These International Airlines Accept Pets
Several years ago, I drove my dog from California to North Carolina for Christmas. I had originally planned to fly during our month-long visit, but my 22lb dog was too heavy to legally fly under my seat in his carrier, and I didn’t want to fly with him as a load. So: #FatTucker and I went on a cross-country ride.
Flying with pets is difficult. If you have a non-tiny dog or large feline, then you must either agree to have him or she take the load (which can be dangerous and stressful for your furry friend), or make them fly as a service animal. (Note: There is a special place in hell for people who lie about their pets just to get them on board. Don’t do that.)
If you are a parent of a pet and want to fly internationally with your furry friend, Comparethemarket recently compiled data from international airlines on their pet policies and compiled a list of the best and worst options.
Keep in mind that you can’t just hop on a plane with your pet and fly to any country you want. Long before you travel, you will want to know what the laws might be for that particular country. Some will let your furry friend in if they have certifications for certain vaccinations, while others may require a quarantine period or not let your pet in at all.
However, according to the report, these are the airlines with the best pet policies based on cost and whether pets are allowed in the cabin (for safety reasons, you want them to be in the cabin whenever possible):
- French airlines
- British airways
- Lufthansa
- TUI
- Thomas Cook
- Turkish Airlines
- Aegean Airlines
- Aeroflot
- Air Europe
- Vueling
And these are the ones with the worst, in part because they usually don’t let their fur friends fly:
- EasyJet
- Emirates
- Flybe
- Ryanair
- Balkan holidays
If you are planning an international trip and already know that your pet can legally fly, then you can start your flight search with the “best” options so you know that both you and your furry best friend will arrive safe and sound. Comparethemarket has a lot more information about each airline and its requirements, as well as the cost of your pet’s travel on each one.
And if you do decide to book an international travel with your pet, be sure to contact the airline before the day of travel, ideally when you book your flight. Even if your pet meets all the requirements, on flights it is often only allowed to be on the plane with a certain number of animals and to sit only in certain places (provided that your friend is flying in the cabin of the plane). Make sure you’re ready to leave as early as possible so that you don’t have any unexpected surprises while on vacation.