Underseat

Pet-friendly airlines compared: fees, carriers and rules in 2026

AirlinesUpdated 6 min readBy the Underseat editorial team
Cavalier King Charles spaniel resting in a mesh pet carrier under an airplane seat

We scored 15 airlines that take pets in the cabin on seven published criteria. WestJet and Turkish Airlines came out on top, each meeting 5 of 7. The best airline for your pet still depends on its size, species and route. Allegiant is cheapest in the US, and United and JetBlue let you bring two pets.

Key facts

  • 15 of the 18 airlines we track accept dogs and cats in the cabin. British Airways, Emirates and Qatar Airways carry pets only in the hold.
  • Lowest published US cabin fee: Allegiant, $50 per segment. United, Delta, American and JetBlue charge $150 each way.
  • Lufthansa, Air France, KLM and Turkish Airlines cap pet and carrier at 8 kg (17.6 lb). Most US airlines set no weight limit.
  • Southwest, Frontier and Allegiant take pets on domestic flights only.
  • Rules checked against airline websites, October 2026.

How we compared airlines

We used only what each airline publishes, from our airline pet policy data (verified October 2026). Each airline that takes dogs or cats in the cabin gets one point for each of these seven criteria:

  1. Low fee: the cheapest published one-way cabin fee is 100 or less in the airline's own currency (USD, CAD or EUR).
  2. Roomy carrier: it accepts a soft-sided carrier at least 11 inches (28 cm) tall. Height is usually what decides whether a medium-small dog fits.
  3. No weight cap: it sets no weight limit for pet and carrier, as long as the carrier fits under the seat.
  4. More than one pet: one passenger can bring two pets, either in two carriers or sharing one.
  5. Hold option: pets too big for the cabin can fly in the hold on the same flight as you.
  6. International cabin travel: cabin pets are allowed on at least some international routes.
  7. More species: the airline accepts animals other than dogs and cats in the cabin.

Where an airline doesn't publish a figure (Lufthansa's fee, Southwest's carrier size, Air France's carrier size), it gets no point, because you can't plan around a number you can't see. That penalizes unclear policies, not necessarily worse ones. The criteria are weighted equally, so treat the total as a summary and read across the row that matters to you.

Which airlines allow pets in the cabin?

AirlineCabin fee (one way)Low feeRoomy carrierNo weight cap2 petsHoldIntl.More speciesScore
WestJetC$50–59✓–✓–✓✓✓5
Turkish AirlinesUS$75 (interline)✓––✓✓✓✓5
United$150–✓✓✓–✓–4
Delta$150–✓✓––✓✓4
Allegiant$50 per segment✓✓✓✓–––4
Alaska$100✓–✓–✓✓–4
Air CanadaC$50–60✓–✓–✓✓–4
American$150–✓✓*––✓–3
JetBlue$150––✓✓–✓–3
Frontier$149–✓✓–––✓3
Hawaiian$100✓–✓–✓––3
LufthansaNot published–––✓✓✓–3
KLM€70–500✓–––✓✓–3
Southwest$125––✓✓–––2
Air France€200––––✓✓–2

✓ = meets the criterion; – = doesn't, or the airline doesn't publish it. *American has a 20 lb limit on its three-cabin A321T only. Alaska and Hawaiian don't publish a cabin weight limit, pets-per-passenger rule or full species list on the pages we could read, so they score no points for those. Hawaiian's international cabin rules couldn't be verified. Turkish's US$75 is the fee it publishes for interline and transit flights; other routes vary.

What is the most pet-friendly airline?

On our seven criteria, WestJet and Turkish Airlines tie at 5. Both charge less than 100 in their own currency, have a hold option, fly cabin pets internationally and accept small birds as well as cats and dogs. They lose points in different places. WestJet allows one pet per kennel and a 16 x 10 x 8.5 inch kennel. Turkish caps pet and carrier at 8 kg and doesn't carry pets on flights ending in the UK.

That's a summary, not a verdict. The questions below matter more for most people.

Best airline for your situation

Cheapest within the US

Allegiant charges $50 per segment, so a connection doubles it. It's domestic only, with no hold option. Alaska charges $100 each way. Most others charge $125–$150.

Dogs at the top of the under-seat size range

If height is the problem, look at Frontier (soft carrier 18 x 14 x 11 in), Allegiant (18 x 12 x 11 in), and United, Delta and American (18 x 11 x 11 in soft). Check your carrier with the carrier size checker. If your dog is bigger than that, read airlines that allow large dogs in the cabin.

Two pets

United and JetBlue allow two pets per traveler, but the second pet needs its own seat and fee. United allows only one on several aircraft types. Southwest and Allegiant let two small pets share one carrier for a single fee.

Cats

United, Delta, American, JetBlue, Southwest, Frontier, Allegiant, Air Canada, WestJet, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM and Turkish all list cats as accepted in the cabin. Alaska and Hawaiian take pets in the cabin, but the pages we could read mention only dogs, so confirm cats when you book. See how to fly with a cat.

Pets too big for the cabin

Among airlines that also take cabin pets, Alaska and Hawaiian carry pets up to 150 lb with kennel in the hold for $200. Air Canada (C$105–126) and WestJet (C$100–118) take up to 45 kg (100 lb) within Canada and the US. Air France and KLM take up to 75 kg. United, Delta, American, JetBlue, Southwest, Frontier and Allegiant don't carry pets in the hold for regular travelers. Snub-nosed breeds are banned from the hold on several airlines.

Airlines with no cabin pets

British Airways doesn't carry pets in the cabin on any route. Emirates and Qatar Airways allow only falcons in the cabin, plus service dogs. All three carry pets in the hold or as cargo.

Questions people ask

Which airlines allow pets in the cabin?

Of the 18 airlines we track, 15 do: United, Delta, American, Alaska, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Southwest, Frontier, Allegiant, Air Canada, WestJet, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM and Turkish Airlines. British Airways, Emirates and Qatar Airways don't.

What is the best airline for dogs?

It depends on the dog. For small dogs on US domestic trips, Allegiant is cheapest and Frontier allows the tallest soft carrier. For dogs too big for the cabin, Alaska, Air Canada and WestJet still offer the hold.

Do any airlines let pets fly free?

None of the airlines we track carry pets in the cabin for free. Trained service dogs fly free in the cabin on US airlines.

Which airline is best for international pet travel?

Air Canada, WestJet, KLM, Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines publish both cabin and hold options on international routes. Entry rules are set by the destination country, and some, including the UK, don't allow pets to arrive in the cabin.

Is Southwest pet friendly?

Southwest takes small dogs and cats in the cabin for $125 each way, and two pets can share one carrier. It doesn't fly pets internationally or in the hold.

Sources

Related guides