance and keep food and hygiene supplies nearby. Before the return journey, check document dates, treatments required before arrival and the condition of the container. The paperwork and approved transport method must work in both directions, even when the airports have different procedures.