Flying with a dog from New York to Europe

Cabin and hold options from JFK and Newark to Europe with a dog, airline by airline, with the CDC rules for the return.

The route in one picture

From JFK and Newark the European carriers offer the widest verified choice: Air France to Paris, KLM to Amsterdam, Lufthansa to Frankfurt and Munich, SWISS to Zurich, ITA to Rome and Milan, Iberia to Madrid, TAP to Lisbon. In the cabin every one of them applies the same ceiling: 8 kg including the carrier. Above that, the hold takes up to 75 kg with most — TAP stops at 45 kg — and snub-nosed breeds are barred from the hold everywhere.

For the return, the CDC Dog Import Form and the 6-month minimum age apply. SWISS accepts dogs back into the USA via New York JFK and Newark among its permitted airports, which makes the round trip simpler than with carriers whose US gateways exclude New York.

Verified airlines on these routes

Airlines from our database flying the relevant airports and accepting pets in the cabin, ranked by permitted weight, carrier included.

• Air Canada — up to 10 kg with the carrier, solo trasportino morbido, sotto il sedile, hold up to 45 kg
• 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, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines, ANA, Icelandair, Cathay Pacific, Aer Lingus.

Frequently asked questions

• Which airlines take dogs in the cabin from JFK to Europe?
  Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, SWISS, ITA Airways, Iberia and TAP, all with an 8 kg limit including the carrier. Pet spaces per flight are limited and must be confirmed before buying the ticket.
• Can my French bulldog fly from New York to Europe?
  In the cabin yes, if it stays within 8 kg including the carrier. Snub-nosed breeds are barred from the hold by every carrier verified, so above the cabin limit the only route is specialist cargo.
• What does the return to the USA require?
  The CDC Dog Import Form completed before travel, a microchip and a minimum age of 6 months. Check your airline's accepted US entry airports: SWISS, for example, includes New York JFK and Newark.
• Do I need to book the pet space in advance from New York to Europe?
  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.