Top 10 pet-friendly European airlines – 2026 rating by AirAdvisor

Travelling with a pet? Learn about Europe’s best pet-friendly airlines for 2026. We explore the top 10 European carriers for a trip with your cat or dog.

Amy Lancelotte

By:  Amy Lancelotte

Last Updated:  August 4, 2026

European airlines that allow pets (in cabin) are fairly common. But what if your cat or, more likely, your dog is too large to ride with you? Do European airlines allow pets in the hold or shipped separately as cargo? Yes. We’ve compiled a list of the 10 most pet-friendly airlines in Europe for when leaving your furry friend at home just isn’t an option. 

• We reviewed the 22 most popular EU/EEA (excluding the UK) airlines’ pet policies. This includes:
• Aegean Airlines, Air Europa, Air France, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Condor, Eurowings, Finnair, Iberia, Icelandair, ITA Airways, KLM, LOT, Lufthansa, Norwegian, Ryanair, SAS, TAP, Transavia, Volotea, Vueling, and Wizz Air.
• We found that only three airlines don’t allow pets in the cabin.
• Four airlines don’t allow pets to travel in the luggage hold – Wizz Air, Ryanair, Icelandair (domestic routes are ok), and Volotea.
• Ten carriers expressly permit pets in their branded airport lounges.

To rank among the most pet-friendly airlines Europe offers, each one needs to answer yes to three simple questions:

1. Are pets allowed in the cabin?
2. Can pets be flown as baggage or in the cargo hold on your flight?
3. Can your pet accompany you into the airline’s branded lounges?

We asked these questions for our larger research on the best European airlines, and here are the 10 best European airlines for pet-friendly flights:

Aegean Airlines 

• One cat or dog in the cabin; up to 8kg, including both the animal and the carrier.
• Larger pets can travel in the hold.
• Aegean Airlines’ in-cabin cost is €35 for domestic flights and €65 for international ones.
• Hold costs vary from €50 to €90 for direct domestic flights to €110 to €180 for direct international flights. The amount depends on the pet’s weight, and there’s a small additional charge for connecting flights. 
• Pets must be at least 12 weeks old.
• Pets are permitted to enter the Aegean lounges as long as they remain in their carriers the entire time.

Air France

• One cat or dog permitted per passenger in the cabin; up to 8kg.
• Pets between 8kg and 75kg must travel in the hold. Pets weighing over 75kg are not accepted.
• The pet must be at least 15 weeks old to travel internationally (cabin and hold), and 8 weeks old to travel within France/Corsica or from France to Guadeloupe, Martinique or Réunion in the cabin.
• Air France only allows soft-sided carriers.
• Your pet is welcome to enjoy the Air France lounges with you, but they must stay in the carrier.
• Cost: €70 to €250 (cabin) and €100 to €750 (hold).

KLM (same parent company as Air France)

• KLM has all the same policies as Air France, as they both belong to the Air France-KLM Group. 
• The only difference is cost. With KLM, it ranges from €70 to €500 each way.

Austrian Airlines

• Two cats or dogs per carrier are permitted in the cabin, as long as the weight limit of 8kg total isn’t exceeded.
• Only soft, bite-proof carriers are allowed in the cabin.
• In-cabin costs range from €65 for domestic flights to €125 for long-distance intercontinental flights.
• Using the cargo hold costs between €80 and €380, depending on the carrier size and destination.
• Your accompanying dog or cat is permitted inside the Austrian Airlines lounges, provided they never leave the carrier.

Brussels Airlines

• Small cats and dogs are allowed in the cabin (up to two per carrier), but rabbits, fish, rodents, and birds must travel as cargo in the hold.
• The in-cabin weight limit is 8kg (including the carrier).
• The cabin travel cost with Brussels Airlines is from €80 to €115, depending on the flight route.
• Cargo hold prices vary based on the carrier’s size. For medium ones, it’s between €100 and €190, and for large ones, it’s between €200 and €380. The rates also depend on the route.
• Pets can join in the Brussels Airlines lounges, but they must stay inside the carrier.

Finnair

• Cats and dogs are permitted both in the cabin and in the hold from all countries. Pet hedgehogs, tortoises, and rabbits can be transported from any EU country (cabin or hold). Ferrets can also travel in the hold from any country.
• In all cases, the in-cabin weight limit is 8kg. Two small pets of the same species may share a carrier.
• Approved pets that weigh between 8kg and 75kg can be transported in the hold, and those exceeding 75kg will need to fly separately as cargo. 
• Costs are as follows: Cabin fees are €60 within Europe and €120 for intercontinental flights. Hold fees are €140 within Europe and €650 for intercontinental flights. These are discounted rates for booking your pet on board at least 7 days before departure.
• Pets that remain in their carrier can join you in the Finnair lounges.

