What is the best airline for traveling with your pet?
26 May 2024Traveling with your dog or cat is a unique experience that can enrich your journeys in many ways. Fortunately, more and more airlines are offering policies and services that make traveling with pets easier and more comfortable.
Each airline has its own policies regarding pet transportation, including whether pets are allowed in the cabin or the cargo hold, weight and size limits, and any required documentation. It’s important to review and understand these policies before making your travel plans to avoid any surprises.
Thus, we have conducted a study to offer a ranking of airlines that makes it easier to travel with pets. To create our top 10 ranking, we have used the following criteria:
- Number of pets allowed in the cabin. Airlines that allow pets in the cabin have an advantage over those that do not.
- Maximum weight allowed for pets in the cabin. The higher the weight allowed, the more flexibility the passenger will have.
- Number of pets allowed in the cargo hold. For those who cannot bring their pets in the cabin, the ability to transport them in the cargo hold is crucial.
- Maximum weight allowed for pets in the cargo hold. The weight limit for the cargo hold is also an important factor.
- Flexibility and no weight restrictions in any category.
From our analysis of nearly 90 airlines, the following ranking has resulted:
| # | Airline name | Code | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Air France | AF | 10 |
| 2 | Swiss | LX | 9.5 |
| 3 | Lufthansa | LH | 9.5 |
| 4 | Air Baltic | BT | 9 |
| 5 | Transavia | HV | 9 |
| 6 | KLM | KL | 8.5 |
| 7 | Air Dolomiti | EN | 8 |
| 8 | Iberia | IB | 7.5 |
| 9 | Croatia Airlines | OU | 7.5 |
| 10 | Iberojet | E9 | 7.5 |
Using different criteria, we would surely find another ranking, so below you can see all the data to draw your own conclusions.
From the table, it can be concluded that Air France, Swiss, and Lufthansa are the best airlines for pet transportation, receiving the highest rating thanks to their flexible policies that allow multiple pets both in the cabin and in the cargo hold. However, the final choice will ultimately depend on your specific needs, such as the size and number of pets you are traveling with, as well as the routes and destinations offered.
Finally, don’t forget to check the entry requirements for the destination country before traveling. It is essential to ensure that your pet meets all the regulations and has the necessary documentation to enter the destination country without any issues. Check the website of the country you will be visiting. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also provides useful information for traveling with pets to international destinations.
Below is the complete list of considered airlines:
| Airline | Code | Max. num. pets in cabin | Weight of pets in cabin (kg) | Max. num. pets in baggage hold | Weight of pets in baggage hold (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aegean | A3 | 1 | 8 | 1 | no limit |
| Aerlingus | EI | not allowed | NA | 1 | 64 |
| Aeroflot | SU | 1 | 8 | 1 | 50 |
| Air Baltic | BT | 2 | 8 | 1 | 75 |
| Air Dolomiti | EN | 1 | 8 | 1 | no limit |
| Air Europa | UX | 1 | 8 | 1 | no limit |
| Air France | AF | 1 | 8 | 3 | 75 |
| Air Transat | TS | 1 | 10 | 1 | 45 |
| ITA Airways | AZ | 1 | 10 | 1 | no limit |
| American | AA | 1 | 9 | not allowed | NA |
