Airline guide

Air Canada pet policy: cabin, checked bags and cargo

Air Canada takes cats and dogs in three ways: in the cabin with you, in the hold on your flight, or on their own as cargo. Here are the rules for each one, checked against Air Canada's own pages.

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Air Canada pet rules in short

Which rules apply depends on the size of your pet and whether you are on the same flight.

In the cabin: a cat or small dog in a soft carrier under the seat. One pet per passenger.
Checked baggage: a cat or dog in a hard kennel in the hold, on the same flight as you, up to 45 kg for pet and kennel together.
Cargo: your pet flies on its own through Air Canada Cargo (AC Animals). This is also the route for heavier pets and kennels over the checked baggage limits.

Air Canada's rules change from time to time. Everything here comes from Air Canada's own pages, linked at the bottom, with the date we last checked them.

Quick facts

Cabin: Cat or small dog, soft carrier. $50 to $60 one way
Checked bag: Cats and dogs, up to 45 kg with the kennel. $105 to $126 one way
Pet alone: Air Canada Cargo (AC Animals), priced by chargeable weight
Minimum age: 10 weeks, fully weaned
Snub-nosed: Not in the baggage hold
Holidays: No checked pets December 18 to January 4

Air Canada pets in the cabin

Your cat or small dog can fly with you in the cabin if it fits in a soft-sided, flexible carrier that goes under the seat in front of you. Hard carriers are no longer accepted in the cabin, and neither are backpack carriers with hard plastic windows. Your pet must be able to stand up, turn around and lie down inside, with no part of them sticking out. A carrier that is too small can mean your pet is refused.

1 cat or small dog per passenger, at least 10 weeks old and fully weaned in most cases.
The fee within Canada is $50 to $60 one way.
Your pet stays in its closed carrier, under the seat, for the whole flight.
On most fares the carrier is extra to your personal item and carry-on bag. On some Economy Basic itineraries you get the pet carrier plus one personal item.
No cabin pets if you sit in an exit or bulkhead row, fly Premium Economy, need a medical device under the seat, or are an unaccompanied minor.
No pet carriers at all on Air Canada Jetz flights.

Air Canada pet carrier size for the cabin

The space under the seat depends on the aircraft and the cabin, so Air Canada publishes three sizes. Sizes are length x width x height.

Aircraft and cabin	Carrier, cm	Carrier, inches
Most Air Canada jets (Airbus A220, A319, A320, A321, A330 and Boeing 737 MAX 8, 777, 787), Economy	43 x 40 x 20	17 x 16 x 8
Smaller aircraft (Dash 8-400, Embraer E175, CRJ900) and Landline connections	55 x 40 x 27	22 x 16 x 10
Business Class on the A330, 777 and 787	41 x 21 x 28	16 x 8 x 11

Air Canada does not publish a weight limit for cabin pets. The size of the carrier is what counts.

How to book your pet in the cabin

Book your own flight first.
Call Air Canada Reservations to register your pet on the same flight. Have the carrier size and your pet's weight and breed ready.
Do it within 24 hours of booking. If your pet cannot be accommodated, Air Canada refunds your ticket without a charge in that window. Pets that are not registered are refused at the airport.
On the day, you cannot check in online or at a kiosk. Arrive 30 minutes before the normal check-in time and see an agent.

Pets can fly on flights operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada Express (Jazz), but not on an itinerary that includes a codeshare partner's flight.

Pets as checked baggage on Air Canada

If your pet is too big for the cabin, it can fly in the hold on your flight, in a hard kennel. Air Canada says the hold on most of its aircraft is pressurized, and pets are loaded last and taken off first.

Pet and kennel together: up to 45 kg (100 lb).
Kennel: up to 292 cm (115 inches) when you add length, width and height.
Fee within Canada: $105 to $126 one way, tax included.
Minimum age: 10 weeks, fully weaned, in most cases.
Two pets in one kennel only in limited cases (for example young puppies or kittens of the same species), and each pet is charged. Ask Air Canada before you plan on it.

Heavier pets or bigger kennels than this go through Air Canada Cargo. That is also the answer when you are not on the same flight. See Air Canada pet cargo.

Heat, cold and the holidays

The hold is the part of Air Canada's pet policy most affected by the weather.

Summer: Air Canada may not take pets in the hold when it is over 29.5 C.
Cold: from November 1 to March 31, and any time it is 0 C or colder, cats and dogs under 4.5 kg (10 lb) are not accepted in the hold.
Aircraft: no pets in the hold of the Embraer E175 in the cold season, and no cats or dogs on the Boeing 737 MAX 8 from November 1 to March 31. Air Canada does not recommend the A319, A320 or A321 for pets in the hold because that hold is not heated.
Holidays: no pets as checked baggage from December 18 to January 4.

For pets flying as cargo, a longer holiday window applies. Air Canada's cargo page says it does not carry cats or dogs as cargo within Canada from December 15 to January 12. We plan on that window. From November 1 to March 31, Air Canada does not carry animals as cargo on some narrow-body aircraft. We check the aircraft type before we book any winter flight.

