Do pets fly in the cargo hold?

Most airlines ensure your pet boards and disembarks the aircraft on priority. The cargo hold has a special area for pets, and your pet's crate is secured in the plane in its designated space. During the flight, the lights are dimmed, and even the most anxious of pets tend to calm down after the plane takes off.



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Dogs and cats flying in cargo must travel in a well-ventilated, rigid (a.k.a. hard-sided) kennel. Soft-sided carriers are not allowed for safety reasons. Most airlines required that the kennel have a solid top and base (i.e. without ventilation openings) and at least three sides with ventilation.

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The cargo area is climate-controlled and pressurized to ensure the safety and well-being of your pet. Reputable airlines also enforce seasonal restrictions and temperature-related rules.

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Your pet will be in his crate for the entirety of the flight in a temperature-controlled portion of the cargo hold. While some pets simply sleep or rest until the plane lands, others panic or suffer from motion sickness.

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Some airlines only allow pets in the cabin, and some allow them to be in both the cabin and the cargo hold. The cost of traveling with your pet in the cabin is approximately $125 but can range as low as $90 one way. For the cargo hold, the cost ranges from $500 to $1,000, but the actual cost is calculated at booking.

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Cargo travel is stressful for any pet, young or old. Senior pets, pets prone to anxiety, or those in general poor health are at increased risk of heart failure during travel.

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Thanks for your questions/concerns about the safest method of travel for your dog! Many other pet owners have pondered the same question, and we're happy to provide some guidance. Having your pet travel via cargo instead of checked baggage would be best.

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In most cases, if the layover is under 3 hours and if your pet is traveling in the cargo hold as checked baggage or air cargo, it will be transferred from one airplane to the next as long as you are staying on the same airline. In this case, your pet is just transiting the country.

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Sedation risks for dogs and cats The cargo hold is temperature controlled and dark, and even the most excitable or anxious pets commonly calm down once they are settled in the hold. Sedating pets before travelling by air is a big no and is not recommended by experts.

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Contrary to the myth, the cargo area on most flights that accept pets is climate-controlled, just like the passenger cabin above. Airlines have Weather Embargoes during extreme temperature months to protect pets during tarmac wait times, not because of cargo hold temperatures.

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The cargo hold is pressurized and temperature controlled, with the temp usually at about 20 degrees colder than the cabin (at altitude).

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Undeniably, cargo is the more dangerous option for pet travel. The safest way for any animal to fly is in the cabin as carry-on luggage, provided that's an option.

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Trazodone (brand name Desyrel®), gabapentin (brand name Neurontin®), and alprazolam (brand names; Xanax®, Niravam®) are examples of medications that are sometimes prescribed by veterinarians to reduce the anxiety that some dogs experience when traveling.

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Diphenhydramine may help relieve symptoms of mild-to-moderate travel anxiety in pets. It also may help relieve motion sickness. Although Benadryl may sometimes relieve anxiety, it's best to talk to your veterinarian or an animal behaviorist to determine and treat what's causing the anxiety.

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If you have an anxious dog too large to fly in the cabin with you, it's best you do NOT fly her unless she is a legitimate service dog. Transporting your dog via cargo can be a very stressful and traumatizing experience for your dog, especially if she is anxious to begin with.

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Usually dogs are only allowed to fly in the cabin—known as carry-on pets—if they can comfortably fit in a carrier that you can stow under the seat in front of you. A small number of airlines, including JetBlue, Alaska Airlines, and Etihad Airways, allow passengers flying with dogs to buy an extra seat for their pet.

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The cargo area of the plane is pressure and temperature controlled and, with pet-friendly airlines pets are the last to be loaded and the first to be removed upon arrival. They are situated securely and carefully with the pet's safety and comfort in mind.

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We flew on a United A320 today, and on this plane, your best choices with an in-cabin dog are an aisle or middle seat. The cabin is divided into three classes: First, Economy Plus and Economy. First Class has two seats on each side of the aisle; the rest of the plane has three seats on each side of the aisle.

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When it comes to flying with pets, one common question that pet owners often ask is whether they should sedate their pets during air travel. At PetRelocation, our straightforward answer is NO. Sedation carries various risks and is not recommended for pets during air travel.

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Being trapped inside a baggage compartment during a flight is no picnic. The hold is pressurized. There is plenty of oxygen, but some airline cargo holds are not climate-controlled, Thompson said.

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The first question that arises is whether a commercial cargo plane is pressurised. If asked in one word, it's yes. Most commercial air freighters predominantly use pressurised fleets. The majority of cargo that is shipped requires temperature and pressure controls.

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