Dog Flight Guide
DE

Airline-approved dog carriers

Soft-sided carriers for under the seat and crates for the hold, checked size by size against the limits of 30 airlines. See which dog carrier fits your airline, and how much weight is left for your dog.

"Airline approved", "TSA approved" or "airline compliant" on a dog carrier means little: every airline sets its own size limit for the space under the seat. We checked 15 pet carriers for the cabin and 5 crates for the hold against the limits the airlines state, size by size. Choose your airline and your dog's weight to see which ones fit.

Sleepypod

Air

Soft bag Expandable
Sizes
1
Outside
40.7 × 26.7 × 26.7 cm
Empty weight
2.3 kg

Airline check30 airlines

6 fits2 tight22 doesn't fit
More details

SturdiBag

Pro 3.0

Soft bag Flexible height
Sizes
7
Outside
45.8 × 25.4 × 23.5 cmto 58.5 × 38.1 × 35.6 cm
Empty weight
1.5 to 2.1 kg

Airline check30 airlines

9 fits11 tight10 doesn't fit
More details

Mr. Peanut's

Gold Series

Soft bag Flexible height Expandable
Sizes
4
Outside
43.2 × 28 × 22.9 cmto 50.8 × 30.5 × 30.5 cm
Empty weight
1.8 to 2 kg

Airline check30 airlines

20 fits3 tight7 doesn't fit
More details

Karlie

Nomad

Hard crate
Sizes
6
Outside
51 × 33.5 × 33 cmto 100 × 67 × 75 cm
Empty weight
not published

Airline check12 airlines

11 fits1 open
More details

Fits by its dimensions: the airline decides at the gate. Soft bags are sometimes accepted when they are a little over, but you cannot count on it.

Airline-approved dog carriers: FAQ

Is there an airline-approved dog carrier that every airline accepts? ▾

No. "Airline approved" is a sales term: every airline sets its own size and weight limit, and they differ by several centimetres. A small soft bag fits most cabins, but many popular US bags are too high for the 23 cm that Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian allow.

What size pet carrier do Delta, United, American and Southwest allow? ▾

Delta Air Lines: soft-sided 18 × 11 × 11 in (45.7 × 27.9 × 27.9 cm), varies by aircraft. United Airlines: soft-sided 18 × 11 × 11 in (45.7 × 27.9 × 27.9 cm), hard-sided 17.5 × 12 × 9 in (44.4 × 30.4 × 22.8 cm). American Airlines: soft-sided 18 × 11 × 11 in (46 × 28 × 28 cm), hard-sided 18.5 × 12.5 × 8.5 in (48 × 33 × 22 cm). Southwest Airlines: 18 × 10.5 × 10 in (45.7 × 26.6 × 25.4 cm). These are the limits the airlines state. Choose your airline above to see which carriers fit.

What does TSA approved mean for a dog carrier? ▾

Nothing official. TSA screens your dog and the carrier at security, but it approves no carrier. The size limit comes from your airline, so a carrier sold as TSA approved can still be too big for some airlines.

Does the carrier count towards the weight limit? ▾

At most airlines with a weight limit, yes: 8 kg usually means dog and carrier together. A carrier that weighs 2 kg leaves 6 kg for your dog. Where the manufacturer publishes the empty weight, we show what is left for your dog.

Soft-sided or hard-sided carrier for the cabin? ▾

A soft-sided carrier. Several airlines, including Lufthansa, Swiss and Air France, accept only soft bags in the cabin, and a soft bag gives a little under the seat when it is slightly over the limit. Hard crates are for the hold.

What does IATA approved mean for a dog crate? ▾

IATA sets the rules for crates in the hold, but it approves no product. "IATA approved" or "IATA compliant" is what the manufacturer states. Many crates also need metal bolts or vent covers before they meet the rules, so check what is included.