Yahoo Lifestyle 10 Best Dog-Friendly Airlines Who Welcome Jet-Setting Pups
Flying is already a stressful, expensive, and time-consuming process for human travelers, and anytime you add a four-legged friend to the mix, it becomes an even harder gauntlet to run. All too often, traveling pet parents are forced to make the difficult choice between leaving their pets at home or trying to navigate the harrowing (and costly) process of booking and flying with their pet. It doesn't help that airline pet policies can be complex, confusing, and fluid!
Luckily, there are some airlines that prioritize pet friendliness more than others. Even then, though, there's a lot of nuances that travelers need to understand before booking a flight. Let's get into it and go over the 10 most dog-friendly airlines for U.S. travelers, from the big ones everybody knows and flies with to some exceptional charter companies that you may have never heard of before.
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Which U.S. Airlines Allow Pets in the Cabin?
Technically speaking, just about any major U.S. airline will allow dogs to fly with passengers in the cabin. The trouble is, there's always a laundry list of caveats and policy limitations that all but exclude large dogs and medium-sized dogs from in-cabin flight (except for service dogs, of course). This leaves pet parents with large dogs the unenviable prospect of checking their large pets as baggage and flying them in the cargo hold, an uncomfortable, terrifying, and potentially dangerous experience for any pet. Because of this, some airlines refuse to even fly animals in their cargo holds.
That doesn't mean there's no hope for traveling pet parents with large dogs, though, because there are a few excellent (albeit smaller and non-mainstream) alternative airlines. The trouble is, these boutique alternatives tend to have very limited routes and can be quite expensive. Because most American air travelers fly with a small handful of major U.S.-based airlines, we'll start with some highlights from those big names, then check out a few pet-friendly charter airlines for some more large dog-friendly options.
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The 6 Most Pet-Friendly Major U.S. Airlines
We reviewed pet policies across the 9 largest major U.S. airlines in 2024 as listed by WalletHub. All nine airlines welcome pets to some extent, but some definitely proved more lenient than others in terms of policies and pet fees.
Some policies remained consistent across all of these airlines, though: all pets must be able to fit in a pet carrier that stows under the seat and remains closed at all times, most count pet carriers towards your carry-on limit, and all dogs and cats must be 8 weeks old or older to fly. Nevertheless, despite these caveats, we felt that these six major airlines pulled ahead of the competition in terms of affordability and overall leniency.
Alaska Airlines
Pet Fees: $100 each way.
Pets Allowed: Small dogs and cats (all routes). Domesticated rabbits and household birds (domestic mainland US travel only). No breed restrictions.
Pet Per Person Limit: Two carriers, max size 17" x 11" x 7.5" (9.5" for soft-sided carriers). Up to two pets per carrier if they can fit comfortably.
Alaska Airlines was recently rated the foremost pet-friendly US airline of 2024 by both Nerdwallet and Forbes, and when you compare their policies to those of their competitors, it's not hard to see why. With a straightforward pet policy, moderate pet fees (at least in comparison to most mainstream airlines), and a pretty lenient "pet per person" limit, pet travel with Alaska Airlines is about as simple as it gets. However, pets must be weaned and accustomed to solid food in order to fly.
Frontier Airlines
Pet Fees: $99 each way (non-refundable) + carry-on bag fee (variable by size).
Pets Allowed: Small dogs and cats (all domestic routes and some international). Domesticated rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and household birds (domestic mainland US travel only). No breed restrictions.
Pet Per Person Limit: One carrier per person (max dimensions 18" x 14" x 8"), one pet per carrier.
Frontier Airlines is surprisingly pet-friendly, too, allowing small dogs and cats on most routes, as well as small household birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters for flights within the US. Frontier also doesn't appear to enforce an upper limit on how many animals can fly in each cabin, though passengers flying with pets can't sit in the first row or in exit row seats. Just be mindful of their fees: while Frontier's $99 per way pet fee isn't terrible, expect to pay a separate carry-on bag charge for your carrier!
