Canadian Airline Pet Policies: A Guide to Flying With Your Pet

If you are flying with your pet from Canada, your airline options and their pet policies are the first thing to sort out. Canadian carriers have different rules for in-cabin pets, cargo transport, and which routes allow animals at all. International carriers departing from Canadian airports add more options but also more complexity.

Here is a straightforward comparison of the policies that matter most when you are planning a pet move.

Air Canada allows small dogs, cats, and birds in the cabin on most domestic and international flights. Your pet must fit in a carrier that slides under the seat in front of you, and since 1 June 2025 that carrier has to be soft-sided. Maximum dimensions depend on the aircraft, running from 40 x 43 x 20 cm up to 40 x 55 x 27 cm, so check the limit for your specific aircraft before you buy a carrier. Combined weight of pet plus carrier must not exceed 10 kg. Source: Air Canada, Travelling with your Pet, checked August 2026.

The fee is $50 to $60 CAD each way within Canada and to the United States, and $100 to $120 CAD on international routes. You can add a pet to your reservation online or by calling Air Canada directly. Only one pet carrier is allowed per passenger, and there is a limit on the total number of pets per flight.

Air Canada offers live animal transport through their cargo division (Air Canada Cargo) for pets too large for in-cabin travel. Cargo pet transport is available on select routes, subject to aircraft type, temperature, and seasonal restrictions.

Air Canada Cargo does not publish a route rate for dogs and cats. It quotes each shipment through a sales representative, priced on the route, the animal, and the greater of the actual or dimensional weight of animal plus crate. The fees it does publish are the add-ons: a terminal fee of $80 CAD per shipment within Canada, and a security screening fee of $0.17 CAD per kg with a $20 minimum. Air Canada Cargo requires an IATA-compliant crate and a health certificate.

Key restriction: Air Canada does not accept brachycephalic breeds in cargo at any time of year. English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Pugs, and similar flat-faced breeds are restricted from cargo transport.

Winter embargo: cargo pet transport is suspended when ground temperatures drop below -12 degrees Celsius at the origin or destination airport.

Air Canada operates from all major Canadian airports and has the widest international route network of any Canadian carrier. For cargo pet transport, the available routes depend on aircraft type (wide-body aircraft have larger, climate-controlled cargo holds). Direct international routes from Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, and Montreal offer the most cargo pet options.

WestJet allows small dogs and cats in the cabin on domestic and select international flights. The carrier must be soft-sided and no larger than 41 cm x 21.5 cm x 25.4 cm. WestJet publishes no combined weight limit for cabin pets, only that size limit and the rule that your pet can stand, turn around and lie down.

The fee is $50 to $59 CAD each way for flights within Canada and to the United States, which WestJet prices as a single bucket, and $100 to $118 CAD on other international routes. The ranges are tax driven. Source: WestJet, checked August 2026. WestJet requires you to call to add a pet to your reservation (it cannot be done online).

WestJet does not currently offer cargo pet transport. If your pet cannot fly in-cabin on WestJet, you will need to use a different carrier or a dedicated pet cargo service.

WestJet primarily serves domestic Canadian routes and select international destinations (U.S., Mexico, Caribbean, UK, select European cities). Their narrower international network means fewer options for overseas pet moves compared to Air Canada.

Porter Airlines accepts small dogs and cats in the cabin on most flights. Porter takes house cats and small dogs only, in a soft-sided carrier no larger than 55 cm x 40 cm x 27 cm. It publishes no weight limit. The fee is $50 plus tax each way, and only two pets travel per flight, so book early. The one worth checking first: Porter carries no pets in the hold on any flight. If your pet is too big for the cabin, Porter is not an option at all. Source: Porter, checked August 2026. Porter’s Toronto City Centre (Billy Bishop) airport base is convenient for GTA residents, though the island airport’s shorter runways mean smaller aircraft and fewer international routes.

