Last Updated on July 31, 2026 by Daniel Globe
Flying with a pet on United Airlines requires more planning than simply bringing a carrier to the airport. United currently accepts cats and dogs as standard in-cabin pets, but the animal must fit comfortably in a compliant carrier under the seat. Fees, age rules, destination restrictions, and required documents should all be checked before booking.
Quick Answer
United Airlines currently accepts cats and dogs as standard in-cabin pets for $150 each way. Pets must remain in a closed hard-sided or soft-sided carrier under the seat. Ordinary checked-baggage pet service is not available, and cargo transport is limited to certain military and State Department travelers.
Key Takeaways
- Standard United pet tickets are available only for cats and dogs.
- The current published fee is $150 each way per pet.
- Hard-sided carriers may measure up to 17.5 × 12 × 9 inches; soft-sided carriers may measure up to 18 × 11 × 11 inches.
- United does not offer ordinary checked-baggage or general-public cargo transportation for pets.
- International travelers must satisfy United’s rules, destination-country requirements, transit rules, and requirements for returning to the United States.
United Airlines Pet Policy at a Glance
At a Glance
| Eligible standard pets | Cats and dogs that fit safely in a compliant under-seat carrier |
| Pet fee | $150 each way per pet |
| Hard-sided carrier | Maximum 17.5 inches long × 12 inches wide × 9 inches high |
| Soft-sided carrier | Maximum 18 inches long × 11 inches wide × 11 inches high |
| Domestic minimum age | Puppies and kittens must be at least two months old |
| International minimum age | Dogs must be at least six months old; kittens must be at least four months old |
| Pet limit | Up to two pets per passenger on most eligible flights; two adjacent seats are required when bringing two pets |
| Checked baggage or cargo | Not available for ordinary pet travel; limited cargo exceptions apply to qualifying military and State Department personnel |
Which Pets Does United Airlines Allow?
United’s standard in-cabin pet program currently accepts cats and dogs only. Rabbits, guinea pigs, household birds, reptiles, ferrets, and other species are not eligible for an ordinary United pet ticket.
United does not publish a general breed or weight limit for standard cabin pets. Instead, the animal must be small enough to remain comfortable inside a carrier that fits completely under the seat. The pet should be able to stand, turn around, and lie down without being forced into an unsafe position.
Note: A trained service dog follows United’s service-animal policy rather than the standard pet policy. Emotional support animals do not automatically qualify as service animals.
Eligibility, Age, and Health Requirements
Minimum Age for Domestic Flights
For travel within the United States, puppies and kittens must be at least two months old. The pet should also be fully weaned, healthy enough to travel, and accustomed to remaining in its carrier.
Minimum Age for International Flights
United states that dogs traveling internationally must be at least six months old. Kittens must be at least four months old to meet vaccination-related requirements. A destination may impose a higher minimum age, so the destination rule takes priority when it is stricter.
Domestic Health Certificates
A veterinary health certificate is not automatically required for every domestic United flight. Requirements for moving a pet between states and U.S. territories are set by the receiving jurisdiction. Some destinations may require a recent certificate, rabies documentation, vaccinations, tests, or treatments.
Check the current requirements through the USDA APHIS state-to-state pet travel directory and confirm them with your veterinarian.
International Veterinary Documents
International requirements vary by destination and may include a microchip, rabies vaccination, laboratory testing, parasite treatment, an import permit, and a health certificate issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian. Some certificates must also be endorsed by USDA APHIS.
Warning: Do not assume a standard veterinary letter will be accepted. International certificates are country-specific, and some tests or waiting periods must be completed weeks or months before departure.
United Airlines Pet Fees and Passenger Limits
United’s current published price for a standard in-cabin pet ticket is $150 each way per pet. Add the pet while making the reservation so United can confirm that an under-seat pet space is available on each flight.
On most eligible flights, one passenger may bring up to two pets. A passenger traveling with two pets must purchase two seats next to each other so each carrier has its own under-seat space. Aircraft-specific limits may reduce the number of pets accepted on a particular flight.
A pet reservation is separate from the passenger’s ticket. Having a confirmed passenger seat does not guarantee that space remains available for an additional pet.
Pet Carrier Guidelines
United accepts hard-sided and soft-sided carriers that fit under the seat. The carrier must be secure, ventilated, escape-resistant, and suitable for the animal’s size. A leak-resistant base with an absorbent liner helps contain accidents.
| Carrier type | Maximum dimensions |
| Hard-sided | 17.5 inches long × 12 inches wide × 9 inches high |
| Soft-sided | 18 inches long × 11 inches wide × 11 inches high |
The carrier must remain closed and under the seat throughout the flight. A pet may not sit on the passenger’s lap, walk through the cabin, or occupy a purchased seat.