Southwest Airlines
Pet Fees: $125 each way, $35 for travel within the Hawaiian Islands.
Pets Allowed: Small dogs and cats (domestic travel only). No breed restrictions.
Pet Per Person Limit: One carrier per person, up to two pets per carrier (max carrier size 18.5” x 13.5” x 9.5”).
Southwest Airlines' pet policy is in line with the rest of their service: simple, sweet, and to the point. They allow vaccinated small dogs and cats on domestic flights, but unfortunately, pets are not allowed on international flights or flights between Hawaii and the mainland. However, you can fly to different island destinations within Hawaii for the low price of $35 each way!
Delta Airlines
Pet Fees: $95 each way within US, Canada, Puerto Rico, and USVI. $200 each way on most international flights, except for flights to/from Brazil, which is $75.
Pets Allowed: Small dogs and cats (most routes). Household birds (domestic flights). No breed restrictions.
Pet Per Person Limit: One carrier per person (max size 18" x 11" x 11"0, one pet per carrier with two exceptions.
Small dogs, cats, and (for domestic flights) household birds are good to go with Delta Airlines if they can fit in a carrier measuring 18” x 11” x 11” or less. They technically enforce a limit of one pet per carrier, but with two important exceptions. Two pets of the same species between 8 weeks to 6 months old can share a carrier if they can fit comfortably, and a female cat or dog can travel with her unweaned litter if the litter is between 8 weeks and 6 months old.
Delta's affordable $95-each-way pet fee on domestic flights makes it an appealing choice for pet parents who are budget-conscious but still want to avoid the bare-bones low-budget airline experience. However, Delta also poses certain age limits and pet cabin travel restrictions for some international destinations, so it's worth reviewing their policies closely if you're flying outside of the U.S. Additionally, each cabin class only allows a limited number of total pets among all passengers, so make your reservations well in advance!
Spirit Airlines
Pet Fees: $125 each way (non-refundable) + carry-on fee (variable).
Pets Allowed: Small dogs and cats (most routes). Small household birds and domesticated rabbits (most routes, excluding ones to/from USVI and Puerto Rico). No pets on international flights. No breed restrictions.
Pet Per Person Limit: One carrier per person (max size 18" x 14" x 9"), up to two pets per carrier.
Spirit Airlines' pet policy is pretty comparable to Frontier's, albeit with slightly higher pet fees and limits on international travel. Unlike Frontier, however, they do allow up to two pets per carrier, provided both pets can share it comfortably. While they don't have any breed restrictions, they do warn passengers that brachycephalic dog breeds (snub-nosed dogs like Pugs or Bulldogs) may be more vulnerable to health risks in flight and to consult a veterinarian before travel.
JetBlue
Pet Fees: $125 each way.
Pets Allowed: Small dogs and cats only (all domestic flights, some restrictions for international travel and flights to/from USVI and Puerto Rico). No breed restrictions.
Pet Per Person Limit: One carrier per person (max size 17" x 12.5" x 8.5", one pet per carrier.
Though JetBlue only allows cats and small dogs, their pet policy is appealingly simple and straightforward. You may want to review additional policies if you plan on traveling outside North America, though. JetBlue restricts pet travel to certain international destinations, and the USVI and Puerto Rico require travelers with pets to present vaccine documentation. Additionally, JetBlue can only accommodate six pets per cabin per flight, and pets are not allowed in Mint (JetBlue's equivalent of business class).
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Best Dog-Friendly Charter Airlines
But what if you want to fly with a large dog? Or what if you don't want your poor pooch cooped up in a cramped pet carrier for hours on end, regardless of how big they are? The good news is, there are some fantastic charter services with policies that are actually pet-friendly, rather than merely "pet-tolerant," as most mainstream airlines are.
The bad news is, you'll have to pay lofty semi-private airline prices for the experience and work within their (oftentimes sparse) route limitations. Such is the tradeoff for decent pet travel. Even so, we think these four dog-friendly charter airlines are worth the shout-out, not just for their accommodating attitude towards pets, but for the exceptional quality of service they show their human customers!
