Going away on a vacation is one of the best ways for a family to unwind from a busy year and bond. For pet owners, a trip just isn’t the same without their furry friends and leaving them at home is out of the question. Flying with dogs on a family trip is fun and means that everyone can enjoy their company.
However, finding pet friendly hotels and pet friendly airlines can often be a struggle. Flying with a dog can present some challenges that some airlines are not willing to accommodate. We’ve made a list of the best pet airlines that make travelling with dogs and other animal companions simple.
What are the best pet friendly airlines?
Bring your dog along and even a falcon on Qatar flights
Qatar is the best airline in the world and also one of the best dog friendly airlines. They allow service dogs in the passenger cabin free of charge and domesticated pets in the hold as checked baggage. Interestingly, you are also allowed to carry a falcon in economy class with a maximum of six being allowed on any one flight.
You will need to notify them at least two days before departing and will need all of the relevant travel documents like a pet passport.
Fly with your pawsome friend in Singapore Airlines
If you are flying with a service dog, Singapore Airlines is happy for your furry friend to join you in the cabin. Otherwise, it has to be put in checked baggage or as cargo. However, they can’t accept them as checked luggage on narrow aircraft, and your pet must be at least three months old.
If you want it to be checked in, your pet shouldn’t weigh more than 32 kg, or you will need to contact Singapore’s cargo shipping ahead of your journey date.
Fly with pets in ANA (All Nippon Airways)
ANA allows dogs, cats, and other small animals such as rabbits on their flights. They must not be heavier than 45 kg and there are restrictions on the size of the cages. Total linear dimensions per cage exceeding 292 cm (115 in.) or total weight of a pet and cage more than 45 kg (100 lb.) are not accepted. There are only a certain number of animals, generally three, allowed on each flight, so you have to phone ahead for your pet to be allowed on.
Unfortunately, service dogs on planes are not accepted by ANA Airways, and they will have to go into the cargo section of the aircraft.
Bring your dog along on a holiday when flying with Cathay Pacific
The flagship carrier from Hong Kong makes flying with service dogs simple, and the dog can come into the cabin with you. Otherwise, you will have to put your furry friend in cargo or allow it to travel as checked baggage.
There are several regulations when flying with a large dog and other animals, so make sure to check their rules. For example, boxers and bulldogs are not allowed. However, most pets can fly with Cathay Pacific but the airline does not allow snub-nosed animals, Korean Squirrels, or skunks onboard.
Pay a premium amount and fly with your pet with Emirates Airlines
If your pet weighs under 32 kg, it can fly as checked baggage, although you will have to pay a premium for it. The pet baggage fee starts from US $500 and can go as high as US $800 depending on the size of the cage and weight of your pet. However, anything heavier must travel as cargo.
Emirates are one of the more lenient pet travel airlines and will allow a variety of animals onboard, including falcons provided that the total journey time doesn’t exceed 18 hours. Guide dogs for the blind can always travel in the cabin, as can falcons from routes between Dubai and Pakistan.
Fill out a declaration form and bring your pet along with EVA Air
If you are thinking of flying with a dog or any other animal aboard an EVA air flight you must contact them before the departure date. You can take animals such as dogs, cats, and rabbits aboard the plane as checked baggage. You just have to fill out the Passenger’s Declaration for Live Animal form.
They have a variety of restrictions on snub nose cats and dogs, and animals younger than ten weeks cannot travel. If you’re thinking, how much does it cost to fly with a dog? EVA uses weight as the primary measure for cost.
If you have a direct flight, bring your pets on vacation with Hainan Airlines
The Chinese carrier is one of the best airlines in the world, ranking 7th in last year’s survey. They are one of the friendliest pet transport airlines and allow domesticated cats and dogs on board their flights, albeit as checked baggage.
Check out their rules before you fly, as they don’t allow pets under six months onboard and have restrictions on breeds. Also, pets can only come aboard direct flights, and won’t be accepted on multi-stop services.
Call ahead and plan a holiday with your pets when flying with Thai Airways
Travelling with dogs and other household pets is permitted on Thai Airways as long as they are put on as checked baggage. However, support dogs for the deaf or blind are allowed in the cabin, but they must have the correct documentation. For flights from the USA, these rules are relaxed slightly, and emotional support dogs are also allowed in the cabin.
There are some restrictions on the size of the container for your pet, and specific destinations have varying rules, so Thai Airways recommends calling ahead.
How to fly with a dog or other animals?
Pet friendly airlines make it reasonably straightforward for you to enjoy the company of your furry companion wherever you may be in the world. However, all the airlines that allow dogs to fly have certain restrictions so I would always recommend calling ahead to make sure you don’t run into any surprises at the airport. Also, your destination may have different animal transport guidelines. So, it is important to contact your local reservations office to confirm your pet can be accepted as check-in baggage before you fly with your pet.
