Airline Pet Policy
ITA Airways carries dogs and cats in the cabin, but the number that decides your trip is small: 8 kg total, pet plus carrier plus food, on every flight to and from the US. Anything heavier goes in the hold, up to 75 kg combined. The headline about dogs up to 30 kg flying in the cabin is real, but it runs only on domestic Italian routes and is closed to any transatlantic flight. Here is what that means if you're flying to Italy with a pet.
In this guide
ITA Airways, Italy's flag carrier and now part of the Lufthansa Group, accepts dogs and cats only as of December 1, 2025. On any flight to or from the US, a pet flies in the cabin if the total weight of animal, carrier, and food is 8 kg (about 17.6 lb) or under. Above that, the only option on a transatlantic route is the pressurized hold, which takes a pet and rigid crate up to 75 kg (165 lb) combined.
The much-shared news that ITA now flies dogs up to 30 kg in the cabin is true, but narrow. That service, called Large Dog On Board, started August 3, 2026 and runs only on a selection of domestic Italian flights. It does not exist on international routes, so it changes nothing for a traveler flying between the US and Italy.
The 8 kg trap. Several pet-travel sites still list a 10 kg cabin limit for international ITA flights. The airline's own page says 8 kg on all flights other than domestic Italy. Pack and weigh to 8 kg, carrier included, or you risk being turned away at the gate.
| What | ITA Airways policy |
|---|---|
| Cabin fee (US to/from Italy) | ~USD 230 each way from most East Coast cities, ~USD 250 from LA, SF, Houston |
| Cabin weight limit | 8 kg / 17.6 lb on international flights, 12 kg on domestic Italy |
| Cabin carrier type | Soft-sided, under the seat in front |
| Cabin carrier size | 55 x 40 x 23 cm (21" x 15" x 9"), max total 118 cm |
| Hold option | Yes, pet and rigid crate up to 75 kg / 165 lb |
| Species allowed | Dogs and cats only (since Dec 1, 2025) |
| Minimum age | 3 months |
| Large dogs in cabin | Domestic Italy only, up to 30 kg, from Aug 3, 2026 |
| Snub-nosed breeds | Allowed in cabin within weight and size limits |
Fees are quoted in US dollars for departures from the United States and apply per single flight leg. Confirm the exact figure for your route on ita-airways.com before booking.
ITA prices pet transport by route and by whether the pet rides in the cabin or the hold. For departures from the US the fee is charged in US dollars, and it applies to each flight leg, so a round trip is roughly double.
| Route (cabin) | Fee each way |
|---|---|
| New York, Boston, Washington, Chicago, Miami | ~USD 230 |
| Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston | ~USD 250 |
| Domestic Italy | EUR 73 (about USD 83) |
| Large Dog On Board (domestic Italy) | EUR 95 fee plus two seats |
Source: ITA Airways official pet policy →
Hold transport costs more than the cabin on the same route, climbing to around USD 330 on the longest US routes. ITA does not publish a single flat pet fee, which is why so many third-party pages get it wrong. The figures above track ITA's own pet transport supplement, but airline pet pricing shifts without notice, so verify the current amount on ita-airways.com before you book.
Two tickets for a large dog. The Large Dog On Board service isn't just a EUR 95 fee. It requires buying two tickets so the dog has dedicated cabin space, plus the fee on top. It exists only on domestic Italian flights, so it won't appear on any US itinerary.
For the flight most Spinning Jack readers care about, a transatlantic hop to Italy, the cabin rules are strict and the weight ceiling is the thing that catches people out.
If your dog or cat is over 8 kg with the carrier, the hold is the only way it flies to Italy on ITA. The compartment is pressurized and climate-controlled, and it is designed for exactly this.
Brachycephalic, or snub-nosed, breeds like Bulldogs, Pugs, and Persian cats deserve a word here. Many airlines bar these breeds from the hold because flat faces make them prone to heat stress and breathing trouble. If your snub-nosed pet is small enough for the 8 kg cabin limit, the cabin sidesteps that risk entirely. If it isn't, talk to ITA directly about whether hold travel is advisable for your specific breed before you book.
This is the change that put ITA in the news, and it's worth being precise about, because the headlines oversell it for anyone outside Italy. Since August 3, 2026, ITA runs a service that lets a dog up to 30 kg travel in the cabin rather than the hold. The catch is where.
Domestic Italy only. Large Dog On Board is available on a selection of internal Italian flights flagged as Large Dog flights. It is not offered on any international or transatlantic route. If you're flying between the US and Italy, this service is not on the table, and a large dog travels in the hold.
For context, here's how it works on the domestic routes where it applies:
It's a genuinely thoughtful service for someone moving around Italy with a big dog. It just has no bearing on getting that dog across the Atlantic.
Pet space is limited on every flight, and ITA handles pets through customer service rather than a self-serve toggle, so the earlier you arrange it, the better.
ITA's own rules are only half the paperwork. The country you land in, and the one you return to, set their own requirements, and these have teeth. Two matter most for a US traveler.
If you travel with the same pet often, the pet passport guide explains how the documentation fits together across trips. For the full country-by-country picture, start at our entry rules hub.
Trained, officially recognized guide dogs and service dogs travel in the ITA cabin free of charge, and on Large Dog flights they take priority over pet dogs booked through Large Dog On Board.
For cabin travel from most US East Coast and Chicago gateways, the fee is about USD 230 each way. From Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Houston it is about USD 250 each way. Fees are charged per single flight leg and are quoted in US dollars for departures from the United States. Hold transport costs more, up to roughly USD 330 on long-haul routes. Always confirm the current amount on ita-airways.com before booking.
On international flights, including everything to and from the US, the total weight of pet, carrier, and food must not exceed 8 kg (about 17.6 lb). On domestic Italy flights the limit is 12 kg. Many third-party sites list 10 kg for international routes, which is out of date. The 8 kg figure comes from ITA Airways' own pet transport page.
Only on domestic Italy flights. ITA Airways launched a Large Dog On Board service on August 3, 2026 for dogs up to 30 kg, but it runs only on a selection of internal Italian routes flagged as Large Dog flights. It is not available on any international or transatlantic route, so a US traveler cannot bring a large dog in the cabin on a flight to or from Italy. Larger pets on those routes must travel in the hold.
Yes. Dogs and cats at least 3 months old can travel as checked baggage in a pressurized, climate-controlled hold. The combined weight of pet and rigid crate can be up to 75 kg (about 165 lb). This is the option for a pet too large for the 8 kg cabin limit on a transatlantic route. The carrier must be rigid, with a metal door and a three-point locking system.
As of December 1, 2025, ITA Airways accepts only dogs and cats, both in the cabin and in the hold. Rabbits, hamsters, and caged birds are no longer accepted for new bookings. Dogs and cats must be at least 3 months old to travel.
Yes. For cabin travel you complete an animal transport form and hand it in, in duplicate, at check-in. Entry paperwork depends on the route: a dog entering the United States needs a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, and a pet entering the EU needs an EU health certificate with a valid rabies vaccination. Trained service dogs on US routes may also need a DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form.
Information on this page reflects the ITA Airways pet policy as of August 2026. Fees, weight limits, and route rules are set by ITA Airways and change without notice. Always confirm current requirements with ITA Airways before you book.
ITA's 8 kg cabin limit rules out a lot of dogs. Compare cabin weight caps, hold options, and fees across every airline serving your route before you lock in dates.
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