Prepare your journey
with South African Airways.

1. Prepare your journey

Prepare dates, operating flights, connections, animal age, breed, weight and standing measurements, plus container dimensions and loaded weight. Ask your veterinarian about fitness and preparation; organize airline approval and government permission separately.

2. Read current conditions

No ordinary cabin pets. International pets: manifested cargo.

Domestic dogs, cats and birds: hold. Cage limits: 1 m × 1 m, 23 kg; clarify weight basis/height. Pricing for two small animals establishes neither flight/passenger quotas nor mixed-species permission. ZAR 300 includes VAT; reconfirm pricing. Bring original vaccination/rabies certificates.

Call early; allow one week for completed paperwork.

3. Contact the responsible office

General reservations: +27 11 978 1111 or ReservationsJNB@flysaa.com. Cargo reservations: SAACargoReservations@flysaa.com, +27 11 978 3366 or +27 11 978 1119. The contact page lists regional offices. Confirm the responsible booking office, submission channel, response time and acceptance record before sending documents.

4. Resolve assistance eligibility

SAA’s assistance page covers seeing-eye, medical-alert and psychiatric-assistance dogs with disabled owners, free on most flights in all classes. Arrange flight eligibility and seating with the Contact Centre/local office before booking; submit health, vaccination and permit documents to Special Handling before journey confirmation. The dog stays harnessed with its handler, off seats and clear of escape routes. Training accreditation, individual/owner-trained evidence, dog count, leash/muzzle requirements and behavioral standards remain unverified: request written route-specific instructions. MEDIF is a passenger medical-clearance form, not a universal dog-training certificate. Its U.S.-connection emotional-support wording differs from the assistance page’s categories; obtain an explicit decision, never assume admission. Do not treat emotional support as confirmed service-dog eligibility. Confirm forms and deadlines for every operating carrier. The assistance page requests domestic/international arrival two/four hours early, while MEDIF gives 90 minutes/two–three hours: confirm your appointment.

Use the existing training-evidence and U.S. forms references for route-specific follow-up.

5. Arrange a separate shipment

Cargo guidance excludes pets under eight weeks and unweaned animals. Use a clean, escape/leak-proof crate allowing standing, turning and lying down, with openings preventing noses/paws protruding; include absorbent bedding, externally refillable food/water troughs and live-animal/orientation labels. Arrange necessary transit feeding beforehand in writing. Declare pregnancy or birth during the preceding 48 hours; pregnant animals need veterinary fitness certification. The FAQ gives approximately three hours for international live-animal handover, but five hours for export cargo generally; domestic animal handover is 1h45. Confirm the shipment-specific cutoff and terminal. It also mentions a U.S. excess-baggage exception inconsistent with the current baggage bulletin: obtain the applicable product in writing. Ask separately about available flight capacity, container sharing, species compatibility, breeds, temperatures, transfers and collection.

6. Check entry separately

Use the destination guides and service-dog reference to organize a separate entry check. Obtain current instructions for origin, transit and destination; airline acceptance does not establish border permission.

Related planning

Related reading: Airline guides · Service-dog reference · Carrier preparation.

Official sources and scope

• Rules
• Baggage
• Assistance
• MEDIF
• Cargo
• FAQ
• Contact

Official references checked October 16, 2026. Obtain written confirmation for the actual animal and operating itinerary.