A long flight is stressful enough for a pet that’s never done it before. Most of what makes it go smoothly happens well before departure day — not at the airport.
This guide covers how to physically and behaviorally prepare your pet for the flight itself. If you’re still deciding between cabin and cargo, or need a full packing checklist, this site covers those separately.
Current as of 2026: Airline-specific requirements change, so confirm your airline’s current pet policy before booking — this guide covers general veterinary preparation, not any one airline’s exact rules.
The Short Answer: When to Start and What Matters Most
Start preparing months, not days, before your flight:
- Begin planning at least 6 months ahead for interstate or international travel — some requirements take that long to complete.
- Schedule a veterinary exam within 10 days of travel, and get your Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) from a federally accredited veterinarian — not every vet holds this accreditation.
- Start crate acclimation early, not the week of the flight.
- Book a nonstop flight and time it around the weather.
- Don’t sedate your pet for the flight — this goes against veterinary guidance.
- If your pet is a short-nosed breed (pug, bulldog, Boston Terrier, and similar), take extra precautions — see below.
Schedule the Vet Exam and Get Your Health Certificate Early
A Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI), often called a health certificate, is legally required for any trip crossing state or international borders, and airlines generally require a copy before they’ll let your pet fly. It must be signed by a federally accredited veterinarian — not every veterinarian holds this accreditation, so call ahead to confirm or ask for a referral.
Schedule this exam within 10 days of travel. If you’re flying your pet in the cargo hold rather than the cabin, some airlines separately require a health and acclimation certificate — a document confirming your pet is fit to travel and noting any temperature limits — signed within 10 days of travel, in addition to the CVI, not instead of it.
Get Your Pet Comfortable With the Crate Early
Take time well before the flight to help your pet get used to the crate or carrier it will travel in, along with any harness or restraint you’ll use to keep it secure. A familiar toy or blanket can help most pets feel more comfortable in the crate.
Exception: if you have a short-nosed breed, skip the thick blanket — see the section below.
Whatever your pet’s breed, make sure the crate is secure enough that your pet can’t escape from it.
Extra Precautions for Short-Nosed Breeds
If you have a pug, bulldog, Boston Terrier, boxer, Pekingese, Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu, or another short-nosed (brachycephalic) breed, air travel carries extra risk worth planning around. Veterinary data cited by the American Veterinary Medical Association found that roughly half of a 5-year sample of airline-related dog deaths involved short-faced breeds — English Bulldogs and Pugs were the two most represented. This is a small number relative to the hundreds of thousands of pets that fly safely every year, but it’s a real, well-documented risk specific to this anatomy.
Short-nosed breeds pack the same internal breathing structures into a shorter space, which can mean smaller nostrils, a longer soft palate, and a narrower windpipe — all of which make breathing less efficient and can cause the airway to partially or fully collapse under stress, heat, or exertion. In a cargo hold, no one can monitor or step in if a problem develops mid-flight.
If your dog fits this category:
- Keep your dog at a healthy weight. Obesity, underlying medical conditions, and advanced age all raise the risk further.
- Prioritize crate acclimation. An unfamiliar carrier adds stress on top of an already-riskier flight.
- Skip thick blankets or fluffy towels in the crate — your dog could bury its nose in the material, raising respiratory risk. A thin blanket or flat newspaper lining is the safer choice.
- Ask about in-cabin travel when you book, not at the airport, if your dog is small enough to qualify. This avoids cargo-hold risk factors entirely, though airlines may charge extra and limit how many pets are allowed in the cabin.
- Confirm your airline’s breed restrictions in advance. Some airlines restrict or refuse short-nosed breeds in the cargo hold specifically.
Time Your Flight Around the Weather
Book a nonstop flight and avoid layovers and busy holiday travel dates. For temperature: in warm months, choose early morning or late evening flights, when it’s cooler; in colder months, choose afternoon flights, when it’s warmer. This matters most for pets traveling in the cargo hold, where ground-handling temperature exposure is a real factor.
Don’t Sedate Your Pet for the Flight
Veterinary guidance is direct on this point: avoid tranquilizing your pet for air travel, since it can increase the risk of injury and health problems rather than reduce it. If you’re considering sedation because you’re worried about your pet’s anxiety, talk to your veterinarian about the risks first rather than medicating on your own.
Confirm Identification and Vaccinations Are Current
Before you travel, confirm:
- Identification tags have up-to-date contact information.
- Your pet is microchipped, with current contact information on file with the registry.
- Flea, tick, and heartworm prevention are current.
- Your pet’s rabies vaccine is current, along with any other vaccines your veterinarian recommends for your destination.
