Flying with a Pet on American Airlines

These are the questions travelers actually get stuck on before booking a flight with a pet on American Airlines. Each one has a short answer first and the fuller story underneath.

• 1
  How much does it cost to bring a pet on American Airlines? $150 each way for in-cabin pets · $150–$200+ for cargo via PetEmbark · Fee applies per kennel, per segment on voluntary connections 4+ hours · Pay at airport counter the day of travel

  The in-cabin pet fee is $150 one way, paid at the ticket counter on departure day — not online at booking. If your itinerary includes a voluntary connection (one you chose, not a tight transit), and that layover is four hours or longer, the fee can apply again for the second segment. One way to avoid that: keep connections under four hours or book nonstop. For cargo through PetEmbark, pricing isn’t a flat rate — American quotes it per shipment based on the dog’s weight, crate dimensions, and route. Get the quote when you book through American’s cargo system.
• 2
  What size carrier does American Airlines allow for cabin travel? Soft-sided: 18 × 11 × 11 in · Hard-sided (mainline): 19 × 13 × 9 in · Hard-sided (American Eagle regional): 16 × 12 × 8 in · Must fit under the seat in front of you with the pet inside

  Soft-sided carriers are what American recommends, and for good reason — they compress slightly if the under-seat space is tighter on a particular aircraft, whereas a rigid hard-sided carrier that measures exactly right on paper can still get rejected if the bin depth varies. The regional American Eagle dimension limit matters most for short-hop connecting flights on smaller aircraft; if any segment of your trip is on a regional jet, the smaller hard-sided limit applies to that leg. Measure your carrier empty first, then confirm it still meets limits when your pet is inside and the door is zipped — carriers bulge.
• 3
  What is the weight limit for a pet on American Airlines? In-cabin: 20 lbs total — pet and carrier together · Cargo (PetEmbark): up to 100 lbs with kennel · No exceptions at the counter — staff can and do weigh at check-in

  The 20-pound combined limit for cabin travel is enforced, not estimated. American staff can weigh your pet and carrier together at the ticket counter, and passengers who arrive overweight have been asked to re-book the pet as cargo or forfeit travel. Weigh everything at home before you leave — pet inside the latched carrier on your bathroom scale. For cargo via PetEmbark, the weight ceiling is 100 lbs combined, but pricing scales with that combined weight, so heavier dogs cost more to ship.
• 4
  Which dog and cat breeds are banned from American Airlines flights? All snub-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds banned from cargo and checked travel — includes Bulldogs, Pugs, Boxers, Shih Tzus, Boston Terriers, Pit Bull types, and more · Persian, Burmese, Himalayan, Exotic Shorthair cats also banned from cargo · Brachycephalic breeds may still fly in-cabin if they meet size limits

  The ban on brachycephalic breeds for cargo travel isn’t arbitrary — shortened airways make them significantly more vulnerable to respiratory distress under the temperature variation and stress of a cargo hold. American’s restricted dog list includes Bulldogs of all types, Boxers, Pugs, Shih Tzus, Boston Terriers, Lhasa Apsos, Affenpinschers, Chow Chows, Mastiffs, Pit Bull types (including American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers), Shar Peis, Pekingese, and others. For cats: Persian, Burmese, Himalayan, and Exotic Shorthair. If your flat-faced dog is small enough to ride in the cabin under the seat, that option generally remains open — in-cabin travel doesn’t apply the same breed ban because the animal stays in a temperature-controlled passenger cabin the entire time.
• 5
  Can I fly internationally with my pet on American Airlines? Cabin pets: yes on select routes to Mexico, Canada, Caribbean, Central America · No cabin pets to Hawaii, UK/transatlantic, Bolivia, Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Venezuela · International always requires destination-country documentation · Dogs entering the U.S. need a CDC Dog Import Form

  The transatlantic and transpacific route restriction catches people off guard most often. If your flight crosses the Atlantic — to the UK, Europe, or beyond — American does not accept cabin pets on those routes, period. Same for Hawaii, which has its own strict quarantine process that’s separate from the airline entirely. For routes that do allow it, destination-country rules layer on top of American’s own rules: some countries require a USDA-endorsed health certificate, rabies vaccination records, import permits, or microchip documentation issued within specific timeframes. For dogs returning to the U.S., the CDC requires a Dog Import Form, and dogs that have been in a high-risk rabies country within the past six months face additional requirements. Check cdc.gov well before your trip, not the morning you leave.
• 6
  Are there times of year when American Airlines won’t carry my pet? Summer heat embargo: May 1–Sept 30 for cargo pets routed through Phoenix (PHX), Tucson (TUS), and Las Vegas (LAS) · Cargo temperature limits: above 85°F or below 20°F · Cold-acclimated breeds can get a vet’s Letter of Acclimation for low-temp exceptions · Cabin pets are not affected by heat embargoes

  The summer heat embargo is a hard stop for cargo travel through the Southwest. Between May 1 and September 30, American won’t move warm-blooded pets through or from Phoenix, Tucson, or Las Vegas via cargo — tarmac temperatures in those cities routinely exceed safe limits for animals waiting to be loaded. If you’re shipping a pet and your route connects through any of those airports during summer, you’ll need to reroute or rebook. Year-round, American Cargo won’t move animals when ground temperatures anywhere on the route are forecast above 85°F or below 20°F. A licensed vet can write a Letter of Acclimation for the cold threshold if your breed is adapted to it — that’s an exception American will consider. Passengers flying with a cabin pet are not affected by any of this.
• 7
  How do I book my pet on American Airlines — can I do it online? Reserve the spot online through aa.com or the app under “Additional Services” → “Add carry-on pet” · Payment and verification still happen at the airport ticket counter on travel day · Spots are limited per flight and fill first-come, first-served — book as early as possible

  American limits the number of pets it allows in the cabin per aircraft, and that number varies by plane type. The online reservation secures your pet’s spot — without it, showing up at the airport with a carrier and hoping for space is a real gamble, especially on busy travel days. But the reservation alone doesn’t complete everything. You still go to the ticket counter on departure day to pay the $150 fee and have staff verify that your carrier meets size requirements and your pet fits inside it properly. Arrive a little earlier than you normally would for this reason. For PetEmbark cargo bookings, those go through American’s separate cargo system, not aa.com.
• 8
  Do emotional support animals still fly free on American Airlines? No — ESAs are treated as regular pets under current DOT rules · $150 fee applies · All standard size, weight, and carrier requirements apply · Only fully trained service dogs fly at no charge

  The DOT updated its rules allowing airlines to stop recognizing emotional support animals as a separate travel category, and American implemented that change. A psychiatric service dog — one specifically trained to perform disability-related tasks — is still treated as a service animal and flies free. An emotional support animal with a letter from a therapist is treated as a pet. That means it needs to meet the weight and carrier limits, it stays in the carrier under the seat, and you pay $150 each way. Staff may ask questions to confirm whether an animal is a trained service dog or an ESA if it isn’t immediately clear. Animals showing aggression, growling, or lunging can be reclassified mid-process and denied boarding.

Get this wrong and you’ll be turned away at the counter. Measure your carrier with your pet inside — doors shut, no bulging sides. Soft-sided is almost always the safer choice because it gives slightly on an aircraft with a shallower under-seat bin.

Use the buttons below to locate vets, pet supply stores, and travel resources nearby. Always verify your pet’s documentation requirements directly with American Airlines and your destination country before travel day.