Which Airlines Fly Dogs and Cats from the US to France, and Can My Pet Fly In-Cabin?

SHORT ANSWER

Air France and Delta both accept dogs and cats in the cabin on flights from the United States to France, as long as your pet meets each airline's size, age, and carrier rules. On Air France, your pet and its carrier together must weigh less than 8 kg (17.64 lb). United and American do not accept in-cabin pets on flights to Europe, and United no longer carries pets in cargo except for certain military and State Department travelers. Pets too large for the cabin can fly in the hold on Air France (up to 75 kg / 165.35 lb including the kennel) or travel through a cargo service such as Delta Cargo. Whatever airline you choose, your pet still needs a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, and a USDA-endorsed EU health certificate to enter France.

Which Airlines Fly Pets from the US to France?

When families ask us which airline to choose for a move to France, the real question underneath is usually, "Can my pet sit with me?" The answer depends on the airline's own pet program, not just on whether it flies the route. Several carriers connect the U.S. and France, but their pet policies are very different.

Here is how the four airlines U.S. travelers ask about most often compare, based on each airline's current published policy:

• Air France: Accepts cats and dogs in the cabin (under 8 kg with carrier), in the hold (under 75 kg with kennel), and by cargo through an authorized transporter.
• Delta: Accepts small cats and dogs in the cabin on international routes, France included, and ships larger pets through Delta Cargo.
• United: Does not accept in-cabin pets on flights to Europe and no longer checks pets through its former PetSafe program.
• American: Limits carry-on pets to routes within and between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Pets that don't qualify as carry-on can be transported through American Airlines Cargo.

Because route networks change by season, confirm the exact flight and aircraft with the airline before you book, and add your pet to the reservation as early as the airline allows.

Air France Pet Policy: The 8 kg Cabin Limit, Hold Travel, and Fees

Air France offers three ways for a cat or dog to travel, according to its Traveling with pets page:

1. In the cabin, for cats and dogs weighing less than 8 kg (17.64 lb) including the carrier.
2. In the hold, for cats and dogs weighing more than 8 kg and up to 75 kg (165.35 lb) including the kennel.
3. By cargo, through an authorized transporter.

The weight limit includes the carrier, which is the detail that catches many owners off guard. A dog that weighs 7 kg on its own may not qualify once you add a sturdy carrier.

For flights between the United States or Canada and Europe, Air France lists a one-way fee of EUR/USD/CAD 200 for a pet in the cabin and EUR/USD/CAD 600 for a pet in the hold. Pets traveling in the hold must be added to your booking no later than 24 hours before departure. If you add the pet inside that 24-hour window, Air France applies a 25% surcharge on international flights, and acceptance is subject to approval by airport customer service. The airline also notes that hold transport may be refused depending on flight availability.

For a deeper look at carrier rules and booking steps on this one airline, see our full breakdown of the Air France pet policy.

Delta In-Cabin Pets to France: Age, Seating, and Fee Rules

Delta allows small dogs and cats to travel in the cabin on international flights as long as you have all the documents your pet needs to enter the destination. France is not on Delta's list of destinations where in-cabin pets are prohibited, according to Delta's Pet Travel Overview.

A few Delta rules matter most for a France trip:

• Age: Your pet must be at least 15 weeks old when traveling to the European Union.
• One pet per kennel: Delta's standard is one pet per kennel, with limited exceptions such as a mother traveling with an unweaned litter.
• Seating: Customers traveling with an in-cabin pet cannot sit in Delta One or flat-bed seats, bulkhead seats, exit rows, or seats designated as "no stowage."
• Availability: Delta accepts in-cabin pets on a first-come, first-served basis, so book your pet as soon as you have your ticket.

Delta lists the in-cabin pet fee for international travel as USD/CAD/EUR 200 each way. Delta's fee table also references ticket issue dates from 2025, so confirm the current fee with Delta when you book.

Why United and American Don't Allow In-Cabin Pets to France

This is where many travelers get surprised. Both airlines accept in-cabin pets on some routes, so it's easy to assume France is included. It isn't.

United's Contract of Carriage states that it accepts domesticated cats and dogs as in-cabin baggage for domestic travel and for travel between the U.S. or Canada and Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Europe is not on that list. United's Traveling with pets page also confirms it no longer checks pets through the PetSafe program, and pets fly in cargo only when traveling with certain active-duty military or State Department employees.

American's pet travel page limits carry-on pets to travel within and between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Checked pets are accepted only for active-duty U.S. military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel. Other pets can be transported through American Airlines Cargo, with fees that vary by trip details and kennel size.

If you hold a United or American ticket to Paris and want your pet beside you, you'll need to change your plan.

How to Fly a Larger Dog to France: Hold vs. Cargo

If your pet is over the cabin limit, you have two main paths.

Travel in the hold on your flight. Air France accepts cats and dogs up to 75 kg including the kennel in the hold, on the same flight as you. This is the closest option to traveling together for a medium or large dog.

Ship through a cargo service. Delta Cargo handles pets that are too large for a soft-sided carrier. Cargo is a separate booking from your own reservation, it cannot be booked until 14 days before departure, and Delta does not guarantee your pet will be on your flight or schedule. For international shipments, the acceptance cut-off is 4 hours before departure.

Cargo shipments involve more steps, more timing rules, and an IATA-compliant kennel, which is why many families moving with larger pets work with a professional pet shipper.

French Breed Restrictions: Category 1 and Category 2 Dogs

France classifies certain dogs into two categories, and that classification limits your airline options. Air France's pet page explains that, under French regulations:

• Category 1 dogs (so-called attack dogs with no specific breed but similar in body type to Staffordshire Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Mastiffs/Boerboels, or Tosas) are prohibited from travel in the cabin, the hold, or by cargo.
• Category 2 dogs (pedigreed Staffordshire Terriers, pedigreed American Staffordshire Terriers, pedigreed Tosas, and Rottweiler-type dogs with or without pedigree) are allowed on Air France cargo flights only, in an approved kennel.

If your dog's breed or appearance could fall into either category, sort that out before you spend money on flights or veterinary prep.

The Paperwork Every Airline Will Check: The EU Health Certificate

Airlines expect your pet to meet the destination's entry rules before they board, so your documents need to be complete no matter which carrier you choose. According to USDA APHIS requirements for France:

• Your pet needs a working ISO-compliant microchip implanted before its rabies vaccination.
• After a primary rabies vaccination, your pet must wait at least 21 days (or longer if the vaccine maker recommends it) before traveling.
• A USDA-accredited veterinarian issues the EU health certificate, and USDA must endorse it within 10 days of your pet's arrival in the EU.
• The non-commercial certificate applies when you, or a designated person traveling within 5 days of you, fly with five or fewer pets.

APHIS also notes that updated EU health certificate forms are now in use, so make sure your vet is working from the current version. For the full step-by-step timeline, read our guide on how to move your dog or cat from the US to France.

What Pet Owners Are Saying

The weight limit comes up again and again in owner discussions. In an r/TravelWithPets thread about flying a 15 kg Lhasa Apso in the cabin on Air France, one commenter summed it up plainly: "The in-cabin weight limit is definitely 8kg. If your dog can fit in an under-seat carrier, check out Delta." (r/TravelWithPets discussion)

As Georgiana Strait, Marketing Manager at Starwood Pet Travel, puts it: "The first thing we ask families heading to France isn't which airline they prefer. It's what their pet weighs inside its carrier. That one number tells you whether you're booking a seat with a spot underneath it, or planning a hold or cargo booking with its own deadlines. Get the weigh-in done early and the rest of the plan falls into place."

Frequently Asked Questions