Flying With Your Pet: What to Confirm Before Booking the Flight
Updated: Sep 2
Flying with a pet is not as simple as selecting a pet-friendly airline and purchasing a ticket.
The animal must be accepted by the destination country, the airline, the specific route and aircraft—and must be healthy enough to travel. A pet may satisfy government entry requirements and still be refused by the airline because of its size, carrier, breed, route, weather conditions or lack of available pet space.
The safest approach is to plan the pet’s journey before finalizing the family’s flights.
Start With Four Separate Questions
Before booking, confirm:
Can the pet legally enter the destination?
Will the airline accept the pet?
Can the pet travel on the selected route and aircraft?
Is the pet medically and behaviourally prepared for the journey?
These questions overlap, but they are not interchangeable.
Canada’s animal-entry requirements can depend on the animal, age, country of origin, purpose of entry and whether the pet is travelling with its owner. Requirements may include vaccination records, health certificates, testing, treatments or other documents that must be completed within specific timeframes. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency recommends involving a veterinarian as soon as travel details are known. Review current CFIA pet-travel requirements.
Choose How Your Pet Will Travel
Airlines may accept pets through one or more of three pathways.
In the Aircraft Cabin
Small dogs and cats—and, on some airlines, certain other small animals—may be accepted in the passenger cabin.
The pet normally remains inside an approved carrier under the seat throughout the flight. The carrier usually counts toward the passenger’s cabin-baggage allowance.
Cabin acceptance depends on:
The animal’s size
Carrier dimensions
Space beneath the assigned seat
Aircraft configuration
Number of pets already booked
Cabin or fare restrictions
The operating airline’s policy
Destination requirements
Air Canada now requires pets travelling in the cabin on its operated flights to use soft-sided carriers. WestJet also requires an airline-approved, soft-sided, secure and ventilated in-cabin kennel. Porter accepts only small dogs and cats in the cabin and does not transport pets in the baggage hold. Air Canada pet policy, WestJet pet policy, Porter pet policy.
A carrier that worked on one flight may not fit beneath the seat on another aircraft. Confirm dimensions for the operating aircraft rather than relying on the carrier’s “airline approved” label.
As Checked Baggage
Some airlines accept eligible pets inside a hard-sided kennel in a temperature-controlled baggage compartment.
Checked-pet acceptance may be restricted by:
Airline
Aircraft type
Route
Connection
Animal size
Breed
Weather
Season
Kennel construction
Available baggage-compartment capacity
Do not assume that every aircraft operated by the same airline can safely accommodate animals.
For example, Air Canada publishes aircraft-specific and seasonal restrictions, including periods when animals are not accepted as checked baggage on certain aircraft or routes. These restrictions can change with operating conditions. Review the policy again shortly before travel, even if the pet was accepted when the reservation was made. Review Air Canada’s current restrictions.
As Air Cargo
A pet may need to travel through an airline’s cargo service when:
The animal is travelling without its owner
The pet or kennel exceeds passenger-baggage limits
The route does not permit checked-pet travel
The destination requires a cargo arrival
A specialist animal-transport provider is needed
The itinerary involves complex international requirements
Cargo travel is not simply oversized checked baggage. Booking, drop-off, documentation, routing, temperature controls and collection procedures may be different.
Ask where the pet must be delivered, where it will be collected and whether a licensed or specialist pet-transport provider is required at either end.
Do Not Purchase a Non-Refundable Ticket Before Confirming Pet Space
Airlines limit the number of animals accepted on each flight.
A seat being available for you does not mean space is available for your pet. The animal generally requires a separate reservation or service confirmation attached to the passenger booking.
Before committing to the itinerary:
Identify the exact flights.
Confirm the operating airline for every segment.
Ask whether your pet is eligible for each flight.
Confirm space for the animal.
Record the pet reservation or confirmation number.
Confirm the applicable change and cancellation rules.
WestJet advises travellers to request pet space promptly after booking because each flight has a limit. Porter permits only a small number of in-cabin pets per flight and recommends registering the pet immediately after the passenger reservation is made. WestJet, Porter.
Check Every Airline on a Connecting Itinerary
A ticket may display one airline’s flight number while another airline operates the aircraft.
Pet acceptance does not necessarily transfer across codeshare, interline or connecting flights. Each operating carrier may have different rules for:
Accepted species
Cabin or baggage-compartment travel
Carrier dimensions
Weight limits
Breed restrictions
Documentation
Fees
Connection times
Seasonal embargoes
An itinerary is only viable if the pet is accepted on every segment.
Whenever possible, consider:
A nonstop flight
Fewer airline changes
Longer and more realistic connection times
Avoiding airports with complicated animal-transfer procedures
A route with suitable temperature-controlled facilities
Arrival during regular veterinary, customs and inspection hours
The cheapest passenger itinerary may be a poor pet-relocation itinerary.
Measure the Pet and Carrier Properly
The pet must be able to stand naturally, turn around and lie down comfortably inside the carrier or kennel.
Measure the animal before purchasing the carrier. Then compare the external carrier dimensions—not only the manufacturer’s advertised size—with the airline’s limits.
For cabin travel, confirm:
Maximum carrier dimensions
Soft-sided or hard-sided requirements
Whether the pet’s weight is included in a combined limit
Whether the carrier replaces a personal or carry-on item
Seat restrictions
Whether one or more animals may share a carrier
For checked or cargo travel, confirm:
Required kennel construction
Door and locking requirements
Ventilation
Food and water containers
Absorbent lining
Labelling
Wheel removal
Fasteners or zip ties
Whether the breed requires a reinforced kennel
IATA’s Live Animals guidance provides widely used standards for animal containers, but the airline retains final acceptance authority. Review IATA’s pet-travel guidance.
