Guides & Resources
Everything you need to know before your pet travels.
Airline policies, carrier sizing, documentation timelines, breed restrictions, and safety standards, all sourced, maintained, and translated into plain English by our team.
Airline Guides
Every airline policy in one place.
In-cabin rules, cargo programs, breed restrictions, summer embargo windows, and Paws en route notes for 11 major carriers. Verified March–April 2026.
Air Canada
Preferred
WestJet
Preferred
United Airlines
In-cabin
American Airlines
Preferred
Delta Air Lines
In-cabin
Air France
Preferred
British Airways
Preferred
Lufthansa
Preferred
Singapore Airlines
Preferred
Emirates
Preferred
Alaska Airlines
Preferred
Amerijet International
Preferred
Avianca
Preferred
Caribbean Airlines
Preferred
Cargojet
Preferred
Cayman Airways
Preferred
Copa Airlines
Preferred
Frontier Airlines
In-cabin
Hawaiian Airlines
Preferred
LATAM Airlines
Preferred
Viva Aerobus
In-cabin
Volaris
Cargo only
Aer Lingus
Preferred
Austrian Airlines
Preferred
Iberia
Preferred
Icelandair
Cargo only
Swiss Airlines
Preferred
TAP Air Portugal
Preferred
Turkish Airlines
Preferred
Virgin Atlantic
Preferred
Egyptair
Preferred
El Al
Preferred
Ethiopian Airlines
Preferred
Etihad Airways
Preferred
Gulf Air
Preferred
Kenya Airways
Preferred
Oman Air
Preferred
Qatar Airways
Preferred
SATA Air Açores
Preferred
Saudi Arabian Airlines
Preferred
South African Airways
Preferred
TAAG Angola Airlines
Preferred
Air India
Preferred
Air New Zealand
Preferred
Cathay Pacific
Preferred
China Southern
Preferred
Garuda Indonesia
Preferred
Korean Air
Preferred
Malaysia Airlines
Preferred
Philippine Airlines
Preferred
Qantas
Preferred
Thai Airways
Preferred
Virgin Australia
Preferred
40+ carriers
See all on the Fly hub
Don't see your airline? — we work with 40+ carriers and can provide policy details on request.
Crate & Carrier Sizing
The right carrier prevents problems at the gate.
An oversized carrier won't fit under the seat. An undersized crate is a welfare issue and a cargo rejection. Measure once, travel without surprises.
How to Measure Your Pet
Length
Tip of nose to base of tail. Add 10 cm for crate length.
Height
Top of head (or ear tips if upright) to floor. Add 10 cm.
Width
Widest point (shoulders or hips). Add 10 cm.
IATA standard requires the crate to allow your pet to stand without touching the roof, turn around fully, and lie in a natural position.
Carrier Types
Soft-Sided Carrier
- Max Weight
- Up to 20 lb
- IATA Status
- Not IATA compliant
Best for in-cabin. Flexible dimensions often compress to fit under the seat. Approved by most carriers for pets under their weight limit.
Hard-Sided Carrier
- Max Weight
- Up to 25 lb
- IATA Status
- Not IATA compliant
More protective than soft-sided. Required by some airlines for in-cabin and accepted for cargo under 20 kg on select routes.
IATA Cargo Crate
- Max Weight
- Any weight
- IATA Status
- IATA LAR compliant
Required for all live animal cargo programs. Must allow the pet to stand upright, turn fully, and lie in a natural position without touching the roof.
Sizing Chart by Weight
Select a weight range to see compatible airlines and minimum dimensions.
| Weight | Pet Size |
|---|---|
| 0–10 lb | XS / Toy |
| 10–20 lb | Small |
| 20–40 lb | Medium |
| 40–70 lb | Large |
| 70+ lb | XL / Giant |
Not sure if your carrier fits?
Our concierge team can review your carrier dimensions against your chosen airline's current spec before you book.
Health Certificates & Documentation
A single missed window invalidates the entire trip.
International pet documentation is a sequenced compliance process with hard deadlines, not a simple stack of forms. One certificate issued a day too early is worthless at the border.
Documentation Timeline
Microchip
ISO 15-digitAs early as possible
Must precede or coincide with rabies vaccination for the vaccination to count toward import requirements.
Rabies Vaccination
After microchip180+ days before entry
Primary series plus booster must be current. Some countries require the initial vaccination at a minimum age.
Titer Test
If required30+ days post-vaccination
OIE-FAVN rabies antibody test. Required for high-restriction countries: Australia, Japan, Singapore, UK, Hawaii.
Waiting Period
Country-specific30–180 days
30 days for most EU routes. 180 days for UK, Japan, Australia, Singapore from the date of successful titer test.
Health Certificate
USDA-accredited vet≤ 10 days before
Must be issued within 10 days of departure by an accredited vet. Includes physical exam, microchip scan, and vaccination history.
USDA Endorsement
US-origin routesSubmit 14 days before
Federal endorsement of the health certificate by USDA-APHIS. 7–10 business day turnaround; expedited available.