Pro Tip: Test the carrier at home before booking. Your pet should be able to enter, turn around, lie down, and remain calm with the door closed. Measure the carrier at its widest and tallest points rather than relying on a product’s “airline approved” label.
How to Book a United Flight With a Pet
- Check the route. Review United’s current traveling-with-pets page to make sure pets are accepted on the itinerary.
- Confirm your pet’s eligibility. Verify the animal’s species, age, carrier fit, health, and destination documents.
- Add the pet during booking. For an eligible domestic reservation, select “Travel with a pet” as a traveler on United’s website.
- Call for international travel. United instructs passengers to contact the airline when adding a pet to an international reservation.
- Review every flight segment. A connection, partner-operated flight, or aircraft change may have different restrictions.
- Confirm the reservation again. Recheck the booking and pet space before departure, especially after a schedule or aircraft change.
Airport Check-In
For an eligible domestic trip, United permits pet travelers to check in at an airport kiosk. The kiosk prints a special tag for the carrier. Arrive early enough to resolve a carrier, document, or reservation issue before the flight closes.
TSA Security Screening
At a U.S. security checkpoint, remove the pet from the carrier and place the empty carrier through the X-ray machine. Keep control of the pet with a leash or secure handling method while you pass through screening.
Warning: Never place a pet inside the checkpoint X-ray tunnel. Ask a TSA officer for a private screening room if removing the animal in the public checkpoint could create an escape risk.
Can Pets Travel as Checked Baggage or Cargo?
United does not offer ordinary checked-baggage pet transportation. A pet that is too large to fit safely in an under-seat carrier cannot travel through the standard pet-ticket program.
United permits cargo pet travel only for certain active-duty U.S. military personnel and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling under qualifying relocation orders. These travelers must follow a separate process and should contact United for current eligibility, kennel, route, and document requirements.
Passengers who do not qualify for that exception will need to consider another airline or a specialized pet-transport provider that accepts the animal’s size and itinerary.
United Policy for Emotional Support Animals
Emotional support animals, comfort animals, and companion animals do not receive service-animal privileges under current U.S. air-travel rules. An emotional support cat or dog must satisfy United’s standard pet policy, remain in a compliant carrier, and travel with a paid pet ticket.
A psychiatric service dog is different from an emotional support animal. A dog may qualify as a psychiatric service animal when it has been individually trained to perform a specific task for a person with a disability. Providing comfort through its presence alone is not enough.
United Policy for Service Animals
United allows up to two trained service dogs to travel without a pet fee when they meet the airline’s requirements. For domestic flights, United states that a service dog must be over four months old.
Under the Air Carrier Access Act, a service animal is a dog individually trained to perform work or tasks for a qualified person with a disability. Cats, miniature horses, emotional support animals, service animals in training, and other species are not federally recognized as service animals for air travel.
Required Service-Animal Forms
United may require the U.S. Department of Transportation Service Animal Air Transportation Form, which covers the dog’s health, behavior, and training. For a flight lasting eight hours or more, the airline may also require the DOT Service Animal Relief Attestation Form.
Complete the forms accurately and submit them within United’s stated timeframe. Travelers should review both the United service-animal policy and the U.S. Department of Transportation guidance.
Behavior and Space Requirements
A service dog must remain under the handler’s control and may be denied transportation if it poses a direct threat, causes a significant disruption, violates health requirements, or is too large to be accommodated safely. The dog may not block an aisle, emergency exit, or another passenger’s space.
International Travel With a Pet
International pet travel involves several separate sets of rules:
- United’s route and aircraft restrictions
- The destination country’s animal-import requirements
- Rules for any country where the pet clears customs or leaves the airport during transit
- Requirements for returning to the United States
Begin with the USDA APHIS international pet-travel directory. A USDA-accredited veterinarian can identify required vaccinations, tests, treatments, certificates, endorsements, and waiting periods.
United also maintains a live list of destinations where standard cabin pet tickets are restricted or unavailable. Because the list and its exceptions can change, check the official United page for the exact origin, destination, and direction of travel rather than relying on an old country list.
Returning to the United States With a Dog
Every dog entering or returning to the United States must meet current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requirements. At minimum, a dog must be at least six months old, appear healthy, have a microchip detectable by a universal scanner, and have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt.
