Travelling
with pets
Find everything you need to know about travelling with trained service animals, falcons, cats and dogs with Etihad Airways.
Please make sure that you have all the correct documentation for your service animal or pet before you travel.
Submit a booking form at least seven days in advance, and email all required supporting documents no later than 72 hours before your flight.
If you’re flying to Abu Dhabi, you must also complete a UAE Health Certificate. This must be signed and stamped by a government-accredited health official in your country of departure within five days before your flight.
You must also apply for a release permit for your pet before your flight if Abu Dhabi is your final destination.
Remember, you must bring all original documents for your pet for verification at the airport. Your pet will not be permitted to fly otherwise.
You can pay to bring your cat or dog on board Etihad operated flights to and from Abu Dhabi. For all other destinations, please check with the relevant country authorities if your pet can be exported or imported in the cabin.
All other pets must be transported as manifested cargo with Etihad Cargo.
Economy
It costs $200 or 29,000 Etihad Guest Miles each way to travel with your cat or dog.
If you are transiting, the combined price will apply.
If you’d prefer to book an adjacent seat, our normal fares apply. Please make sure to book in advance.
To pay using Etihad Guest Miles, please call us.
Business
If you’re travelling in Business or First, you must purchase an extra seat in advance for your pet.
Before you travel with an animal in the cabin, please make sure that:
To help to keep your pet calm as they fly, we suggest placing a blanket, an old item of your clothing or your pet’s favourite toy in the travel bag or kennel with them.
Due to government-imposed restrictions, you will not be permitted to travel with your pet on board on the following routes:
Flying to or from:
Flying to:
Dogs posing a danger such as the below are not permitted on our aircraft.
Banned Breeds
Pit Bulls
Mastiff Dogs
Tosa
Rottweilers breed or hybrid
Doberman Pinschers
Canario Presa
BoxerAny mixed breed of above breeds of dog or their Hybrid
The pet travel bag or kennel must not exceed 40x40x22cm (LxWxH) under your seat in Economy or 50x43x50cm (LxWxH) if you have purchased an adjacent seat in Economy, Business or First.
The total combined weight of the pet and travel bag or kennel must not exceed 8kg.
Arrive at check-in with your pet in a suitable travel bag or kennel to the check-in counter three hours before departure.
You will be required to present the veterinary and official documents for your pet at time of check-in. Your pet will not be permitted to fly otherwise.
Your pet can travel in addition to your cabin baggage allowance.
If you are eligible to access our Etihad lounge in Abu Dhabi, you can bring your pet along too. Lounge access for pets at our third-party lounges across our network are dependent on local acceptance policies.
At boarding, we recommend you to pre-board to allow time for our crew to help prepare your pet for travel in the cabin.
Abu Dhabi
If Abu Dhabi is your final destination, you must complete all arrival formalities according to UAE regulations. This includes an inspection by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) veterinary officer. This will be performed in the Customs clearance area after you have cleared immigration and collected bags.
This does not apply if you are transferring directly to another destination and are not planning to leave Abu Dhabi airport.
Other airports
For all other destinations, you must complete all arrival formalities according to local regulations. Inspection and clearance areas may vary from airport to airport. Check with the applicable authority at your destination for specific requirements.
If you upgrade your flight, please call us to rebook your cat or dog to travel with you. In Business and First, you must pay for an additional seat for your pet. Your pet must travel always with you in the same cabin.
Falcons are permitted on board all Etihad operated flights.
If you’d like to travel with a falcon on board, please call us to book in advance of your flight.
You can travel with a trained service dog if you have a qualifying disability. You will not be permitted to travel with a psychiatric support dog, unless you are flying on a direct flight from the US.
Dogs trained for emotional support, comfort or companionship, or service dogs in training are not permitted on board as a trained service dog. You can pay to carry these dogs on board if they meet our rules for pets (check pets' section).
Trained service dogs must behave properly in public. They will not be accepted in the cabin if they display any form of disruptive behaviour, which may include growling, biting, jumping or causing damage to the cabin.
Trained service dogs are permitted at no cost on board all Etihad operated flights or in the cargo hold in addition to your checked baggage allowance.
We recommend you call us at least 48 hours before your flight if you are travelling with a trained service dog.
For all flights, you must complete a Live Animals On-Board Booking Form.
For flights from the US, you must also complete a U.S DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form, and a U.S DOT Service Animal Relief Attestation Form.
For all other flights, you must also complete a Trained service dog on board booking form.
We may refuse carriage of the dog or transfer the dog to the cargo hold at additional costs if the dog does not behave in an appropriate manner.
Legal requirements need to be fulfilled and embargos need to be followed for origin and destination.
If someone is allergic to animals and a guest with a trained service dog requests to travel on the same flight, the trained service dog will take priority, regardless of the time of reservation. Allergies must be proved by a medical report submitted before the flight.
If a guest with a trained service dog and a guest with a pet request to travel in the same cabin on the same flight, the trained service dog will take priority, regardless of the time of reservation.
