Traveling with your beloved dog or cat can be an exciting adventure, but ensuring their comfort and safety is paramount, especially when flying. Choosing the right pet carrier is arguably the most crucial step in preparing for air travel with your furry companion. The best airline acceptable pet carrier is not just about meeting airline regulations; it’s about providing a secure, comfortable, and stress-free environment for your pet while simplifying your travel experience.
An airline acceptable pet carrier is specifically designed to comfortably house your animal, eliminate travel-related hassles, and adhere to the size and material guidelines set by major airlines. To help you find the perfect carrier, we’ve rigorously tested and evaluated 15 popular airline-approved pet carriers, assessing them on key factors such as size, quality, comfort, portability, design, ease of cleaning, and overall value.
To provide expert insights, we consulted with two experienced veterinarians: Dr. Chyrle Bonk, a veterinarian associated with excitedcats.com, and Dr. Paola Cuevas, a veterinarian and behaviorist from petkeen.com. Their expertise offers valuable guidance on safely flying with your pet, whether in the cabin or as cargo.
Top Airline Acceptable Pet Carrier Picks
Best Overall:
Away The Pet Carrier at Away Travel $225
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Best for Cargo Travel:
Gunner G1 Kennel Intermediate at Gunner.com $550
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Best for Feline Friends:
Travel Cat The Transpurrter at Amazon $170
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Best Budget Hardside Option:
Petmate Aspen Pet Porter Dog Kennel at Amazon $105
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Best Expandable Carrier:
Petsfit Expandable Pet Carrier at Amazon $53
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Best Stylish Carrier:
Dagne Dover Kyoto Pet Carrier at Dagnedover.com
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Best Overall Airline Acceptable Pet Carrier
Away The Pet Carrier
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PHOTO: Away
Why We Love It: This comfortable, well-designed carrier is an excellent airline acceptable pet carrier that excels across all our evaluation criteria, and it boasts a stylish aesthetic.
Things to Consider: It is best suited for pets weighing 18 pounds or less.
The Away Pet Carrier mirrors the sophisticated design, streamlined functionality, and superior quality characteristic of Away’s renowned luggage collections. We were particularly impressed by the carrier’s dimensions, which strike a perfect balance: it’s easy to carry and fits comfortably under most airline seats, without compromising your pet’s comfort. The thoughtfully designed interior and exterior pockets are incredibly useful for storing essential items for both you and your pet. A standout feature is the waterproofed side pocket, complete with drainage holes, specifically designed for stowing collapsible water bowls.
Additional noteworthy features that enhance its status as an airline acceptable pet carrier include comprehensive water resistance for effortless cleaning, a trolley sleeve for seamless airport navigation, seat belt attachments for car travel safety, and breathable mesh sides combined with a retractable privacy screen. This screen offers anxious pets a sense of security without restricting airflow. The carrier also includes a removable sherpa bed, ensuring your pet remains cozy throughout the journey, with ample space to add a favorite blanket or toy for added familiarity.
Constructed from robust nylon and accented with chic black leather, this carrier is the epitome of pet travel sophistication—the “little black dress” of pet carriers. However, it’s important to note that it’s designed for pets weighing up to 18 pounds. If there’s one improvement we could suggest, it would be the availability of this exceptional carrier in more than one size option.
The Details: Dimensions: 18.7 x 10.8 x 10.75 inches | Weight: 4.3 pounds | Pet Size Limit: Up to 18 pounds | Material: Nylon and Leather
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PHOTO: Travel + Leisure / Alessandra Amodio
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PHOTO: Travel + Leisure / Anna Popp
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PHOTO: Travel + Leisure / Anna Popp
Best Airline Acceptable Pet Carrier for Cargo Hold
Gunner G1 Kennel Intermediate
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PHOTO: Gunner
Why We Love It: The Gunner G1 Kennel stands as the gold standard in hard-sided kennels, providing unparalleled safety and durability for cargo travel.
Things to Consider: This top-tier quality comes with a premium price.
The Gunner G1 Kennel is an exceptional hard-sided kennel, distinguished by its five-star crash safety rating from the Center for Pet Safety. Numerous accounts from pet owners involved in severe accidents attest to the life-saving protection offered by Gunner kennels. Its robust construction is evident: designed with double-wall rotomolding for enhanced impact resistance, ensuring your pet’s safety even in turbulent conditions. The kennel’s design incorporates a wider base for increased stability, preventing tipping, along with built-in tie-down rods for secure fastening. All-weather windows are another thoughtful feature, shielding your pet from harsh weather conditions encountered during airport loading and unloading.
Inside, pets enjoy comfort enhanced by the option to add a soft bed, while raised, non-slip feet minimize temperature transfer from both hot and cold surfaces. A point to consider is the weight of the larger sizes, which may pose handling challenges for a single person, particularly with a dog inside. Our evaluation included the large size, weighing 72 pounds when empty. However, the kennel is also available in small, medium, and intermediate sizes to accommodate various pet sizes.