JSX
JSX is a public charter service that started in 2016 out of Dallas, Texas, offering something akin to the private jet experience at, well, not-private jet prices. There's a lot of good things to be said about their laid-back, upscale flight experience (which includes seamless private check-in, free Starlink wifi, and complimentary gourmet snacks), but one area in which they particularly excel is their pet policy.
For $100 each way, passengers can bring small dogs and cats along in a carrier that fits underneath the seat in front of them, with dimensions no larger than 13"x11"x17". One pet per carrier, one carrier per customer. Sounds like your typical airline fare, right? However, unlike most major airlines, medium and large dogs (weighing up to 79 pounds) are also allowed to sit in the main cabin! The only stipulations are that the passenger must buy the seat next to them at the advertised rate, the dog must lie in the floor space in front of the seat, and they have to be leashed at at all times. Compared to the typical flight experience for larger dogs, that's positively cushy!
Aero
Aero is another "semi-private" charter service based out of Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles, and their pet policy is quite similar to JSX's, albeit with no apparent upper weight limit for large dogs. Cats and dogs weighing 20 pounds or less go under the seat in a carrier measuring less than 20”x12”x9", and larger dogs can sit next to their humans, provided they're willing to purchase the additional seat at full price.
The downside is that Aero's pet fees are significantly steeper than JSX's, to the tune of $300 per each one-way flight. Still, the option's there for flyers who want to travel with very large dogs who JSX can't accommodate!
K9 Jets
Enough beating around the bush. Let's talk about a couple of the absolute, bar-none most pet-friendly airlines where four-legged customers actually come first, starting with K9 Jets. Though they're technically based out of the United Kingdom, K9 Jets flies several routes within the US between Dallas, LA, and Teterboro, New Jersey - and besides, their ultra-welcoming policy towards pets is well worth the hype!
When you book a seat for yourself with K9 Jets, you are entitled to bring either one dog weighing over 51 pounds or two pets weighing under 50 pounds each (if you want to bring two pets weighing more than 51 pounds, you'll have to purchase an extra seat). There are no size restrictions, and dogs are allowed to sit by your side or on your lap - no crates needed! Cats, however, will need to remain in their carriers for safety's sake. Meanwhile, the humans on board get to enjoy amenities like a complimentary bar and refreshments!
BARK Air
Last, but certainly not least, there's BARK Air, a dog-centric charter service flying between Los Angeles and New York, with international service to/from London and Paris as well. They're serious about that whole "dog-centric" thing, by the way. As they say in their FAQs, each "dog ticket" comes with a pass for one human! There are no size or breed restrictions, leashes are encouraged but not required for dogs under voice control, and not only are crates unnecessary, they're not even allowed in the cabin!
We've saved the best for last with BARK Air, because they really roll out the red carpet for canines. Their furry guests are treated to a variety of treats, toys, beverages (including bone broth), snacks, and other surprises. The cabin is prepped with soothing aids like mellow music and calming pheromones to help nervous dogs chill out. They even have emergency piddle pads and poop bags in case of mid-air bathroom emergencies. And if you're traveling abroad, no problem - their BARK Air Concierge is there to help humans and dogs alike navigate the customs process.
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Which Are the Best Pet-Friendly Airlines?
When all is said and done, which company do you choose if you want the most pet-friendly airline experience? While it'd be tempting to just point to one of the really nice pets-first charter airlines like Bark or K9 Jets, these companies only fly between a few major hubs, and their tickets can easily go for several thousand dollars each. Unless you've got a lot of money to spend (or are desperate to fly your large dog in the cabin with you), your best option is probably going to be one of the larger airlines with decently pet-friendly policies. With that in mind, we recommend:
For Major Airlines: Alaska Airlines (with Delta Airlines as a close second)
For Low-Budget Airlines: Frontier Airlines
For Charter Airlines: BARK Air
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