The airline fee is only part of the bill. For a small pet in the cabin, most of the cost is the pet fee (charged each way), plus a carrier and sometimes a health certificate. For a large dog, the hold is the hard part: few US airlines offer it to regular travelers. Internationally, vet visits, testing and government paperwork can cost more than the flight.
How to use the estimator
Enter four things and you will get a low and high estimate:
Pet type and weight. Weigh your pet together with the carrier. Cabin limits are usually set on the pet and carrier combined, often around 20 lb.
Domestic or international. International trips add paperwork, USDA endorsement, sometimes testing and higher airline fees.
Cabin or cargo. Cabin means a soft carrier under the seat. Cargo means a hard, airline-approved crate in the hold. If you are choosing a crate, the Dog Crate Size Calculator has an airline mode.
Destination. Some destinations add quarantine, which raises the high end of the range sharply.
The estimate is a range because fees differ by airline and route. Budget toward the high end: the extras (a new carrier, a rebooking, a second vet visit) are what usually push a trip over.
Cost to fly a dog or pet, by airline
Approximate figures, checked against airline pet pages and fee roundups in October 2026. Fees are charged each way and are in USD unless noted. Airlines change them without notice, so confirm the current fee and your route on the airline's own page before you book.
Airline
Cabin fee, each way (approx.)
Round trip (approx.)
Hold or cargo with you (approx.)
Notes
United
$150
$300
Not offered to the public
Cats and dogs only. Two pets need two seats on most aircraft.
Delta
$150 (US, Canada, Puerto Rico, USVI); $200 international
$300 / $400
Not offered to the public; Delta Cargo ships pets without you
Some routes bar cabin pets (for example Hawaii and the UK).
American
$150 per kennel
$300
Checked pets only for eligible military and State Department staff
Cabin pets on eligible routes in the US, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. The fee repeats on a connection of 4 hours or more.
Southwest
$125 (US mainland); $35 between Hawaiian Islands
$250
Not offered
Cabin only, small cats and dogs, limited pets per flight.
Alaska (and Hawaiian)
$100; $35 within Hawaii
$200
About $200 each way per kennel, pet and kennel up to 150 lb
Alaska is the main US option for a dog too big for the cabin.
JetBlue
$150
$300
Not offered
Small cats and dogs only. A second pet needs a second seat and a second fee.
Frontier
About $149 per pet
About $298
Not offered
US flights only. Figure comes from third-party summaries; confirm it.
Air Canada
About $50–$60 within Canada and to the US; about $100–$120 elsewhere
About $100–$240
About $105–$126 within Canada and to the US; about $270–$324 international
Hold travel up to about 100 lb with kennel. Amounts vary by departure airport; confirm them.
These are pet fees only. They do not include your own ticket, a carrier, vet costs or paperwork. Cats cost the same as dogs on airlines that carry both. A service dog is not charged a pet fee.
Three example trips
Trip
Airline pet fees
Carrier or crate
Vet paperwork
Approx. total (excluding your ticket)
Small dog or cat, US mainland round trip, in the cabin
$200–$300
$30–$100 (if you need one)
$0–$150 (only if the airline or state asks)
About $230–$550
Large dog, round trip in the hold on Alaska
About $400
$100–$250 for an airline-approved crate
$50–$150
About $550–$800
Small dog, US to Europe, round trip in the cabin
About $400–$450 in pet fees
$30–$100
Vet visits plus USDA endorsement (about $101 without lab tests)
About $700–$1,300
Vet fees vary by clinic and region, so these are rough planning figures, not quotes.
International trips: what changes
Rules are set by the destination country and change, so use the destination government's own pet import page and the USDA APHIS pet travel page as the source of truth. In general:
Destination
What it usually requires
Lead time
Notes
Canada, Mexico
Rabies certificate; a health certificate is often asked for
A few weeks
Check the current rules for each country before you book
EU countries, UK
ISO microchip first, then rabies vaccine and a 21-day wait; USDA-endorsed health certificate within 10 days of arrival; UK dogs also need tapeworm treatment 1–5 days before arrival
1–3 months
No rabies antibody test needed for pets coming from the US
Japan, Australia, New Zealand
Rabies antibody test, waiting periods and import permits; Australia and New Zealand require quarantine on arrival
6–12 months
Plan with the destination government's pet import page
Hawaii
Rabies antibody test and a waiting period for the shortest quarantine
Several months
Some airlines do not carry cabin pets to Hawaii
One rule catches people out: the microchip has to be implanted before the rabies vaccine that your paperwork relies on, or the vaccine may not count and may need repeating.
