How to Fly With a Dog

If you're thinking about taking a nice trip by plane, whether for leisure or business, and you'd like your dog to join you at your destination, we're sorry to be the ones to tell you it's not a good idea at all.

Flying with a dog isn't just stressful and complicated for your dog — it's actually really dangerous. The vast majority of airlines don't allow dogs in the cabin, except in cargo holds, and the ones that do accept them will throw up a thousand and one obstacles.

Unless it's a guide dog, also known as a seeing-eye dog (assistance dogs for people with certain disabilities), it's best to find a destination that doesn't require flying. That said, if you still want to do it, here's all the info you need.

You might also like reading: How to Travel by Car With a Dog

Traveling in the Passenger Cabin

Keeping in mind that most airlines don't allow transporting animals, dogs obviously included, let's focus on the ones that will let us travel with our dog, but with conditions.

As an example, the Spanish airline IBERIA does allow traveling with a dog in the passenger cabin, as long as the combined weight of the dog and its carrier is under eight kilos.

Needless to say, the dog must stay inside the carrier at all times without exception, the carrier must be waterproof in case the dog urinates, and the dog must not bother other passengers, meaning no barking or bad smells.

Under no circumstances can the dog or its carrier occupy a seat unless we've paid for that seat's ticket, nor can it be placed in the aisle or near emergency exit rows.

For these cases, it's best to literally sedate our dog — our vet can give us pills so the dog sleeps through the flight and doesn't bother other passengers. This way, it also won't suffer the stress that flying involves, something normal for us but extremely stressful for them.

Traveling in the Cargo Hold

Cargo transport is somewhat more permissive, though only when it comes to carrier and dog size. The dog needs to travel in a carrier suited to its size, well ventilated, and waterproofed on the bottom to prevent leaks from urine or feces.

The dog can travel in the cargo hold, but let's not forget what a cargo hold actually is... a dark place, full of noise, sometimes poorly pressurized... which can be considered a real hell for a conscious dog. If our dog is going to travel in a cargo hold, it's recommended to sedate it with a vet's help and supervision.

Not every breed is allowed on plane flights — some dogs are more prone to respiratory issues precisely due to pressurization, which can cause death. Because of this, the following breeds aren't accepted for cargo hold transport:

• English Bulldog
• French Bulldog
• Pit Bull
• Boxer
• Pug

In summary, any dog breed that classically has somewhat heavier or more intense breathing due to its physical build, known as brachycephalic breeds.

Documentation and Requirements for Our Dog to Fly

Even choosing an airline that allows traveling with a dog and following all their guidelines, we'll need the necessary documentation for its transport.

This documentation includes a pet passport showing the dog's registration ID number, like its microchip, along with the mandatory vaccines up to date for both the country of origin and the destination country.

And even having everything strictly necessary to fly with your dog, we recommend calling the airline beforehand and repeatedly confirming your intent to fly with your dog, since it's possible they'll throw up a thousand and one new obstacles at the last minute.

Remember how complicated it is to fly with a dog, how stressful it'll be for your dog and for you. On top of the real dangers of a dog being placed in a cargo hold or even in the cabin, pressurization can kill them.

Our best advice is to find a family member or dog boarding service to leave your dog with while you're away, or to choose another mode of transport like the car, train, or boat.