Most airlines draw a hard line at around 8 kg for a dog in the cabin, Lufthansa included. Anything heavier goes in the hold, or does not fly with you at all. ITA Airways just moved that line.
From 3 August 2026, ITA Airways, Italy’s flag carrier and now part of the Lufthansa Group, lets large dogs up to 30 kg travel in the cabin, on select domestic Italian routes. The service is called Large Dog on Board, and it makes ITA one of the first carriers in Europe to put big dogs in the cabin rather than the cargo hold.
Key facts at a glance:
- Weight: large dogs up to 30 kg, in the cabin
- Where: select domestic Italian flights only, from Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate
- From: 3 August 2026
- Cost: two seats plus a €95 pet fee
- Booking: by phone only, at least 4 days before departure
How the service works
On a flight that allows it, ITA takes a maximum of two large dogs in the cabin: one weighing more than 10 kg and up to 15 kg, and one weighing more than 15 kg and up to 30 kg.
The dog does not sit on a seat. It lies on a mat that ITA provides, on the floor in front of its owner’s seat, wearing a muzzle, collar, leash and a crash-tested harness clipped to the seatbelt for the whole flight. The owner sits in the neighbouring seat.
Whether the service is available on a given flight depends on the aircraft type (Airbus A220, A319 or A320), any other animals already booked, and the operating conditions. ITA only confirms it after reviewing the request, so it is never guaranteed at the point of asking.
Which flights allow large dogs
For now this is domestic Italy only, routed through Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate. The flagged Large Dog flights connect those hubs with cities including Bari, Bologna, Brindisi, Catania, Genoa, Lamezia Terme, Palermo, Reggio Calabria, Trieste, Turin and Venice.
Not every domestic flight qualifies, and there are no international routes yet. ITA publishes the current list of eligible flights on its Large Dog on Board page, which is the place to check before you plan a trip.
How much does it cost
You buy two tickets, so the dog has its own space in the cabin, plus a €95 pet fee (ITA calls it the PETX fee). So the real cost is two fares plus 95 euros, not a small pet surcharge on one ticket.
For a big dog that otherwise could not travel in the cabin at all, plenty of owners will find that a fair trade. The fee itself is the same across Economy Light, Comfort and Flex fares.
How to book a large dog on ITA
The Large Dog on Board service can only be requested and booked through ITA’s CIAO Contact Center, by phone. You cannot add it online, through a travel agent, or at self-service check-in, and you cannot check in online for that flight.
ITA recommends requesting it as early as possible, and at least 4 days before departure. Space is tight (two dogs per flight at most), and confirmation still depends on the aircraft and other animals already booked, so earlier is safer.
What your dog needs
To fly under the service, the dog has to be:
- at least 6 months old
- identified with an ISO-standard microchip
- covered by a valid rabies vaccination, up-to-date core vaccinations and antiparasitic treatment
- certified fit to fly by a vet, in a certificate issued no more than 20 days before the flight
- covered by mandatory pet liability insurance
- fitted with a crash-tested harness meeting the CMVSS 213 and FMVSS 213 standards
At booking and check-in you will need the vet certificate, the pet’s ID or passport, the vaccination records, proof of insurance, and a signed Animal Acceptance Form. If the paperwork or the harness is missing, ITA can refuse to carry the dog.
One more thing worth knowing: assistance dogs take priority. If a trained service dog is on board, only one Large Dog on Board place is available, and with two service dogs the service may not run at all.
Why this matters for big-dog owners
If you share your life with a Labrador, a husky or a shepherd, this is rare good news. For a 25 kg dog, the usual choices have been the cargo hold or a long drive, because cabin space is almost always reserved for small dogs under about 8 kg, a limit that barely moves across the airlines we compare. An airline putting a 30 kg dog on the cabin floor, with the blessing of Italy’s civil aviation authority (ENAC), is a genuine shift.
It is early and limited: domestic Italy, phone booking, two dogs a flight. But it is a template other carriers can copy, and the kind of move the industry watches. ITA already sits at the top of our Dog-Friendly Score, and this widens the gap.
Planning an Italian trip with a big dog? Check ITA’s official page for the live flight list and requirements, and confirm everything with ITA before you book, since new services and their rules change fast.
