British Airways pet policy
Flights operated by British Airways. Its pets fly as cargo through IAG Cargo, its cargo arm.
Last verified 44 primary sourcesSite-wide weekly check due
Pets travel as manifest cargo in the aircraft hold. Assistance dogs may travel in the cabin on most flights.
- Cabin
- Assistance dogs onlyPet dogs never fly in the cabin; assistance dogs can, free, on most flights.
- Hold (checked baggage)
- Not allowedPets are booked as cargo, not as checked baggage.
- Manifest cargo
- AllowedPets travel as cargo in a temperature-controlled hold.
- Snub-nosed
- Case by caseSome snub-nosed breeds of cats and dogs may not be accepted.
Routes British Airways flies with pets
This is what British Airways offers on each route. An airline can offer less than the rules allow.
Hold means checked baggage. Manifest cargo is a separate booking, even when the animal travels in the same aircraft hold.
| Route | Cabin | Hold (checked baggage) | Manifest cargo | Fee from | Snub-nosed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada → Great Britain, dog | (Great Britain rule) | Quoted on request | |||
| Canada → Great Britain, cat | (Great Britain rule) | Quoted on request | |||
| Great Britain → Canada, dog | Quoted on request | ||||
| Great Britain → Canada, cat | Quoted on request | ||||
| Great Britain → European Union, dog | Quoted on request | ||||
| Great Britain → European Union, cat | Quoted on request | ||||
| Great Britain → European Union, ferret | Quoted on request | n/a | |||
| Great Britain → United States, dog | Quoted on request | ||||
| Great Britain → United States, cat | Quoted on request | ||||
| United States → Great Britain, dog | (Great Britain rule) | Quoted on request | |||
| United States → Great Britain, cat | (Great Britain rule) | Quoted on request | |||
| United States → Great Britain, ferret | (Great Britain rule) | Quoted on request | n/a |
- Great Britain → Canada, dog: British Airways' Conditions of Carriage still allow checked baggage; its current pet pages say cargo, which is what we show.
Notes
IAG Cargo asks for live animals to be checked in 4 hours before departure, subject to the station; some stations set their own cut-off.
All routes (dogs, cats and ferrets)
IAG Cargo takes no dangerous dogs at Heathrow or Gatwick, and restricts some snub-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds there.
All routes (dogs and cats)
No live-animal exports from Houston (IAH) from June to September.
United States → Great Britain (dogs, cats and ferrets)
No live-animal exports from Phoenix (PHX) from 15 March to 31 October, and no live-animal imports there at weekends.
United States → Great Britain; Great Britain → United States (dogs, cats and ferrets)
No live-animal exports from Austin (AUS) in the summer. The page gives no dates.
United States → Great Britain (dogs, cats and ferrets)
IAG Cargo's New Orleans (MSY) station takes imports from Heathrow only, with a full export embargo.
United States → Great Britain (dogs, cats and ferrets)
At Cincinnati (CVG) the live-animal cut-off is 300 minutes before scheduled departure.
United States → Great Britain (dogs, cats and ferrets)
IAG Cargo's St. Louis (STL) flight is seasonal, from 19 April until 23 October 2026.
United States → Great Britain; Great Britain → United States (dogs, cats and ferrets)
IAG Cargo takes no live-animal imports at Denver (DEN) on days 6 or 7, and restricts live animals at Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) on days 6 and 7 and on holidays. Neither page defines the day numbering.
Great Britain → United States (dogs, cats and ferrets)
Collect the pet on the day it lands at New York (JFK), which has no storage, and on arrival at Philadelphia (PHL).
Great Britain → United States (dogs, cats and ferrets)
British Airways cargo at Birmingham (BHX) moves by truck only, with no live animals, and IAG Cargo's Inverness (INV) station takes no live animals.
Great Britain → European Union (dogs, cats and ferrets)
IAG Cargo's Glasgow (GLA) and Edinburgh (EDI) pages limit the hours and weekdays for live animals, and each page gives conflicting hours. Confirm with the station.
Great Britain → European Union (dogs, cats and ferrets)
IAG Cargo lists live animals as embargoed at Munich (MUC), Stuttgart (STR), Nuremberg (NUE), Berlin (BER), Hamburg (HAM) and Dusseldorf (DUS). The Berlin, Hamburg and Dusseldorf pages still show live-animal times, so treat them as embargoed until the station confirms otherwise.
