Red Tape Travel's US to Great Britain dog route page covers the route requirements and airline options. This comparison covers airline carriage for an ordinary pet dog departing the US mainland. It leaves export paperwork and entry health requirements to that route page.
Compare the airline options
American has a cargo option for dogs entering Great Britain; United has no public pet cargo service, and Delta Cargo has a household-pet embargo.[1][5][6] Cabin permission on another route does not create cabin permission on this journey.[1][2][3]
The table applies to ordinary pet dogs traveling from the US to Great Britain. Hold means checked baggage here; manifest cargo is a separate shipment.
| Airline | Cabin | Hold (checked baggage) | Manifest cargo | Fee from | Snub-nosed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | Not allowed to Great Britain.[1] |
No checked-pet service.[1] |
No public pet cargo service.[1] |
Not applicable to an unavailable ordinary-pet service.[1] |
No ordinary-pet route service to compare.[1] |
| Delta Air Lines | Not allowed to Great Britain.[2] |
Not allowed to Great Britain.[2] |
Household-pet embargo; limited military and Foreign Service exception.[5] |
Not applicable to an unavailable ordinary-pet service.[5] |
No ordinary-pet cargo service to compare.[5] |
| American Airlines | Not allowed on transatlantic trips.[3] |
Not allowed to Great Britain.[3] |
Varies; confirmed at booking.[3] |
Listed snub-nosed dog breeds and their mixes are refused by American Cargo.[6] |
Red Tape Travel's Great Britain rules page covers entry requirements separately from these airline policies.
United and Delta restrictions
United excludes ordinary pets from flights to, from or through Great Britain.[1] Its pet page says cargo is limited to certain active-duty military or State Department travelers.[1] That exception does not establish a public US to Great Britain cargo option.[1]
Delta refuses ordinary pets as carry-on or checked baggage to or from Great Britain.[2] Delta Cargo's household-pet embargo has a limited exception for active US military or Foreign Service Officers with permanent change of station orders.[5] Its London Heathrow embargo applies even to those travelers.[5]
American Cargo and the airport discrepancy
American Cargo accepts dogs into London Heathrow and Manchester and requires a customs clearance broker for those shipments.[6] APHA's approved-routes list names London Heathrow for American Airlines, while American Cargo also names Manchester.[7][6] The sources differ on Manchester; this guide does not treat it as an established approved American pet-entry route.[7][6]
APHA also lists Delta among approved pet carriers, but Delta's own baggage restrictions and cargo embargo still apply.[7][2][5] Government route approval and airline acceptance are separate checks. GOV.UK tells travelers to check whether their travel company will accept their animal before booking.[4]
Assistance dogs have separate rules
A recognized assistance dog is trained to actively help its owner with needs related to a disability or health condition.[8] GOV.UK permits recognized assistance dogs to use transport where ordinary pets are not allowed, including an aircraft cabin, while requiring them to meet the normal dog travel rules.[8] An ordinary pet dog does not gain that exception because it fits under a seat.[4][8] This comparison does not determine an assistance dog's eligibility or the airline's documentation requirements.
Confirm before booking. Rules and airline policies change. Check the official pages linked under Sources, and your airline, before you pay for anything.
Sources
- united.com: United's destination exclusions, checked-pet policy and limited cargo exception.
- delta.com: Delta's United Kingdom carry-on and checked-baggage restrictions.
- aa.com: American's transatlantic cabin restriction, Great Britain checked-pet restriction and variable cargo fees.
- gov.uk: Great Britain's air-cargo requirement, exceptions and travel-company acceptance check.
- deltacargo.com: Household-pet embargo, limited military and Foreign Service exception, and Heathrow embargo.
- aacargo.com: American Cargo's destination, customs-broker and breed restrictions.
- gov.uk: Approved carrier and airport pairings.
- gov.uk: Recognized assistance-dog eligibility, cabin access and normal travel requirements.