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Pet Valet

Airline guide

WestJet pet cargo: Pet'Air pricing and requirements

WestJet Cargo flies dogs and cats on their own through its Pet'Air service, priced by kennel size. Here is how the pricing and the Pearson drop-off work, and what WestJet requires, from WestJet's own pages.

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An airline crate on a cart at the airport

How WestJet pet cargo works

WestJet Cargo carries pets that fly on their own, in the hold of regular WestJet flights. Anyone can book it by phone or email, and a credit card confirms the booking. In WestJet's words, you do not have to travel to send your pet.

WestJet prices pet cargo by the size of the kennel, plus airline fees. Air Canada uses chargeable weight: the greater of the real weight and the volume weight of the crate. Either way, the space the crate takes drives the price, so the right crate size matters.

You still have to get the details right: the right crate, the right paperwork, a drop-off at the cargo building at Pearson about 3 hours before the flight, and someone at the other end to collect your pet soon after landing.

Quick facts

Service
WestJet Cargo, Pet'Air
Booking
By phone or email, 7 days a week
Price
By kennel size, plus airline fees
Health certificate
Only for some pets, valid 10 days
Minimum age
8 weeks
Pearson drop-off
2710 Britannia Rd E, Mississauga, Cargo Area 2, door 6 (dnata). Open 24/7.
Pickup
About 1.5 hours after landing

How WestJet charges

WestJet pet cargo cost: how Pet'Air is priced

WestJet prices by the size of the kennel, which is the space your pet takes in the hold, plus airline fees. The bigger the kennel your pet needs, the higher the price. Snub-nosed breeds cost more.

WestJet sizeKennel (L x W x H)
Mini/Small21 x 15 x 15 inches
Junior27 x 20 x 19 inches
Medium32 x 22 x 23 inches
Large36 x 24 x 24 inches
Extra Large40 x 27 x 30 inches
PP7045 x 27 x 33 inches
GiantAsk WestJet Cargo before booking.

WestJet's size names do not line up exactly with crate series sold in stores, and WestJet decides the size from the kennel at check-in. We confirm the size with WestJet when we book. On narrow-body aircraft, such as the 737, the kennel can be no taller than 30 inches.

WestJet's fees on top

On top of the kennel price, WestJet Cargo adds an air waybill fee, a handling fee and a security screening charge, plus tax. Rates and fees change from time to time. Our price includes all of them.

Our price

Our price for a WestJet move

We give you one price for the whole move. It includes WestJet's charges, the cargo booking, home pickup in Toronto or the GTA and check-in at Pearson, plus any extras you pick, such as the crate or a ride to your vet. The price depends on the kennel size your pet needs, the route, the breed, the time of year and your pickup address.

Fill in the form. On most routes you see your price on screen right after you enter your contact details, and we email you a copy. For the rest we send it within 24 hours.

See pet shipping costs for what goes into the price, or browse the routes we fly from Toronto. Not sure which crate your pet needs? Try the crate size calculator.

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Step by step

Booking WestJet pet cargo

  1. 1

    Book by phone

    Call WestJet Cargo at 1-866-952-2746 (5 am to 10 pm Mountain Time, 7 days) with the route, date, kennel size and your pet's details. A credit card confirms it.

  2. 2

    Paperwork

    Fill in the Shipper's Certificate for Live Animals. If your pet needs a vet health certificate, book the vet within 10 days of the flight.

  3. 3

    Drop-off

    Bring your pet to WestJet Cargo at Pearson about 3 hours before the flight.

  4. 4

    Pickup

    Your pet is ready about 1.5 hours after landing. Collect your pet as soon as it is ready, and within 4 hours.

WestJet charges a fee for changes up to 48 hours before the flight, and bookings cannot be refunded within 48 hours of the flight. A booking is not a promise of a flight: weather, embargoes and breed rules can still change plans.

WestJet Cargo requirements for pets

Health certificate

WestJet Cargo does not need one for every pet. A health certificate is needed only for snub-nosed breeds, pets 8 to 12 weeks old, and pets that are sedated or have had recent surgery. It is valid for 10 days. WestJet has its own vet certificate form, linked below. We tell you whether your pet needs one and can drive your pet to your own vet. See vet health certificate for flying.

Age

Pets must be at least 8 weeks old. Puppies and kittens of 8 to 12 weeks need a health certificate.

The crate

  • IATA compliant rigid plastic crate in two parts, solid roof, no door on top
  • Metal door, fixed with metal nuts and bolts
  • Ventilation on all four sides; openings no bigger than 25 x 25 mm for dogs, 19 x 19 mm for cats
  • No wheels; no wire, soft or collapsible crates
  • Food and water dishes fixed to the door, fillable from outside
  • Absorbent bedding, no wood chips or shavings
  • "LIVE ANIMAL" and "THIS WAY UP" labels

Two pets can share a crate only if they live together and each weighs 14 kg or less. We sell airline crates set up to these rules, in any size: the crate is added to your quote if you need one.

Breed rules

Snub-nosed breeds

WestJet Cargo accepts snub-nosed breeds with a vet health certificate, at a higher rate than other breeds. It may decline them in hot weather. They cannot travel as checked baggage on WestJet, so cargo is the only way for them to fly WestJet in the hold. Mixes of these breeds count too.

