Is Your Pet Fit to Fly? Vet Shares 5 tips Before Booking Thanksgiving Travel

Article courtesy of Pet Health Digest, and Findings and Commentary courtesy of Dr. Kelly Hood.

U.S. airlines reported nine animal incidents in 2025, including three deaths, as pet owners are encouraged to consider the whole journey before booking

Pet owners planning to fly home for Thanksgiving are being encouraged to consider how their dog or cat will cope with confinement, unfamiliar surroundings and potential delays before booking their trip.

An analysis of U.S. Department of Transportation records by Pet Health Digest found that airlines reported three animal deaths, five injuries and one loss in 2025, among 117,861 animals transported within the federal reporting scheme.

The figures cover animals in airline custody, including those transported as checked baggage or cargo. These findings exclude pets traveling beside their owners in the cabin where the airline does not take custody, but does include commercially shipped dogs and cats.

Dr. Kelly Hood, DVM, speaking for Pet Health Digest, says an airline accepting a pet does not automatically mean the journey is suitable for that animal.

“Before asking whether an airline will take your pet, ask how your pet is likely to cope with the journey,” Dr. Kelly says.

Before you even consider booking a flight with your pet you need to check the airline’s requirements. Some carriers do not allow certain breeds or transport pets in cargo to certain destinations.

What the airline data tells us

The nine incidents reported in 2025 compared with thirteen in 2024 and nine in 2023. However, the number of animals transported also changed, making the incident rate more useful than the count alone.

Year	Animals transported	Deaths	Injuries	Losses	Total incidents	Incidents per 10,000 animals
2023	124,593	8	1	0	9	0.72
2024	161,335	10	3	0	13	0.81
2025	117,861	3	5	1	9	0.76

Although the incident count fell by 30.8% between 2024 and 2025, transport volume fell by 26.9%. The published incident rate therefore changed more modestly, from 0.81 to 0.76 per 10,000 animals.

These figures describe reported deaths, injuries and losses. They do not measure how many pets experienced anxiety or discomfort during their journey.

Dr. Kelly shares five practical tips for owners considering a flight with their pet.

1. Discuss the actual journey with your veterinarian

A pre-travel appointment is an opportunity to discuss existing health conditions, recent illness, medication and previous reactions to travel. Share the planned route, connections and whether your pet would travel in the cabin or in airline custody.

“Tell your veterinarian what the trip involves, rather than simply saying you are taking your pet on a plane,” Dr. Kelly says.

“The length of the journey, where your pet will travel and any existing health concerns all matter when considering whether that particular trip is suitable. Not to mention you will require legal documentation to fly with a pet via cargo or cabin.

A health certificate issued by a USDA certified veterinarian is required for travel, and not all family vets are certified. Some destinations have specific requirements aside from just Rabies vaccines. Additionally, some airlines have their own specific health clearance forms as well.”

2. Give your pet time to get used to the carrier

Introduce the travel carrier well before departure. Check the airline’s requirements and make sure your pet has enough room to stand, turn around and lie naturally.

“The airport should not be the first place your pet spends a meaningful amount of time in their carrier,” Dr. Kelly says.

“Give your pet time to become familiar with the carrier at home, make it a safe, fun place with a favorite toy and some treats. If they repeatedly bite at it or try to force their way out, take that seriously and discuss it before traveling.”

3. Check breathing concerns and breed restrictions early

USDA guidance identifies increased risks of breathing problems and heat stroke in short-nosed pets exposed to stress or extreme heat. Owners should check the airline’s breed restrictions and raise any existing breathing difficulties with their veterinarian.

“Being small enough to fit under a seat does not tell you everything about a pet’s fitness to travel,” Dr. Kelly says.

“If your pet already struggles with breathing, that needs to be part of the conversation before you book a flight.”

4. Do not make medication a last-minute plan

Discuss travel medication with a veterinarian, and check the airline’s policy. If medication is prescribed, ask whether a supervised plan for a trial before departure is appropriate.

“Do not assume you can give your pet something at the airport and they will sleep through the journey,” Dr. Kelly says.

“Medication decisions need to be made in advance with your veterinarian, taking your pet’s health and the travel arrangements into account.”

5. Count the hours outside the aircraft

Consider check-in, ground handling, connections and potential delays alongside the scheduled flight time. A nonstop route can reduce the number of transfers, while temperature restrictions may affect whether an animal can travel.

“Look at the whole day from your pet’s perspective,” Dr. Kelly says.

“For a short family visit, it is also worth considering whether they would be more comfortable with a familiar caregiver. Bringing them along is not always the option that suits them best.”

Airline-by-airline figures for 2025

Airline	Animals transported	Deaths	Injuries	Losses	Incidents per 10,000 animals
Alaska Airlines	64,217	2	1	0	0.47
American Airlines	20,133	0	2	1	1.49
Delta Air Lines	2,896	0	1	0	3.45
Endeavor Air	63	0	0	0	0.00
Envoy Air	2,882	0	0	0	0.00
Hawaiian	10,924	0	1	0	0.92
Horizon Air	6,477	0	0	0	0.00
PSA	1,476	0	0	0	0.00
Republic Airways	1,011	0	0	0	0.00
SkyWest	7,481	0	0	0	0.00
United Airlines	301	1	0	0	33.22
Total	117,861	3	5	1	0.76

The table includes carriers reporting a nonzero transport volume within the scheme. Rates must be read alongside volumes: United’s figure, for example, reflects one incident among 301 animals. These figures are not an overall airline safety ranking.

Incidents can happen outside the flight itself

Individual airline reports illustrate why preparation and handling both matter.

In May 2025, Delta reported that a dog sustained mouth injuries apparently while escaping its crate. It received veterinary treatment and continued its journey the following day in a replacement crate.

In July 2025, American Airlines reported that jet blast displaced a load carrying a dog’s kennel during ground handling at JFK. The dog sustained minor soft-tissue injuries, was observed overnight and traveled the following day.

These airline accounts describe different circumstances and do not establish that either animal was medically unfit to fly.

What has been reported in 2026?

Published DOT reports covering January through July 2026 record five animal incidents, all reported by Alaska Airlines: one in February, two in March, one in May and one in June. No incidents were reported for January, April or July.

These partial-year counts cannot be directly compared with a complete year. Matching transport volumes are not supplied in the monthly tables, so a comparable incident rate cannot be calculated.

Methodology:

Analysis of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s annual animal incident tables for 2023, 2024 and 2025, plus monthly reports covering January through July 2026. Rates are reproduced as published by DOT and represent combined deaths, injuries and losses per 10,000 animals transported within the reporting scheme.

The scheme covers animals in airline custody on covered U.S. carriers’ scheduled domestic and international passenger services. It excludes pets accompanying passengers in the cabin without airline custody and includes commercially shipped dogs and cats.

2026 classification note: March’s summary places two incidents under deaths, but the attached narratives describe a bird death and a dog kennel-fall incident without a reported death. The release therefore reports five incidents rather than an unqualified death total.