The Details: Dimensions: 24.5 x 18.6 x 19 inches (small), 29.5 x 20.5 x 23.5 inches (medium), 34 x 23 x 28.5 (intermediate), 40.25 x 28 x 33.25 (large) | Weight: 27 pounds (small), 38 pounds (medium), 48 pounds (intermediate), 72 pounds (large) | Pet Size Limit: Up to 110 pounds for large size | Material: Rotomolded Plastic and Stainless Steel
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PHOTO: Travel + Leisure / Lisa Pezzuto
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PHOTO: Travel + Leisure / Lisa Pezzuto
Best Airline Acceptable Pet Carrier for Cats
Travel Cat The Transpurrter
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PHOTO: Amazon
$170 at Amazon View on Yourcatbackpack.com
Why We Love It: Packed with thoughtful design elements and offering five different carrying methods, the Travel Cat Transpurrter is a versatile and airline acceptable pet carrier for cats.
Things to Consider: The soft interior lining tends to attract and retain cat hair.
The Travel Cat “Transpurrter” Ultimate Calming Convertible Cat Carrier is a robust and durable option designed with cats and airline travel in mind. It offers an impressive five carrying configurations: over-the-shoulder, by side handles, using the trolley sleeve, as a crossbody, or as a backpack. One of the standout features we appreciated is the multiple access points, including openings at both ends and the top, plus a full side panel that unzips completely. This expandable side offers extra space for your cat while waiting at the gate. (We utilized the bungee tether to securely open the side, giving our cat more room without compromising security). The carrier also incorporates calming privacy flaps, two stretchy slip pockets, an organizational pocket, a slide-out lined basket, and scratch-resistant mesh on three sides. Having used this carrier on several flights, it has maintained a brand-new appearance, with the exception of the interior lining, which, inevitably, quickly accumulates cat hair.
The Details: Dimensions: 19 x 10.5 x 11 inches | Weight: 3.4 pounds | Pet Size Limit: Up to 30 pounds
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Travel + Leisure / Katherine Alex Beaven
Best Budget Hardside Airline Acceptable Pet Carrier
Petmate Aspen Pet Porter Dog Kennel
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PHOTO: Petmate
$105 at Amazon View on Cabelas.com View on Petmate.com
Why We Love It: This is a fundamental yet dependable crate-style kennel that satisfies FAA requirements for airline travel, making it a budget-friendly airline acceptable pet carrier.
Things to Consider: It lacks additional pockets or storage features; it’s a basic kennel without frills.
For travelers seeking a cost-effective yet reliable hard-sided airline acceptable pet carrier, the Petmate Aspen Pet Porter Dog Kennel is an excellent choice. While it doesn’t come with extra features, it provides a robust, heavy-duty plastic kennel that is approved for domestic air travel within the U.S. It offers ventilation on three sides, a secure stainless steel door with squeeze latches to prevent accidental openings during flights, and a spacious interior. The interior comfortably accommodates your pet along with food and water bowls, and potentially a favorite blanket or toy, depending on airline regulations. The darker-colored base is designed to tap into a dog or cat’s natural denning instincts, promoting relaxation. The kennel can be easily disassembled for storage or convenient transportation when not in use. While we noted the absence of storage compartments for documents or treats, this basic carrier fulfills all essential criteria for ensuring pet comfort and streamlined travel, making it a practical and airline acceptable pet carrier for budget-conscious pet owners.
The Details: Dimensions: 28 x 20.5 x 21.5 inches (small), 32 x 22.5 x 24 inches (medium), 36 x 25 x 27 inches (large), 40 x 27 x 30 (extra-large) | Weight: 9 pounds (small), 14 pounds (medium), 19 pounds (large), 24 pounds (extra-large) | Pet Size Limit: Up to 30 pounds (small), up to 50 pounds (medium), up to 70 pounds (large), up to 90 pounds (extra-large) | Material: Heavy-duty Plastic and Metal
Best Expandable Airline Acceptable Pet Carrier
Petsfit Expandable Pet Carrier
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PHOTO: Amazon
$53 at Amazon View on Petsfit.com $51 at Wayfair
Why We Love It: The Petsfit Expandable Pet Carrier offers removable fiber rods in the frame, providing extra flexibility for under-seat fitting, making it a highly practical airline acceptable pet carrier.
Things to Consider: The carry handles could benefit from additional padding for enhanced comfort.
