Airline Approved Pet Carriers

PetFrenzy.com defines airline approved pet carriers as those carriers that meet most airlines' maximum size restrictions for pet carriers in the cabin of the airplane which must be stowed under the seat in front of you. It is important to note, however, that not all airlines have the same regulations and requirements. In fact, when it comes to rules about pet carriers for airplanes, many airlines have regulations that differ even among their own fleet, depending on the size of the plane.

That's why we urge you to contact your airline for information before purchasing an airline approved pet carrier.

Tips for traveling by air with your pet.

What type and size of animals can travel in carry-on pet carriers? Most airlines have a policy allowing fully-weaned dogs or cats that are at least 8 weeks old, as well as domesticated household birds such as canaries, parakeets or finches to travel in the cabin with you. Prior to choosing one of our airline approved pet carriers for your trip, we recommend researching your airline's pet travel policies. All airlines have different size restrictions for your pet and the carrier.

The maximum size restrictions for airline approved pet carriers are dictated by the amount of space under the seat, since the carrier must easily fit under the seat. Airline approved pet carriers can be either hard side or soft sided and must prevent escape of your pet into the cabin. No part of the animal is to protrude from the carrier, and the floor of the airline approved pet carrier must be absorbent enough to retain liquids and solids. Ventilation must be adequate.

Most airline approved pet carriers come with tags that are similar to luggage tags. Be sure to fill in your name, address and the phone number where you can be reached if for some reason your pet is misplaced or lost. To travel in the cabin, most airlines adhere to a maximum combined weight for your pet and the airline approved pet carrier, which is typically 20 pounds. Most airlines do charge a sizeable fee for traveling with your pet, whether your pet is traveling in the cargo or cabin portion of the airplane, so it is important to find out these charges prior to traveling.

It is also important to make proper travel arrangements for your pet. Even if pets travel in airline approved pet carriers as a carry-on, it is still necessary to make advanced reservations. In most cases, only a limited number of animals are allowed on each flight, so book your flights early.

Even if your pet carrier meets most airline requirements, keep in mind that some airlines do not accept any live animals in the aircraft cabin and/or cargo compartment of its airplanes unless the animal is accompanying a person with disabilities. Or some other airlines that do accept pets in the cabin still may restrict pets on certain flights such as in the First Class or Business Class section of the airplane.

Airline approved pet carriers are only one step in preparing pets for safe and hassle free airline travel. If you have any questions regarding PetFrenzy's selection of airline approved pet carriers, customer service representatives are standing by to assist you.

Of course, once you've done the research on what your specific airline's requirements are, then you can shop for airline approved pet carriers according to style. We offer many styles and colors of airline approved pet carriers by Sherpa, PetGear and others. If you have to switch planes and have a long walk at the airport, check out our airline approved pet carriers with wheels to make the switch easier.

PetFrenzy offers a wide selection of designer pet carriers from small pet carriers to large.  Do you like to travel with your pet?  Then check out our motorcycle pet carriers, airline pet carriers (also known as FAA approved pet carriers) and pet carriers for bicycles.  Tote your pet around with ease with Pet Frenzy's popular wheeled pet carriers.  Browse Pet Frenzy's selection of soft pet carriers, and Chihuahua pet carriers.