Flying with a pet
on SWISS.

1. Choose the correct transport arrangement

SWISS accepts eligible dogs and cats in the cabin or accompanied hold. Unaccompanied animals require cargo booking. Other species need a separate cargo assessment.

Sources: SWISS: travelling with animals.

2. Cabin weight and carrier fit

The cabin limit is 8 kg including the carrier; maximum carrier dimensions are 55 × 40 × 23 cm. Use a soft, leak-proof carrier with room for natural standing, turning and lying down.

The cabin-registration form specifies 12 weeks generally, 15 weeks for travel to/from Germany, and six months for dogs entering the USA. Pregnant animals are excluded. Government entry timelines can be stricter.

Measure the pet inside the closed carrier before purchasing tickets. A bag’s advertised airline compatibility is not evidence that this animal fits.

Sources: SWISS: cabin pet registration.

3. Register early and retain the confirmation

The cabin form specifies booking by 72 hours before departure and mentions a Service Centre option up to 24 hours ahead. It applies to SWISS-operated flights. Bring two signed printed copies of the cabin declaration.

The hold checklist likewise distinguishes 72-hour travel-agency registration from a 24-hour Service Centre deadline, with possible different U.S. deadlines. Obtain confirmation from every operating airline; an unconfirmed request may be refused.

Sources: SWISS: cabin pet registration · SWISS: hold transport checklist (PDF).

4. Prepare the hold crate and airport handover

Since 4 May 2026, hold ventilation openings must be no larger than 25 × 25 mm for dogs or 19 × 19 mm for cats. Use the complete current crate specification.

The hold checklist requires natural standing and movement space, absorbent lining and secured food/water bowls refillable from outside. It excludes newspaper, cardboard and cat litter as lining. Remove wearable items that could cause strangulation before handover. Arrive about three hours ahead and arrange the pet handover at least two hours before departure.

Sources: SWISS: travelling with animals · SWISS: hold transport checklist (PDF).

5. Check breed, aircraft and destination restrictions

Listed snub-nosed breeds and crosses cannot travel as accompanied hold baggage. Listed dangerous dogs need special crates and generally cannot travel in the cabin; conditional young-dog exceptions exist. Check the complete lists.

Ordinary pets are excluded from A350-900 First and Business. SWISS lists Hong Kong, Ireland, UAE, UK and South Africa as cargo-only import destinations. Treat this as SWISS carriage guidance, not a universal rule for other airlines.

Sources: SWISS: travelling with animals.

6. Resolve the U.S. airport notice

The cabin form lists six U.S. dog-entry airports. The overview additionally permits Newark when the dog has not visited a high-rabies-risk region during the previous six months. Ask SWISS to resolve the itinerary-specific difference before booking.

Airline permission and government entry permission are separate checks. Use the U.S. dog-entry guide to prepare the relevant history and paperwork.

Sources: SWISS: travelling with animals · SWISS: cabin pet registration.

7. Request a complete quote

Charges vary by route and hold-crate category. Published transfer-fee passages disagree on whether Munich is included; obtain the actual connecting-itinerary quote.

Ask for the pet charge, any transfer supplement, and change/refund conditions together. Keep the written quote with the acceptance confirmation. Do not substitute a passenger baggage allowance for a pet booking.

Sources: SWISS: travelling with animals.

8. Swiss WorldCargo has separate acceptance rules

SWISS Live Animals is an air-freight service with its own handling arrangements and restrictions. It covers categories beyond dogs and cats, but a listed category does not establish acceptance of a particular shipment.

Its cargo restrictions exclude puppies and kittens under 90 days and “teacup” dogs. Listed short-nosed dogs and crosses may be considered only on certain routes with a qualifying BOAS grade 0 or 1 certificate. This conditional cargo pathway does not remove the passenger-hold ban.

Cargo has a separate restricted-dog list and container rules; rigid plastic is excluded for listed strong breeds, subject to the published puppy exception. Heat restrictions apply above 27°C, and a shipment may be rebooked. The November–March cold-sensitive-species embargo does not cover dogs and cats.

Request shipment-specific acceptance, crate approval, dates, terminal handover instructions and charges before arranging ground transport.

Sources: Swiss WorldCargo: SWISS Live Animals · Swiss WorldCargo: booking restrictions and embargo.

Assistance dogs: a separate route-specific process

A genuine service dog performs trained disability-related work or tasks. Emotional support or companionship alone does not establish service-dog status.

The SWISS accessibility request separates non-U.S. and U.S. forms and directs completed documents to its service-dog team. Check the evidence needed for every connecting sector rather than assuming a U.S. process covers the whole journey.

The airline-hosted DOT form expressly allows an owner-trainer’s details and does not require a training certificate for its task/behaviour attestations. U.S. DOT guidance permits the standard health, training and behaviour form, plus a relief attestation for flights of eight hours or more. Additional government animal-entry requirements still apply.

For U.S.-covered transport, an alleged direct threat requires individual assessment; an ordinary-pet breed list is not an automatic service-dog exclusion. Ask the airline’s accessibility team to resolve any inconsistent request before travel.

Sources: SWISS: accessible-travel request · SWISS: DOT service-animal form (PDF) · U.S. DOT: service animals · 14 CFR 382.79: individualized assessment.

Prepare a route review

Send your departure and arrival cities, proposed dates and operating flights, plus your pet’s breed, age, weight and measurements. Include the carrier’s external dimensions and loaded weight, who will accompany the animal, and any existing airline confirmation.

Keep a separate checklist for airline acceptance, veterinary preparation, government entry and transit rules, and the arrival handover. Confirm who will collect the animal and where before departure.

Request a route and quote, or explore dog transport, cat transport and travel without the owner.

Questions before you book

Related reading: Airline pet travel guides · Carrier preparation · Pet shipping costs.

Official sources and scope

• SWISS: travelling with animals
• SWISS: cabin pet registration
• SWISS: hold transport checklist (PDF)
• Swiss WorldCargo: SWISS Live Animals
• Swiss WorldCargo: booking restrictions and embargo
• SWISS: accessible-travel request
• SWISS: DOT service-animal form (PDF)
• U.S. DOT: service animals
• 14 CFR 382.79: individualized assessment

Official sources checked 11 October 2026. Availability, documents, charges and acceptance require confirmation for the actual journey. Source differences are identified in this guide.