The Petsfit Expandable Pet Carrier is innovatively designed with dual expandable, scratch-resistant mesh sides. This feature is invaluable for providing your pet with extra space during airport waits or layovers without fully removing them from the carrier. During our testing, we even utilized this feature in-flight, expanding the sides while the carrier was under the seat to give our pet slightly more room. The carrier is also collapsible, and the removable fiber rods in the top frame offer added flexibility for squeezing the carrier under tight airline seats. The carrier’s base is lined with a soft material, ensuring pet comfort. While lightweight and portable, we found the handles became uncomfortable after prolonged carrying (note: we tested without the detachable crossbody/shoulder strap). Padded handles would be a welcome improvement, but the added space this expandable airline acceptable pet carrier provides is a significant advantage.
The Details: Dimensions: 16 x 10 x 9 (small), 17 x 11 x 11 inches (medium), 19 x 12 x 12 inches (large) | Weight: 2.1 pounds (small), 2.5 pounds (medium), 3 pounds (large) | Pet Size Limit: Up to 9 pounds (small), up to 13 pounds (medium), up to 18 pounds (large) | Material: Polypropylene
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Travel + Leisure / JT Wilde
Best Stylish Airline Acceptable Pet Carrier
Dagne Dover Kyoto Pet Carrier
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PHOTO: Dagne Dover
Why We Love It: The Dagne Dover Kyoto Pet Carrier combines sleek aesthetics and high-quality materials with surprising durability, making it a stylish and reliable airline acceptable pet carrier.
Things to Consider: Its slightly wider design may cause the sides to overhang when placed on top of smaller carry-on luggage.
Travel in style with your pet using the Dagne Dover Kyoto Pet Carrier. Consistent with Dagne Dover’s brand ethos, this carrier is crafted from premium materials, including 900D polyester, mesh, and sherpa, ensuring resilience against travel wear and tear. Throughout our testing, which included placing it under airplane seats and on car floors, the carrier maintained its pristine condition even after numerous flights and road trips. We evaluated the large size, deemed ideal for a 12-pound Chihuahua mix, although a small size is also available. Our test pet could comfortably turn around and adjust sleeping positions inside, indicating ample space. Transporting this carrier is consistently easy, thanks to well-considered features like multiple handles, a trolley sleeve, and spacious zippered side pockets. For convenient storage at home, it folds down compactly, and for cleaning, the entire carrier is machine washable. For pet owners who prioritize style without sacrificing practicality, the Dagne Dover Kyoto Pet Carrier is an excellent airline acceptable pet carrier.
The Details: Dimensions: 16.5 x 10.25 x 11 (small), 18 x 12 x 11.4 inches (large) | Weight: 3.8 pounds (small), 4.3 pounds (large) | Pet Size Limit: Up to 15 pounds (small), up to 20 pounds (large) | Material: 900D Polyester, Mesh, Sherpa
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PHOTO: Travel + Leisure / Anna Popp
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PHOTO: Travel + Leisure / Anna Popp
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PHOTO: Travel + Leisure / Anna Popp
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PHOTO: Travel + Leisure / Anna Popp
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PHOTO: Travel + Leisure / Anna Popp
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Other Recommended Airline-approved Pet Carriers
While the following pet carriers didn’t secure a spot in our top picks for the best airline acceptable pet carrier, they distinguished themselves as commendable options for specific travel scenarios, earning honorable mentions.
Diggs Passenger Travel Carrier: Weighing 4.5 pounds, this is the heaviest and largest soft-sided carrier we assessed. Its substantial weight and size raised concerns about potential scrutiny at check-in, preventing it from reaching our main list. However, its five-star crash test rating, specialized seat belt and buckle clips, pee-pad compatibility, zip-down fourth wall, and interior tether clip make it an outstanding pet carrier for car travel, prioritizing safety and convenience.
Arlo Skye The Pet Carrier: Available in 8.5-inch and 10-inch height options, we found this carrier slightly restrictive in space for our test dog. The smaller size appears most suitable for teacup breeds. However, for owners of smaller pets, notable features include comprehensive four-sided mesh ventilation, a memory foam travel pad, and a robust trolley sleeve for effortless carry-on transport.
Wild One Travel Carrier: This lightweight and compact carrier is equipped with thoughtful travel-centric features, ranging from dual-sided zippers and calming fold-down side panels to a lie-flat design for easy spot cleaning and an integrated strap that doubles as a leash. The 10-inch height presented a sizing challenge; we couldn’t fully close the bag with our 8-pound dog standing, making it feel somewhat cramped for under-seat placement during air travel.
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Travel + Leisure
Our Pet Carrier Testing Methodology
The Travel + Leisure team conducted hands-on testing of 15 airline-approved pet carriers in real-world travel scenarios with our own dogs and cats. Our evaluation process began with measuring, weighing, and assessing the overall build quality of each carrier. We prioritized our pets’ comfort throughout this stage. Subsequently, we embarked on flights, both domestic and international, on major U.S. airlines, including JetBlue, known for its stringent in-cabin pet carrier size restrictions. During these travels, we meticulously documented ease of navigating airport security, gate areas, under-seat placement, and overall airport transport, continuously monitoring our pets’ comfort levels before, during, and after each flight. We also assessed the accessibility of our pets during transit. Our scoring system heavily emphasized pet comfort, portability, features, price point, and functional performance to determine the top Airline Acceptable Pet Carriers for this comprehensive review.
