American Airlines pet policy
What American Airlines allows for pets, from its own pages, checked 1 November 2026.
Pets in the cabin: yes$150 per kennel, each way, within and between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean
Checked or cargo: yeschecked baggage for active-duty U.S. military and State Department Foreign Service on orders, others via American Airlines Cargo or American PetEmbark
Emotional support animals fly as petsUnder service animal rules
Pets in the cabin
- Animals allowed
- cats and dogs1
- Cabin fee
- $150 per kennel, each way, within and between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean1
- Carrier size
- Soft-sided 18 x 11 x 11 in (46 x 28 x 28 cm). Hard-sided 19 x 13 x 9 in mainline, 16 x 12 x 8 in American Eagle1
- Weight limit
- 20 pounds (9.07 kilograms) pet and carrier, on the 3-cabin A321T only1
- Pets per passenger
- 1 pet carrier1
- Minimum age
- 8 weeks for travel within the U.S. and Puerto Rico1
- Routes
- Most flights up to 12 hours in the Americas. Not to Hawaii, Jamaica, trans-Atlantic or trans-Pacific1
Checked bags, cargo and limits
- How
- checked baggage for active-duty U.S. military and State Department Foreign Service on orders, others via American Airlines Cargo or American PetEmbark1
- Fee
- $200 per kennel ($150 to or from Brazil) for checked pets1
- Details
- Up to 2 checked pets. Kennel and pet maximum 100 lbs. Cargo fees confirmed at time of booking.1
- Breed limits
- Brachycephalic dogs and cats of any mix are not accepted as checked pets1
- Heat and seasonal limits
- No pets outside the cabin above 85 or below 45 degrees F. None via Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas or Palm Springs May 1 to September 30.1
Service animals and booking
- Service animals
- Trained dogs only. Submit the U.S. DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form at least 48 hours before the flight, plus relief attestation for flights over 8 hours.2
- How to book a pet
- Add carry-on pets in Additional Services on aa.com or the app. Pay the fee at the ticket counter.1
- Emotional support animals
- Not accepted as service animals. They can travel as pets under the pet rules.2
Read American Airlines's own pet page before you book.
Sources
- Traveling with pets, American Airlines, checked 1 November 2026
- Service animals, American Airlines, checked 1 November 2026