Consider Breed, Age and Health Restrictions
Short- or snub-nosed animals can face elevated breathing and heat-related risks during air travel. Airlines may prohibit these breeds from the baggage compartment or impose additional transport requirements.
Air Canada, for example, restricts brachycephalic dogs from travelling in the baggage compartment and applies reinforced-container requirements to certain strong breeds. Other airlines maintain their own breed and animal-acceptance rules. Air Canada pet policy.
Speak with your veterinarian about:
Whether the pet is fit to fly
Age-related risks
Respiratory or cardiac concerns
Anxiety and behavioural needs
Vaccinations, tests and treatments
Feeding and hydration
Medication timing
Destination health requirements
Risks associated with the selected route and season
Do not sedate a pet simply to make travel appear easier. IATA discourages sedatives and tranquillizers during air transport because of the potential for adverse effects. Any medication decision should be made with the pet’s veterinarian. IATA guidance on travelling with pets.
Check Temperature and Seasonal Embargoes
Animals travelling outside the passenger cabin may be exposed to changing temperatures while being loaded, transferred or held.
Airlines may suspend pet transportation when conditions are too hot or cold. Restrictions can apply at:
The departure city
The connection airport
The destination
Any ground-handling point
Particular times of day
Seasonal peak-travel periods
A mild temperature at departure does not guarantee suitable conditions throughout the route.
If the pet must travel in the baggage compartment or as cargo, ask:
Is the compartment temperature controlled?
Does the selected aircraft accept animals during that season?
What temperature thresholds apply?
Can the airline reroute or postpone the pet?
What happens if weather changes after booking?
Who monitors the pet during a connection?
Is an overnight animal facility required?
Build flexibility into the relocation schedule. The employee and pet may need to travel on different dates if safe pet transportation is unavailable.
Prepare Government and Veterinary Documents
For travel to Canada, use the CFIA requirements applicable to the pet’s species, age, origin and purpose of entry.
For travel from Canada, check the destination country’s requirements. Some export documents must be completed by a licensed veterinarian and endorsed by a CFIA veterinarian.
Keep:
Original documents where required
Printed copies
Secure digital copies
Airline confirmations
Vaccination records
Health certificates
Microchip information
Import or export permits
Medication details
Emergency contacts
Destination veterinary information
Names, dates, microchip numbers and other identifying details must be consistent across documents.
Incomplete or incorrectly timed documentation can result in denied boarding, refused entry, additional inspection, quarantine, removal or unplanned costs.
Prepare the Pet Before Travel Day
Carrier training should begin well before departure.
Help the pet become comfortable by:
Leaving the carrier accessible at home
Placing familiar bedding inside
Feeding the pet near or inside it
Practising short periods with the door closed
Taking short practice journeys
Gradually increasing the time spent inside
Rewarding calm behaviour
Do not make travel day the pet’s first extended experience inside the carrier.
Prepare an accessible pet travel kit containing:
Travel documents
Identification information
Leash and harness
Familiar food
Collapsible bowls
Medication
Absorbent pads
Waste bags
Cleaning supplies
A small familiar comfort item
Destination and emergency contacts
Essential documents and medication should remain accessible rather than being packed inside household goods or checked luggage.
Plan the Airport and Arrival Sequence
Confirm:
Required airport arrival time
Check-in location
Whether online check-in is permitted
Security-screening procedures
Pet-relief areas
Where checked or cargo animals are collected
Customs or inspection procedures
Ground transportation from the airport
Pet acceptance at temporary accommodation
Access to food, water and medication after arrival
Destination veterinary support
For an in-cabin pet, security personnel will normally screen the carrier separately. Ask about private screening if removing the pet in an open checkpoint creates an escape risk.
For checked or cargo travel, determine who is authorized to collect the animal and what identification or documentation will be required.
Questions to Ask Before Booking
Use this checklist during the airline call:
Is my pet accepted on every flight segment?
Will the pet travel in the cabin, as checked baggage or as cargo?
Which airline operates each aircraft?
Is pet space confirmed?
What carrier or kennel dimensions apply?
Are there combined pet-and-carrier weight limits?
Does the breed require special handling or a reinforced kennel?
Are seasonal or temperature restrictions in effect?
Are connections permitted?
What documents will the airline inspect?
What time and location should we use for check-in?
Where will the pet be collected?
What happens if the flight is delayed, cancelled or changed?
What pet fees apply?
Are the pet fees refundable if the airline cannot transport the animal?
Record the date of the conversation, representative’s name and confirmation details.
Reconfirm Before Departure
Pet policies can change after the original reservation.
Reconfirm the itinerary and pet booking:
After any flight change
If the operating aircraft changes
Before purchasing a new carrier
When seasonal restrictions begin
Several days before departure
Again before leaving for the airport
A flight change that appears minor for the passenger may invalidate the pet’s arrangements.
The Pet’s Journey Is Its Own Relocation Project
The family’s flight and the pet’s flight may share an itinerary, but they require separate planning.
Government entry rules, airline acceptance, route suitability, health considerations, carrier specifications and arrival procedures must all align.
Begin early, confirm everything in writing and keep contingency options available.
Because successful pet relocation is not simply getting an animal onto an aircraft.
It is making sure the pet can travel safely, enter the destination and arrive ready to settle into the new home.
Planning a flight with your pet? Explore AHOM Pet Relocation support or request a tailored pet-relocation quote.
Information reviewed September 2026. Airline and government requirements can change. Confirm current requirements directly with the applicable airline, veterinarian and government authority before travel.
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