Great Britain → European Union (dogs, cats and ferrets)
Official source · BER | IAG Cargo (local station information)Official source · DUS | IAG Cargo (local station information)Official source · HAM | IAG Cargo (local station information)Official source · MUC | IAG Cargo (local station information)Official source · NUE | IAG Cargo (local station information)Official source · STR | IAG Cargo (local station information)IAG Cargo's Stockholm (ARN) and Helsinki (HEL) stations say no live animals. Helsinki's own table says only "no live animals at the weekend", so confirm with the station.
Great Britain → European Union (dogs, cats and ferrets)
IAG Cargo's Copenhagen (CPH) station takes live animals as exports only, so a pet cannot fly in to Copenhagen on it.
Great Britain → European Union (dogs, cats and ferrets)
At Gran Canaria (LPA), Seville (SVQ) and Tenerife South (TFS), IAG Cargo carries live animals on Iberia flights only, not on British Airways. Valencia (VLC) takes live animals as imports on British Airways flights only.
Great Britain → European Union (dogs, cats and ferrets)
No live animals may land at Dublin (DUB) on Saturday or Sunday, and IAG Cargo's Cork (ORK) station takes no live animals.
Great Britain → European Union (dogs, cats and ferrets)
Pick the pet up straight away at Paris Orly (ORY) and Amsterdam (AMS); Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) has no live-animal storage.
Great Britain → European Union (dogs, cats and ferrets)
Flights between London and Larnaca run a reduced schedule.
Great Britain → European Union (dogs, cats and ferrets)
Where every rule above came from
- GOV.UK (APHA/Defra)gov.uk/government/publications/pet-travel-approved-air-sea-and-rail-carriers-and-routes/approved-air-routes-for-pet-travelRoute: Canada → Great Britain; Route: United States → Great Britain
- GOV.UK (Defra/APHA)gov.uk/bring-pet-to-great-britain/travel-routes-petsCanada → Great Britain, dog: Cabin
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/products/petsFlights operated by British Airways; Route: Canada → Great Britain; Route: United States → Great Britain; Fee from; Snub-nosed
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/products/live-animalsRoute: Canada → Great Britain; Route: United States → Great Britain; IAG Cargo asks for live animals to be checked in 4 hours before departure, subject to…
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/lhrRoute: Great Britain → Canada; IAG Cargo takes no dangerous dogs at Heathrow or Gatwick, and restricts some snub-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds there
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/yyzRoute: Great Britain → Canada
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/jfkRoute: United States → Great Britain; Collect the pet on the day it lands at New York (JFK), which has no storage, and on arrival at Philadelphia (PHL)
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/msyRoute: Great Britain → United States; IAG Cargo's New Orleans (MSY) station takes imports from Heathrow only, with a full…
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/lgwIAG Cargo takes no dangerous dogs at Heathrow or Gatwick, and restricts some snub-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds there
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/iahNo live-animal exports from Houston (IAH) from June to September
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/phxNo live-animal exports from Phoenix (PHX) from 15 March to 31 October, and no…
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/ausNo live-animal exports from Austin (AUS) in the summer
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/cvgAt Cincinnati (CVG) the live-animal cut-off is 300 minutes before scheduled departure
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/stlIAG Cargo's St. Louis (STL) flight is seasonal, from 19 April until 23 October 2026
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/denIAG Cargo takes no live-animal imports at Denver (DEN) on days 6 or 7, and restricts live animals at Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) on days 6 and 7 and on holidays
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/dfwIAG Cargo takes no live-animal imports at Denver (DEN) on days 6 or 7, and restricts live animals at Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) on days 6 and 7 and on holidays
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/phlCollect the pet on the day it lands at New York (JFK), which has no storage, and on arrival at Philadelphia (PHL)
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/bhxBritish Airways cargo at Birmingham (BHX) moves by truck only, with no live animals, and IAG Cargo's Inverness (INV) station takes no live animals
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/invBritish Airways cargo at Birmingham (BHX) moves by truck only, with no live animals, and IAG Cargo's Inverness (INV) station takes no live animals
