If your dog flies cargo, book the earliest morning flight. Tarmac temperatures are lowest before 8 AM, which reduces the risk of heat-related delays or embargoes canceling transport.
Most Pet-Friendly Airlines in 2026 — 9 US Carriers Ranked
•14 min read
rankings
Marcus Reid
Former Airline Operations
Short answer: Alaska Airlines is the most pet-friendly US airline in 2026. Lowest cabin fee among major carriers at $100 each way, one of two active cargo programs, and the widest species list of any US airline.
Your best pick depends on where you're going, how big your pet is, and what you're willing to spend. Allegiant charges just $50 per segment. Frontier boards rabbits and guinea pigs in the cabin.
American is the only legacy carrier still flying large dogs in cargo.
We compared every US airline that accepts pets — fees, carrier sizes, cargo options, and international routes. Here's how they rank for dogs and cats.
How We Evaluated
We scored nine US airlines across seven categories: cabin fees, carrier dimensions, weight limits, cargo availability, species accepted, booking process, and international pet routes.
All data comes from each airline's official pet policy page, cross-checked against our individual airline guides.
Cargo availability and fee structure carried the most weight — those two factors decide whether your pet can actually fly.
Every US Airline's Pet Fees and Rules
| Fee (each way) | Carrier Size (soft) | Weight Limit | Cargo | International | Book Online | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $100 | 17"×11"×9.5" | None | Yes ($200) | Limited | No |
| Frontier | $99 | 18"×14"×11" | None | No | No | Yes |
| Allegiant | $50/segment | 18"×14"×8" | None | No | No | No |
| Southwest | $125 | 18.5"×13.5"×9.5" | None | No | No | No |
| JetBlue | $150 | 17"×12.5"×8.5" | None | No | Caribbean/LatAm | Yes |
| American | $150 | 18"×11"×11" | 20 lbs | Yes (~$565+) | Select routes | Domestic only |
| Delta | $150 | 18"×11"×11" | None | Military only | Most routes ($200) | No |
| United | $150 | 18"×11"×11" | None | No | Many routes | Domestic only |
| Spirit | $150 | 18"×14"×9" | 40 lbs | No | No | Yes |
1. Alaska Airlines
| Best for: | Overall value — lowest major-carrier fee with the most options |
| Price: | $100/way cabin, $200/way cargo |
| Strength: | Active cargo program, widest species list, lowest major-carrier fee |
| Weakness: | Phone or chat booking only |
Alaska stands alone as the only airline that scores well across every category. The $100 cabin fee hasn't changed while Delta, United, and American all jumped to $150.
It's one of two carriers still flying pets in cargo for civilians, and its cargo program accepts rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, ferrets, reptiles, birds, pot-bellied pigs, and tropical fish.
The catch: you can't add a pet online. Call 800-252-7522 or use the chat.
Cabin carriers must be soft-sided — no hard cases. Cargo is banned on Alaska's Airbus fleet, so check your aircraft type before booking.
Alaska also lets pets into its airport lounges — no other US airline does this. For flights within Hawaii, the cabin fee drops to $35.
Full Alaska Airlines pet policy →
2. Frontier Airlines
| Best for: | Budget cabin travel with unusual pets |
| Price: | $99/way |
| Strength: | Cheapest fee on a real route network, six cabin species |
| Weakness: | No cargo, no international since early 2025 |
Frontier is the cheapest way to fly a pet on any airline with a meaningful route map. At $99 each way, it undercuts every legacy carrier by $50+.
It also accepts the widest range of cabin species: dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and small household birds.
One genuine advantage: your pet carrier doesn't replace your personal item. Every other airline counts the carrier as your underseat bag. Frontier lets you keep both.
The downside: Frontier dropped international pet travel in early 2025.
Its gate agents are contractors with performance bonuses tied to catching policy violations, so they measure carriers more consistently than legacy airlines. Make sure yours fits before you get to the gate.
Full Frontier Airlines pet policy →
3. Southwest Airlines
| Best for: | Stress-free domestic travel with small pets |
| Price: | $125/way |
| Strength: | Refundable pet fee, two pets allowed in one carrier |
| Weakness: | Domestic only, phone booking only |
Southwest is the only US airline that refunds your pet fee if plans change — actual money back, not vouchers or credits.
