Pet Air Cargo Specialists

Airline Cargo Booking for Pets -- Done Right, Before Travel Day

Booking airline cargo for a pet is not like booking a passenger ticket. You need to know which airlines still accept live animals on your specific route, whether your pet's breed is permitted, whether the season creates embargo restrictions, whether the crate meets that carrier's exact specifications, and how the cargo documentation connects to your destination's import requirements.

Get any of these wrong and your pet could be refused at check-in -- or worse, delayed with no backup plan. The Pet Porters manages every piece of airline cargo coordination so that does not happen.

We work with the airlines that still operate compliant live animal programs, know their specific routing requirements, and book cargo space directly -- not through third parties that do not specialize in live animals.

Request Airline Cargo Booking Assistance
What We Handle for You
  • Airline selection -- domestic & international routes
  • Breed eligibility verification
  • Seasonal embargo & temperature planning
  • Live animal cargo space reservation
  • IATA crate sizing & compliance review
  • Crate labeling & feeding instruction setup
  • Air waybill & cargo documentation prep
  • Connection routing & layover planning
  • Travel day check-in guidance
Important: The Airline Pet Cargo Landscape Has Changed Significantly

Over the past several years, many major U.S. airlines have significantly restricted or permanently suspended their live animal cargo programs. Delta Cargo, United PetSafe, and others have reduced or eliminated the routes and conditions under which they accept pets as cargo. What was available two years ago may not be available today -- and what appears available on an airline's website may not reflect current operational policy.

This is exactly why working with a specialist matters. We know which airlines actively operate compliant live animal programs on your specific route, which ones to avoid, and how to find the best available option for your pet's size, breed, and destination.

What We Manage

The Four Variables That Determine a Safe Pet Cargo Booking

Every pet cargo booking involves four interdependent factors. Getting all four right simultaneously is what separates a successful booking from a travel day disaster.

Airline Selection & Route Planning

Not every airline accepts live animal cargo, and those that do have route-specific restrictions. We identify which carriers operate live animal programs on your specific origin-destination pair, compare their policies, and select the safest available option -- including direct vs. connecting routing and layover duration.

For international moves, we also coordinate the cargo schedule with your destination's import permit requirements and quarantine facility operating hours.

Breed & Size Eligibility

Many airlines restrict or outright ban brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds from cargo due to respiratory risk during temperature and pressure changes. Affected breeds include English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Pugs, Boston Terriers, Boxers, Persian cats, and others.

We research breed eligibility before any booking is made. If your pet's breed is restricted on your preferred airline, we identify compliant alternatives -- or advise on whether ground transport is the safer option.

Temperature Embargoes Most Common Booking Risk

Airlines suspend live animal cargo when ground temperatures at origin, destination, or connection airports fall below approximately 20°F or exceed approximately 85°F. These embargoes are enforced at check-in -- meaning a pet can be refused after you arrive at the airport with no recourse.

We plan all cargo bookings around seasonal temperature windows, monitor forecasts leading up to travel day, and build contingency options so a weather-related embargo does not derail your pet's move entirely.

Crate Compliance & Cargo Documentation

Every airline has specific IATA crate size requirements, ventilation standards, and labeling rules. We verify your pet's crate meets the exact specifications for your airline -- not just the IATA minimum standard, but the carrier's own additional requirements.

We also prepare all cargo documentation: the air waybill, live animal checklist, feeding and watering instructions, and the documentation packet that travels with your pet. These must be correctly completed or the shipment can be refused at check-in.

Domestic & International

Airline Cargo Booking for Domestic and International Routes

Domestic Pet Air Cargo

For domestic moves where driving is not practical and the pet is too large for in-cabin travel, airline cargo is typically the fastest and most direct option. We handle the full booking process for U.S. routes including Alaska and Hawaii.

  • All U.S. routes including Alaska & Hawaii
  • Same-airline booking coordinated with owner's flight
  • Hawaii DAR program documentation coordination
  • Embargo monitoring for summer and winter travel
  • Military PCS domestic routing support
International Pet Air Cargo

International cargo bookings involve additional complexity -- coordinating with destination import requirements, transit hub handling, and in some cases connecting flights through animal-handling facilities. We manage the full international booking process including documentation alignment.

  • Global airline partner network
  • Transit hub & connection planning
  • Import permit timeline coordination
  • USDA APHIS documentation alignment
  • OCONUS military assignment routing

Common Questions

Airline Pet Cargo FAQ

The live animal cargo landscape changes frequently. As of our most recent review, airlines with active live animal programs include American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and select international carriers. Delta and United have significantly restricted their programs. We verify current availability on your specific route before making any booking -- what was available six months ago may not be today.
Most airlines ban brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds from cargo due to respiratory risk. This includes English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Pugs, Boston Terriers, Boxers, Shih Tzus, and Persian cats among others. If your pet is a restricted breed, we will advise on whether any compliant airline option exists for your route, or whether ground transport is the safer and only viable alternative.
Temperature embargoes can be issued with very little notice. We monitor forecasts leading up to your pet's travel date and have contingency plans in place -- including rebooking on different dates, rerouting through airports with better temperature windows, or shifting to ground transport if necessary. We do not leave families without a backup option.
In many cases yes -- and we coordinate the timing so your pet's cargo booking aligns with your passenger itinerary when possible. Some airlines offer this as "checked baggage" cargo for pets on the same flight. However, this is not always possible depending on your route, airline, or pet's breed. We confirm what is available and advise accordingly.
Crates must be IATA-compliant hard-sided kennels, large enough for your pet to stand, turn around, and lie down. They must have secure locking mechanisms, ventilation on at least three sides, and water dishes accessible from outside. We verify your specific crate meets the airline's requirements -- or advise on what to purchase if your current crate is not compliant. See our dedicated Pet Crate Fitting service for full crate compliance support.

Related Services

Often Needed Alongside Cargo Booking

Pet Crate Fitting

IATA crate sizing and airline compliance verification so your kennel is accepted without issue on travel day.
Documentation Assistance

Health certificates, USDA APHIS endorsements, and import permits coordinated alongside your cargo booking.
Ground Transportation

If your pet's breed, size, or the season rules out air cargo, door-to-door ground transport is the safe alternative.

Ready to Book Airline Cargo for Your Pet?

Tell us your pet's breed, weight, origin, destination, and target travel date. We will verify eligibility, identify the safest airline and routing, and manage the full cargo booking process -- including embargo monitoring right up to travel day.