  • Dogs: Affenpinscher, Brasileiro, Brussels Griffon, Boston Terrier, Boxer, all Bulldogs, Bullmastiff, Cane Corso, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, King Charles Spaniel, Chihuahua (apple-headed), Chow Chow, Dogue de Bordeaux, English Toy Spaniel, Japanese Chin, Lhasa Apso, Neapolitan Mastiff, Pekingese, all Pugs, Shar-Pei, Shih Tzu, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Tibetan Spaniel.
  • Cats: British Shorthair, Burmese, Exotic Shorthair, Himalayan, Persian, Selkirk Rex, Scottish Fold.

We price snub-nosed moves by hand. More in snub-nosed breeds and flying.

Strong breeds

These breeds travel in a reinforced IATA CR 82 crate: American Bulldog, American Bully, American Staffordshire Terrier, Anatolian Shepherd, Bandog, Cane Corso, Caucasian Shepherd, Doberman, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, all Mastiffs, all Pit Bulls, Presa Canario, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rottweiler, Staffordshire Bull Terrier and wolf dog hybrids.

A strong breed over 6 months old can only be booked by an IPATA registered agent. Under 6 months, WestJet asks for proof of age.

Ontario

WestJet's pages say Pit Bull Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers and Staffordshire Bull Terriers are restricted for travel into or through Ontario. We cannot move these dogs through Pearson.

Embargoes: holidays, winter and heat

  • Holidays: WestJet does not carry pets as cargo on its 737 and Q400 aircraft from December 18 to January 4. Only 787 flights can carry pets as cargo in that window. WestJet pet space is reduced from December 15 to 17, just before the holiday window. From January 5 to 7, just after the holiday window, WestJet pet space stays reduced.
  • Hairless breeds: WestJet does not carry hairless breeds as cargo from December 1 to March 31. This covers breeds such as the Sphynx cat and the Chinese Crested.
  • Heat: Neither airline has a dated summer embargo within Canada. Air Canada rebooks pets when it is 29.5°C or hotter at the origin, the destination or along the way, and WestJet may decline snub-nosed breeds in hot weather.

More in our guide to winter and holiday pet embargoes.

Drop-off and pickup at Pearson

Drop-off: 2710 Britannia Rd E, Mississauga, Cargo Area 2, door 6 (dnata). Open 24/7. This is WestJet's cargo building on Britannia Road, run by dnata, not the passenger terminal. Bring your pet about 3 hours before the flight.

Pickup: pets are ready about 1.5 hours after landing, at the WestJet Cargo office at the destination airport. Collect your pet as soon as it is ready: a pet not collected within 4 hours is moved to a commercial kennel at your cost. That is why, before we book, we confirm who will collect your pet, and we send them the address, the opening hours and the air waybill number.

Moving to Toronto? We collect your pet at Pearson cargo and bring them home anywhere in Toronto and the GTA. See airport pet transport.

WestJet pet cargo: questions

How much does WestJet pet cargo cost?
WestJet prices Pet'Air by kennel size: the bigger the kennel, the more space it takes in the hold and the higher the price. Airline fees such as the air waybill, handling and screening come on top, and snub-nosed breeds cost more. Our price includes the airline's charges. Fill in the form: on most routes you see your price on screen right after you enter your contact details, and for the rest we send it within 24 hours.
What are the WestJet Cargo requirements for pets?
Your pet must be at least 8 weeks old and travel in an IATA compliant hard crate. You fill in a Shipper's Certificate for Live Animals, and some pets need a vet health certificate. Your pet is dropped off at WestJet Cargo about 3 hours before the flight and collected about 1.5 hours after landing.
Does WestJet Cargo need a health certificate?
Not for every pet. A health certificate is needed only for snub-nosed breeds, pets 8 to 12 weeks old, and pets that are sedated or have had recent surgery. It is valid for 10 days. We tell you if your pet needs one and can drive your pet to your own vet. See vet health certificate for flying.
Can I ship a snub-nosed dog or cat with WestJet Cargo?
Yes. WestJet Cargo accepts snub-nosed breeds with a vet health certificate, at a higher rate, and may decline them in hot weather. They cannot fly as checked baggage on WestJet. We price snub-nosed moves by hand.
How do I book WestJet Pet'Air?
By phone at 1-866-952-2746, from 5 am to 10 pm Mountain Time, 7 days a week, or by email at westjet@support.westjetcargo.com. A credit card confirms the booking, and you do not have to travel with your pet. Or ask us to book and handle the whole move.
Does WestJet ship pets as cargo in December?
With limits. WestJet does not carry pets as cargo on its 737 and Q400 aircraft from December 18 to January 4. Only 787 flights can carry pets as cargo in that window. WestJet pet space is reduced from December 15 to 17, just before the holiday window. From January 5 to 7, just after the holiday window, WestJet pet space stays reduced. If your move falls near the holidays, tell us early.
What is the largest crate WestJet Cargo takes?
WestJet's Pet'Air size chart goes up to its PP70 size (45 x 27 x 33 inches). On narrow-body aircraft the kennel can be no taller than 30 inches. Bigger crates, such as a 700 series, need a check with WestJet first, so we price them by hand.

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

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

Want us to handle it?

Fill in the form. On most routes you see your price on screen right after you enter your contact details, and we email you a copy.

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