ITA Airways Pet Policy 2026: The Real Fees, the 8 kg Cabin Limit and the Hold Breed Ban

ITA Pet Policy at a Glance

Source: ITA Airways' official pet policy, ITA's pet fee table, ITA's hold rules, checked October 11, 2026.

What Most Sites Get Wrong

• "About $230 to $250 for a cabin pet to Italy."ITA's table says USD 265 from Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York and Washington, and USD 290 from Los Angeles, Houston and San Francisco.
• "Ask ITA whether your snub-nosed dog can go in the hold."There is nothing to ask. Since October 26, 2025, 32 dog breeds and 4 cat breeds can't be booked in the hold. The list goes well beyond bulldogs and pugs: Maltese, Yorkshire Terrier, Shih Tzu, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Newfoundland and Cane Corso are on it.
• "International cabin limit is 10 kg."It's 8 kg on every flight outside Italy, carrier and food included. 12 kg applies only to domestic flights.
• "ITA now flies 30 kg dogs in the cabin."Only on selected domestic Italian flights, with two tickets and a EUR 95 fee. Not on any US route.
• "You pay the same fee both ways."From the US you pay in dollars, from Italy in euros: EUR 210 or EUR 230 for the cabin on the way home, which works out close to the dollar price but is a separate charge.

Source: ITA Airways' official pet policy, ITA's pet fee table, ITA's hold rules, ITA's Large Dog On Board page, checked October 11, 2026.

Pet Fees by Route

You pay in US dollars departing from the US, and in euros departing from Europe or Japan. ITA says each fee covers "a single flight route" and that prices are those at the time you buy the service. Whether a US to Rome to Naples itinerary is charged once or per flight isn't spelled out [VERIFY: whether ITA charges the pet fee once per one-way journey or per flight segment on a connection].

A round trip from New York with a cabin pet costs USD 265 out and EUR 210 back. The cabin fee is refundable without documents; the hold fee only if the animal is ill or dies, with a vet or death certificate.

Source: ITA Airways' official pet policy, ITA's pet fee table, ITA's hold rules, checked October 11, 2026.

Cabin Rules

• 8 kg (17.6 lb) total on international flights, 12 kg on domestic flights: pet, carrier and food.
• Soft carrier up to 55 x 40 x 23 cm, 118 cm in total, under the seat in front. Maximum size varies by aircraft, so check with ITA before you buy one; an oversized carrier can be refused at boarding.
• Ventilated, closed on all sides, waterproof and durable; your pet must be able to stand, turn and lie down.
• Up to two animals of the same species in one carrier, within the weight limit.
• The pet stays fully inside the carrier until everyone has left the plane. No leash or muzzle inside the carrier.
• At least one empty food bowl fixed inside, reachable with the carrier closed. No straw bedding.
• The captain can move a pet to the hold if the rules aren't met or it disturbs other passengers.

Snub-nosed breeds can fly in the cabin, within the weight and size limits.

Source: ITA Airways' official pet policy, checked October 11, 2026.

Hold Rules and the Breed Ban

• Pet and crate up to 75 kg (165 lb).
• Rigid crate with a shell of fiberglass or rigid plastic only. Wheels removed, or taped if they retract.
• Dog crates need a metal door that locks at the top, center and bottom, and metal side vents, not plastic.
• Maximum crate size depends on the aircraft; confirm it when you book.
• Feed no later than four hours before departure.

Breeds banned from the hold since October 26, 2025

Dogs: Affenpinscher, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Bichon Frise, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Brussels Griffon, Bulldog, Bullmastiff, Cane Corso, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chihuahua (apple-headed), Chow Chow, Dogo Argentino, Dogue de Bordeaux, English Mastiff, French Bulldog, Japanese Chin, King Charles Spaniel, Lhasa Apso, Maltese, Neapolitan Mastiff, Newfoundland, Pekingese, Presa Canario, Pug, Shar-Pei, Shih Tzu, Silky Terrier, Tibetan Spaniel, Valley Bulldog, Yorkshire Terrier.

Cats: Burmese, Exotic Shorthair, Persian, Himalayan.

Hold bookings confirmed by October 25, 2025 are still honored. Otherwise, a dog from this list flies ITA only if it fits the 8 kg cabin limit. A 12 kg French Bulldog or a Cane Corso has no option on ITA between the US and Italy.

