To ship a dog on a plane, you book a pet-safe ticket, use an airline-approved crate, and follow health and paperwork rules for your route.
If you have typed ‘how do you ship a dog on a plane?’ into a search bar, you are looking for clear rules and a plan that actually works on travel day.
Shipping A Dog On A Plane: Main Choices
Before you book anything, decide how your dog will ride, which airline fits that plan, and whether the trip is truly right for your pet.
| Option | Best For | Main Limits |
|---|---|---|
| In Cabin | Small dogs that fit under the seat in a soft carrier | Strict weight and size limits; limited number of pet slots per flight |
| Checked Baggage | Medium dogs on some airlines where pets travel with luggage | Offered by fewer airlines; weather and route bans are common |
| Cargo Through Airline | Medium and large dogs on routes with pet cargo programs | Handled at cargo terminal; extra paperwork and fees |
| Dedicated Pet Shipper | Complex routes, international moves, or nervous owners | Higher cost; you still need health records and permits |
| Drive Instead | Shorter trips or dogs with health or breathing issues | Longer total travel time for people; may need pet friendly stops |
| Change Destination | Trips where heat bans or import rules block pet travel | May not suit your original vacation plan |
| Leave Dog With Sitter | Dogs that hate travel or have serious medical concerns | You miss your buddy, and sitter costs add up |
Take a hard look at your dog’s age, breed, size, and health. Brachycephalic breeds such as pugs and bulldogs often face extra airline limits or outright bans on cargo travel because they overheat and struggle with breathing stress.
Next, check each airline’s pet page for cabin, checked, and cargo rules on your exact route. Policies on age, crate size, weather, and total travel time vary by carrier and change often.
How Do You Ship A Dog On A Plane? Step-By-Step Plan
This section lays out a clear path from the first idea to pickup at your destination.
Check Whether Your Dog Should Fly
Start with your regular vet, since they know your dog’s medical history and stress level. Dogs under eight weeks old, senior dogs with heart or breathing trouble, and flat faced breeds may face higher risk in low oxygen cargo holds.
Ask about any past reactions to stress, heat, or sedation. Most airlines and the U.S. Department of Transportation pet travel guidance warn against routine sedatives for air travel because they can affect heart rate and breathing in thin cabin air.
Confirm Airline Pet Policies And Seasons
Once your vet is on board, pick airlines that accept dogs in the way you need, then read every line of the pet policy.
Many carriers only allow dogs as cargo when ground temperatures at departure, layover, and arrival airports stay within safe limits. Some block checked or cargo pets during summer or winter, or on specific aircraft that lack climate control in the hold.
Gather Health Records And Paperwork
Domestic trips often need proof of rabies vaccination and a recent health certificate from a licensed vet. International routes add more layers, such as microchip requirements, tapeworm treatment, and country specific forms.
The USDA pet travel process overview outlines how a USDA accredited vet issues and submits health certificates for dogs leaving the United States.
Choose An Airline Approved Crate
Your dog’s crate must be big enough to stand, turn, and lie down with a few centimeters of head room. Hard sided plastic kennels with metal doors and secure bolts usually meet airline and IATA Live Animals Regulations for cargo travel.
Label the crate with your contact details, destination address, live animal stickers, and arrows showing upright position. Add blank “Shipper” and “Receiver” fields if the airline asks for them.
Help Your Dog Practice With The Crate
Set the crate up at home weeks before the flight and leave the door open. Feed meals inside it, tuck in favorite blankets or a worn T shirt with your scent, and reward calm time inside.
Short car rides in the crate help your dog link the kennel with travel instead of vet visits alone. The goal is a dog that naps in the crate instead of scratching, drooling, or barking nonstop.
Plan Food, Water, And Exercise
Most airlines ask you to skip large meals right before travel to reduce nausea. A light meal four hours before check in, then a small drink of water two hours before, keeps the stomach settled yet avoids a full bladder.
Take your dog for a decent walk before you head to the airport. Many crates have clipped water dishes; freeze the water so it melts slowly during the flight instead of splashing during loading.