It also lets you put two pets of the same species in a single carrier, which is useful for cat owners traveling with a bonded pair.
There's no stated weight limit. The real test is whether your pet can stand up and move around in the carrier.
Southwest's dimensions (18.5"×13.5"×9.5") are among the most generous, especially the 9.5" height that gives cats room to sit upright.
You'll need to call 800-I-FLY-SWA to add a pet. Southwest flies domestic only, including inter-island Hawaii at the standard $125 fare.
Full Southwest Airlines pet policy →
4. JetBlue
| Best for: | Easy booking and Caribbean routes |
| Price: | $150/way |
| Strength: | Full online booking, TrueBlue loyalty perks |
| Weakness: | Smallest carrier dimensions, no cargo |
JetBlue has the smoothest booking process of any US airline for pets. Add your pet online, through the app, or over the phone — no call needed.
Mosaic members can pick a pet fee waiver as one of their Perks You Pick benefits, and every pet flight earns 300 TrueBlue bonus points.
During cruise altitude, JetBlue lets you take the carrier out and place it on your lap. No other US airline explicitly allows this.
The tradeoff: the tightest carrier size limit at 17"×12.5"×8.5". That 8.5" height means most carriers marketed as "airline approved" won't actually fit. Measure yours.
JetBlue flies pets to parts of the Caribbean and Latin America, though Europe and several Caribbean islands are excluded.
5. American Airlines
| Best for: | Large dogs that need cargo |
| Price: | $150/way cabin, ~$565+ cargo (PetEmbark — $415 base + $150 handling) |
| Strength: | Only legacy carrier with a full civilian cargo program |
| Weakness: | 20 lb stated weight limit for cabin, extensive cargo breed bans |
American is the airline to call if your dog is too big for a cabin carrier. Its PetEmbark cargo program is one of only two civilian cargo options left alongside Alaska, and it handles logistics end-to-end.
The cabin program has a stated 20 lb limit — the only explicit weight cap among US airlines. Enforcement varies wildly by airport.
Some agents never ask; others at A321T transcon gates weigh every carrier. Don't count on getting a pass.
American accepts online booking for domestic pet travel and flies pets internationally on select routes, though transatlantic, transpacific, South America, and Hawaii are all blocked. Cargo bans flat-faced breeds — 22+ dog breeds and 4 cat breeds.
Full American Airlines pet policy →
6. Delta Air Lines
| Best for: | International routes (if you can handle the fee) |
| Price: | $150/way domestic, $200/way international |
| Strength: | Largest international route network for pets, household birds allowed |
| Weakness: | Phone-only booking, cargo suspended for civilians |
Delta used to be the pet-travel favorite. Then it raised the cabin fee from $95 to $150 — a 58% jump — and suspended its cargo program for everyone except active military and State Department personnel.
What Delta still does well: it flies pets on more international routes than any other US carrier, though at $200 each way. There's no weight limit, and it's the only US airline that accepts household birds.
Booking is phone-only at 800-221-1212. Here's the part most people don't know: your phone reservation is just a placeholder.
The actual pet spot is first-come, first-served at the airport counter. If six other pet owners check in before you, you're out of luck even with a "confirmed" reservation.
7. Allegiant Air
| Best for: | The absolute cheapest pet flight |
| Price: | $50/segment |
| Strength: | Lowest fee in the industry by a wide margin |
| Weakness: | Counter-only booking, 8" carrier height, domestic only |
At $50 per segment, Allegiant costs less than a checked bag on most airlines. Two small pets can share a carrier, making it potentially $25 per pet each way.
The compromises are real. You can only add a pet at the airport counter — no online, no phone.
The 8" carrier height is the tightest in the industry, which rules out most cats and any dog bigger than a small Chihuahua or Yorkie. Since April 2025, gate agents have been measuring carriers with tape measures consistently.
Allegiant flies domestic routes plus Puerto Rico. No international, no cargo.
