What to Know Before Flying American With Pet Cargo

American ranks among the most pet-friendly airlines, but there are restrictions and fees to consider.
Josh Garber
By Josh Garber 
Updated
Edited by Meg Lee

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.

Whether it’s introducing your furry friend to your family or getting to explore hiking and beaches with your pet in a new destination, traveling with your pet can add to your travel experience.

If you’re considering flying with your pet on American Airlines, here's what you need to know about their pet cargo policies.

American Airlines’ pet policies

The first step to booking your pet cargo with American is understanding its pet cargo policies. This includes knowing what animals you can bring, the extra costs involved, how to book pet cargo and the differences when flying domestically and internationally. Understanding these policies in advance can help you avoid the hassle when you’re ready to fly.

Restricted types of pets and breeds

American Airlines has a number of restricted pets and breeds, which can depend on the destination. While you’ll want to research to ensure that American Airlines will allow the transport of your pet before you fly, no matter where you’re flying, note that American Airlines does not transport:

  • Skunks or other odor-producing animals.

  • Venomous or poisonous snakes, lizards, invertebrates or amphibians.

While you are allowed to travel with more common pets, such as cats and dogs, American Airlines does have restrictions on the breeds you can travel with.

The following dog breeds are not accepted for travel on American:

  • Affenpinscher.

  • American Bully.

  • American Staffordshire Terrier.

  • Boston Terrier.

  • Boxer (All breeds).

  • Brussels Griffon.

  • Bulldog (All breeds).

  • Cane Corso.

  • Chow Chow.

  • Dogue De Bordeaux.

  • English Toy Spaniel.

  • Japanese Chin.

  • Lhasa Apso.

  • Mastiff (All breeds).

  • Pekingese.

  • Pit Bull.

  • Presa Canario.

  • Pug (All breeds).

  • Shar Pei.

  • Shih Tzu.

  • Staffordshire Terrier.

  • Tibetan Spaniel.

The following cat breeds are not accepted for travel on American:

  • Burmese.

  • Exotic Shorthair.

  • Himalayan.

  • Persian.

If you’re not sure about whether American Airlines will allow your pet cargo, be sure to contact the airline by emailing them at [email protected].

Temperature matters

Before you travel, make sure to check the weather. Why? Because you cannot travel with a pet if the forecasted temperature is going to be 85 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, or if the temperature is 45 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. However, you may be able to waive this cold weather restriction with a letter from a licensed vet. Regardless of waivers and documentation, animals may not travel under any circumstances if the temperature is below 20 F at any spot on the itinerary.

Given the restrictions on bringing pet cargo when it’s 85 F or warmer, American Airlines does not allow pet cargo flying to/from the following cities between May 1 and Sept. 30:

  • Las Vegas.

  • Palm Springs, California.

  • Phoenix.

  • Tucson, Arizona.

Rack up miles or enjoy lounge privileges with our favorite American Airlines cards
Check out our nerdy picks for the best American Airlines credit cards and find the right card for you.

Pet cargo costs extra money (except for service animals)

The cost of pet cargo varies by region and can be confirmed at the time of booking, although service animals can be transported for no fee. Active members of the military receive a 50% discount on their pet cargo fees.

If you’re curious how much it will cost to bring your pet, American Airlines has a helpful rate calculator, too. You can use the calculator for pets flying within the United States that weigh less than 100 pounds and are smaller than 90 linear inches (which is the sum of your pet’s height, width and length).

There are differences flying pets internationally versus domestically

If you’re flying domestically within the continental U.S., Puerto Rico or into Hawaii, your pet will be flying as Priority Parcel Service as long as:

  • Your pet is under 100 pounds.

  • Your pet’s kennel is no larger than 36 inches long, 26 inches wide and 28 inches high.

If you’re flying internationally, out of Hawaii or your pet exceeds the weight and container restrictions for PPS, your pet will fly ExpediteFS.

ExpediteFS and PPS have different rates, so it’s important you know which your pet will be flying before you book.

Pet cargo requires its own booking

You’ll need to book your pet cargo separately from your own booking, and there are two ways to book your pet cargo:

  • Up to 10 days prior to departure. You can book your pet using the following website: aacargo.com/AACargo/ua/forms/pet.

  • Less than 10 days prior to departure. Call American Airlines at 800-227-4622.

Most pet-friendly airlines

In our most recent analysis on flying with pets, we ranked the major U.S. airlines on various factors including fees, types of animals allowed, whether you can bring pets in cargo and number of pets allowed per passenger, among other facrtors.

Here's how they stacked up:

American Airlines pet cargo, recapped

If you plan on flying with your pet with American Airlines, you should be sure to research all the specific requirements — including pet, breed and temperature restrictions — before booking a flight for yourself and your pet on the airline. Note that, except for service animals, you will need to pay a fee for your pet and that the fee can vary based on where you’re flying, the size of your pet and your active military status.


How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:

Cards for American Airlines from our Partners
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

on Capital One's website

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
4.7
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

2x-5x

Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

Miles

Intro offer

75,000

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Miles
Citibank Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ MasterCard® Credit Card

on Citibank's application

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
4.6
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1x

Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases.

Miles

Intro offer

70,000

Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

Miles
Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card

on Chase's website

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
5.0
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1x-5x

5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

Points

Intro offer

60,000

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

Points
See more cards
Get more smart money moves – straight to your inbox
Sign up and we’ll send you Nerdy articles about the money topics that matter most to you along with other ways to help you get more from your money.