Flying with a dog from London: airlines and rules

From London, 21 airlines in our database accept dogs and cats in the cabin, out of 33 flying the city. Their networks reach roughly 1040 destinations with your pet on board with you. Limits differ enough to decide whether your dog flies at all.

What to know before anything else

Here is the part most people get backwards: the UK pet rules that make headlines apply to entering Great Britain, not leaving it. Flying out of London with your dog in the cabin is allowed — the constraint is the airline's own policy, and the fact that British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air carry no pets at all. The problem starts when you plan the return: your dog cannot come back into Great Britain in the cabin, so the trip home needs cargo on an approved route, or Eurotunnel and ferry via France.

Airlines accepting pets in the cabin from London

Ranked by permitted weight, carrier included. The highest limit is not automatically the best choice: carrier dimensions and pet-space availability matter just as much.

• Air Canada — up to 10 kg with the carrier, solo trasportino morbido, sotto il sedile, hold up to 45 kg
• Vueling — up to 10 kg with the carrier, 45 x 39 x 21 cm, no hold option
• WestJet — up to 10 kg with the carrier, sotto il sedile, razze brachicefale ammesse, hold up to 75 kg
• Alaska Airlines — up to 9 kg with the carrier, 43 x 28 x 19/24 cm sotto il sedile, hold up to 45 kg
• American Airlines — up to 9 kg with the carrier, 46 x 28 x 28 cm (morbido), no hold option
• JetBlue — up to 9 kg with the carrier, sotto il sedile, programma JetPaws, no hold option
• United Airlines — up to 9 kg with the carrier, sotto il sedile, chiuso, no hold option
• Air France — up to 8 kg with the carrier, 46 x 28 x 24 cm (morbido), hold up to 75 kg
• Austrian Airlines — up to 8 kg with the carrier, 55 x 40 x 23 cm, hold up to 75 kg
• Delta — up to 8 kg with the carrier, 46 x 28 x 28 cm (morbido, consigliato), no hold option
• Etihad Airways — up to 8 kg with the carrier, 40 x 40 x 22 cm sotto il sedile (50 x 43 x 50 con posto extra), hold up to 75 kg
• Finnair — up to 8 kg with the carrier, sotto il sedile, hold up to 75 kg
• ITA Airways — up to 8 kg with the carrier, 55 x 40 x 23 cm (morbido), hold up to 75 kg
• Iberia — up to 8 kg with the carrier, 45 x 35 x 25 cm (somma 105 cm), hold up to 45 kg
• KLM — up to 8 kg with the carrier, 46 x 28 x 24 cm (morbido), hold up to 75 kg
• LATAM — up to 8 kg with the carrier, solo su voli operati LATAM, hold up to 75 kg
• Lufthansa — up to 8 kg with the carrier, 55 x 40 x 23 cm, hold up to 75 kg
• SAS Scandinavian Airlines — up to 8 kg with the carrier, 40 x 25 x 23 cm, hold up to 50 kg
• SWISS — up to 8 kg with the carrier, 55 x 40 x 23 cm, hold up to 75 kg
• TAP Air Portugal — up to 8 kg with the carrier, 45 x 30 x 23 cm (morbido), hold up to 45 kg
• Turkish Airlines — up to 8 kg with the carrier, 40 x 30 x 23 cm, hold up to 50 kg

They fly these routes but carry no pets on board: British Airways, Emirates, Qatar Airways, easyJet, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines, ANA, Icelandair, Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand, Aer Lingus.

Figures come from the Puppyonair database, updated against the airlines' official pages. Destination estimates are based on each airline's network and do not replace a search on your exact route.

At the airport: what actually happens

• Desk check-in. With a pet, online check-in is usually not enough: documents and carrier are checked at the desk. Allow at least an extra half hour.
• Security. The carrier goes through the X-ray empty: you take the animal out and carry it or walk it through. Have a well-fitted collar or harness ready.
• At the gate and on board. The pet stays in the carrier, which goes under the seat in front of you and cannot be opened for the whole flight.

Frequently asked questions

• Can my dog fly back to London in the cabin?
  No. Pets cannot enter Great Britain in the cabin with any airline: the return leg must use cargo on an approved route, or Eurotunnel and ferry from France. Plan the return before booking the outbound flight.
• Which airlines take dogs in the cabin from London?
  In our verified database, 21 airlines: Air Canada, Vueling, WestJet, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue, United Airlines, Air France. Weight and carrier limits differ between them.
• Do I need to book the pet space in advance from London?
  Yes, always. Pet spaces are limited per flight and separate from your ticket: add the pet as early as possible and confirm it before paying. A purchased ticket does not guarantee your pet boards.
• Does the weight limit include the carrier?
  Yes, with every airline verified except Air Europa, which sets two separate limits. Weigh pet and carrier together at home: a bag adds 800 g to 1.5 kg.