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Flying with pets? New Iata rules make air travel easier for your furry friends
The International Air Transport Association has released new guidelines to standardize pet transport in cabins. Learn what this means for your next trip with your cat or dog
- PUBLISHED: Wed 15 Jul 2026, 4:40 PM
The International Air Transport Association (Iata) on Wednesday released its new set of global operational guidelines for transporting pets in aircraft cabins to end the patchwork of inconsistent rules passengers currently face when flying with cats and dogs.
The move comes as airlines worldwide report rising numbers of passengers travelling with pets, prompting Iata to standardise procedures across booking, check-in, security, boarding, in-flight handling, transit and arrival.
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The guidelines were drawn up jointly by Iata's Live Animals and Perishables Board, its In-Cabin Pet Transport Focus Unit, the Live Animals Working Group, the Cargo Handling Council, and its Ground Operations and Accessibility working groups.
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Under the new framework, cats and dogs can travel in the cabin provided they meet Iata's Container Requirement 1 (CR1) standard, which mandates enough room for an animal to stand, sit, lie down and turn around inside its carrier. Reservations will generally need to be made 48 to 72 hours ahead of departure, with health certificates, vaccination records and airline forms submitted in advance.
A new booking code – PETC, for “Pet in Cabin” – is being formalised industry-wide, though Iata warned that many third-party travel agents and metasearch sites still don’t support pet bookings, meaning passengers may need to contact airlines directly.
Stricter checks
Check-in staff will be required to run pets through a formal acceptance checklist, verifying documentation, age, species and the animal’s condition before clearing it to fly.
Sedated pets will need a vet-issued Record of Administration. Crucially, the guidelines state boarding “must” be denied if a container fails to meet standards or an animal appears unwell or distressed – language that leaves airlines little room for discretion.
At the gate, agents must confirm containers fit safely under the seat or are moved to an alternative approved stowage spot. Cabin crew will now receive a full passenger list of pet travellers before boarding, allowing them to plan seating and flag welfare or allergy issues early.
Onboard and on arrival
Pets must stay inside their containers for the entire flight, especially during take-off, landing and turbulence. During layovers, Iata is pushing airlines to tell passengers upfront whether pet relief areas exist at connecting airports – access varies hugely, and some airports have none at all.
On landing, pets must remain caged until cleared by customs or veterinary officials, with owners required to carry pet passports, permits and health paperwork. Airlines have also been told to prepare contingency plans for the rare cases where a pet is refused entry at the border.
Delays and diversions covered too
The guidelines extend to disruption scenarios – flight delays, cancellations, diversions – instructing airlines to notify pet-travelling passengers early and coordinate with airport and veterinary authorities if animals face extended confinement.
Separately, Iata distinguished the new pet rules from its parallel Guidance on Service Dogs, noting that service animals remain entitled to fly free in the cabin under existing accessibility rules, while emotional support animals – not universally recognised – may still be treated as ordinary pets depending on the airline and destination country.
Iata said the guidelines don’t override individual airline policy but are meant to reduce confusion, cut service disputes, and protect on-time performance as pet travel becomes more common. The association has invited industry feedback via its Secretariat as it looks to refine the framework.
