Delta Air Lines
Pet travel policy for Delta Air Lines (DL) — based at Atlanta (ATL), United States.
Policy summary
Delta Air Lines accepts small dogs, cats, and household birds in the main cabin on most domestic and many international flights. The pet must travel in a soft- or hard-sided carrier that fits fully under the seat in front of you, and you must call Delta reservations to add the pet to your booking — there is no online self-service for in-cabin pets, and Delta caps the number of in-cabin pets per flight, so reserve as soon as you have a confirmed itinerary. The one-way fee is currently 95 USD within the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands; international fees are 200 USD and Brazil is 75 USD. Delta no longer accepts pets as checked baggage and only ships them through Delta Cargo as a separate booking handled by their PetSafe-style program for active-duty US military and US State Department foreign-service personnel. Health certificates are not required for in-cabin pets on US domestic flights but are mandatory for international itineraries; Delta also enforces destination-specific rules, so a Hawaii- or UK-bound itinerary will trigger additional quarantine paperwork. Service animals fly free on Delta but must be booked through the disability assistance line and accompanied by a completed US DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form.
Quick reference
| Cabin pets | Yes — cats & small dogs in approved under-seat carrier |
|---|---|
| Cargo / checked program | Not currently offered |
| Cabin fee (one-way) | $95 USD (typical, route-dependent) |
| Carrier max dimensions | 18 x 11 x 11 in |
| Weight limit | pet + carrier under-seat |
| Breed restrictions | No snub-nosed dog or cat breeds in cargo (cargo program suspended for most pets since 2016). |
| Reservations | 1-800-221-1212 |
| Hub airport | Atlanta (ATL) |
| Country | United States |
How to book a pet on Delta Air Lines
Almost every airline requires you to add a pet to your reservation by phone — there is no online self-service for in-cabin or cargo pets at the major carriers, because the airline must confirm there is space on the specific aircraft type and route. Call 1-800-221-1212 within 24 hours of buying your ticket and ask the agent to add the pet to your booking. You will be quoted the fee at the time of booking and pay it at airport check-in. Bring printed proof of vaccinations and a recent veterinary health certificate, especially for international itineraries.
At the airport, plan to arrive 90 minutes before a domestic departure or three hours before an international departure. The airline gate agent will inspect your carrier, attach an in-cabin pet tag, and confirm that your pet meets the under-seat dimension and weight limits. If your animal is travelling in cargo, you will drop them off at the carrier's dedicated cargo-acceptance facility (separate from the passenger terminal) at least four hours before departure for kennel inspection and loading.