Delta Air Lines flying with pets

What is Delta’s policy on pet acceptance?

Delta Airlines accepts pets to travel in the passenger cabin, or shipped separately, as cargo.

What pets are allowed in the passenger cabin?

Delta Airlines accepts dogs, cats, and household birds to travel in the passenger cabin on domestic flights. Household birds are accepted only on continental US flights (not accepted on flights to/from Hawaii and US territories).

On international flights, Delta accepts in the passenger cabin only dogs and cats.

Effective March 1, 2016, Delta no longer accepts pets as checked baggage with the following exceptions:

• Pets for active members of the US military and the Foreign Service of the State Department and their spouses with active transfer orders.
• Service animals that comply with federal regulations including proper documentation.

All other animals must be shipped as cargo through Delta Cargo.

What responsibilities do I have?

You must make advance arrangements for your pet by calling Delta’s designated phone numbers. When making the call, do not forget that Delta accepts pets on a first come, first served basis!

Delta requires a health certificate only for pets shipped as cargo. Delta does not require a health certificate for pets traveling in the passengers cabin. However, a health certificate, issued by a licensed veterinarian within 10 days of transport, may be required in some destination states.

You must supply your own pet carrier (kennel), ensuring that the container meets all governmental requirements for the safe and humane transportation of the animal being transported. The appropriate size of the kennel depends on the flight, and you must call Delta Reservation for information.

Carry-on Pets

The conditions of acceptance of pets in the passenger cabin set by Delta Airlines are the following:

• Only one pet per passenger is accepted.
• Your pet must be at least 10 weeks old for domestic travel, 15 weeks old for European Union travel, and 16 weeks old for travel to the U.S. from other countries.
• Your pet must easily fit into a kennel that will be stored underneath the seat in front of you.
• Your pet must remain in the kennel at all times on board the aircraft, in the lounge or boarding gate areas.
• Only one pet per kennel is accepted, with the exception of one female cat or dog traveling with her un-weaned litters if the litters are between 10 weeks and 6 months of age.
• Two pets may travel in one kennel if they are between the age of 10 weeks and 6 months, of the same species and size, compatible and small enough to fit comfortably; they will be charged as one pet.

Restrictions

Pets will not be accepted in the passengers cabin on Delta flights:

• To Hawaii.
• To/from South Africa, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom (with the exception of service animals).
• To/from Australia, Barbados, Dakar, Dubai, Iceland, Jamaica, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, United Arab Emirates.

Depending on class, route, and aircraft, the following restrictions apply:

• On domestic flights, Delta limits the maximum number of pets to 2 in First Class, 2 in Business Class or Delta One, and 4 in Main Cabin. However, pets are not allowed in First Class, Business Class or Delta One if the cabin is equipped with flat-bed seats.
• On international flights, maximum 4 pets in the passenger cabin are allowed only in the Main Cabin. Pets are not accepted in First Class, Business Class, Delta One, or Delta Premium Select on any international segment, regardless of aircraft type due to insufficient space.
• On board, passengers traveling with pets are not permitted to occupy the following seats: bulkhead seats, emergency exit row seats, seats designated as “no stowage”, rows 30-35 on the Airbus A330 200 aircraft, rows 30-43 on the Airbus A330 300 aircraft, center seats on the Boeing B757 200 aircraft.

Fees

All pets traveling in the passenger cabin are accepted in lieu of one piece of carry-on baggage. Delta Airlines charges the following one-way fees, payable at check-in:

• 125 USD/CAD for flights to/from U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico.
• 200 USD/CAD/EUR for international and U.S. Virgin Islands flights.
• 75 USD for flights to/from Brazil.

Service Animals

Only trained Service Animals are accepted in the passenger cabin free of charge. Trained Service Animals are defined as only dogs, regardless of breed, specifically trained to assist a person with a disability. Customers may travel with up to two trained Service Animals.

Delta no longer accepts Emotional Support Animals in the passenger cabin free of charge.

Delta requires advanced notice and submission of the U.S. DOT Service Animal Air Travel Form attesting to the animal’s health, training and behavior.

More information here >>