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Travel + Leisure
Key Considerations When Buying Airline Acceptable Pet Carriers
Select the Right Size for Your Pet
The ideal carrier size depends on your pet’s mobility, weight, and body dimensions. It’s important to remember that airline regulations stipulate that pets must be capable of standing, turning around, and lying down comfortably within the carrier. Avoid forcing your pet into a carrier that’s too small merely to comply with airline size limitations.
Verify Transportation Rules
Always consult the specific airline’s policies and the general FAA guidelines regarding pets and pet carriers before making a purchase. These regulations are crucial for ensuring your chosen carrier is indeed an airline acceptable pet carrier. Train operators, such as Amtrak, also have specific pet carrier policies. For car travel with your pet, prioritize crash safety when selecting a pet carrier to maximize their protection.
Essential rules to keep in mind include: pets in the cabin count as either your carry-on or personal item, depending on the airline; pets must remain inside their carriers at all times during flights; carriers must stay under the seat in front of you for the duration of the flight on most airlines; and pets traveling as cargo cannot be sedated for safety reasons.
Decide Between Soft-Sided and Hard-Sided Carriers
Soft-sided carriers, including dog backpack carriers, offer greater flexibility in fitting under various airline seats. Many airlines permit slightly larger dimensions for soft-sided pet carriers due to this adaptability. Pets traveling as cargo must be transported in hard-sided carriers for enhanced safety in the aircraft hold. Owners of heavier or larger in-cabin pets might also prefer hard-sided carriers for superior support and protection for their animals.
Look for Comfort and Convenience Features
Prioritize your pet’s comfort when choosing an airline acceptable pet carrier. Opt for carriers with features like breathable mesh for ventilation, supportive and sturdy bases, multiple access points, pockets for essentials like treats, water, and cleaning supplies, and calming privacy panels. Most airlines also mandate that carriers have a waterproof bottom to manage any accidents during travel.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Airline Acceptable Pet Carriers
How Can I Acclimate My Pet to a Travel Carrier?
A good initial step is to introduce the pet carrier at home. Leave it open in a common area, allowing your pet to explore it and become familiar with its presence. Encourage them to enter and even sleep inside to build positive associations. Next, begin with short car rides with your pet inside the carrier, gradually increasing the duration of these trips. Make these outings positive experiences, not just vet visits, and reward your pet with treats after each journey. Placing a favorite blanket or toy inside the carrier can also enhance its appeal and familiarity.
How Long Can a Pet Safely Remain in a Carrier?
Dr. Bonk advises that most pets can safely stay in an in-cabin travel carrier for six to eight hours, provided the carrier is appropriately sized. For pets traveling as cargo, she suggests they might tolerate slightly longer durations, especially if they are comfortable and have access to pee pads, food, and water. Dr. Cuevas recommends aiming for bathroom breaks every six hours, which is feasible on shorter flights or by using specialized pet transport services.
What Items Should I Include in My Pet’s Travel Carrier?
While there are no mandatory items for in-cabin pets, both veterinarians recommend carrying food and water (or treats) for the journey, any necessary medications, and essential documents like vaccination records, which may be required at boarding or upon arrival. Placing an absorbent pad at the carrier’s base, adding a familiar-scented item (like a piece of your clothing or their bedding), and including a favorite toy can contribute to a more comfortable and less stressful travel experience for your pet.
Why Trust Travel + Leisure
For this article, Katherine Alex Beaven consulted with veterinary experts to provide insights on safe and comfortable pet travel, whether in the cabin or cargo. She also incorporated findings from testing conducted by Travel + Leisure editors and their pets, including Alex and her 15-pound cat, @hellomisterbo. In researching airline acceptable pet carriers, we gained expert perspectives from Dr. Chyrle Bonk, a veterinarian with excitedcats.com, and Dr. Paola Cuevas, a veterinarian and behaviorist at petkeen.com.
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Updated by Taylor Fox
Taylor Fox
Taylor Fox serves as the Outdoor Gear Editor at Travel + Leisure, where she specializes in testing, researching, and writing about travel-related products. Taylor holds a Master’s degree in Geography and has over a decade of experience as a writer and editor.
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Anne Taylor
Anne Taylor is an updates writer for Travel + Leisure, responsible for maintaining the freshness and accuracy of articles. A passionate traveler with experiences in 23 countries, she continually evaluates new products to enhance her travel experiences. She holds a bachelor’s degree in news media and has worked as a writer and editor for over seven years.
