Airline Pet Policy
American's pet rules come down to two things: how big your animal is, and who you are. A small cat or dog that fits under the seat flies in the cabin for a flat fee. Anything larger goes to cargo, and checked baggage in the hold is reserved for military and State Department travelers on orders. The one recent change worth knowing is that since early 2024 your pet carrier no longer eats your carry-on allowance, so a pet and a full bag can finally fly together.
In this guide
American Airlines lets small cats and dogs fly in the cabin as long as the pet and its carrier together weigh under 20 pounds and the carrier fits under the seat in front of you. The pet has to be at least 8 weeks old, and the fee is $150 each way. Spots per flight are limited and go first-come, so you reserve by phone rather than at the gate.
Anything too big for the cabin has to travel as cargo through American Airlines Cargo, and checked baggage in the hold is only offered to active-duty US military and State Department Foreign Service personnel on official orders. For most travelers, cabin or nothing is the honest way to read the policy.
Only cats and dogs. American does not carry birds, rabbits, or other small animals as pets, in the cabin or as checked baggage. Searches about birds in the cabin lead nowhere on this airline, so if you have anything other than a cat or dog, you are looking at cargo or a different carrier.
The headline number is $150 each way for a cabin pet. That is charged per carrier and per direction, not per flight segment, so a round trip runs $300. The checked and cargo numbers only matter to a small slice of travelers, but here is the full picture.
| Travel type | Fee | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|
| In-cabin (carry-on pet) | $150 each way | Any passenger, small cats and dogs |
| Checked pet (hold) | $200 each way, $150 to or from Brazil | Active-duty US military and State Dept on orders only |
| Cargo (American PetEmbark) | Quoted at booking, plus a handling fee | Larger pets, booked separately |
What the fee buys you. A guaranteed under-seat spot for your pet and the ability to keep them with you the whole flight. Since the 2024 update, the fee no longer costs you your carry-on, which used to be the hidden second charge of flying with a pet.
The carrier is where most cabin plans succeed or fall apart, because the under-seat space is smaller than people expect and agents do check. American publishes two sets of dimensions depending on whether your carrier is soft or hard.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Combined weight | Pet plus carrier under 20 lb (9 kg) |
| Minimum age | 8 weeks |
| Soft-sided carrier | Up to 18 x 11 x 11 in, water-repellent, ventilated on 2 or more sides |
| Hard-sided carrier | Up to 19 x 13 x 9 in |
| Fit | Must sit fully under the seat in front of you |
| In-flight | Pet stays inside the carrier the whole time, no sedation |
Your pet needs to be able to stand up, turn around, and lie down inside the carrier. A soft-sided bag is the safer bet because it flexes into the under-seat space, where a rigid case can measure fine on paper and still not fit a specific aircraft. If you fly First or Business on a three-cabin Airbus A321T, the carrier goes in a dedicated animal compartment at the front instead of under a seat.
No sedation. American follows the American Veterinary Medical Association guidance and will not accept a pet that has been sedated or tranquilized, because sedatives raise the risk of breathing and heart problems at altitude. If your pet is anxious, talk to your vet about alternatives well before travel.
These three routes sound similar but serve very different travelers. Most people only ever use the first one. The other two are narrow, and it is worth knowing why before you plan.
| Option | Best for | Who can use it |
|---|---|---|
| In-cabin | Cats and dogs under 20 lb with carrier | Any passenger, on allowed routes |
| Checked baggage | Larger pets in the climate-controlled hold | Military and State Dept on orders only |
| Cargo (PetEmbark) | Larger pets, booked as freight | Booked through AA Cargo, can be limited |
Checked pets carry breed restrictions on top of everything else. Snub-nosed dogs like bulldogs, boxers, pugs, and Boston terriers, and cats like Persians and Himalayans, cannot be checked because of the breathing risk in the hold. If your dog is one of these and too big for the cabin, cargo is your only option, and even that has its own crate and temperature rules. It is worth comparing how the Allegiant pet policy and the United pet policy handle the same situations before you commit to American.
This is the part competitors gloss over, and it is where the American policy is more restrictive than people assume. Cabin pets are fine across most of the North American and Central American network, but there is a clear list of places where you simply cannot bring a pet in the cabin.
| Route | Cabin pet allowed? |
|---|---|
| 48 contiguous US, plus Alaska, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, St. Thomas | Yes |
| Within and between US, Canada, Mexico, Central America, Caribbean | Yes |
| To or from Hawaii | No |
| Bolivia, Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Venezuela | No |
| Transatlantic flights to Europe | No |
American also welcomes cabin pets only on flights up to about 12 hours. For dogs coming into the United States, the CDC sets the entry rules, and they apply to every dog including returning pets and service dogs. American will not accept a dog as a carry-on if it comes from or has recently visited a country the CDC lists as high risk for rabies. If your trip touches one of those countries, check the current CDC list before you book anything.