Air Canada dog policy: breeds with extra rules

Snub-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds

Air Canada says snub-nosed dogs cannot travel in the baggage compartment, because they are more at risk of heat stroke and breathing problems. Its list: Affenpinscher, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Brussels Griffon, all Bulldogs (American, English, French, Dutch), Chihuahua (apple-headed), Chow Chow, English Toy Spaniel, Japanese Chin, Lhasa Apso, Pekingese, all Pugs (including the Chinese Pug), Shar-Pei, Shih Tzu, Teddy Bear (Zuchon or Shichon) and Tibetan Spaniel.

As cargo, Air Canada only accepts these breeds through an IPATA approved pet shipper. WestJet Cargo takes snub-nosed breeds at a higher rate with a vet health check, so it is often the better option. See snub-nosed breeds and flying.

Strong breeds

Air Canada carries these breeds only in a reinforced crate (IATA CR 82: metal, wood or mesh, not plastic, with a metal or wood door): Caucasian Ovcharka, Karabash or Kangal, all pit bull types (including American Bully, American Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier), all mastiff types (including Dogo Argentino, Cane Corso and Presa Canario), Rottweiler, wolf dog hybrids and English Bull Terrier. As cargo, puppies from 3 to 6 months do not need the reinforced crate, and Air Canada Cargo does not accept wolf dogs.

Pit bull type dogs (Pit Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier) are restricted in Ontario, so we cannot move them through Pearson.

Air Canada kennel sizes for the hold and cargo

For the hold and for cargo, your pet needs a hard plastic airline crate. Air Canada's kennel chart, in cm (length x width x height):

Air Canada size	Kennel, cm
XS	53 x 40 x 38
S	68 x 51 x 48
M	81 x 56 x 58
L	91 x 61 x 66
XL	102 x 69 x 76
Giant	122 x 81 x 89

To find the size, measure your pet standing. The crate's inside length should be at least nose to base of tail plus half the height from floor to elbow. The width should be at least twice the width across the shoulders, and the height at least the top of the head or ear tips when standing. Our crate size calculator does the maths and suggests a crate series. It is an estimate: your pet may need a bigger crate once measured in person.

The crate itself must be rigid plastic in two parts with a solid roof, a metal door with metal nuts and bolts, ventilation on all four sides, no wheels, and food and water dishes fixed to the door. Wire, soft and collapsible crates are not accepted. We sell airline crates set up to these rules.

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Two ways we can help

Your pet flies on its own

We pick up your pet at home in Toronto or the GTA, supply the crate if you need one, drive your pet to your vet if a health certificate is needed, book the cargo space on an Air Canada or WestJet flight and check your pet in at Pearson.

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How Air Canada pet cargo works

You fly with your pet

You book your seat and register your pet with Air Canada. We can supply the airline crate, take your pet to the vet, and bring your pet to Pearson to meet you at check-in. Owners do not ride in our vehicles, so we meet you at the airport.

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Airport pet transport

Air Canada pet policy: questions

Can I bring my dog in the cabin on Air Canada?

Yes, if it is a small dog that fits in a soft-sided carrier under the seat in front of you, and it can stand, turn around and lie down inside. Air Canada allows 1 cat or small dog per passenger in the cabin, and the pet must be registered with Air Canada Reservations after you book your own ticket.

How much does Air Canada charge for a pet?

Within Canada, Air Canada lists $50 to $60 one way for a pet in the cabin and $105 to $126 one way for a pet as checked baggage (the range depends on the tax for your trip). A pet flying on its own goes through Air Canada Cargo, which prices by chargeable weight (the greater of the real weight and the size-based weight of the crate), plus airline fees. See Air Canada pet cargo.

What size pet carrier does Air Canada allow in the cabin?

On most Air Canada jets in Economy, the soft carrier can be up to 43 x 40 x 20 cm (17 x 16 x 8 inches), length by width by height. Smaller aircraft such as the Dash 8-400 and E175 allow a longer carrier, and Business Class on wide-body jets has its own size. Only soft-sided carriers are accepted in the cabin.

Can my pet fly as checked baggage on Air Canada in winter?

Sometimes. From November 1 to March 31, and any time it is 0 C or colder, Air Canada does not take cats or dogs under 4.5 kg in the hold. Some aircraft do not take pets in the hold in winter at all, and no pets are accepted as checked baggage from December 18 to January 4.

Which dog breeds cannot fly in the hold on Air Canada?

Snub-nosed breeds, such as Pugs, Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Boxers and Shih Tzus, cannot travel in the baggage compartment. Strong breeds such as Rottweilers and mastiff types can, but only in a reinforced crate. See the full lists on this page.

Does Air Canada require a health certificate for pets?

For a pet flying on its own with Air Canada Cargo, yes: every pet needs one from a licensed vet, dated no more than 30 days before travel. For a pet flying with you in the cabin or as checked baggage within Canada, ask Air Canada when you register your pet. We tell you what your move needs.

Can my pet fly on Air Canada without me?

Yes. Air Canada Cargo carries pets on their own through its AC Animals service, in an airline approved crate. We book these flights from Toronto. Read Air Canada pet cargo or get a price.

Last checked against the airlines' own pages on October 1, 2026.

Airlines change their rules. Always check the official page before you book.

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Tell us about your pet and your dates. We book cargo flights from Toronto and handle the crate, the paperwork and Pearson check-in.

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