Check In And Handover At The Airport
Arrive earlier than you would for a trip without pets, usually at least two hours before domestic flights and three or more before long haul or international routes.
At the counter or cargo office, staff will inspect the crate, scan the paperwork, and place live animal stickers and routing tags. Ask where and when your dog will be loaded, and confirm that the flight is on time so your pet does not sit on the tarmac for too long.
Health, Safety, And Breed Restrictions
Airlines and regulators such as the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation set rules for kennel strength, ventilation, and safe handling of animals in cargo holds.
Age, Size, And Fitness To Fly
Most airlines require dogs to be at least eight weeks old and fully weaned. Large breeds may age out of cabin or checked options and move to cargo programs that can handle heavier crates.
Obese dogs, those with heart or lung disease, and older pets may not tolerate heat or thin air well. A pre trip exam lets your vet pick up hidden problems and decide whether extra tests such as blood work or chest imaging make sense.
Weather Bans And Temperature Limits
Many carriers set clear temperature ranges for pet loading, such as not accepting dogs when the forecast rises above a set number of degrees at any station.
Some airlines run seasonal embargoes for brachycephalic breeds in cargo, as these dogs overheat and struggle with airline stress faster than long nosed breeds.
Why Sedation Is Rarely Recommended
Pills that calm a dog on a car ride can become risky at altitude. Light sedation slows heart rate and breathing, which can combine badly with stress, warm weather, and changing cabin pressure.
Many airlines flatly refuse sedated pets in cargo. If your vet still feels a mild drug is the only safe way for a severe anxiety case to fly, you will need a detailed note and may have fewer airline options.
Shipping A Dog Internationally By Air
Before you book tickets, read the pet pages for your destination on both the national health agency site and your airline. Many owners start with the USDA country list for dogs leaving the United States, then add information from the destination embassy.
Rabies, Microchips, And Entry Permits
Many countries ask for a microchip that matches the number on your dog’s rabies certificate. Some also want a rabies titer test drawn months in advance along with specific vaccine types.
Entry permits or pre approval numbers are common for island nations and places with strict rabies control. Missing a stamp or bringing the wrong form can mean quarantine on arrival or denial of entry.
Working With A Pet Travel Specialist
Ask any shipper how they handle layovers, missed connections, and ground transport on both ends of the trip so your dog is not left waiting in a warehouse without walks or water breaks.
Sample Timeline And Cost For Shipping A Dog
This sample plan assumes a medium dog traveling as airline cargo on a domestic route. Costs vary by carrier and route, yet the pattern gives you a rough sense of timing and budget.
| Time Before Flight | Main Task | Typical Cost Range |
|---|---|---|
| 6–8 weeks | Vet exam, vaccines, microchip, rabies booster | USD 100–300 depending on services |
| 4–6 weeks | Buy airline approved crate and start training | USD 150–400 based on crate size |
| 3–4 weeks | Book flights and reserve cargo space | USD 200–800 pet cargo fee |
| 7–10 days | Final health certificate and paperwork | USD 50–200 |
| 1–2 days | Confirm weather, check kennel labels, pack food | USD 10–30 for extra supplies |
| Day of flight | Airport parking, pet check in, extra time at terminal | USD 20–80 in local costs |
| After arrival | Pickup, possible customs handling, ground transport | USD 0–200 depending on location |
When you add these items, shipping a medium dog by air often runs from a few hundred to well over a thousand dollars, especially once you factor in repeat vet visits and import fees.
Final Checks Before You Hand Over The Crate
On travel day, clip contact tags to your dog’s collar and fix a clear label on the crate with your phone number, email, and destination address. Tuck a photo of your dog in your carry on in case staff ask for proof of ownership.
Carry copies of health certificates, rabies records, and booking receipts in both paper and digital form. If there is a delay or reroute, these papers help cargo staff and customs officers place your dog on the correct onward flight.
Stay polite yet firm when you ask staff to confirm that live animals are marked and loaded after heavy cargo. Once you know the answer to ‘how do you ship a dog on a plane?’, each step feels easier and your dog has a better chance of arriving calm.