Domestic is the easy case. If you are flying a small dog or cat between US cities, or to Mexico or the Caribbean, the cabin rules are straightforward. The friction is almost always international, long-haul, or Hawaii, so that is where to focus your planning.
Weather can ground a pet even when the paperwork is perfect, and this catches summer travelers out every year. American applies temperature limits across the whole itinerary, not just your home airport.
For cabin pets the temperature rules are less of a live issue because the cabin is climate controlled, but the destination bans and the summer embargo still apply to the cargo and checked routes. Booking early morning or late evening flights is the usual way to stay inside the limits in hot months.
What you need on paper depends entirely on where you are going. Domestic and international are two different worlds here.
American does not require a health certificate for a cabin pet flying between US cities. That said, some destinations and any connecting airline can ask for one, so it is smart to travel with a recent certificate from your vet even when it is not strictly demanded. If you do get one, the usual window is within 10 days of travel.
International travel is stricter. You will generally need a health certificate completed by a USDA-accredited vet and endorsed by USDA APHIS, issued within 10 days of travel. The destination country sets its own import rules on top of that, which can include microchipping, rabies titer tests, and import permits. Our entry rules guides cover the country-by-country requirements that American itself does not handle for you.
The airline and the country are separate gates. American's pet policy gets your animal onto the plane. The destination country's rules decide whether it gets off at the other end. Clear both before you fly, because meeting one does not mean you have met the other.
This is the area where the rules changed most, and older guides online still get it wrong. Since the 2021 update to federal air travel rules, the two categories are treated very differently.
If your animal provides comfort rather than trained tasks, plan and budget as a pet owner, not as a service animal handler.
You cannot just show up with a carrier. Cabin spots are capped per flight and go first-come, so booking the pet is a separate step from booking your seat.
For a pet flying in the cabin, American charges $150 each way, per carrier. That is a one-time fee for the direction of travel, not a per-flight charge, so a round trip costs $300. Checked pets, which only military and State Department travelers on orders can use, are $200 each way, with a reduced $150 to or from Brazil. Cargo pricing through American PetEmbark is quoted when you book and is not a flat fee.
Yes. Since February 2024 the pet carrier no longer counts as your carry-on. You can bring a small cat or dog in an under-seat carrier plus your normal carry-on bag and a personal item. Before that change the carrier took the place of your carry-on, so this is the single biggest recent update to the policy.
A soft-sided carrier can be up to 18 x 11 x 11 inches, and a hard-sided carrier up to 19 x 13 x 9 inches. The combined weight of the pet and carrier must stay under 20 pounds, and the carrier has to fit fully under the seat in front of you with the pet able to stand up and turn around inside. Soft-sided carriers give you the most flexibility because they flex under the seat.
Larger pets travel through American Airlines Cargo, the service branded American PetEmbark, which is a separate booking with its own fees and crate rules. Checked baggage in the hold is reserved for active-duty US military and State Department Foreign Service personnel on official orders. Cargo availability can be limited by route and season, so confirm directly with AA Cargo before you plan around it.
Only in a limited way. Cabin pets are allowed within and between the US, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, but not on transatlantic flights and not to or from Hawaii, Bolivia, Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, or Venezuela. Dogs entering the US must also meet current CDC rules, which restrict arrivals from countries the CDC lists as high risk for rabies.
No, not as free service animals. Since the 2021 change to federal rules, American treats emotional support animals as pets. That means they pay the standard pet fee, must fit the cabin size and weight limits, and follow the same restrictions as any other pet. Only fully trained service dogs fly free in the cabin, with the required DOT forms.
Information on this page reflects the American Airlines pet policy as of July 2026. Fees, carrier sizes, allowed routes, and temperature rules are set by American Airlines and change over time, and destination entry rules are set by the CDC, USDA APHIS, and the country you are traveling to. Always confirm current requirements with American Airlines at aa.com/pets before you book.
American is one option, and not the cheapest or the most flexible on every route. Fees, cabin limits, and cargo rules vary a lot by airline. Compare who will take your dog or cat on your route before you lock in dates.
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