Hotels and stays
Type of stay
How the fee works
Typical cost
Notes
Budget chains
Flat fee per stay
About $10–$25
Weight limits are common
Mid-range chains
Fee per night or per stay
About $25–$50 per night
Many accept dogs under 50 lb
Boutique and independent
Varies widely
$0–$100 per night
Some are pet-free, so check first
Luxury
Fee plus deposit
About $100–$300 deposit plus $50–$150 per night
Higher weight limits are common
Vacation rentals
Cleaning fee per stay
About $50–$200
Filter for pet-friendly listings
Health and safety
Travel is stressful for animals, and the risk is higher for flat-faced breeds, very young or old pets, and pets with heart or breathing conditions. Talk to your vet well before you book, ideally before you pay for non-refundable tickets. Your vet can tell you whether your pet is a good candidate for flying, what paperwork is needed, and whether anything for anxiety is appropriate. Never give a sedative that your vet has not prescribed for your pet.
A small dog in the cabin costs about $100–$150 each way on most US airlines ($200–$300 round trip), plus a carrier and, if required, a health certificate. A large dog in the hold costs about $200 each way where it is offered. International trips cost more. Fees change, so confirm with your airline.
How much does it cost to fly a dog? Cost components
Whether your dog flies in the cabin or as cargo, the total is usually made up of these parts. Airline fees change often, so always confirm the current fee on the airline's pet page before you book.
Cost item
In cabin (small pets)
Checked or cargo (larger dogs)
Airline pet fee (each way)
Fixed fee, usually around $100–$200 on US airlines
Weight- and route-based, often several hundred dollars
Carrier or crate
Soft carrier that fits under the seat: $30–$80
IATA-compliant hard crate: $80–$300
Vet health certificate
Often required: $50–$200
Usually required: $50–$200
International paperwork (USDA APHIS endorsement, rabies titre)
$40–$500+
$40–$500+
Professional pet shipper (optional)
Rarely needed
Often $1,000–$5,000+ internationally
Pet shipping cost calculator: worked example
A 60 lb dog flying cargo within the US, one way:
Airline cargo fee: about $400–$700
IATA crate: about $150
Health certificate: about $120
About $670–$970 in total. Add a pet shipper and the total can roughly double.
Before you book
Many airlines don't accept brachycephalic (flat-faced) breeds as cargo because of breathing risks.
Summer and winter temperature embargoes can block cargo travel on some routes.
For international trips, check the destination's rules on the USDA APHIS pet travel site months ahead, because rabies titre waiting periods can take up to 3 months.
There is no single weight limit. Most US airlines say the pet and its carrier must fit under the seat in front of you, which in practice usually means a pet of roughly 15–20 lb or less. Some carriers state a combined weight cap; others only set carrier dimensions. Check your airline's pet page when you book, because in-cabin spaces per flight are limited.
How much to fly a dog in cargo, or on its own
Checked or cargo: larger dogs travel in the hold or as manifest cargo. Fees are usually much higher than in-cabin fees and often depend on the crate size and route. Many airlines restrict cargo travel for flat-faced breeds and in hot or cold months.
A dog flying by itself: this is shipped as cargo, usually booked through a pet shipper. Members of IPATA (the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association) handle paperwork, crates and connections. Ask for a written, itemised quote.
Ground transport: pet transport companies drive dogs between states. Prices vary with distance and whether the trip is shared or private, so get two or three quotes.
Flying a dog to Hawaii, Canada or abroad
Hawaii is rabies-free and has its own import rules, including rabies vaccines, a blood test and waiting periods; start months ahead using the Hawaii Department of Agriculture checklist. Canada and other countries set their own vaccine and certificate rules. Your vet can tell you which health certificate you need; for the US, the USDA APHIS pet travel site lists the requirements for each country.
How we calculate
The math, openly documented.
01
Inputs
You enter the facts that change the estimate.
species · age · weight · lifestyle
02
Normalize
We validate ranges and convert units when needed.
lbs ↔ kg · months ↔ years
03
Formula
Published veterinary or industry-standard calculations.
result = f(valid inputs)
04
Results
Rounded outputs — schedules, ranges, or targets — with disclaimers.
