Flying with a service dog,
airline by airline.
U.S. law protects psychiatric service dogs in the cabin. Much of the rest of the world does not. Here is how 25+ airlines treat guide dogs, hearing dogs, and psychiatric service dogs, grouped by region.
DOT rule 14 CFR Part 382 binds U.S. and foreign carriers alike: trained service dogs of any breed fly free in the cabin, psychiatric service dogs included. Expect the DOT Service Animal form, plus a Relief Attestation on flights of 8+ hours.
Many carriers recognize only guide, hearing, or mobility dogs, or demand training by an ADI, ADEu, or IGDF accredited organization. Psychiatric service dogs are often limited to U.S. routes or treated as pets.
Typical notice windows run 24–48 hours, and approval programs like Qantas need 14+ days. Build the paperwork into your travel planning, not the night before.
United States
All U.S. carriers, and foreign carriers on flights to or from the U.S., follow DOT rule 14 CFR Part 382: trained service dogs of any breed fly free in the cabin, and psychiatric service dogs are treated exactly like guide or hearing dogs. Airlines may require the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form (plus a Relief Attestation on flights of 8+ hours), submitted up to 48 hours ahead. Emotional support animals are treated as pets.
| Airline | Guide & hearing dogs | Psychiatric service dogs | Documents & notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| American | Accepted | AcceptedTreated the same as guide and hearing dogs under DOT Part 382 | DOT forms to the Special Assistance Desk 48 h ahead; approved handlers get a service animal ID valid one year. |
| Delta | Accepted | AcceptedTreated the same as guide and hearing dogs under DOT Part 382 | DOT forms 48 h ahead; dog must fit in your seat's foot space. |
| United | Accepted | AcceptedTreated the same as guide and hearing dogs under DOT Part 382 | DOT forms via united.com; dog must be at least 4 months old; any seat except exit rows. |
| Southwest | Accepted | AcceptedTreated the same as guide and hearing dogs under DOT Part 382 | DOT forms; service dogs not carried to or from Montego Bay. |
| Alaska | Accepted | AcceptedTreated the same as guide and hearing dogs under DOT Part 382 | Up to two service dogs per guest, including psychiatric service dogs; DOT forms. |
| JetBlue | Accepted | AcceptedTreated the same as guide and hearing dogs under DOT Part 382 | DOT forms; standard Part 382 process. |
Mainland China
The CAAC framework recognizes assistance dogs, hearing dogs, and guide dogs. Psychiatric service dogs are not a named category in Chinese regulations, so on non-U.S. routes they are generally handled as pets. Expect 24–48 hour advance applications and quarantine plus vaccination paperwork.
| Airline | Guide & hearing dogs | Psychiatric service dogs | Documents & notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air China | Accepted · 48 h notice, per-aircraft caps | Not recognizedNot recognized | Dog ID, quarantine and vaccination certificates; work vest and leash on board. |
| China Eastern | Accepted · 24 h domestic / 48 h U.S. routes | U.S. routes onlyU.S. routes via DOT forms; not a published category elsewhere | Service animal application + valid work certificate (training proof or ID card) + quarantine and rabies certificates. |
| China Southern | Accepted · support, guide and hearing dogs | Not recognizedNot recognized — stopped accepting emotional-support-dog applications as service dogs in Feb 2021; no published psychiatric process even for U.S. routes | Owner certificate + professional training certificate + quarantine papers; cabin entry noted on the boarding pass. Confirm directly before booking. |
| Hainan | Accepted · 24 h domestic / 48 h international | U.S. routes onlyU.S. routes only (explicit); pet on all other routes | Service dog ID from an ADI / IGDF / ADEu member organization preferred; ESAs banned on all routes. |
East Asia
Japanese and Korean carriers recognize guide, hearing, and mobility dogs on all routes, with psychiatric service dogs generally limited to North America routes under DOT rules. Hong Kong and Taiwan carriers lean on formal accreditation.
| Airline | Guide & hearing dogs | Psychiatric service dogs | Documents & notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANA | Accepted on all routes (guide, hearing, mobility) | U.S. routes onlyU.S., Canada and Mexico routes only; travels as a pet on other sectors, including connections | Declare at reservation; certificate, harness or tag shown at the airport. |
| Japan Airlines | Accepted · MHLW assistance-dog certificate | Not published — confirmU.S. and Canada routes via DOT forms; other routes not published | Online request up to 48 h before departure; harness and leash required. |
| Korean Air | Accepted · dog at least 16 weeks, 48 h notice | Not published — confirmDOT-aligned on U.S. routes; other routes not explicit | DOT forms 48 h ahead for U.S. itineraries; destination quarantine papers. |
| Asiana | Accepted · accredited ID tag, about 48 h notice | U.S. routes onlyU.S. routes per DOT (since Mar 2021) | DOT forms; U.S. CDC dog-import rules apply on arrivals. |
| Cathay Pacific | Accepted only with ADI / ADEu / IGDF accreditation | Not published — confirmNot addressed in published policy; U.S. routes covered by DOT law | One dog per passenger; Hong Kong AFCD special permit needed for arrival or transit; 48 h notice on long sectors. |
| EVA Air | Accepted · dog at least 4 months | AcceptedExplicitly accepted (policy aligned to DOT Part 382) | DOT forms on U.S. routes; check import papers for every country on the itinerary, including transfers. |
Europe & UK
EU rules require carriage of “recognised assistance dogs,” but each airline defines recognition — in practice most demand training by an ADI, ADEu, or IGDF accredited organization. Owner-trained dogs often do not qualify outside U.S. routes.
