Airline Pet Policy
JetBlue keeps things simple in one way and strict in another. Small dogs and cats ride in the cabin under the seat for a flat fee each way, and that is the only way a pet flies JetBlue. There is no cargo, no checked-baggage option, and no room for a large dog. If your animal fits the under-seat carrier it stays with you the whole flight. If it does not, JetBlue is not your airline, and a short list of routes are closed to pets no matter their size.
In this guide
JetBlue lets small dogs and cats fly in the cabin on almost every route, as long as the pet fits in an approved carrier that slides under the seat in front of you. The pet has to be at least 8 weeks old for domestic travel, and the cabin fee is $150 each way per pet. Only six pets fly per aircraft and spots go first-come, so you add the pet when you book rather than waiting.
The harder part is what happens if your pet does not fit. JetBlue has no cargo program and does not accept pets as checked baggage, ever. There is no large-dog lane and no way to buy your way around the carrier size. For most people the honest read is cabin or nothing, and a couple of international routes are closed to pets entirely.
Cabin or nothing. Unlike the legacy carriers, JetBlue never had a pet cargo hold. Small dogs and cats under the seat are the whole policy, so the carrier size decides whether your pet can fly at all.
The headline number is $150 each way for a cabin pet, charged per pet and per direction of travel, so a round trip runs about $300. This is where a lot of older guides are wrong: much of the web still lists $125, but JetBlue's current rate is $150 each way. Budget from the higher figure.
| Travel type | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| In-cabin, per pet | $150 each way | Round trip about $300, applies on all JetBlue routes |
| Second pet | $150 plus a second seat | Each pet needs its own carrier and paid seat |
| Trained service dog | Free | Not a pet, DOT form required |
| Checked baggage or cargo | Not offered | JetBlue has no hold option for pets |
You can pay the fee with points. JetBlue lets you cover the $150 pet fee with TrueBlue points, any time before check-in, in Manage Trips on jetblue.com or My Trips in the app. You add the pet in the Extras section when you book, then settle the fee with cash or points, whichever you prefer.
The carrier is where most cabin plans on JetBlue succeed or fall apart, and the airline is refreshingly clear about the numbers. There is one hard size limit, and airport staff do check it, so this is the spec to get right before you book anything.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Pets accepted in cabin | Small dogs and cats only |
| Minimum age | 8 weeks for domestic, at least 6 months for dogs entering the US from abroad (current CDC rule) |
| Max carrier size | 17 x 12.5 x 8.5 in (43.18 x 31.75 x 21.59 cm) |
| Weight limit | None published, the carrier size and a comfortable fit are the real test |
| Carrier type | FAA-approved, soft or hard sided, leak-proof bottom, well ventilated |
| Fit | Pet stands up and turns around inside, carrier stays under the seat |
| Per traveler | Up to 2 pets, each in its own carrier and paid seat |
Do not buy on paper alone. A carrier can measure inside 17 x 12.5 x 8.5 and still fail if your pet cannot stand up and turn around comfortably inside it. Worth knowing: JetBlue does not publish a weight limit and will not weigh your pet at the gate, so the fit is what matters, not the pounds. A soft-sided bag is the safer bet because it gives under the seat. If you need one on the day, JetBlue sells an approved carrier online or at the JFK T5 ticket counter, subject to availability and by credit card only.
One pet per carrier is the rule. If you are traveling with two small pets, each needs its own carrier and its own purchased seat, plus a second $150 fee. There is no shared-carrier exception on JetBlue.
This is the section that saves people a wasted booking. On the legacy airlines you sometimes have a cargo or checked-baggage fallback for a bigger dog. On JetBlue you do not, and it is the single most important thing to understand before you plan a trip.
| Option | Best for | Available on JetBlue? |
|---|---|---|
| In-cabin carrier | Small dogs and cats under the seat | Yes, the only option |
| Checked baggage | Pets too big for the cabin | No |
| Cargo as freight | Large pets and relocations | No, JetBlue has no pet cargo |
The practical effect is stark. If your dog is too big for an under-seat carrier, JetBlue cannot fly it, in the cabin, as baggage, or as cargo, and buying an extra seat does not change the size rule. Your options become a specialized pet-relocation shipper or a cargo-capable airline. It is worth checking how the American Airlines pet policy and the Delta pet policy handle larger pets before you assume any airline can take yours.
No pet remains. JetBlue does not accept pet remains, cremated or otherwise, in the cabin or as cargo. It is an unusual thing to spell out, but people ask, so it is worth stating plainly.
