If you fly frequently on the economy, you won’t be hard-pressed to find some dogs or cats with you in the cabin. If you’re changing things up by flying on first-class, you may wonder: can you bring your dog on first-class?
On some airlines, you can bring your dog along with you on a first-class flight for a small fee. However, your dog must meet certain age and weight conditions to qualify for in-cabin travel, and these conditions may vary depending on the airline.
With more airlines becoming pet-friendly, it’s getting easier than ever to bring your dog with you on a flight. But there are still restrictions that don’t make the experience flawless or unlimited; this article will show you tips for bringing your dog on a first-class flight.
Can Dogs Fly First-class on American Airlines?
If you’re booking a first-class ticket on American Airlines, you can bring your dog to the first-class pet cabins if it meets the breed, size, and age conditions, if you’re quick enough.
During takeoff, your dog will go into a special compartment for pets, usually cats and dogs. This compartment is usually adjacent to your seat, making it possible for your dog to sit on your lap during the journey.
However, you can’t bring your dog on an American Airlines flight if its combined weight (with the pet carrier) exceeds 20lbs. Heavier pets may have to travel as cargo, which often costs more.
Bringing your dog on a first-class flight on American Airlines will incur an additional cost of $125. For some reason, this is quite cheaper than the $200 you may have to pay if you register your dog as a piece of baggage.
It’s important to note that your pet may be refused a flight if it’s younger than 8 months or if the temperature exceeds a certain limit. Some snub-faced dog breeds are also banned, limiting what kind of dog you can take, and when.
Since most American Airlines flights can’t take more than seven dogs at a time, you must make reservations for your dog pretty quickly. You won’t have to pay if the dog won’t come along, as the fees are only payable when you get to the airport, and not when you’re booking the flight.
Can You Bring Your Dog on First-class?
At this point, it’s evident that you can bring your dog on a first-class American Airlines flight. However, what if you’re flying on another airline; is this policy ubiquitous among all airlines or only specific to American Airline flights?
American Airlines isn’t the only airline that lets you bring your dog on a first-class flight in the United States. Many other big-name airlines also let you fly with your pet for a fee, and it’s the same on some of the other smaller airlines too.
Just like American Airlines flights, all airlines have specific requirements for traveling with your dog in-cabin on a first-class flight. Since these requirements vary across airlines, I’ll outline some of the airlines that allow dogs on first-class flights and their requirements.
Airlines That Allow Dogs on First-class
It’s needless to say that many airlines still don’t let you bring a dog along on a first-class flight, even in the United States. Before planning to bring your dog along on your flight, you should check to see if the airline supports dogs on first-class.
Before booking that flight, here are some of the airlines, in addition to American Airlines that allow dogs on first-class flights.
1. Alaska Air
You can bring your dog with you on a first-class Alaska Air flight, as long as you’re 18 years old at least, and you’ll agree not to carry any other item throughout the flight. If you want to carry two dogs, which is the maximum, you must also purchase the adjacent seat.
To carry your dog on a first-class Alaska Air flight, it must be 8 months old at the very least. Its combined weight with the carrier also mustn’t exceed 20lbs, and your dog should have a pass from a veterinarian.
Bringing your dog in-cabin on a first-class flight on Alaska Air costs an extra $100, in addition to the original costs of the flight.
2. Delta
If you have a heavier dog that doesn’t always meet weight restrictions, you may want to book a flight with Delta. Unlike most other airlines, Delta has no weight limits for a dog as long as it can fit under the seat comfortably.
While you don’t need to worry about weight, you will have to worry about age. Your dog must be 10 weeks old for a domestic flight, while travels out of the United States require a 16-week old dog.
Delta charges $125 for carrying your dog with you on a first-class flight. This is respectably cheap, considering that you don’t have to worry about the weight of the dog.
Do You Have to Pay Extra for a Dog on First-class?
If you’re planning to take your dog along with you on a first-class flight, you will need to pay an extra fee, in addition to the original cost of your ticket.
Most airlines charge between $90 to $150 for flights within the United States. International flights may be more expensive, and some countries don’t even allow you to bring your dog on a flight in the first place.
But you don’t have to pay if you’re not bringing a dog. No airline will charge you if your dog doesn’t make it to the cabin, as you don’t pay the extra fee when you book; you only pay when you get to the airport for the flight.
However, you must notify the customer service at your preferred airline about your intention of bringing a dog on the flight. If you show up at the airport with a dog without prior reservations, you may be forced to either abandon your flight or leave your dog at the airport.
