Can a dog travel by plane? We reveal which airlines accept pets and where our dogs travel most often

A holiday trip for pet owners is often associated with a lot of stress. Should you take your dog or leave it where you are? If I leave, should I choose a hotel or ask my family? The problem also arises when we decide to move. In this article, we will focus on the possibility of taking your pet with us. We reveal which lines are the most animal-friendly. There will be a Polish carrier.

Rules for traveling with animals on LOT

The Polish carrier, compared to cheap, competitive airlines, offers the possibility of transporting pets on the same routes. “Traveling with dogs, cats and ferrets is allowed on board the LOT Polish Airlines fleet,” explains Marta Nowicka, spokesman for the LOT press office, in an interview with Wprost.pl.

According to the information posted on the airline’s website, there are three options for transporting animals: in the cabin in a container, in the hold or as cargo (in the case of commercial flights). The method of transporting the animal will depend on its size and weight. An airport employee shows exactly how animals travel in the luggage hold in a video on TikTok.

Hold travel is intended for pets that are too large to fit in the carrier on board the plane. Prices for transporting an animal over 8 kg in the hold start from PLN 280 on domestic routes, PLN 600 on short-haul routes around Europe and the Middle East, and PLN 1,200 on long-haul routes (North America and Asia). Pet transportation service can be ordered up to 12 hours before departure. Please note that the number of places for animals is limited.

A pet weighing up to 89 kg must travel on board an aircraft in a special bag or carrier and cannot leave it for the entire duration of the flight. The prices of such a service are lower than travel in the hold and amount to PLN 190, 280 and 465, respectively, in relation to the length of the route. During the flight, the carrier is located under the seat in front of us.

Pets fly most frequently on these routes

North America wins in the statistics of the national carrier. It is the planes flying on Atlantic routes that most often host passengers with animals on board. “Since the beginning of 2023, LOT passengers have taken over 11,500 animals on board, including 1,052 pets on the route to Toronto, 765 pets on flights to New York and 694 pets on flights to Chicago,” the PLL press office reports in an interview with Wprost.pl. FLIGHT. Among the European routes, the most popular are Paris, Barcelona and Milan.

Which European carriers allow pets?

In accordance with the information contained in the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 June 2013 on the non-commercial movement of pet animals within the European Union, dogs, cats, ferrets, invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles and birds may be taken on board an aircraft in Europe and other mammals (that are not intended for food production). Airlines that allow the transport of pets include: Lufthansa, AirFrance, Aegean Airlines, Eurowings, Iberia and Finnair. Transport (except for guide dogs) is refused by the largest European low-cost carriers: Ryanair, Wizz Air and easyJet.

Absolute record holders – these lines are the most animal-friendly

One airline that allows you to purchase an adjacent seat for your dog is Alaska Airlines. It is possible to purchase an adjacent seat, so you can transport two animals in two carriers in the cabin at the same time. During the flight, one is on the seat and the other is under the seat in front of us. Travel with animals is similar on another American airline, JetBlue. One of the most pet-friendly airlines in Asia is Etihad Airways, which also allows pets to be transported in the cabin on an adjacent seat.

The competition for the most animal-friendly airline is won by JSX, which on domestic flights in the United States offers the opportunity for a dog to fly in front of the seat without having to place it in a cage. This rule applies to larger dogs that do not fit in the carrier. During the flight, the animal must behave impeccably and be kept on a leash.