JetBlue flies pets to much of the Caribbean and Latin America, which is a real strength if that is where you are headed. But a few destinations are closed to pets outright, and the airline getting your pet on the plane is a separate gate from the country letting it off at the other end.
| Route | Cabin pet allowed? |
|---|---|
| US domestic | Yes |
| Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands | Yes, vaccination documents required |
| Dominican Republic and most Caribbean and Latin America | Yes, if you meet the destination's entry rules |
| Trinidad and Tobago | No |
| To or from Colombia and Ecuador | No pets, but trained service dogs allowed |
| To or from the UK and Europe | No |
| Interline or codeshare bookings | No, except select nonstop American Airlines flights |
| Mint premium cabin | No pets |
For international travel, vaccination and documentation requirements depend entirely on the destination, and they are your responsibility, not JetBlue's. Dogs entering the United States must also meet current CDC rules that apply to every dog, including returning pets. If your trip touches a country the CDC lists as high risk for rabies, check the current requirements before you book.
The airline and the country are separate gates. JetBlue's policy decides whether your pet gets on the plane. The destination country decides whether it gets off at the other end, with its own rabies, microchip, and import-permit rules. Our entry rules guides cover the country-by-country requirements that JetBlue does not handle for you.
The list is short and it matters, because a lot of the searches around JetBlue are people hoping the answer is bigger than it is.
If you have anything other than a small cat or dog, treat JetBlue as a dead end for that trip and plan the animal's travel separately from the start.
JetBlue does not publish a pet weight limit at all, which surprises people who read it elsewhere. The real limit is the carrier: your pet has to stand up, turn around, and settle comfortably inside a 17 x 12.5 x 8.5 bag that fits under the seat. Where you sit and how many pets share the flight are more tightly controlled.
Your pet stays zipped in, except at security. JetBlue requires the pet to stay inside the closed carrier the whole time at the airport and on board, and you only unzip to feed or assist. The one exception is the security checkpoint, where you take the pet out and carry it through the lane while the empty carrier is screened. Pets are allowed in the TSA PreCheck line with an approved traveler.
This is the area that 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.
Adding a pet on JetBlue is easier than on the legacy airlines because you can do it online, but spots are capped at six per flight and go first-come, so it pays to do it early.
JetBlue charges $150 each way for a pet in the cabin, per pet, which works out to about $300 round trip. A lot of third-party guides still list the older $125 fee, so treat those as out of date. A second pet needs its own carrier, its own seat, and a second $150 fee. Trained service dogs travel free. You add the pet and pay in the Extras section when you book.
No. JetBlue only accepts small dogs and cats that fit inside a carrier no bigger than 17 by 12.5 by 8.5 inches, stowed under the seat in front of you. There is no cargo or checked-baggage option, so buying a second seat does not get a large dog on board either. If your dog cannot fit the under-seat carrier, you need a different airline or a specialized pet shipper.
No. JetBlue does not fly pets in cargo or as checked baggage under any circumstances, and it does not accept pet remains in the cabin or the hold. Pets travel in the cabin only, in an approved carrier under the seat. This means JetBlue simply cannot carry a pet that is too big for the cabin.
The carrier cannot exceed 17 by 12.5 by 8.5 inches (43.18 by 31.75 by 21.59 cm) and must fit under the seat in front of you. It has to be FAA-approved, leak-proof, and well ventilated, and your pet must be able to stand up and turn around inside. JetBlue does not publish a weight limit, so the carrier size and a comfortable fit are what actually decide whether your pet can fly. Soft-sided and hard-sided carriers are both allowed.
On many routes yes, but not all. JetBlue carries cabin pets to much of the Caribbean and Latin America if you meet the destination's entry and vaccination rules, and Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands require vaccination documents. Pets are not allowed on flights to Trinidad and Tobago or to and from the UK and Europe, and they are not accepted on interline or codeshare bookings except select nonstop American Airlines flights.
No. JetBlue no longer accepts emotional support animals as a category at all, so an ESA gets no special accommodation and a support letter carries no weight. If your ESA is a small dog or cat it can still fly, but only as a standard pet, paying the $150 fee and following the under-seat carrier rules. Only fully trained service dogs fly free, arranged through JetBlue's service animal request at least 48 hours before departure.
Information on this page reflects the JetBlue pet policy as of July 2026. Fees, carrier sizes, allowed routes, and cabin limits are set by JetBlue 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 JetBlue at jetblue.com before you book.
JetBlue is a clean choice for a small dog or cat, and a dead end for anything that will not fit under the seat. Fees, cabin limits, and cargo options vary a lot by airline. Compare who will take your pet on your route before you lock in dates.
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