Skip to content
Logo_color

Your pet’s safe trip to or from
United States starts here

Get a quote
USA country outline

W e ' r e   D i f f e r e n t

Pets, not packages - expect more

We’re proud to be a U.S.-based international pet shipping company trusted by pet owners around the world.
plane

Decades of experience

Trust our expert team of coordinators, with the most collective industry experience (and all the 5-star reviews to prove it!).
Learn more →

Technology

Industry-leading Pet Travel Portal to make things simple & clear. 
Learn more →

Pet Protection Plan

Coverage for every dog or cat ensuring your peace of mind throughout their journey.
Learn more →

Stay in touch

The only US-based company to partner with CareTags Travel Sense to provide automated updates throughout your pet’s move via email & text. 
Learn more →

S t a r w o o d   F a c t o r

What sets us apart

Read stories traveling to and from the united-states USA

Testimonials

218 days ago

This is the second time when I worked with Starwood and Ryan to move my dogs. First time was from the mainland to Hawaii and this time from Hawaii to the mainland, both pretty significant moves. I hav...

Eliza Hagen
✈️ United StatesUnited States
🐱 Hazel and George's Trip to San Francisco
Hazel and George's Trip to San Francisco's pet

268 days ago

Having researched a number of resources we selected Starwood Pet Travel to handle the inbound process of relocating our Misty from Cavite, Philippines to Houston, Texas USA. Throughout the process our...

Peter Staines
✈️ PhilippinesUnited States
🐱 Misty's Trip to Houston
Misty's Trip to Houston's pet

315 days ago

I was so worried up moving my dog to Thailand from the US. Thanks to Starwood Pet Travel everything went perfectly! 🥰

Gail Welch
✈️ ThailandUnited States
🐱 Trek to Thailand
Trek to Thailand's pet

335 days ago

The trip went extremely well. We met up with the Starwood team in New York on Wednesday morning, handed our pup over to them, and then arrived in Hawaii, where we met our pup at our new home. Everyone...

Michele Harrison
✈️ United StatesUnited States
🐱 Bulldog to Hawaii
Bulldog to Hawaii's pet

340 days ago

It was nice having everything handled for us. Ryan was always able to answer any thing I had questions about and was overall so great.

Tabatha Havunen
✈️ United StatesUnited States
🐱 Tabatha from Hawaii to NYC
Tabatha from Hawaii to NYC's pet

356 days ago

I have hired Starwood twice to transport my two dogs from London back to the US. The team is amazing and I highly recommend working with them if you want a stress-free experience.

✈️ United KingdomUnited States
🐱 Labs to Seattle
Labs to Seattle's pet

372 days ago

Julie and team ❤️ We have Oscar now in Tucson. We just wanted to pass on our deepest gratitude to you and your teams. We were so worried and stressed about Oscar’s trip due to his age and medical hist...

Victoria Norn
✈️ United StatesUnited States
🐱 Oscar
Oscar's pet

375 days ago

We used Starwood to assist us in relocating our girls from New York to Hawaii. Both are close to 50 pounds each and had to travel via cargo. We were fortunate to have a direct flight and chose the pac...

✈️ United StatesUnited States
🐱 The girls to Hawaii
The girls to Hawaii's pet

377 days ago

Throughout the process of getting Buster from CA to Hawaii Ryan was incredible. Helping every step of the way ensuring my vet received and had all the proper documents required. Reassuring me that we ...

✈️ United StatesUnited States
🐱 Buster
Buster's pet

379 days ago

Just wanted to give a huge thanks to the Jet Pets team in New Zealand and Starwood Pet Travel in the US for getting our beloved Kona safely to the United States. From the initial discussions to the Ve...

✈️ New ZealandUnited States
🐱 Kona
Kona's pet

387 days ago

If you're a concerned pet owner like me, Starwood makes the process of transporting them so much easier. My family and moved 3 dogs from California to Hawaii, and there is no way this would've gone as...

✈️ United StatesUnited States
🐱 Loki, Lucy, & Gertie to Hawaii
Loki, Lucy, & Gertie to Hawaii's pet

435 days ago

We could not have done our move internationally without Molly and Starwood! Our pup was comfortable and happy throught the whole experience. Even when there were hiccups at the last minute, Starwood h...

✈️ AustraliaUnited States
🐱 Bentley
Bentley's pet

437 days ago

Incredible experience using this service. Everything was truly 'hands free' as Starwood took care of all the heavy lifting. Each point of contact was detailed, communicative, and readily available for...

✈️ United KingdomUnited States
🐱 Maverick
Maverick's pet

483 days ago

Extraordinary service, from each Starwood employee who made it possible to fly our dog from Colorado mountains to Hawaii!! Thank you so much!

