United Airlines

Service Animals (In-Cabin & Support)

You can fly with up to two service dogs for free on United Airlines.

• Who can fly: Only dogs trained to perform tasks for someone with a disability are permitted as service animals on United and United Express flights.
• Age requirements: For domestic flights, dogs must be over 4 months old. For all international flights, dogs must be at least 6 months old.
• Types of animals allowed: Only trained service dogs flying with their owners are allowed for free. Dogs in training are not accepted.
• Behavior: Dogs must behave appropriately in public places to be considered trained service dogs.
• International requirements: Some international destinations require service dogs to be trained by a recognized accredited organization.
• Pet carriers: While there are no weight or breed limitations, pets must travel in a hard-sided or soft-sided carrier unless they are service animals.

Carrier size requirements:

• Hard-sided carrier: Height 9 in (22 cm), Length 17.5 in (44 cm), Width 12 in (30 cm)
• Soft-sided carrier: Height 11 in (27 cm), Length 18 in (45 cm), Width 11 in (27 cm)

Traveler pro tips:

• Bring essentials for your pet at the airport, such as a collapsible water bowl, leash, treats, and plastic bags.
• To keep your pet calm during the flight, bring a favorite toy, blanket, or pillow that smells familiar.
• The carrier must be ventilated and fit under the seat in front of you to be allowed on the flight.

Emotional Support Animals

Emotional support animals (ESAs) provide comfort and emotional stability to their owners. They help alleviate symptoms of anxiety or depression by offering companionship.

Unlike service animals, ESAs do not require specialized training to perform tasks for individuals with disabilities.

• Types of Animals: Commonly dogs and cats.
• Travel: You can fly with an emotional support dog or cat as a pet.
• Regulations: ESAs are not considered service animals and must follow pet travel rules, usually requiring them to be in a carrier during the flight.

In-Cabin Carrier Details

Puppies and kittens must meet minimum age requirements for travel:

• Domestic flights: Puppies and kittens must be at least 2 months old.
• International flights: Dogs must be at least 6 months old to comply with CDC requirements.
• Kittens must be at least 4 months old to comply with vaccination requirements.

Pet seating and carrier rules depend on the aircraft type and cabin class:

• Only one pet per passenger is allowed onboard.
• Premium cabins allow up to 2 pets per cabin.
• Economy cabin pet limits vary by aircraft:

Seat requirements for pets in Economy on Boeing 737 MAX:

• Pet carrier must be no more than 10 inches tall.
• Window seat required for carrier to fit under the seat in front.

On other aircraft, passengers traveling with pets in Economy must be in an aisle or window seat for the carrier to fit under the seat in front.

In-flight rule: Your pet must remain inside the carrier with the door closed and kept under your seat at all times.

Special route pet limits and rules:

• Guam to Honolulu: Up to 4 pets allowed.
• Honolulu to Guam: Up to 2 pets allowed.
• Combined weight of pet and crate must be less than 99.9 pounds (45.31 kg).
• Pets arriving in Honolulu will be taken to local animal quarantine; pickup after delivery is not provided.
• Pets are not automatically transferred between airlines or delivered to connecting flights.
• Pets allowed on flights from Guam to Tokyo-Narita or U.S. mainland; not allowed on return flights to Guam.

In Cargo Carrier Details

• Eligibility: Only active-duty U.S. military personnel and State Department Foreign Service Personnel (FSP) can transport their pets in cargo. Pets must be dogs or cats.
• Booking: Email militarypetsafe@united.com 5-10 days before your trip to book cargo travel. Required documents include:
  • Your itinerary
  • Active PCS orders
  • A pet health certificate dated within 10 days of travel
  • A signed acknowledgment form
  • The pet owner's name must match on all documents
• Pet Limit: Up to 2 pets per person. Two seats must be purchased if bringing both, with the second seat next to your assigned seat.
• Crate Requirements:
  • Crates must meet USDA and IATA standards.
  • Each pet must have enough space to stand, turn around, sit up, and lie down naturally.
  • 700 series crates are not accepted.
• Inspection: Crates are subject to inspection at check-in. Non-compliant crates will result in the pet not being allowed on the plane.
• Health and Safety: Pets showing stress during check-in may be denied boarding. It is recommended to acclimate pets to their crates 2-3 weeks before travel.
• Transportation Restrictions: Only personal pets can be transported. Transporting other people's pets is prohibited and may result in refusal of all animals at check-in.