Flying with a pet
on Delta Air Lines.

1. Check the cabin fit and age

Eligible small dogs and cats travel in-cabin; household birds are limited to contiguous-U.S. domestic flights. Domestic minimum age is 8 weeks; U.S.-bound dogs need 6 months and cats 16 weeks; EU travel requires 15 weeks.

Delta recommends a soft carrier up to 18 × 11 × 11 inches, but aircraft under-seat space controls. The animal must fit comfortably and remain enclosed. Reserve with Delta.

Sources: Delta: cabin pets.

2. Budget by ticket date

For tickets issued from April 8, 2025, published one-way cabin fees are $150 USD/CAD for U.S./Canada/Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands, $200 USD/CAD/EUR internationally and US$200 for Brazil. Currency follows departure rules. Earlier tickets have different domestic/Brazil rates.

Sources: Delta: cabin pets.

3. Resolve direction-specific restrictions

Cabin exclusions include Australia, Barbados, Hong Kong, Iceland, Jamaica, New Zealand, South Africa, UK and UAE. The same list has directional notes for Hawaii and Brazil/Colombia/Dominican Republic: confirm both directions. Delta One, international Business and Delta Premium exclude ordinary pets.

Check every operating carrier and connection, rather than applying a Delta rule to an entire codeshare itinerary. The international page has a separate Delta Connection table. Its older Egypt/CDC suspension wording is not a substitute for current CDC guidance. Obtain an airline decision for an Egypt itinerary.

Sources: Delta: cabin pets · Delta: international and connecting pet travel · CDC: bringing a dog into the U.S..

4. Checked pets require qualifying orders

Checked-pet transport is restricted to active U.S. military or active Foreign Service officers and eligible spouses/dependents traveling on active transfer orders. Request it at least 48 hours before arrival, as the page phrases the deadline; clarify the reference time with Delta.

Dogs and cats are accepted subject to breed restrictions. Domestic-only additional species are listed separately. Maximum: two crates; giant crates need cargo assessment. A single flight over 12 hours or an itinerary with more than one connection is excluded.

Delta-operated 767s exclude checked pets and cargo; A330-200s exclude checked pets; Europe-bound/from-Europe B757 flights exclude checked pets. Other aircraft have crate-size limits. Use the live table before buying a crate.

The current typical checked fee is $200 each way, with currency, historical Brazil-ticket and stopover conditions. Listed snub-nosed breeds are excluded. Compare the entire breed and destination lists, not just the examples in a booking conversation.

Sources: Delta: military pet travel.

5. Cargo is not a general-public alternative

Delta’s current cargo notice restricts pet shipments to active U.S. military or Foreign Service personnel with permanent-change-of-station orders. Generic cargo descriptions below that notice do not remove it.

Eligible shipments need a separate reservation, available no earlier than 14 days before departure. Same-flight carriage is not guaranteed. Cargo facilities are separate from passenger check-in; confirm drop-off, acceptance cutoff and collection. International customers must use the specified IPATA-approved pet shipper.

A compliant crate must allow natural standing, sitting, turning and lying. A veterinary fitness certificate is required within 10 days; international certification has additional signing/endorsement requirements. Sedating household dogs or cats is prohibited, including medication that causes sedation. Snub-nosed animals and mixes face exclusions.

No transport above 80°F or below 20°F on the ground anywhere en route; 20–45°F requires an acclimation certificate. Seasonal restrictions can also apply. A certificate cannot override a closed route or aircraft limit.

Sources: Delta: shipping your pet.

6. Check entry and return rules separately

CDC uses the dog’s countries visited during the previous six months and vaccination history to determine U.S. entry paperwork. Do not assess eligibility from the last departure airport alone.

For dogs originating in and proceeding from the U.S. to Mexico, APHIS currently requires a USDA-accredited veterinarian’s New World Screwworm inspection certificate issued within five days. This took effect August 3, 2026; the stated pathway is not every possible transit/origin case. Delta’s broader Mexico wording should be resolved with the airline and authority for other origins.

The reverse journey has separate APHIS screwworm certification requirements for affected-country departures, including Mexico. Plan that appointment before leaving. Airline documents, destination admission and return requirements are three separate checks.

Sources: CDC: bringing a dog into the U.S. · USDA APHIS: pet travel from the U.S. to Mexico · USDA APHIS: bringing a pet dog into the U.S. · Delta: international and connecting pet travel.

7. Trained service dogs have a separate process

Delta transports qualifying disability-task-trained service dogs without a transport fee. Emotional support is not service-dog status. Dogs must be vaccinated, be at least four months old, behave appropriately and fit without blocking aisles or another passenger’s space. Up to two may travel when they can be accommodated.

Submit the DOT transport form and service request at least 48 hours before departure. A flight of 8 hours or more also requires the relief attestation. Carry copies; the page provides airport assistance for completing them.

The eligibility section excludes dogs in training, while its FAQ describes a limited professional-trainer journey to the owner. Ask Delta to assess that specific exception. For a large service dog, discuss accommodation with accessibility staff rather than assuming an ordinary pet-cargo reservation.

U.S.-covered flights recognize trained service dogs regardless of breed/type; ordinary checked-pet restrictions should not be applied as an automatic cabin-service-dog ban. Foreign entry rules still apply.

For U.S.-covered flights booked less than 48 hours before departure, DOT rules allow required forms at the departure gate. Ask the accessibility team to arrange the process promptly.

Sources: Delta: trained service animals · U.S. DOT: service animals · DOT form timing · DOT individual assessment.

Before paying: a practical confirmation list

• Record your pet’s species, breed, age, standing measurements and travel history.
• Ask for pet acceptance on each operating segment, including the return.
• Keep the actual carrier dimensions, seat assignment, fee conditions and document deadlines together.
• Ask what happens after an aircraft change, missed connection or weather refusal.
• Recheck the official pages near departure. A guide or quoted fee cannot guarantee airport acceptance.

Sources: Delta: cabin pets · Delta: military pet travel · Delta: shipping your pet.

Request a route review

Send your departure and arrival cities, proposed dates and flights, plus your pet’s measurements and the carrier’s dimensions. Request a route review and quote from Pets Delivery Expert.

Questions before you book

Related reading: Airline pet travel guides · Carrier fit and preparation · U.S. dog-entry planning · Pet shipping cost guide.

Official sources and scope

• CDC: bringing a dog into the U.S.
• USDA APHIS: pet travel from the U.S. to Mexico
• USDA APHIS: bringing a pet dog into the U.S.
• U.S. DOT: service animals
• Delta: cabin pets
• Delta: military pet travel
• Delta: shipping your pet
• Delta: international and connecting pet travel
• Delta: trained service animals
• 14 CFR 382.75: service-dog forms and timing
• 14 CFR 382.79: individual assessment

Official sources checked October 11, 2026. Detailed Delta Cargo breed-policy content was not readable; the readable military and shipping pages support this guide. Directional destination wording and older international-page notices need itinerary-specific confirmation. No booking, weather clearance or airline endorsement is implied.