Departure
Day 0
Microchip
As early as possible
Rabies Vaccination
180+ days before entry
Titer Test
30+ days post-vaccination
Waiting Period
30–180 days
Health Certificate
≤ 10 days before
USDA Endorsement
Submit 14 days before
Departure
Day 0
Important: Documentation windows are strict. A health certificate issued 11 days before departure is invalid at the border. We manage all timing on your behalf. That is exactly what our concierge is for.
Document Reference
Vet Health Certificate
- Issued by
- USDA-Accredited Veterinarian
- Valid
- 10 days from issue
- Required for
- All international routes
A physical examination completed within 10 days of departure. Must include microchip confirmation, vaccination history, and health status declaration signed by an accredited vet.
USDA-APHIS Endorsement
- Issued by
- USDA-APHIS (regional office)
- Valid
- Matches health certificate
- Required for
- All US-origin international routes
Federal endorsement of the vet health certificate. Submit to your regional USDA-APHIS office. Standard turnaround is 7–10 business days; expedited processing is available at select offices.
EU Animal Health Certificate
- Issued by
- Official Veterinarian + competent authority
- Valid
- 10 days from examination
- Required for
- All EU entry routes
The AHC replaced the EU Pet Passport for non-EU travelers post-2021. Country-specific format; issued by an official veterinarian. A new certificate is required for each journey.
UK Animal Health Certificate
- Issued by
- APHA-approved Official Veterinarian
- Valid
- 10 days from issue
- Required for
- UK entry routes
Required for all pet entries into Great Britain since January 2021 (post-Brexit). Separate and distinct from the EU AHC. Must be issued by a UK-government-approved OV.
OIE-FAVN Titer Test
- Issued by
- OIE-approved laboratory
- Valid
- 24 months from successful test
- Required for
- Australia, Japan, Singapore, UK, Hawaii
Blood drawn after vaccination is submitted to an OIE-approved lab. If antibody levels meet the threshold, a mandatory waiting period begins: 30 days for most countries, 180 days for Australia and Japan.
This is exactly what our concierge handles.
We generate a destination-specific documentation timeline for your pet on day one of your engagement, with exact dates, your local vet's instructions, and every government deadline marked.
Breed Restrictions
Two types of restriction. Both can stop a trip cold.
Airline restrictions affect whether your pet can fly with that carrier. Country-level bans affect whether they can enter the destination at all, regardless of airline.
Full Breed Compatibility Guide
Brachycephalic breeds + country entry bans
Is your breed on a restricted list?
Breed restrictions are not always the end of the road. We pre-screen every booking and frequently identify alternative carriers or routing options.
Country Requirements
Every destination has its own rules.
Entry requirements range from a single health certificate to six-month quarantine preparation protocols. Our destination guides cover what you need in full.
Middle East & Africa
Don't see your destination? We cover 120+ countries and can provide a requirements summary for any destination.
Safety Standards
The standards we hold ourselves to. And why.
A 100% safety record over seven years is not luck. It is the result of protocols that most travel providers don't apply because they're inconvenient.
The 45°F–85°F Temperature Envelope
We monitor tarmac temperatures, cargo hold climate data, and departure airport conditions against this window for every live animal shipment. If projected temperatures fall outside this range at any point in the journey (during boarding, on the tarmac, or in transit) we halt the route and rebook immediately. This is why we enforce summer cargo embargoes on routes through the Gulf, the US Southwest, and other high-heat corridors even when the airline itself hasn't imposed one.
We Do Not Sedate. Ever.
Sedation is explicitly contraindicated by the American Veterinary Medical Association and IATA for air travel. At altitude, respiratory suppression and cardiovascular effects from sedatives are amplified in ways that cannot be monitored in cargo. A sedated pet that encounters complications has no ability to self-regulate. We refuse bookings where a client insists on sedation and will not coordinate with vets who administer it for air travel.
Cargo Hold Reality
Modern wide-body cargo holds are pressurized to the same standard as the passenger cabin and temperature-controlled between 45°F and 85°F. The noise level is higher than in-cabin, and there is no visual contact with crew. For this reason, we prefer direct flights over connections for all cargo shipments. Connecting flights introduce an additional handling variable at each transfer, and we pre-approve all ground handlers at connection airports on cargo routes.
Direct Flight Preference
For all pet travel, in-cabin and cargo alike, we recommend the fewest number of flight legs possible. Every connection is a transfer, and every transfer is a point of failure: missed connections, tarmac delays, handling errors. When a direct route adds three hours to a journey, we take it. When a connection is unavoidable, we select airports with licensed animal holding facilities, minimum 90-minute connection windows, and pre-confirmed ground handlers.
100%
Safety record, 7 years
15k+
Pets transported
45°–85°F
Temperature envelope
0
Sedated pets, ever
Ready to travel?
Every guide on this page is what our concierge does for you, for free.
You don't need to memorize airline policies or documentation windows. Tell us where you're going and we'll handle it end to end.