Porter has expanded with Embraer E195-E2 aircraft out of Toronto Pearson, offering more routes. Check Porter’s current pet policy for your specific route, as it may vary by aircraft type.

Porter does not offer cargo pet transport.

Major international airlines departing from Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal each have their own pet policies. Here are the carriers most relevant for pet shipping from Canada:

BA operates direct flights from Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal to London Heathrow. They accept pets in cargo through their partner IAG Cargo. Brachycephalic breed restrictions apply. BA does not allow pets in-cabin except for assistance dogs.

Lufthansa flies from Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal to Frankfurt, with connections across Europe. Their cargo pet program (via LH Cargo) is well-regarded. Pets over 8 kg travel in cargo; under 8 kg may fly in-cabin. Lufthansa accepts some brachycephalic breeds in cargo with restrictions, making them an option when Air Canada refuses.

KLM operates from Toronto and Montreal to Amsterdam. They accept pets in-cabin (up to 8 kg with carrier) and in cargo. KLM also accepts some brachycephalic breeds that other carriers restrict, though with seasonal and route limitations.

For moves from Vancouver to Asia, Cathay Pacific flies to Hong Kong with connections throughout Asia. They accept pets in cargo but not in-cabin. Their live animal program has specific crate and documentation requirements.

Both carriers operate Vancouver to Tokyo routes and accept pets in cargo. Japan’s import requirements are extensive regardless of carrier, but direct flights minimize transit stress.

Book early. Airlines limit the number of pets per flight (both in-cabin and cargo). During summer and holiday periods, pet spots fill up weeks in advance.

Call the airline directly. Even if the airline allows online pet bookings, calling confirms the pet is registered on your specific flight and that the aircraft type supports pet transport.

Confirm your route supports pets. Code-share flights and certain aircraft types may not allow live animals. The booking agent can verify this.

Ask about temperature restrictions. Get the airline’s specific cold and heat embargo thresholds so you know what conditions would cancel your pet’s transport.

Check destination requirements separately. Airline pet policies cover transport rules. The destination country’s import requirements (health certificates, vaccinations, permits) are a separate layer of requirements you must also meet.

For in-cabin domestic travel with a small pet, booking directly with the airline is straightforward. Where professional help adds value: international cargo shipments, restricted breeds that need alternative routing, complex destinations with extensive paperwork, and winter moves that require weather-window flexibility.

Request a quote and we will put together a detailed plan and price for your specific route.

Prefer to talk? Give us a call at 1-877-707-1739.

Airline pet rules change without much warning, so every figure here was checked against the carrier in August 2026. Confirm with the airline before you book.

For in-cabin travel, no. Your pet must be accompanying a ticketed passenger. For cargo transport, yes. Your pet can fly as manifested cargo without you being on the flight. This is how most professional pet relocation shipments work.

You will need to use a different airline for the pet transport or arrange dedicated cargo transport through a pet relocation service. Your pet does not need to fly on the same airline or even the same day as you.

There are no direct flights from Canada to Australia. Pets typically route through a hub (Los Angeles, Hong Kong, or Singapore depending on the carrier). The connection adds transit time but is the standard route for Canadian pets heading to Australia or New Zealand.

Most veterinarians and airlines advise against sedation for air travel. Sedation can affect your pet’s ability to regulate body temperature and balance, increasing risk in the cargo hold. If your pet has severe travel anxiety, discuss non-sedative options with your vet.

Moving between October and March? Our guide to fall and winter pet travel embargoes from Canada covers the station closures, the one-hour tender window and the CFIA timing that decide whether a booking survives the season.

Air Canada carries more pets than any other Canadian airline and has the most conditions attached. Our Air Canada pet policy guide covers the cabin carrier rule that changed, the winter and summer bans on the baggage compartment, and the agent requirement on every cargo booking to the United States.

Our WestJet pet policy guide does the same for the other Canadian carrier: the fee table in both directions, the 41 cm cabin kennel maximum, the 48 hour space request, and the rule that excludes a pet from any itinerary containing a partner-operated segment.