✈️ United StatesHawaii
🐱 Carlo
Carlo's pet

Stories

Junior & Harley's Hawaiian Adventure

✈️ LAX-HNL

Three years ago, Junior and Harley’s lives changed forever when they were rescued into a loving home. Junior, a spirited Malinois mix with boundless energy, can be a little shy at first and startles e...

Read full story →
Junior and Harley's pet

Moving to the USA

2026 USA Pet Travel Guide

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA APHIS) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) both regulate cats, dogs, and other pets entering the country. However, many individual states also have specific rules you’ll need to follow.

USDA/CDC rules depend on where your pet has been living in the last 6 months. If you don’t comply with these import requirements, there may be delays and headaches when your pet tries to enter the US.

For more detailed information on life in the USA with your pet, please refer to our comprehensive USA Country Guide.

Moving from the USA


Pet Travel from the USA

Whether you’re flying your pet to Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, or the United Kingdom, there are a number of hoops to jump through. Getting all of the details right can be confusing and time-consuming, and improper planning or documentation could delay your pet’s entry into the country. Let us handle all the details for you!

Our US Export Services include:
  • Door-to-door transport
  • Assistance with health certificates, import certificates, and other travel documents needed for pet travel
  • USDA endorsement
  • Airline-approved travel kennels provided with personalized labels, identification and emergency notification instructions
  • Customs clearance and delivery to your home
  • Travel consultation and flight reservations

P r i c i n g

Starting cost for moving your pet to the USA

Pet Transport Cost Estimator

Number of pets Starting cost*
1 $2,195
2 $3,195
3 $3,495
4 $3,895
5 $5,195
6+ Contact Us

Talk to our experts

Need help or have questions?
Our team is ready to help!

peoplenow
Get in touch →

F A Q

Questions,
answered

Is pet travel safe?

Yes, pet travel is safe with the proper preparation and precautions. Thousands of pets fly every year without issue. You can read more about pet travel safety here.

Should I sedate my pet?

NO. It is not recommended to sedate or tranquilize any pet that is flying on an airplane. This can negatively affect their breathing and respiration when they are up in the air at high altitudes. This can be even more dangerous for pets with pre-existing conditions or snub-nosed (brachycephalic) pets. Starwood will NOT transport any pet that has been sedated or tranquilized. Additionally, if the airline believes that your pet has been sedated, then they can refuse your pet for travel. You can learn more about sedation and air travel in our blog post.

Where do pets travel on the plane?

Starwood only transports pets who are traveling as manifest cargo. This means that they travel on commercial flights underneath the passenger cabin in a space that is temperature controlled, pressurized, and oxygenated. Live animals travel beneath the pilot and the pilot must sign off on a manifest so they are aware of any pets onboard. Your pet’s travel kennel will be held into place by a thin netting that acts like a seatbelt to keep them safe and secure during takeoff and landing. Learn more about where pets travel on a plane.

Will my pet eat or drink?

You should definitely ensure your pet is provided plenty of water prior to and on the day of their big adventure. Our team will also make sure that their water bowls are topped off once we check them in for the flight. Once pets are in the care of the airline after check-in, the airline staff will be sure to top off water as well. However, it is NOT recommended for pets to eat right before takeoff or during the flight. This can cause an upset stomach, which we of course want to avoid. Our team will not provide food for the flight and we do not recommend feeding them less than 4 hours prior to flight departure. If your pet has a layover, they will be provided more water and some food (depending on the length of the layover). Water will also be provided once they have landed as they are clearing through customs. If your pet will be boarding or spending time in quarantine throughout their trip, they will be provided food and water regularly. You can read more about whether you should feed pets who are flying in our blog.

How will my pet go to the bathroom?

If you have a dog that is traveling, our team will provide them with a nice walk and potty break prior to check-in at the airport. Once your pet is checked in, they must remain inside their travel kennel until they arrive at the destination. We do not let cats out of the travel kennel after we pick them up since you know they can be sneaky escape artists. Upon arrival to the destination, dogs will be provided with a walk and potty break before they head home to you. Again, cats will need to remain inside their travel kennels unless there is a safe and secure room to let them out. Litter boxes are not permitted to be inside the travel kennel so please be aware that sometimes your pet may go to the bathroom inside the kennel. As they say, if you gotta go, you gotta go. If your pet has soiled their travel kennel and there is a safe place to let them out of the kennel then we do try our best to clean the kennel when possible prior to delivery. Learn more here.

We partner with the best in the industry:

qantas qatar american-airlines lufthansa air new zeland british airways klm