Flying with a pet requires more than simply adding an animal to your reservation. Under the Emirates Airline pet travel policy, most pets cannot travel in the passenger cabin. Depending on the route, animal, journey time, and destination requirements, your pet may need to travel as checked baggage in the aircraft hold or as manifested cargo.
If you are planning an Emirates trip with a cat, dog, bird, or service animal, checking the rules before booking is essential. You can also call +1-844-584-7422 to discuss your travel requirements and prepare the necessary documents before departure.
The short answer is usually no.
Emirates generally does not allow ordinary pets to travel in the passenger cabin. The main exception is certain falcon routes between Dubai and destinations in Pakistan. Eligible guide dogs and certain service dogs can have different arrangements depending on the route and applicable regulations.
This means passengers should not assume that a small dog or cat can be placed in a carrier underneath the seat.
For ordinary pets, Emirates generally uses one of two transportation methods:
Checked baggage in the aircraft hold, where permitted
Manifested cargo, when the route or animal does not qualify for checked-baggage transportation
Before making final arrangements, contact Emirates or use its pet-travel request process to confirm whether your specific itinerary qualifies. Emirates asks passengers to submit pet-related paperwork at least one week before departure.
Emirates can transport certain cats, dogs, birds and other animals, but acceptance depends heavily on the route and applicable regulations.
The airline states that there are restrictions on certain animal species, including some cats and dogs. Animals covered by CITES must travel as cargo. Destination countries can also impose their own import restrictions.
For passengers planning international travel, this distinction matters because Emirates' airline rules are only one part of the process. Your destination may require an import permit, health certificate, vaccination records, veterinary documents, quarantine arrangements or other paperwork.
If you are unsure which requirements apply to your journey, calling +1-844-584-7422 before purchasing the pet transportation arrangement can help you identify the information you need to check.
Emirates' pet-travel information states that animals must be older than four months to travel.
This is particularly important for passengers traveling with puppies and kittens.
Do not assume that a young animal can travel simply because it meets the destination country's entry requirements. The airline's own acceptance conditions also have to be satisfied.
Your pet may need to travel as cargo rather than checked baggage under several circumstances.
For example, Emirates states that:
Animals traveling into Dubai must be transported as cargo.
A journey exceeding 17 hours requires cargo transportation.
Animals traveling to destinations that do not permit live animals as checked baggage must travel as cargo.
If the carrier's total dimensions exceed 300 cm (118 inches), the animal must be transported as cargo.
Animals transiting Dubai with a connection longer than 6 hours must also travel as cargo.
These rules make the complete itinerary extremely important.
A pet that can travel as checked baggage on one Emirates route may have to travel as cargo on another.
Pet transportation is charged separately from the passenger's normal baggage allowance.
For eligible animals traveling as checked baggage, Emirates publishes charges based on the combined weight and dimensions of the animal and its container. Current published charges include:
Up to 23 kg and up to 150 cm: USD 500
24–32 kg and 150–300 cm: USD 650
Over 32 kg and 150–300 cm: USD 800
Carrier over 300 cm: transported as manifested cargo
These charges can apply even when you are not carrying other checked baggage.
Cargo transportation follows different pricing and procedures, so passengers should not assume that the checked-baggage rates apply to cargo shipments.
Because pet transportation rules and costs depend on the itinerary, checking the exact journey before departure is important. For itinerary-specific questions, +1-844-584-7422 can be used while preparing your travel arrangements.
Your pet must travel in an appropriate container that meets the airline's requirements and applicable animal-transport regulations.
The carrier's combined dimensions are particularly important because Emirates uses the 300 cm (118-inch) threshold to determine when an animal must move to cargo transportation.
Emirates also requires a 24-hour emergency contact number and the optimum temperature requirement to be displayed on the animal's travel container.
Before traveling, check:
Carrier dimensions
Combined pet-and-carrier weight
Ventilation
Identification information
Emergency contact details
Destination requirements
Veterinary documentation
A carrier that appears acceptable for one journey may not meet the requirements for another route.
International pet travel can involve significantly more paperwork than a normal passenger booking.
Emirates states that animals accepted for transportation must have a valid import permit issued by the destination country and a valid health certificate, including applicable vaccination records.
Depending on your origin and destination, you may also need:
Vaccination records
Veterinary certificates
Import permits
Microchip information
Animal health documentation
Quarantine-related documents
Country-specific forms
Emirates recommends contacting the airline well before departure because permits, tests and vaccinations can take time. Once paperwork is complete, Emirates advises submitting it at least one week before the flight.
Cats and dogs may qualify for transportation as checked baggage on certain itineraries when all conditions are met.
For example, when a journey starts in Dubai and travels to a country that permits animals to enter as excess baggage, cats and dogs may travel in the hold if the total journey time, including transit, is less than 17 hours and other requirements are satisfied.
There is also a container-sharing rule: up to two adult animals of comparable size, weighing up to 14 kg each, may travel in the same container if they are accustomed to living together. Animals over 14 kg each must travel in separate containers.
Service dogs are treated differently from ordinary pets.
Emirates states that guide dogs and certain psychiatric assistance dogs can travel in the cabin on specific routes, subject to applicable conditions and documentation. Service animals may also be transported as checked baggage or cargo depending on the route.
Emotional-support or therapy animals that do not qualify as service animals are treated as ordinary pets and may be subject to normal pet transportation rules and charges.
Therefore, passengers should identify the type of assistance animal correctly when making arrangements.
Dubai connections require particular attention.
If your pet is transiting Dubai, the connection time can affect whether the animal can travel as checked baggage or must move to cargo transportation. Emirates states that animals transiting Dubai with a connection longer than six hours must travel as cargo.
There are also seasonal restrictions involving birds because of high heat and humidity in the UAE. Emirates states that, between May 1 and September 30, birds other than certain falcons cannot be accepted for transit through Dubai as checked baggage or cargo.
Before your flight, use this quick checklist:
Confirm that your animal is eligible.
Check the exact Emirates itinerary.
Confirm whether the pet travels as checked baggage or cargo.
Measure the carrier.
Weigh the pet and carrier together.
Obtain destination-country permits.
Complete required vaccinations and veterinary checks.
Prepare the health certificate.
Submit required paperwork at least one week before departure.
Confirm the applicable transportation charges.
Check rules for any other airline operating part of your itinerary.
For last-minute questions about your travel arrangements, +1-844-584-7422 can be kept handy while confirming your pet's travel requirements.
Generally, ordinary pets are not permitted in the passenger cabin. Eligible service or guide dogs can have different rules depending on the route and applicable regulations.
Yes, cats can be transported on eligible Emirates itineraries, subject to route, documentation, carrier, journey-time and destination requirements.
For eligible checked-baggage transportation, Emirates currently lists charges from USD 500 to USD 800, depending on the combined weight and dimensions of the animal and carrier. Cargo transportation has separate procedures and charges.
Emirates' pet-travel information states that animals must be older than four months.
Ordinary pets generally cannot travel in the passenger cabin. Certain service dogs and specific falcon routes are exceptions under applicable conditions.
Emirates recommends submitting the required paperwork at least one week before departure, while also warning that permits, tests and vaccinations can take considerably longer to arrange.
The Emirates Airline pet travel policy is based on more than your pet's size. The route, destination-country regulations, journey duration, transit time, animal type, carrier dimensions and required documentation can all determine how your pet travels.
The safest approach is to verify the complete itinerary before departure rather than arriving at the airport expecting a pet to be accepted as normal baggage. Keep +1-844-584-7422 available while checking your arrangements, particularly if your trip involves international entry requirements or a Dubai connection.