Yes, you can fly with a puppy in the US once it is at least 8 weeks old and weaned, the minimum on most US airlines. Air Canada requires 10 weeks and KLM 15 weeks. International trips need an older puppy: 6 months to enter the US, and about 15 weeks to enter the EU.
Key facts
- USDA rules ban transporting a dog or cat in commerce until it is at least 8 weeks old and weaned.
- United, Delta, American, Southwest, Frontier, Allegiant and WestJet accept puppies in the cabin from 8 weeks.
- CDC requires dogs entering or returning to the US to be at least 6 months old, with a microchip and a CDC Dog Import Form receipt.
- The EU needs a rabies vaccine given at 12 weeks or older, valid 21 days later, so most puppies can't enter before about 15 weeks.
- Cabin fees for a puppy are the same as for an adult dog, usually $100 to $150 each way on US airlines.
Can you fly with a puppy?
Yes. A small puppy is often easier to fly with than an adult dog, because it fits in an under-seat carrier with room to spare. What limits you is age, and that depends on two things: the airline's own minimum and the entry rules of the place you're flying to.
Within the US, the federal floor is set by the USDA under the Animal Welfare Act: no dog or cat may be handed to a carrier for transport in commerce unless it is at least 8 weeks old and weaned. That's why most airlines use 8 weeks as their minimum.
How old does a puppy have to be to fly?
These are the minimum ages each airline publishes for pets in the cabin, as of October 2026. Where an airline doesn't publish a minimum age on its pet pages, we've left it out.
| Airline | Minimum age (cabin) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| United | 8 weeks | International: dogs 6 months or older, kittens 4 months or older |
| Delta | 8 weeks | |
| American | 8 weeks | |
| Southwest | 8 weeks | No cargo option |
| Frontier | 8 weeks | |
| Allegiant | 8 weeks | |
| WestJet | 8 weeks | |
| Air Canada | 10 weeks | Must be fully weaned; some international destinations differ |
| Lufthansa | 12 weeks | 15 weeks to or from Germany; dogs to the US 6 months |
| KLM | 15 weeks |
Alaska, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Air France and Turkish Airlines don't publish a cabin minimum age on the pages we checked. British Airways, Emirates and Qatar Airways don't take pets in the cabin. Qatar doesn't accept puppies or kittens under 12 weeks in the hold.
The airline minimum is only the start. If your destination sets a higher age, that's the one that counts.
Flying a puppy into the US from abroad
Since August 1, 2024, CDC rules require every dog entering or returning to the US to:
- be at least 6 months old on arrival,
- have a microchip that a universal scanner can read,
- arrive with a CDC Dog Import Form receipt (the form is free), and
- look healthy on arrival.
Dogs from countries CDC lists as high risk for dog rabies have extra rules on top of these. You can't fly a 2- or 3-month-old puppy into the US, even if you bought it abroad or it was born while you lived overseas. Plan for the puppy to stay where it is until it turns 6 months, or check CDC's Dog Importation Navigator for your situation.
Flying a puppy to Europe
The EU requires a valid rabies vaccination for dogs, cats and ferrets. The vaccine must be given when the animal is at least 12 weeks old, and it only becomes valid 21 days after the primary vaccination. That means a puppy can't meet the rule until it's about 15 weeks old. Some EU countries allow younger, unvaccinated animals to move within the EU under extra conditions. Entry from outside the EU usually needs more paperwork, so check the rules for the country you're flying to.
How to fly with a puppy in the cabin
- Confirm the age. Check your airline's minimum and your destination's rules. Ask your vet for a record of your puppy's date of birth and vaccinations.
- Choose a carrier that fits the seat and the puppy. The puppy must be able to stand up and turn around inside. Puppies grow fast, so measure close to the travel date. Check your carrier with the carrier size checker and our airline-approved carrier guide.
- Book the pet spot early. Airlines take only a few cabin pets per flight. Add the puppy as soon as you book your own seat.
- Get used to the carrier. Leave it open at home with bedding inside so the puppy sees it as a safe place before the trip.
- Ask your vet about food, water and calming. Young puppies have small bladders and stomachs. Ask your vet how to time meals before the flight, and talk to your vet before giving any medication.
- Bring supplies. Pack pee pads, spare bedding, a few treats and wipes in an easy-to-reach pocket. Your puppy has to stay in the carrier for the whole flight.
How much does it cost to fly with a puppy?
Airlines charge the same pet fee for a puppy as for an adult dog. On major US airlines that's $150 each way on United, Delta, American and JetBlue, $125 on Southwest, $149 on Frontier, $100 on Alaska and Hawaiian, and $50 per segment on Allegiant. See how much it costs to fly with a dog for the full list, including hold and charter prices.
Two puppies can sometimes share one carrier for one fee. Delta charges per kennel, so two eligible pets sharing one kennel count as one pet.
Shipping a puppy: can it fly alone?
Most passenger airlines won't carry a puppy that's traveling without you. United, Delta, Southwest, JetBlue, Frontier and Allegiant don't ship pets for the general public. The airline cargo options that remain are:
- Alaska and Hawaiian: Pet Connect, through Alaska and Hawaiian Air Cargo, ships pets traveling without a passenger.
- Air Canada: pets traveling alone go through Air Canada Cargo (AC Animals).
- WestJet: pets traveling alone go through WestJet Cargo.
The USDA minimum of 8 weeks and weaned applies, and cargo prices aren't published on these airlines' pet pages, so ask for a quote. Temperature limits can stop pets flying in the hold in hot or cold weather. Read flying pets in cargo before you book.
Questions people ask
Can an 8-week-old puppy fly?
Yes, on most US airlines, in the cabin, if it's weaned and fits in an under-seat carrier. Air Canada requires 10 weeks, Lufthansa 12 weeks and KLM 15 weeks.
Can I bring a 2-month-old puppy from Korea to the US?
No. CDC requires dogs entering the US to be at least 6 months old, so a 2-month-old puppy can't fly in from Korea or any other country.
Does a puppy need a health certificate to fly?
For domestic cabin travel, many airlines don't ask for one, but some destinations do. International trips almost always need one, so ask your vet and check the destination's rules early.
Can I buy a puppy and have it shipped by plane?
Only through an airline's cargo service, such as Alaska and Hawaiian's Pet Connect, Air Canada Cargo or WestJet Cargo. The puppy must be at least 8 weeks old and weaned under USDA rules.
Should I sedate my puppy for the flight?
Talk to your vet before giving your puppy anything to calm it for a flight. Getting the puppy used to its carrier at home is the safest place to start.
Sources
- eCFR: 9 CFR 2.130, Minimum age requirements (USDA Animal Welfare Act)
- CDC: Dogs from rabies-free or low-risk countries
- CDC: Frequently asked questions on dog importations
- European Commission: Travelling with your pet within the EU
- United Airlines: Traveling with pets
- Delta Air Lines: Pet travel overview
- American Airlines: Pets
- Southwest Airlines: Pet policy
- Frontier Airlines: Family and pets
- Allegiant Air: Traveling with pets
- WestJet: Travelling with pets
- Air Canada: Travelling with pets
- Lufthansa: Animals in the cabin
- Lufthansa: Animals in the hold
- KLM: Travelling with pets
- Qatar Airways: Travelling with animals
- Alaska Airlines: Traveling with pets
