Airline Rules and Requirements to Fly With Emotional Support Animals

If you plan to travel with an Emotional Support Animal, you’ll need to follow the airline’s pet policies, which generally include the following requirements:

• Notify the Airline in Advance: Inform the airline of your need to travel with an ESA at least 48 hours before departure.
• Pay the Pet Fee: Be prepared to pay the required pet fee, as most airlines no longer waive this fee for ESAs.
• Use an Approved Carrier: Your ESA must remain in a carrier at all times during the flight.
• Size Restrictions: Because cabin pets must fit in an under-seat carrier, large ESAs generally cannot travel in the cabin. Many airlines also limit or no longer offer pet cargo options. If your ESA is too large to fit under the seat, you may need specialized pet transport or consider whether your animal qualifies and is trained as a Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD).
• Breed and Animal Type Limitations: Some airlines only allow certain animals, such as dogs and cats, and may have specific breed restrictions, so check with the airline in advance.

Because most airlines now legally treat ESAs as standard pets, federal DOT service animal forms and behavior attestations generally do not apply. Instead, travelers usually need to meet standard airline pet requirements.

A Valid Pet Reservation
Airlines limit the number of pets allowed in the cabin on each flight, so you typically need to reserve your pet’s spot in advance when booking.

Veterinary Health Certificate Depending on your destination—especially for international travel or certain interstate routes such as Hawaii—you may need a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) confirming your animal is healthy and up to date on vaccinations.

An ESA Letter (For Specific Foreign Carriers Only) If you are flying with one of the few international airlines that still recognize ESAs, you may need an ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional issued within the airline’s required timeframe.

Important Note About Long Flights
The Animal Sanitation Form required for flights longer than 8 hours is a federal DOT requirement specifically for trained service dogs. Emotional support animals traveling under standard pet policies generally do not need this form.

The process for bringing your emotional support animal to the airport involves the following steps:

• Documentation: Ensure you have all necessary documentation ready, including the ESA letter and any health certificates.
• Arrival: Arrive at the airport early to allow enough time for check-in and security procedures.
• Check-In: Inform the airline staff that you are traveling with an ESA during check-in. They may ask for documentation.
• Security Screening: Prepare to go through security, which may require your ESA to be removed from its carrier and screened separately.
• Boarding: Follow the airline’s procedures for boarding, ensuring your ESA is calm and well-behaved throughout the process.

• Training your ESA to be comfortable in a crate or carrier.
• Exposing your ESA to various environments and situations to reduce anxiety.
• Practicing short trips before your flight to help them adjust to the travel experience.
• Ensuring they are up to date on vaccinations and health checks.

Most airlines consider emotional support animals to be pets, so pet policies apply to ESAs. You must pay pet fees and follow the requirements associated with pet travel. Moreover, your animal must be well-behaved and calm; otherwise, airlines have the right to restrict your animal. To travel with your ESA hassle-free, it’s advisable to read the airline’s pet policy and inform them about your ESA as soon as possible.