Source: ITA Airways' official pet policy, ITA's hold rules, checked October 11, 2026.

Large Dog On Board (Domestic Italy Only)

Since August 3, 2026, ITA lets dogs up to 30 kg fly in the cabin without a carrier, on selected domestic flights marked "Large Dog". It doesn't run on any international route.

• Two large dogs per flight at most: one over 10 kg up to 15 kg, and one over 15 kg up to 30 kg.
• Two tickets (one for you, one for the dog) plus a EUR 95 fee.
• Booking only through ITA's CIAO contact center, at least 4 days before departure. No online booking, travel agencies or online check-in.
• Crash-tested harness meeting CMVSS 213 and FMVSS 213, fixed to the seat belt.
• Dog at least 6 months old, ISO microchip, valid rabies vaccine, core vaccines and antiparasitic treatment, a vet certificate issued no more than 20 days before the flight, and mandatory pet liability insurance.
• Assistance dogs take priority: with one on board, only one large dog can fly.

Source: ITA Airways' official pet policy, ITA's Large Dog On Board page, checked October 11, 2026.

How to Book Your Pet

1. 1
   Check the breed and the weight. Under 8 kg with carrier: cabin. Over that: hold, unless the breed is on the banned list.
2. 2
   Buy your ticket at least 48 hours before departure. Earlier is better: cabin and hold spots are limited per flight.
3. 3
   Contact ITA's Customer Information Assistance Office to book the pet, and give the exact carrier or crate measurements.
4. 4
   Cabin pets: fill in the form for transporting dogs or cats in the cabin and bring it in duplicate to check-in.
5. 5
   Get the carrier ready: ITA recommends getting your pet used to it at least 5 days before the flight, in sessions of about two hours.

Source: ITA Airways' official pet policy, ITA's hold rules, checked October 11, 2026.

Documents and US Entry

• Into Italy: an EU health certificate endorsed through USDA, with microchip and a valid rabies vaccination. Our USDA health certificate guide covers the timing.
• Back to the US: every dog needs a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, and the rules depend on where the dog has been in the previous six months.

For repeat trips, see the pet passport guide and our entry rules hub.

Assistance Dogs and ESAs

• Trained, recognized guide and assistance dogs fly free in the cabin, and aren't counted in the per-flight pet quota.
• Bring a training certificate from the training center, on letterhead or with a legible stamp.
• Request the service at least 48 hours before departure. ITA confirms it after checking the documents.
• On board the dog wears a harness, stays in front of your seat and not on it, and can't sit near emergency exits.
• Emotional support dogs aren't treated as assistance dogs. They fly for the normal fee, in the cabin or hold depending on weight.

On US flights, a DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form may also be needed [VERIFY: whether ITA requires the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form on US flights].

Source: ITA Airways' official pet policy, ITA's assistance dog rules, checked October 11, 2026.

ITA vs Lufthansa vs Delta vs United

For a cat or small dog, Delta and United are cheaper than ITA and don't weigh the pet. For a dog over 8 kg, ITA and Lufthansa are the options with the pet on your flight, and ITA's nonstops to Rome from the cities in its fee table avoid Lufthansa's $170 transfer surcharge. Lufthansa doesn't take hold pets on connections via Munich.

Sources: ITA Airways' official pet policy, Lufthansa's official pet policy, Delta's official pet policy, United's official pet policy, checked October 11, 2026.

ITA Airways Pet Policy FAQ

ITA Airways Pet Travel Checklist

• Dog or cat, at least 3 months old
• Cabin: pet, carrier and food 8 kg or less; soft carrier within 55 x 40 x 23 cm
• Hold: breed not on the snub-nosed list; rigid crate, metal door and vents, wheels off; under 75 kg
• Ticket bought at least 48 hours before departure
• Pet booked through ITA's Customer Information Assistance Office with exact carrier size
• Fee budgeted: USD 265 to 290 out (cabin), EUR 210 to 230 back
• Cabin transport form completed, two copies for check-in
• EU health certificate for Italy; CDC Dog Import Form for the return

Every rule on this page was checked against ITA Airways' official pet policy on October 11, 2026. Airlines change pet rules without notice, so check the official page again in the week you fly.