Dogs that have been in a country considered high-risk for dog rabies during the previous six months may need additional rabies-vaccination forms, government endorsements, laboratory results, or a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility. Review the CDC dog-import requirements before leaving the United States because some return documents must be completed before departure.
A pet may satisfy United’s cabin rules and still be refused entry by the destination country. Airline approval and government import approval are separate requirements.
Tips for a Safer and Easier Flight
- Practice with the carrier. Build up the amount of time your pet spends inside it before travel day.
- Schedule a veterinary visit. Discuss your pet’s health, anxiety, medications, vaccinations, and destination documents.
- Choose a simple itinerary. A nonstop flight reduces transfers, airport time, and the risk of a missed pet reservation after rebooking.
- Pack absorbent liners. Carry a spare liner, waste bags, cleaning wipes, a leash, any medication, and a collapsible water bowl.
- Use secure identification. Make sure the collar tag and microchip registration contain current contact information.
- Locate pet-relief areas. Check the departure, connection, and arrival airports before leaving home.
- Protect documents. Carry paper and digital copies of vaccination records, permits, certificates, forms, and reservation confirmations.
- Follow veterinary feeding advice. Avoid a sudden diet change and ask your veterinarian how food and water should be managed for your pet’s age and health.
Warning: Do not give a pet a sedative or tranquilizer for the flight unless a veterinarian who knows the animal has specifically directed you to do so. Sedation can affect breathing, circulation, balance, and temperature regulation.
Delays, Cancellations, and Connections
If United changes or cancels the flight, confirm that the pet reservation has also moved to the new itinerary. Pet capacity may be full on the replacement flight even when a passenger seat is available.
During a long delay, tell a United agent that you are traveling with an animal and ask about the nearest pet-relief area. Keep the pet secure and monitor its breathing, temperature, and behavior. If the animal becomes ill or appears unable to travel safely, seek veterinary help rather than continuing the trip.
For a partner-operated or codeshare segment, check the operating airline’s policy separately. United’s pet approval does not override another carrier’s animal rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
What pets does United Airlines allow in the cabin?
United currently sells standard in-cabin pet tickets only for cats and dogs. The animal must fit comfortably in a compliant carrier under the seat.
How much does United charge for a pet?
United’s current published fee is $150 each way per pet. Confirm the total shown for the complete itinerary when booking.
What size pet carrier does United allow?
The maximum hard-sided carrier size is 17.5 × 12 × 9 inches. The maximum soft-sided carrier size is 18 × 11 × 11 inches. The carrier must fit under the seat on the assigned aircraft.
Does United have a pet weight or breed limit?
United does not publish a general weight or breed limit for standard cabin pets. The animal must fit safely and comfortably in the compliant under-seat carrier.
Can one passenger bring two pets?
On most eligible flights, a passenger may bring up to two pets. The passenger must purchase two adjacent seats so that each pet carrier has an under-seat space.
Can pets fly as checked baggage on United?
No. United does not offer ordinary checked-baggage pet transportation. Standard pets must qualify for in-cabin travel.
Does United transport pets in cargo?
Cargo transportation is limited to certain active-duty military and State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling under qualifying relocation orders. It is not a general-public service.
Does United require a health certificate for a pet?
Not for every itinerary. Domestic requirements are set by the destination state or territory. International destinations commonly require veterinary documents, and United may request documents for specific routes.
Can an emotional support animal fly for free?
No. Emotional support animals are treated as standard pets unless a dog is individually trained to perform a disability-related task and qualifies as a service dog.
What paperwork is required for a service dog?
United may require the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form. For a flight lasting eight hours or more, it may also require the DOT Service Animal Relief Attestation Form.
What happens to the pet carrier at TSA security?
Remove the pet from the carrier and place the empty carrier through the X-ray machine. Maintain control of the animal, and request a private screening if needed. Never place the pet in the X-ray tunnel.
Can a pet travel internationally on every United route?
No. United restricts cabin pets on numerous international and territorial routes. The pet must also satisfy the destination, transit, and U.S. return requirements.
Sources
- United Airlines — Traveling with pets — eligible animals, current fee, booking, age limits, carrier dimensions, passenger limits, and cargo exceptions.
- United Airlines — Service animals — United’s service-dog requirements and forms.
- U.S. Department of Transportation — Service Animals — federal service-animal definition, documentation, behavior, and cabin rules.
- USDA APHIS — Travel With a Pet — domestic and international veterinary-document guidance.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Bringing a Dog into the United States — age, microchip, health, form, and rabies-risk requirements.
- Transportation Security Administration — Small Pets — security-checkpoint screening procedure.
