Flying with a pet is one of the most confusing parts of air travel. Every airline sets its own fees, carrier size limits, breed restrictions, and rules about where your pet can actually ride — in the cabin under your seat, or in cargo. What one airline allows without question, another may refuse outright. And the rules have shifted meaningfully in the past couple of years, with several major U.S. carriers scaling back or eliminating cargo pet transport altogether.
This guide compares how the major U.S. airlines handle pet travel in 2026, breaks down real fee ranges, and highlights which carriers are genuinely the most accommodating for pet owners.
How Airlines Generally Handle Pet Travel
Before comparing individual airlines, it helps to understand the three broad categories most pet travel falls into:
- In-cabin travel: Small pets in an airline-approved carrier that fits under the seat in front of you. This is by far the most common and most comfortable option, since your pet stays with you the entire flight.
- Checked cargo: Larger pets travel in a temperature-controlled cargo hold as checked baggage or air freight. This option has become significantly rarer in recent years as major carriers have scaled it back.
- Service animals: Trained service animals fly free and are not subject to standard pet fees or carrier requirements, since they’re governed by separate federal rules rather than an airline’s general pet policy. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s service animal rule defines exactly what qualifies and what airlines can and can’t require.
Nearly universally, in-cabin pets must remain in their carrier for the entire flight — there’s no exception for “just a few minutes” of lap time, no matter how well-behaved your pet is.
Airline-by-Airline Pet Policy Comparison
Alaska Airlines
Alaska is consistently ranked among the most pet-friendly U.S. carriers, and for good reason. It’s one of the only major airlines still offering both in-cabin travel and a cargo option for larger pets, with an in-cabin fee of around $100 each way — among the lowest of the major carriers. Carrier size limits are on the smaller side at roughly 17″ x 11″ x 9.5″, so measure your carrier carefully before booking. For full details, see Alaska Airlines’ official pet travel policy.
Southwest Airlines
Southwest is a strong budget-friendly option, charging a flat in-cabin fee of around $95 to $125 depending on the source and route, with no cargo option available. It offers some of the most generous carrier dimensions among domestic carriers, giving small pets a bit more room to stretch out during the flight. Southwest flies domestic routes only, so it isn’t an option for international pet travel.
Delta Air Lines
Delta allows in-cabin travel for dogs, cats, and some household birds, but its pricing has shifted noticeably. Delta raised its cabin pet fee significantly in 2026, pushing it in line with American and United at roughly $150 per segment. Delta does not currently offer a general-public cargo option, meaning larger pets that can’t fit under the seat have limited options with this carrier.
American Airlines
American permits dogs and cats in the cabin on many routes, with fees generally around $150 each way. Like Delta, American has moved away from offering cargo pet transport to the general public, narrowing options for owners of larger dogs who want to fly commercially.
United Airlines
United allows in-cabin pet travel for dogs and cats, with fees that have also climbed to roughly $150 each way. United does allow two pets to travel together if a second seat is purchased, which is a notable point of flexibility compared to some competitors. United does not offer general-public cargo transport, and pet travel is unavailable on certain international routes, including Hawaii, the UK, and Ireland.
JetBlue
JetBlue charges a comparable fee of around $125 to $150 each way but enforces one of the strictest in-cabin weight limits in U.S. aviation: a combined pet-and-carrier weight of just 20 pounds. There’s no cargo option and no exceptions for oversized pets, so JetBlue is best suited to owners of genuinely small cats and dogs.
Frontier Airlines
Frontier is one of the more budget-friendly widely available options, with an in-cabin pet fee around $99 each way — noticeably cheaper than the “big three” legacy carriers.
Hawaiian Airlines
For inter-island travel specifically, Hawaiian offers by far the cheapest pet fees in U.S. aviation, sometimes as low as $35 each way between islands. Hawaiian is also one of the few carriers that still offers a cargo option alongside in-cabin travel.
Spirit Airlines
Spirit charges around $125 each way and accepts a slightly broader range of pets, including rabbits and birds, though only soft-sided carriers are permitted.
The Bigger Trend: Cargo Options Are Disappearing
One of the most significant shifts in airline pet policy over the past couple of years is the near-total disappearance of general-public cargo transport at major U.S. carriers. Delta, American, and United have all stepped back from offering commercial cargo pet shipping to everyday travelers, leaving Alaska and Hawaiian as two of the few major U.S. airlines still offering it.
This shift has real consequences for owners of larger dogs who can’t fit a carrier under an airplane seat. Their commercial flying options have narrowed considerably, pushing many toward specialized pet relocation services or, in some cases, private aviation options built specifically for pet travel — though these come at a steep premium, often running into the thousands of dollars per trip.
Breed Restrictions You Need to Know About
Regardless of which airline you choose, brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds face additional scrutiny industry-wide. Breeds like pugs, bulldogs, French bulldogs, Persian cats, and similar snub-nosed animals are frequently restricted from cargo transport entirely because their compressed airways make them more susceptible to breathing difficulties and overheating during flight — a risk that’s magnified by changes in cabin pressure and temperature in a cargo hold. Some airlines extend caution to these breeds even for in-cabin travel, so it’s worth confirming directly with your airline if you own one of these breeds.
What Fees Actually Look Like Across the Industry
Fee structures vary, but general patterns hold across most major U.S. carriers in 2026:
- Budget-friendly options: Frontier (~$99), Alaska (~$100), and Southwest (~$95–125) sit at the lower end for in-cabin pet travel.
- Mid-to-premium pricing: Delta, American, United, and JetBlue have converged around $125–$150 per segment, a notable increase from prior years.
- Best value for repeat flyers: Hawaiian’s inter-island fee of around $35 is the cheapest pet fee in domestic U.S. aviation, though it only applies to a narrow set of routes.
It’s worth noting that these fees are charged per segment, not per round trip. A round trip with a single layover on either end could mean paying the pet fee four separate times, which can meaningfully change the total cost of a trip depending on your routing.
How to Choose the Right Airline for Your Pet
When comparing airlines for pet travel, weigh these factors together rather than focusing on price alone:
- Carrier size limits — Confirm your pet’s carrier fits within the airline’s exact dimensions before booking, since these vary by several inches between carriers.
- Cargo availability — If your pet is too large for in-cabin travel, confirm upfront whether your chosen airline still offers cargo transport at all.
- Route restrictions — Some airlines exclude pet travel entirely on certain international or island routes.
- Total cost across your itinerary — Calculate the fee per segment, not just per trip, especially if your route includes connections.
- Documentation requirements — Nearly all airlines require a current health certificate, so schedule a veterinary visit with enough lead time before departure.
Final Thoughts
Alaska Airlines remains one of the most consistently pet-friendly choices in U.S. aviation, offering a reasonable fee, generous route access, and one of the few remaining cargo options for larger pets. Southwest and Frontier are strong budget picks for small pets traveling domestically, while Delta, American, United, and JetBlue have all converged on higher in-cabin fees and reduced or eliminated cargo access. Whichever airline you choose, confirm carrier dimensions, breed considerations, and per-segment fees well before booking — the fine print is where most pet travel plans go wrong.