LOT Polish Airlines

• LOT allows the non-commercial transport of cats, dogs, and ferrets in the cabin and hold.
• In the cabin, the weight limit is 8kg, and it’s one carrier per passenger, with up to two same-species animals.
• Hold transport prices are quoted after booking, and in-cabin costs are: 190 PLN (about €44) for domestic routes, €70 for short-haul routes, and €100 for long-haul routes.
• Pets are not only welcome in the LOT lounges, but they can also move around the lounge as long as they are constantly supervised.

Lufthansa

• When travelling with Lufthansa, your pet can travel in the cabin, the hold, or separately as cargo.
• Lufthansa permits small dogs and cats up to 8kg (including the carrier) in the cabin. 
• In the cabin, pet fares with Lufthansa are quoted based on route and animal’s size, but generally range from €50 to €110 (one-way) based on distance, and for the cargo hold, it’s €80 to €380, depending on both distance and the size of the animal.
• The limit is two pets per passenger, which can be two small same-species pets in the same cabin carrier, a combination of the cabin and hold, or two animals in the hold.
• Pets are permitted in Lufthansa lounges but must remain in the carrier at all times.

SAS Scandinavian Airlines

• The cost for pets travelling in the cabin with SAS is from €55 (domestic) to €149 (China), and €90 (domestic) to €725 (China) in the hold.
• The usual 8kg in-cabin weight limit applies, two small pets max per carrier.
• Minimum age of 8 weeks, and if the pet is under 14 weeks, you’ll need a veterinarian’s certificate.
• Pets in SAS lounges are permitted, but they have to stay in the carrier the whole time.

TAP Air Portugal

• Pets at least 10 weeks of age can fly with you in the cabin, subject to an 8kg weight limit and a maximum of two pets.
• Only cats and dogs are permitted to travel.
• The hold weight limit, including the carrier, is 32kg.
• TAP pet prices depend on the route, the season, and booking method. In-cabin, the fees range from €40 (domestic, low season, booked online) to €170 (intercontinental, high season, booked online). Hold prices range from €78 to €247.
• TAP permits pets that remain in their carriers in the branded lounges.

Other factors to consider

• Breeds. Certain breeds, particularly snub-nosed dogs such as bulldogs and pugs, may face additional restrictions.
• Destinations. Some airlines only allow pets to travel separately from you as freight to countries like the United Kingdom, the USA, Australia, and Hong Kong.
• Limited numbers. Aside from the typical one pet (or sometimes one carrier) per person, a flight may limit the total number of pets in the cabin or cargo hold.
• Documentation requirements will differ whether you’re travelling between EU countries or to other international destinations. Double-check that you meet all the destination country’s requirements before booking. The most common ones are a rabies and general health certificate.
• Age of the animal. Usually, any pet younger than 12 weeks is not permitted aboard.
• Your flight class. Some airlines don’t allow pets in Premium or Business Class seats, so watch out for that!
• Codeshares. Pets are often not allowed if you’re on a flight that’s a codeshare (shared with another airline). The same goes for connections made with different airlines.
• Boarding passes. In most cases, even though you may be able to check in online, you’ll need to pick up your boarding pass at the airport.

• Prices. All costs stated are one-way, so round-trip flights incur double the pet travel fees.

• Carriers. Each airline has different carrier restrictions, so check carefully. In all cases, in-cabin carriers must be stowed under the seat in front of you, so avoid the first row of any section or the emergency exit row.

Have you had a flight cancelled recently?Regardless of whether or not you were travelling with a pet, compensation up to €600 could be an option.Check your eligibility now!

European airlines to avoid when travelling with pets

Three airlines don’t allow non-service pets to travel in the cabin: Ryanair, Icelandair, and Wizz Air. Icelandair only permits animals in the hold on domestic flights, and both Ryanair and Wizz Air don’t allow it at all. For flexible pet travel, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Summary of the top pet-friendly European airlines

Flying with pets doesn’t have to be a headache

The EU has quite a few options for pet travel, which isn’t the case in other areas like the United Kingdom. Fortunately, European travellers have plenty of airline options when they need to fly with a pet in the cabin or cargo hold. And if you run into trouble with flights delayed 3 hours or more or cancellations, AirAdvisor can help. The only catch is that compensation only applies to human passengers, not pets.

Author:

Amy Lancelotte

Job/Position: Senior Writer & Content Strategist

Amy Lancelotte is a Senior Content Writer and editorial contributor at AirAdvisor with over seven years of experience producing research-based articles for international audiences. Her work focuses on travel, aviation, and air passenger rights, with an emphasis on factual accuracy, verified data, and clear, reader-first explanations.

•