United Airlines
Flight Pet Policy
United Airlines Flight Pet Policy
FAQs
1. What is United Pet Policy?
The United Airlines Pet Policy is a sought-after policy that allows its commuters to take their pets with them on the flight. The pets are permitted to stay inside the passenger cabin or carried separately as cargo.
Here are some important facts to know about the United Airlines pet policy:
Things to Know About In-Cabin Pet Facility
- Only some particular animals are permitted to travel on United as well as United Express flights.
- Just cats and dogs can travel with United Airlines.
- These animals are permitted to stay in the cabin on all flights within the U.S. except Hawaii.
- Just service animals are allowed to travel if it is approaching the United Kingdom.
- No pets are allowed in the cabin for the flights heading to Guam, Austria, Hawaii, and all other countries that need pets to get entry as manifest cargo.
- Dubai, Lagos, and Nigeria do not offer any services for pets at all. On aircraft marked as Boeing 777, 767, 757, and 747, pets are restricted from first-class and business class owing to lack of space under the seat.
- The hard-sided pet carriers must be 44 x 30 x 19 cm in size, and soft-sided carriers must have a size of 46 x 28 x 28 cm.
- The carriers must be well-ventilated, waterproof, and completely secured with fasteners.
Things to Know About Pet Cargo or PetSafe Facility
- As per the United Airlines pet policy, if your pet doesn’t meet the guidelines to travel in the passenger cabin, you can transport them as cargo with the United PetSafe facility.
- Pets that are permitted to travel under PetSafe provision include Guinea pigs, dogs, cats, rabbits, household birds and hamsters.
- United Airlines banned the services to Lagos, Nigeria, and Dubai. Additionally, pets going to Australia can only make entry at Melbourne.
- The airline allows only 2 dogs or cats under 6 months to travel in the same carrier as long as they are of the same species and there’s enough space in the carrier.
To know more about transporting pets as Cargo, contact United Airlines pet cargo service at 1-800-575-3335.
2. Is it safe to ship my pet with United Cargo?
Yes. It is fully safe to ship your beloved pet with United Cargo. They have introduced a dedicated cargo service ‘PetSafe’ for the pets that cannot fly in the cabin. If you have any doubts regarding their cargo service, you can call 1-832-235-1541 to speak with the officials.
3. How much does it costs to reserve a pet?
As per the United Airlines Pet policy, the cost to reserve a pet in the passenger cabin is $125 each way. Please note that you are bound to pay an extra fee of $125 on all bookings that face layovers more than 4 hours in the United States or more than 24 hours outside of the U.S.
As far as the cost to reserve a pet as cargo is concerned, it varies from pet to pet. The cost is usually dependent on the combined weight of the kennel and the animal.
4. Does United Airlines allow pets in a cabin on international flights?
Under the United Airlines Pet Policy, only small pets like domesticated dogs and cats can travel in the passenger cabin on all flights within the U.S. (except Hawaii).
If it’s a flight to U.K. then only service animals are permitted in the cabin. Other than that, all pets are restricted to get in the cabin for all flights to Austria, Hawaii, Guam, and other countries that need pet entry as cargo. Dubai, Lagos, and Nigeria do not give any pet services. Furthermore, Boeing aircrafts 747, 757, 767, and 777 do not allow pets in the cabin of business & first-class flights owing to the space shortage under the seat.
5. How do I reserve a pet on a United flight?
As soon as you have confirmed your travel plans, you need to contact the United Customer Service team at 1-800-864-8331 to know about the booking guidelines. You can make reservation for your pet over the call.
6. What methods of transport does United Air Lines provide for my pet?
The United Airlines Pet policy offers you two methods to transport your pet that include:
- In-cabin pet transportation
- PetSafe or Cargo pet Service
To know more about both the methods, get in touch with the customer service department at 1-800-864-8331.
7. Does my pet qualify for travel in the passenger cabin?
As per the United Airlines pet policy, your pet should meet the following requirements to qualify for in-cabin travel:
- For domestic flights, kittens and puppies must be minimum 2 months old.
- For International flights, pets must be minimum 4 months old owing to the rabies vaccination.
- Only small pets such as cats, dogs, and rabbits are allowed in the cabin.
- Just one adult dog or cat is permitted in one kennel.
Pets must stay inside their carrier under the seat throughout the journey.
8. Does United limit the number of pets allowed in the cabin per flight?
Yes. The United Airlines Pet policy says that only 1 pet is allowed in one carrier in the passenger cabin per flight.
9. What are the pet carrier requirments at United airline?
Here are the pet carrier/kennel requirements at United Airlines. Make sure you meet them for convenient travelling with your furry friend.
Carrier Requirements for In-Cabin Pets
- The maximum size of the hard-sided carrier should be 17.5” (L) x 12” (W) x 7.5” inches (H).
The maximum size of the soft-sided carrier should be 18” (L) x 11” (W) x 11” inches (H).
- Kennels can be flexible or rigid.
- Carriers must feature a waterproof base, enough ventilation, and safe fasteners; usually zippers are preferred.
Carrier Requirements for Pets travelling as Cargo
- Crates of Series 700 and taller than 34 inches are not accepted by the airlines.
- Crates must be designed using metal, plastic, or wood.
Make sure your crate in less than 34” in height.
10. What health documentation is required?
As per the United Airlines Pet policy, when you are carrying your pet in the cabin, you must have their health certificate from either USDA or CFIA within 10 days of flying from either the U.S. or Canada. You will also need your pet’s rabies vaccination certificate which must be acquired within 30 days prior to your flight.
In the case of pet shipping with PetSafe, you will need all the health certificate (issued within 10 days of flight), rabies vaccination certificate (issues within 30 days of flight), Customer acknowledgement form signed by the owner of the pet, photo of the pet’s crate to verify it’s IATA-compliant, and a close-up photo of the pet for breed identification.
11. How old does my pet have to be to travel?
The United Airlines pet policy has posed age restrictions for pets to travel in the cabin and as cargo.
- For the in-cabin pets, the pets must be at least 2 months old for domestic flight and 4 months old for international flight.
For PetSafe Cargo pets, pets must be at least 10 weeks old for domestic flights. For international flights, rabies vaccination certificate no older than three months must be submitted. Kittens and puppies cannot travel internationally until 30 days post rabies vaccination certificate was acquired.
12. How many pets can fly in a single kennel?
When pets are travelling in the cabin, only single pet is allowed per kennel. And, when they are shipped as cargo, one pet is allowed in one carrier. However, two puppies or kittens of 6 months or less and same species can travel in a single kennel.
13. What Size will Pet Carrier Fit Under an Airline Seat United?
The United Airlines pet policy wants you to have either a hard-sided kennel of maximum size 17.5” (L) x 12” (W) x 7.5” (H) or a soft-sides kennel of maximum size 18” (L) x 11” (W) x 11” (H) for the in-cabin pets. If you are carrying a soft-sides kennel then it can exceed the mentioned size because of their collapsible nature. They can fit under the seat without causing any blockage to aisle.
14. Does United Have a Weight Limit for Pets?
Yes, the United Airlines has a weight limit for pets travelling as cargo. Pets of 2 lbs to 770 lbs (1 kg to 350 kg) can travel with PetSafe.
15. How can I Confirm the Reservation For My Pet?
Contact the customer service team by phone at 1-800-864-8331 to confirm the reservation for your pet under the United Airlines Pet policy.