Full Allegiant Air pet policy →
8. United Airlines
| Best for: | International travelers who want online booking |
| Price: | $150/way |
| Strength: | Online domestic booking, dedicated Pet Travel Desk for international |
| Weakness: | No cargo since 2018, inconsistent enforcement by airport |
United discontinued its PetSafe cargo program in 2018 after a string of animal incidents. Cabin travel is all that's left, and enforcement varies more than any other airline.
SFO and Houston are notoriously strict about carrier dimensions; smaller stations barely glance at your bag.
The newer NEXT cabin interior is shrinking underseat space, so carriers that fit last year may not fit on your next flight. Check your aircraft type.
United flies pets internationally on many routes, but the UK, Ireland, Australia, Brazil, and 25+ other destinations are blocked. For international pet bookings, call 1-800-864-8331 directly.
Full United Airlines pet policy →
9. Spirit Airlines
| Best for: | Heavier pets that fit in a cabin carrier |
| Price: | $150/way |
| Strength: | 40 lb weight limit — highest of any US airline |
| Weakness: | Domestic only, counter check-in needed, no cargo |
Spirit charges the same $150 as the legacy carriers but with fewer routes, no international travel, and no cargo.
The one differentiator: a 40 lb weight limit, the highest stated limit of any US airline. If your pet is too heavy for American's 20 lb cap and you don't want to risk the "no stated limit but we'll decide at the gate" approach at other airlines, Spirit gives you a clear number.
Spirit also accepts small birds and rabbits in the cabin. Free Spirit Gold members get the pet fee waived.
The downside that catches people: you can't check in digitally with a pet. You'll need to go to the counter regardless of your boarding pass.
Airlines That Allow Large Dogs in Cabin
No US airline allows large dogs in the cabin. Cabin carriers max out around 18"×14"×11", which fits most pets under 20 lbs. If your dog is bigger, here's what's left.
Commercial cargo: American's PetEmbark (~$565+ each way including handling) and Alaska's cargo program ($200 each way) are the only two civilian options.
Delta suspended cargo for non-military travelers indefinitely. United hasn't offered it since 2018.
Both programs ban flat-faced breeds in cargo — bulldogs, pugs, Boston terriers, Persian cats, and others. Temperature embargoes apply seasonally. American blacks out Phoenix, Tucson, and Las Vegas from May through September.
Bark Air — a charter service by the BarkBox company — flies dogs of all sizes without carriers. Dogs sit on the cabin floor, walk around, and socialize.
Routes run from New York's Westchester County Airport to LA, San Francisco, London, and Paris. Tickets start around $6,000 one way — not accessible for most travelers, but it fills a genuine gap for large-dog owners who won't fly cargo.
Other specialty operators like K9 Jets and JSX offer pet-friendly charter and semi-private options at lower price points, though routes and schedules are limited.
Tip
FAQ
How to Pick the Right Airline for Your Pet
Small pet, flying domestic: Alaska ($100) or Frontier ($99) for the best value. Southwest ($125) if you want a refundable fee.
Large dog that needs cargo: American (PetEmbark) for most routes, Alaska for West Coast and Hawaii.
Flying internationally with a small pet: Delta has the widest route network. JetBlue covers the Caribbean. United and American cover different international destinations — check the specific route against your destination country's rules.
Price is everything: Allegiant ($50) if your pet fits the 8" carrier height. Frontier ($99) for everything else.
Traveling with a cat: Every airline on this list accepts cats in the cabin with the same rules as dogs. Alaska and American also accept cats in cargo.
No airline restricts cat breeds in the cabin — flat-faced breed bans (Persians, Himalayans, Exotic Shorthairs, Burmese) apply to cargo only.
Want to book online: JetBlue, Frontier, Spirit, American (domestic), or United (domestic). Delta and Southwest need phone calls. Alaska needs phone or chat. Allegiant is counter-only.
Watch OutPet fees have jumped 15–20% across the industry since 2023. Delta went from $95 to $150. United from $125 to $150. American from $100 to $150. Don't rely on fee info from articles dated before 2025.
No matter which airline you pick, you'll need a health certificate for most flights — and for international trips, a USDA endorsement.
Find a USDA-accredited vet near you to get started.