| Airline | Guide & hearing dogs | Psychiatric service dogs | Documents & notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lufthansa | Accepted with ADI / ADEu / IGDF training certificate — self-trained dogs not recognized | U.S. routes onlyDirect U.S. flights only; other routes limited to seeing-eye, hearing, or medical-response dogs | Register 48 h ahead; dog secured to the seatbelt in front of your seat. |
| Air France | Accepted · trained by a certified organization, dog at least 6 months and microchipped | U.S. routes onlyU.S. routes via DOT; elsewhere must qualify as a certified-organization-trained service dog | Request about 48 h ahead (96 h for UAE routes); harness tethered to the seat. |
| KLM | Accepted · ADI / ADEu / IGDF or comparable certification | Accreditation requiredOnly if it meets the certified service-dog criteria; ESAs are pets | SVAN application form emailed 48 h ahead with ID and vaccination records; car-type harness secured to the seatbelt. |
| British Airways | Accepted · ADI / IGDF member training or proven equivalent standard, processed via the Open Doors portal | Accreditation requiredCase-by-case where equivalent training standard is evidenced; U.S. legs follow DOT | Car-safety harness and tether required; UK arrivals pre-approved by the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre 72 h ahead. |
Middle East
Gulf carriers are the most restrictive group: cabin carriage is often limited to specific routes, and accreditation is usually mandatory outside U.S. itineraries.
| Airline | Guide & hearing dogs | Psychiatric service dogs | Documents & notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emirates | Guide dogs recognized; cabin carriage is route-dependent | U.S. routes onlyRecognized, but cabin access is route-dependent with specific U.S. provisions | 48 h notice; Dubai arrivals need ministry document validation at least 4 working days ahead. |
| Qatar Airways | Cabin service dogs on regulated routes (DOT-aligned policy) | Not published — confirmPublished guidance is unclear and partly conflicting — confirm directly before booking | 48 h notice; dog at least 4 months; only one dog in the cabin per passenger. |
| Etihad | Accepted with an official ADI / IGDF license (license not required on U.S. routes) | U.S. routes onlyDirect U.S. flights only | 48 h call-ahead plus cabin application form; no service dogs at all on flights departing China. |
Canada & Oceania
Canada accepts psychiatric service dogs but requires professional training — owner-trained dogs are generally not accepted, unlike in the U.S. Australia and New Zealand run formal approval programs with accredited-trainer requirements and longer lead times.
| Airline | Guide & hearing dogs | Psychiatric service dogs | Documents & notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Canada | Accepted · professionally trained dogs (owner-trained not accepted) | Accreditation requiredAccepted when professionally task-trained | Service dog form to the medical desk 48 h ahead; DOT forms on U.S. itineraries. |
| WestJet | Accepted · one dog (two on U.S. itineraries) | AcceptedExplicitly accepted — the dog must perform a task; psychiatric letters are not used as verification | Optional registration form; no service dogs to or from Barbados, Montego Bay, or Kingston. |
| Qantas | Approval required at least 14 days ahead · ADI full-member training or state accreditation plus a current Public Access Test | Accreditation requiredRecognized (policy covers psychological disabilities) under the same accreditation regime | Approval persists for future travel; accreditation ID carried on board. |
| Air New Zealand | Accepted with ADI / IGDF / NZ-approved certification | Not published — confirmNo published psychiatric category — the accreditation gate applies; separate DOT track on U.S. routes | Signed service-dog declaration 48 h ahead; NZ import rules require accredited certification. |
These summaries were checked against airline publications on July 21, 2026. Airline policies change without notice, several carriers publish incomplete or conflicting guidance, and destination countries add their own import rules. Always confirm directly with your airline and, for international trips, the destination’s animal-import authority. This page is general information, not legal or travel advice. A PawProof record is not an airline travel document.
Put your dog’s training on the record.
Several non-U.S. carriers ask for evidence of training. A PawProof record offers a checkable verification page, retained assessment footage, and an assessor’s verifiable credential — useful supporting evidence, though acceptance is always the airline’s decision.