How heavy can a dog be to fly in the cabin?

In Europe the near-universal limit is 8 kg including the carrier (Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, Turkish, Iberia). American Airlines allows about 9 kg; Delta and Air Canada publish no weight limit and require the pet to fit in an under-seat carrier.

Can pets fly in the cabin to the UK?

No. UK government rules only allow pets to enter Great Britain as cargo or via approved sea and rail routes, so no airline carries pets in the cabin into the UK.

Airline Pet Policies Compared: 16 Major Airlines (2026)

9 of 16

Major airlines allow cabin pets

8 kg

The near-universal European cabin limit (pet + carrier)

$150

Typical US one-way cabin fee

Airlines flying pets in-cabin INTO the UK

The short version: 7 of the 16 biggest airlines will not put your pet in the cabin at all - that includes every Gulf carrier (Emirates, Qatar), both big low-cost carriers (Ryanair, easyJet carry no pets whatsoever), British Airways, Qantas and Singapore Airlines. Where cabin pets ARE allowed, Europe has quietly standardised on 8 kg including the carrier (Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, Turkish, Iberia), while US carriers skip the scale and just require the carrier to fit under the seat. And no matter the airline: no pet flies in a cabin into the United Kingdom - that is a UK government rule, not an airline choice, which is why even KLM and Iberia switch to cargo-only for UK arrivals.

The comparison: 16 airlines, verified from official policy pages

Airline	Cabin pets	Cabin limit	Cabin fee (one-way)	Hold / cargo option	Key restrictions & source
American Airlines	Yes	9.07 kg (20 lb) incl. carrier	USD 150	Cargo (PetEmbark); checked only for US military/State Dept	Brachycephalic breeds banned; no cabin pets transatlantic/transpacific/Hawaii [official]
Delta	Yes	Must fit in under-seat kennel (no kg limit)	USD 150 US / 200 intl	Delta Cargo program	No cabin pets to UK, AU, NZ, Brazil, Hawaii, HK, UAE + more; none in Delta One [official]
United	Yes	No weight or breed limit - must fit the under-seat carrier	USD 150	None - United ended checked pets (US military/State Dept only)	Carrier max 9x17.5x12 in hard-sided, 11x18x11 in soft-sided; 1 pet per person on A319/A320/A321neo/737-800/-8/-900/-9; some destinations refuse pets [official]
Lufthansa	Yes	8 kg incl. carrier	Via baggage calculator	Hold as excess baggage; cargo for larger	Max 2 pets/passenger; snub-nosed rules; UK/Ireland route limits [official]
Air France	Yes	8 kg incl. carrier	Not published	Hold up to 75 kg incl. kennel; cargo above	Book 48 h ahead; CDC rules to US [official]
KLM	Yes	8 kg incl. carrier (46x28x24 cm)	EUR 70-500 by route (hold)	Hold up to 75 kg; no pets to UK as baggage	Snub-nosed banned from hold; 1 cabin pet/passenger; aircraft-type exclusions [official]
Turkish Airlines	Yes	8 kg incl. carrier (23x30x40 cm)	Via online pet fee calculator	Hold (AVIH) up to 50 kg	NO pets to UK at all; dangerous-breed list refused; brachy cabin-only [official]
Air Canada	Yes	Fits soft carrier under seat (no kg limit)	CAD/USD 50-60 dom / 100-120 intl	Checked up to 45 kg (CAD 105-319); AC Animals cargo	Snub-nosed banned from hold; several country embargoes [official]
Iberia	Yes	8 kg incl. carrier (45x35x25 cm)	EUR 40-198 by zone	Hold up to 45 kg (EUR 90-140); WOOF cargo partner	UK: cargo only; brachy dogs + Persian cats cabin-only [official]
British Airways	No	-	-	Hold/cargo only via PetAir UK / IAG Cargo	No cabin pets on ANY route (assistance dogs only) [official]
Emirates	No	-	-	Checked only ex-Dubai under 17 h (USD 500-800); else SkyCargo	Cabin = falcons on select routes only; summer bird embargo [official]
Qatar Airways	No	-	-	Checked hold USD 200-450 by weight/route; cargo above 75 kg	Falcons/service dogs only in cabin; brachy heat restrictions; AU/NZ cargo-only [official]
Qantas	No	-	-	Qantas Freight only (book pet before yourself)	International moves via pet-travel specialists [official]
Singapore Airlines	No	-	-	Checked as excess baggage; cargo over 32 kg combined	Large brachy ban list; no pets to/from AU, NZ, London, HK + more [official]
easyJet	No	-	-	None - no pets at all	Assistance dogs only [official]
Ryanair	No	-	-	None - no pets at all	Guide/assistance dogs only on certain routes [official]

Every row verified against the airline’s official policy page on 27 July 2026 (links in each row). Airlines change these rules often - always confirm before booking. Fees are one-way per pet. Assistance dogs follow separate rules on all airlines.

What actually decides whether your pet can fly

1. The country matters more than the airline. The UK bans in-cabin arrivals outright; Australia and New Zealand force everything through quarantine-grade cargo - which is why Qantas hands you to a freight division and Singapore Airlines lists both countries as no-go. Book the destination rules first, the airline second.

2. Flat-nosed breeds are a special problem. Bulldogs, pugs, Boston terriers, boxers, shih tzus - and Persian-type cats - are banned from the hold on most carriers (heat-stroke risk) and banned entirely on American. If you own a brachycephalic breed, your realistic options are the European 8 kg cabin allowance or specialist ground/sea transport.

3. The hold is not the punishment it sounds like. KLM, Iberia, Air Canada and Turkish fly pets up to 45-75 kg in temperature-controlled holds for EUR 70-500 - often the calmer option for a big dog. The airlines that refuse cabin pets (BA, Emirates, Qatar, Singapore) all still fly them below deck.

4. Book the pet before yourself where required. Qantas explicitly tells you to book the pet’s flight first; Air France wants 48 hours’ notice; most carriers cap cabin pets per flight (American: ~20 per aircraft) - the slot, not the fare, is the scarce resource.

FAQ

Which airlines allow pets in the cabin?

Of the 16 majors we track: American, Delta, United, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, Turkish, Air Canada and Iberia. Not British Airways, Ryanair, easyJet, Emirates, Qatar, Qantas or Singapore Airlines.

How heavy can my dog be to fly in the cabin?

In Europe the standard is 8 kg including the carrier. American allows about 9 kg with a soft carrier; Delta and Air Canada publish no weight limit - the pet just has to fit comfortably in an under-seat carrier.

Why can’t any airline fly my dog in the cabin to the UK?

UK government rules under the Pet Travel Scheme only permit pets to enter as cargo (or via approved sea/rail routes) - so every airline, including UK ones, is cargo-only into Britain. Flying OUT of the UK, BA uses PetAir; others vary.

Can I reuse this table?

Yes - the CSV is CC-BY 4.0, credit Paw Multiverse with a link. Corrections welcome via our contact page; each report is checked against the official source and credited.

Can Your Pet Fly With You? 16 Airlines' Pet Policies, Compared (2026)