Guide
Winter and Holiday Pet Embargoes
Every year, Air Canada and WestJet stop or limit pet travel over the holidays, and Air Canada limits pet cargo on some aircraft all winter. Here are the dates, straight from the airlines, and what they mean for your move.
What is a pet embargo?
An embargo is a period when an airline does not carry animals, or only carries them on certain aircraft. The holidays are the busiest time of year for flights, and winter cold is a risk for animals on the ground. These are the times the airlines close or limit pet travel.
The windows repeat every year. Here they are for both airlines that carry pets as cargo from Toronto.
| Airline | Dates | Type | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Canada | December 15 to January 12 | Holiday embargo | Air Canada's cargo page says it does not carry cats or dogs as cargo within Canada from December 15 to January 12. |
| Air Canada | November 1 to March 31 | Cold weather, some aircraft | From November 1 to March 31, Air Canada does not carry animals as cargo on some narrow-body aircraft. |
| WestJet | December 18 to January 4 | Holiday embargo | 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 | December 15 to December 17 | Reduced space | WestJet pet space is reduced from December 15 to 17, just before the holiday window. |
| WestJet | January 5 to January 7 | Reduced space | From January 5 to 7, just after the holiday window, WestJet pet space stays reduced. |
| WestJet | December 1 to March 31 | Hairless breeds | WestJet does not carry hairless breeds as cargo from December 1 to March 31. |
Windows that start in December run into the next January.
Air Canada
Holidays: December 15 to January 12
Air Canada's cargo page gives December 15 to January 12 for cats and dogs as cargo within Canada. We plan on that window, so you are not caught out. For pets flying with you as checked baggage, Air Canada's passenger page gives December 18 to January 4.
Winter: November 1 to March 31
From November 1 to March 31, Air Canada does not carry animals as cargo on some narrow-body aircraft. It depends on the aircraft type, so we check it for each flight when we book. In winter we often look at WestJet first, or at a larger aircraft on the same route.
Pets flying with you as checked baggage have extra winter limits on Air Canada: pets under 4.5 kg are refused when it is 0 C or colder, there are no pets on the E175 aircraft, and no pets on the 737 MAX 8 from November 1 to March 31. See the Air Canada pet policy.
WestJet
Holidays: December 18 to January 4
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. No checked pets are accepted on any WestJet aircraft in that window. The 787 is WestJet's larger aircraft, and it is not on every route, so we check the schedule for your dates. Space is also reduced from December 15 to December 17 and from January 5 to January 7, so book early if you are close to the window.
Hairless breeds: December 1 to March 31
WestJet does not carry hairless breeds as cargo from December 1 to March 31. Hairless breeds include Sphynx, Chinese Crested, Xoloitzcuintli, Peruvian Inca Orchid and American Hairless Terrier. If your pet is hairless, plan the move for spring, summer or fall.
More on WestJet pet cargo.
Summer 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. Snub-nosed breeds are the most at risk in heat. See snub-nosed breeds and flying.
Planning a December or winter move
If you are moving between mid December and early January, you have a few choices:
- Send your pet first. Book the flight before the holiday window starts, and have a family member or friend take your pet in until you arrive.
- Send your pet after. Leave your pet with someone you trust in Toronto, or in a boarding kennel, and fly them out once the window ends. On Air Canada that is after January 12. On WestJet, regular space is back after January 7.
- Look for a 787 flight. On WestJet, these can carry pets as cargo during the holiday window. Ask us whether one flies your route on your dates.
- Fly with your pet in the cabin. The holiday windows above cover pets as cargo and as checked baggage. Cabin rules are separate, so check your airline's cabin policy for your dates if your pet is small enough.
For the rest of the winter, the main things are the aircraft type and the cold at each end. Pets are checked in at the cargo building about 3 hours before the flight and should be collected soon after landing. Whoever picks up your pet should bring a blanket for the crate and have a warm car ready.
Weather delays happen in a Canadian winter. Leave a day or two of slack around the move if you can.
Embargoes: questions
Can I ship my pet in December?
What are the Air Canada pet embargo dates?
What are the WestJet pet embargo dates?
Is there a summer heat embargo in Canada?
What happens if my pet's flight is cancelled because of the weather?
Last checked against the airlines' own pages on October 1, 2026.
Airlines change their rules. Always check the official page before you book.
Moving in winter?
Tell us your dates. We check the embargo windows and the aircraft for your route, and send you the options.