American Airlines pet policy: flying with a dog or cat

✓ Rules checked: September 23, 2026Source: the airline's websiteAA

American Airlines carries dogs and cats in the cabin up to 9.07 kg. The service is paid: 150 USD per flight. The pet's place is booked in advance — at least 48 h before departure.

Some countries take no animals at all: United Kingdom and Ireland. Snub-nosed breeds are not accepted in the hold. A heat limit applies: above 29.4 °C animals are not accepted in the hold. Direct flights reach 62 countries, but flying there and taking a pet are different questions: the destination country has its own entry rules.

Cabin Allowed

9kg including the carrier

Carrier: 28 × 28 × 46 cm
Fee: 150 USD per flight
Booking: at least 48 h before departure

The carrier's rule+

In the cabin — a soft-sided carrier up to 46×28×28 cm, pet and carrier up to 9.07 kg, a fee of $150 per kennel.
The cabin is available only on flights under 12 hours and within the 48 states, between the U.S. and Canada, Alaska, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St Croix and St Thomas.
On transatlantic and transpacific flights, to and from Hawaii, to Jamaica, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay pets are not accepted in the cabin.
A dog that has been in a high-rabies-risk country in the past six months is not accepted either.
Verbatim: «The total weight of your pet and its carrier must not exceed 20 pounds (9.07 kilograms)».

Hold Not allowed

The carrier's rule+

Only active-duty U.S. military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel travelling on official orders may check a pet on a passenger flight.
Other passengers can use the cabin only; pets that do not qualify are carried by the separate American PetEmbark cargo service (pet and kennel up to 45 kg), not with the passenger.

Flying American Airlines?

A personal plan combines the airline's rules with the destination's

Before you buy a ticket

The conditions that send people back to the ticket desk: closed destinations, breeds, heat limits and how early the pet must be booked.

Countries with no pets2 countries+

🇬🇧 United Kingdom
🇮🇪 Ireland

Snub-nosed breedsnot accepted in the hold+

American does not accept snub-nosed dogs and cats or their mixes as checked pets: Affenpinscher, American Staffordshire Terrier, Boston Terrier, boxers, Brussels Griffon, bulldogs, Cane Corso, Chow Chow, Dogue de Bordeaux, English Toy Spaniel, Japanese Chin, Lhasa Apso, mastiffs, Pekingese, Pit Bull, Presa Canario, pugs, Shar Pei, Shih Tzu, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Tibetan Spaniel; cats — Burmese, Persian, Himalayan, Exotic Shorthair. The airline publishes no breed restrictions for the cabin.

Banned breedsNot stated in the rules

Heat embargoabove 29.4 °C+

You cannot travel with a pet if the current or forecast temperature is above 85 °F (29.4 °C) at any point of the itinerary or the ground temperature is below 45 °F (7.2 °C); the cold restriction may be waived with a vet letter. From 1 May to 30 September pets not travelling in the cabin cannot travel to, through or from Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas or Palm Springs.

Species acceptedDogs, cats

Booking notice48 h before departure

Where it flies — and whether pets can come along

American Airlines flies direct to 62 countries according to the schedules. Flying there is not the same as taking a pet: the destination country has its own entry rules, and the carrier itself closes some routes to animals.

Country	Cities	Cabin	Hold
🇺🇸 United States	262	on 258 of 262 routes	no pets
🇲🇽 Mexico	26	✓	no pets
🇪🇸 Spain	6	no pets	no pets
🇨🇦 Canada	6	✓	no pets
🇨🇴 Colombia	5	no pets	no pets
🇧🇸 Bahamas	5	no pets	no pets
🇮🇹 Italy	5	no pets	no pets
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	5	no pets	no pets
🇨🇺 Cuba	5	no pets	no pets
🇭🇳 Honduras	3	no pets	no pets
🇫🇷 France	2	no pets	no pets
🇩🇪 Germany	2	no pets	no pets
🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2	no pets	no pets
🇯🇲 Jamaica	2	no pets	no pets
🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands	2	✓	no pets
🇧🇷 Brazil	2	no pets	no pets
🇬🇧 United Kingdom No pets carried	3	—	—
🇮🇪 Ireland No pets carried	1	—	—

The destinations with the most cities are shown; countries where pets are not carried are always shown. A country's entry requirements are on its own guide.

Sources

Every number above comes from the carrier's official page. Check it before buying: airlines change the rules without notice.

Airline's page ↗ Rules checked: September 23, 2026

Quotes from the rules: 3+

You cannot travel with a pet if the current or forecasted temperature is above 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29.4 degrees C) at any location on the itinerary. Pets not traveling in cabin cannot travel to / through / from Phoenix (PHX), Tucson (TUS), Las Vegas (LAS) or Palm Springs (PSP) May 1 – September 30.
seasonal embargo.rules

You cannot travel with a pet if the current or forecasted temperature is above 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29.4 degrees C) at any location on the itinerary. Pets not traveling in cabin cannot travel to / through / from Phoenix (PHX), Tucson (TUS), Las Vegas (LAS) or Palm Springs (PSP) May 1 – September 30.
seasonal embargo.heat threshold c

You cannot travel with a pet if the ground temperature is below 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7.2 degrees C) at any location on the itinerary.
seasonal embargo.cold threshold c

Airline's page ↗ Rules checked: September 23, 2026

Quotes from the rules: 10+

The total weight of your pet and its carrier must not exceed 20 pounds (9.07 kilograms). We will weigh them at check-in.
Cabin weight

Carry-on pet carrier dimensions — Soft-sided (recommended), all flights: 18 x 11 x 11 inches / 46 x 28 x 28 centimeters
Carrier size

Carry-on pet — Within and between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean (based on specific country's entry policy) — $150 per kennel
Cabin fee

We don't accept brachycephalic or snub-nosed dogs of any 'mix' as checked pets, such as: Affenpinscher, American Staffordshire Terrier, Boston Terrier, Boxer (all breeds), Brussels Griffon, Bulldog (all breeds), Cane Corso, Chow Chow, Dogue De Bordeaux, English Toy Spaniel, Japanese Chin, Lhasa Apso, Mastiff (all breeds), Pekingese, Pit Bull, Presa Canario, Pug (all breeds), Shar Pei, Shih Tzu, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Tibetan Spaniel
Banned breeds

We don’t accept brachycephalic or snub-nosed dogs of any 'mix' as checked pets, such as:
breed restrictions.cabin only breeds

Apart from service animals, you can't travel with a checked pet to the U.K. or Ireland, but you can transport dogs and cats to London (LHR) and Manchester (MAN) with American Airlines Cargo.
No pets to

Trans-Atlantic Carry-on pets You cannot travel with a carry-on pet on trans-Atlantic trips.
cabin.embargo airports

We only accept checked pets at the ticket counter for active-duty U.S. Military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling on official orders.
Hold

Apart from service animals, you can't travel with a checked pet to the U.K. or Ireland, but you can transport dogs and cats to London (LHR) and Manchester (MAN) with American Airlines Cargo.
freight

We only accept checked pets at the ticket counter for active-duty U.S. Military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling on official orders.
freight

FAQ

Can I fly with a dog in the cabin on American Airlines?+

Yes, up to 9.07 kg including the carrier.

How much does the cabin fee cost?+

150 USD per flight.

Are snub-nosed breeds accepted?+

Not in the hold.

Where does the airline not fly pets?+

United Kingdom, Ireland.

How far ahead must I book the pet?+

At least 48 hours before departure.

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