| Austrian | OS | 1 | 8 | 2 | 14 |
| Avianca | AV | 1 | 8 | 1 | 20 |
| Azul | AD | 1 | 5 | not allowed | NA |
| BA | BA | not allowed | NA | no limit | no limit |
| Blu Express | BV | 1 | size limit | not allowed | NA |
| Brussels | SN | 1 | 8 | 1 | no limit |
| Condor | DE | 1 | 8 | 1 | no limit |
| Corsair | SS | 1 | 8 | 1 | 50 |
| Czech | OK | 1 | 8 | 1 | 32 |
| Delta | DL | 1 | no limit | not allowed | NA |
| Easyfly | VE | 1 | 10 | 2 | 23 |
| EasyJet | U2 | not allowed | NA | not allowed | NA |
| Emirates | EK | not allowed | NA | no limit | no limit |
| Etihad Airways | EY | no limit | size limit | no limit | |
| Eurowings | EW | 1 | 8 | not allowed | NA |
| Iberojet | E9 | 1 | 10 | no limit | NA |
| Finnair | AY | 1 | 8 | 1 | 50 |
| Gol | G3 | 1 | 10 | not allowed | NA |
| Iberia | IB | 1 | 8 | 1 | 45 |
| Iberia Express | I2 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 45 |
| Jet2 | LS | not allowed | NA | not allowed | NA |
| JetBlue | B6 | 1 | 9 | not allowed | NA |
| KLM | KL | 1 | 8 | 2 | 75 |
| Latam | LA | 1 | 7 | 1 | 45 |
| LOT | LO | 1 | 8 | 3 | no limit |
| Lufthansa | LH | 2 | 8 | 2 | no limit |
| Norwegian | DY | 1 | 8 | 1 | no limit |
| Olympic | OA | 1 | 8 | 5 | no limit |
| Qatar | QR | not allowed | NA | no limit | NA |
| Royal Air | AT | 1 | 5 | 1 | 75 |
| Ryanair | FR | not allowed | NA | not allowed | NA |
| SAS | SK | 1 | 8 | 1 | no limit |
| Satena | 9R | not allowed | NA | 1 | 32 |
| Singapore | SQ | not allowed | NA | 1 | 32 |
| Swiss | LX | 2 | 8 | 2 | no limit |
| TAP | TP | 1 | 8 | 1 | 45 |
| Transavia | HV | 1 | 10 | 1 | 75 |
| TUIfly | X3 | 1 | 8 | 1 | no limit |
| Turkish | TK | 1 | 8 | 1 | no limit |
| United | UA | 2 | size limit | not allowed | NA |
| Virgin Atlantic | VS | not allowed | NA | 1 | no limit |
| VivaAerobus | VB | 1 | 12 | 1 | 45 |
| Volaris | Y4 | 1 | size limit | 1 | 45 |
| Volotea | V7 | 1 | 8 | not allowed | NA |
| Vueling | VY | 1 | 8 | not allowed | NA |
| Wizz Air | W6 | not allowed | NA | not allowed | NA |
| Spirit | NK | 2 | 18 | not allowed | NA |
| Southwest | WN | 2 | size limit | not allowed | NA |
| Aeroméxico | AM | 1 | 9 | 1 | 45 |
| Air Canada | AC | 1 | size limit | 1 | 45 |
| Frontier | F9 | 1 | size limit | not allowed | NA |
| All Nippon Airways | NH | not allowed | NA | 1 | 45 |
| Air China | CA | not allowed | NA | 1 | 32 |
| AirAsia | AK | not allowed | NA | not allowed | NA |
| Binter Canarias | NT | 3 | 8 | 1 | size limit |
| Flybondi | FO | 1 | 10 | not allowed | NA |
| Nok Air | DD | 1 | size limit | 1 | size limit |
| Wingo | P5 | 1 | 10 | not allowed | NA |
| JAL | JL | 1 | no limit | 1 | no limit |
| Croatia Airlines | OU | 1 | 8 | 3 | no limit |
| Thai Smile Air | WE | not allowed | NA | not allowed | NA |
| French Bee | BF | not allowed | 8 | 1 | 75 |
| Luxair | LG | not allowed | 8 | 1 | no limit |
| Kuwait Airways | KU | not allowed | NA | 1 | 72 |
| Malaysia Airlines | MH | not allowed | NA | 1 | no limit |
| Oman Air | WY | not allowed | NA | 2 | 75 |
| Xiamen Air | MF | not allowed | NA | not allowed | NA |
| Tianjin Air | GS | not allowed | NA | 1 | no limit |
| Air Dolomiti | EN | 1 | 8 | 1 | no limit |
| UIA | PS | 1 | 10 | 1 | 75 |
| Hainan Airlines | HU | not allowed | NA | 2 | 32 |
| SmartWings | QS | not allowed | 8 | 1 | 32 |
Tell us in the comments what you think of the ranking and if you are going to travel with your pet this summer.
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