Founded in 1925, Delta Air Lines is one of the oldest airlines in the world and, along with its subsidiaries and regional affiliates, including Delta Connection, now offers over 4,400 daily flights to more than 275 destinations in 50 countries. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta is one of the leading domestic and international air travel companies in the United States. The airline welcomes dogs and cats to travel with you in the cabin or to be shipped as cargo on a limited first-come, first-serve basis.
If you’re planning to fly with your pet on Delta Air Lines, here are some important up-to-date policies you’ll need to know. Being prepared and knowing what to expect can help you and Fido have a seamless journey.
The Booking Process
Pets traveling as carry-on with Delta Air Lines must be booked over the phone. When planning to travel with a small dog, cat or household bird, you’ll need to first verify that the flight you’re taking allows pets, and then book your own flight. Once your booking is confirmed, call Delta Reservations at 800-221-1212 and ask for the CRO Desk to add your pet to your reservation. The airline representative will ask for your pet’s name, breed and weight. You’ll also need to have your carrier dimensions (length, width and height) ready when contacting Delta to book your pet’s flight.
Only six pets (two carriers in the first class cabin and four carriers in the main cabin) are allowed on board each Delta Air Lines flight, so be sure to book your travel as early as possible to guarantee your furry friend a spot. Space is also limited in Delta’s special shipping service Delta Cargo, so it’s important to contact reservations no earlier than 14 days and at least 48 hours prior to departure to notify them that you are flying with a pet. You’ll pay the additional pet fee when you arrive at the airport to check in for your flight.
Carrier
Pets must be able to stand up, turn around and lie down in a natural position in their carrier/kennels (without touching or protruding from the sides of the carrier).
Non-collapsible carriers can’t exceed the under-seat dimensions of any aircraft included in your journey.
Soft-sided collapsible carriers can be slightly larger but still need to fit under the seat in front of you without having to excessively collapse the carrier.
Soft- or hard-sided kennels must be leak-proof and have ventilation openings on three sides (four sides for international travel).
Pets traveling Delta Cargo should be secured in a hard-sided, leak- and escape-proof plastic kennel with plenty of ventilation, absorbent and comfortable bedding, and food and water dishes attached to the interior door.
Your pet must remain inside its carrier (with door secured) while in a Delta boarding area (during boarding and deplaning), a Delta airport lounge and while on board the aircraft.
Check-In
Because you can't pay the pet fee in advance, you won’t be able to check in to your flight more than four hours prior to departure. Plan to reach the airport with plenty of time, especially if you need to check your pet into cargo. Delta Air Lines suggests arriving at least two hours but no more than four hours before your scheduled flight if you’re traveling with your pet. This will give you plenty of time to find a pet relief area at the airport.
When you arrive at the airport, you will need to head to the Delta Special Service Counter to check in with your pet. At check-in, a Delta agent will ensure your pet and carrier/kennel meet the necessary requirements for your trip and collect the required one-way pet fee. Remember to allow extra time at check-in to ensure your pet is ready for take-off.
Once you and your pet are checked in and have your cabin pet tag, you are ready to go to the security checkpoint. At the checkpoint, you will need to take your pet out of its carrier. Your pet must remain in the carrier in the airport apart from at the security checkpoint and designated relief areas.
Save time and stress at the airport by creating your pet profile on BringFido’s website or mobile app for iOS or Android. You can upload your pup’s health records for one-touch access whenever you need them.
Delta Air Lines’ Pet Policy
Depending on the animals' breed, size and requirements, pets can travel in a carrier in the cabin or be shipped in cargo. Only pets of active-duty U.S. military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling on official orders are accepted as checked baggage for an additional fee. With the exception of trained service animals, only cats, dogs and small domestic birds are permitted on board.
Carry-On Pets
Pets are welcome to fly with you in the cabin if they are at least 10 weeks old when traveling within the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Your pet must be 16 weeks old if traveling to the U.S. from another country and must be at least 15 weeks old when traveling to the European Union. Pets-in-cabin carriers/kennels will count as your one carry-on item. They must be small enough to fit comfortably in a small, ventilated pet carrier that fits under the seat in front of you. One pet is permitted per kennel with the following exceptions:
A female cat or dog may travel with her un-weaned litter if the litter is between 10 weeks to 6 months of age. There is no limit on the number of animals in the litter.
Two young pets of the same breed and size between the ages of 10 weeks and 6 months may be allowed totravel in one kennel as long as they are small enough to fit into a single kennel and are compatible and will be charged as one pet.
For travel to Hawaii, pets are not permitted to travel in the cabin and other restrictions may apply. It is the owner’s responsibility to check pet travel restrictions based on your destination or connecting flights. For any travel to or from the following destinations, pets are not allowed to travel as carry-on in the cabin and must be shipped as cargo:
- Australia
- Barbados
- Brazil - Exit Brazil
- Colombia - Exit Colombia
- Dubai
- Hong Kong
- Iceland
- Jamaica
- New Zealand
- Republic of Ireland
- South Africa
- United Kingdom
- United Arab Emirates
The fee for carrying on a pet in the cabin is $95 each way for flights to or from the U.S., Canada, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. The fee for carrying on a pet in the cabin is $125 for international flights and $75 for Brazil. There is no charge for service animals.
Pets in Cargo
Delta Air Lines does not accept pets as checked baggage. Pets that do not meet the size requirements to fly in the cabin can be shipped by Delta Cargo. A pet shipped domestically via Delta Cargo cannot be booked until 14 days before departure. Pets are not guaranteed to be shipped on a customer’s same flight or flight schedule. Shipping a pet requires dropping it off at a Delta Cargo location at least three hours before departure time at a location separate from passenger check-in. Pets must be picked up after a flight at a Delta Cargo location as well. Delta requires international customers to use a pet shipper approved by the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association.
Pet owners will also need to provide the animal’s health certificate, which must be issued by a vet within 10 days of the pet’s travel/shipment with Delta Cargo.
Brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dogs and cats and their mixes are not permitted on Delta or Delta Connection flights. See Delta Cargo for a full list of restricted dog and cat breeds.
To keep pets safe, Delta Cargo observes seasonal restrictions on pet travel. For your pet’s safety, they won’t ship pets in times of extreme weather. This includes if the temperature exceeds 80˚F (27˚C) or if the temperature falls below 20˚F (-7˚C) while the animal is on the ground at any point during transport. A Certificate of Acclimation is required when temperatures fall between 20˚F (-7˚C) and 45˚F (7˚C).
All pet owners traveling in cargo must sign a live animal checklist at check-in confirming that the pet has been offered food and water within four hours of check-in. They must also provide all feeding and watering instructions for a 24-hour period. And, if in-transit feeding is necessary, the pet’s food must be provided by the owner.
The fee for transporting pets via Delta Cargo varies depending on weight and the destination and will be confirmed at the time of your booking.
Pertaining to all airlines, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a temporary suspension of dogs (carry-on or checked), including fully-trained service dogs, traveling to the U.S. from a country considered high-risk for dog rabies.
For more information about Delta Air Lines’ pet policy, restrictions and guidelines, check our Delta Air Lines travel page. For flights outside of the U.S., visit our International Pet Travel Page for information on restrictions and documentation.