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/ediIAG Cargo's Glasgow (GLA) and Edinburgh (EDI) pages limit the hours and weekdays for live animals, and each page gives conflicting hours
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/glaIAG Cargo's Glasgow (GLA) and Edinburgh (EDI) pages limit the hours and weekdays for live animals, and each page gives conflicting hours
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/berIAG Cargo lists live animals as embargoed at Munich (MUC), Stuttgart (STR), Nuremberg (NUE), Berlin (BER), Hamburg (HAM) and Dusseldorf (DUS)
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/dusIAG Cargo lists live animals as embargoed at Munich (MUC), Stuttgart (STR), Nuremberg (NUE), Berlin (BER), Hamburg (HAM) and Dusseldorf (DUS)
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/hamIAG Cargo lists live animals as embargoed at Munich (MUC), Stuttgart (STR), Nuremberg (NUE), Berlin (BER), Hamburg (HAM) and Dusseldorf (DUS)
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/mucIAG Cargo lists live animals as embargoed at Munich (MUC), Stuttgart (STR), Nuremberg (NUE), Berlin (BER), Hamburg (HAM) and Dusseldorf (DUS)
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/nueIAG Cargo lists live animals as embargoed at Munich (MUC), Stuttgart (STR), Nuremberg (NUE), Berlin (BER), Hamburg (HAM) and Dusseldorf (DUS)
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/strIAG Cargo lists live animals as embargoed at Munich (MUC), Stuttgart (STR), Nuremberg (NUE), Berlin (BER), Hamburg (HAM) and Dusseldorf (DUS)
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/arnIAG Cargo's Stockholm (ARN) and Helsinki (HEL) stations say no live animals
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/helIAG Cargo's Stockholm (ARN) and Helsinki (HEL) stations say no live animals
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/cphIAG Cargo's Copenhagen (CPH) station takes live animals as exports only, so a pet cannot…
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/lpaAt Gran Canaria (LPA), Seville (SVQ) and Tenerife South (TFS), IAG Cargo carries live animals on Iberia flights only, not on British Airways
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/svqAt Gran Canaria (LPA), Seville (SVQ) and Tenerife South (TFS), IAG Cargo carries live animals on Iberia flights only, not on British Airways
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/tfsAt Gran Canaria (LPA), Seville (SVQ) and Tenerife South (TFS), IAG Cargo carries live animals on Iberia flights only, not on British Airways
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/vlcAt Gran Canaria (LPA), Seville (SVQ) and Tenerife South (TFS), IAG Cargo carries live animals on Iberia flights only, not on British Airways
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/dubNo live animals may land at Dublin (DUB) on Saturday or Sunday, and IAG Cargo's Cork (ORK) station takes no live animals
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/orkNo live animals may land at Dublin (DUB) on Saturday or Sunday, and IAG Cargo's Cork (ORK) station takes no live animals
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/amsPick the pet up straight away at Paris Orly (ORY) and Amsterdam (AMS); Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) has no live-animal storage
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/cdgPick the pet up straight away at Paris Orly (ORY) and Amsterdam (AMS); Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) has no live-animal storage
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/contact-us/oryPick the pet up straight away at Paris Orly (ORY) and Amsterdam (AMS); Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) has no live-animal storage
- IAG Cargoiagcargo.com/en/operational-alertsFlights between London and Larnaca run a reduced schedule
- British Airwaysbritishairways.com/content/information/disability-assistance/travelling-with-your-assistance-dogPets travel as manifest cargo in the aircraft hold; Route: Great Britain → United States; Route: Great Britain → European Union; Cabin
- British Airwaysbritishairways.com/content/en/us/information/legal/us-optional-extrasPets travel as manifest cargo in the aircraft hold; Hold (checked baggage); Manifest cargo; Fee from
- British Airwaysbritishairways.com/content/information/travel-assistance/travelling-with-petsRoute: Great Britain → Canada; Route: Great Britain → United States; Route: Great Britain → European Union; Cabin
- British Airwaysbritishairways.com/content/information/legal/conditions-of-carriage/general-conditions-of-carriageHold (checked baggage)
Rules change without notice. Confirm each item against the linked official page before you book: we date every check, but the official page is the authority.