How to Fly With a Service Dog, and Emotional Support Dogs

What counts as a service dog on a plane

The Department of Transportation's rule defines a service animal as a dog, regardless of breed or type, that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability, as the AKC reports. That includes dogs trained to help with physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual or other mental disabilities, so a psychiatric service dog trained for specific tasks qualifies.

The AKC explains that providing comfort by simply being there does not count as a trained task. A psychiatric service dog might, for example, be trained to interrupt a dissociative episode or remind a handler to take medication. Under the rule, only dogs qualify: other species and dogs still in training are not service animals for air travel.

Can emotional support dogs fly in the cabin?

Not as service animals. The AKC reports that under the Department of Transportation's rule, emotional support animals, comfort animals and companion animals are not service animals, and airlines may instead accommodate them as pets. Most airlines did exactly that, so an emotional support dog now follows the airline's normal pet policy, fees and carrier rules.

For a small emotional support dog, that usually means flying in the cabin in an under-seat carrier, with a pet fee. A larger emotional support dog would need to travel in the hold, where the airline still accepts pets. The AKC notes that since 2021, ESAs must follow standard airline pet policies, including carrier requirements.

Is there service dog certification for flying?

There is no official federal service dog certificate or registry. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Department of Justice states that certification and registration are not required, and that staff cannot demand an ID card or training documents. Online registries and vests sold as certification are not recognized as proof of anything.

Airlines work under their own federal rule, the Air Carrier Access Act rule, rather than the ADA, and they may ask you to fill in a Department of Transportation form attesting to your dog's training, behavior and health, as the AKC describes. Check your airline's website for exactly which forms it wants and how far in advance.

How to fly with a service dog, step by step

Step 1: Check your airline's service animal page and complete any Department of Transportation forms it requires. Step 2: Book your ticket and tell the airline you are traveling with a service dog. Step 3: Make sure your dog will fit in your foot space or at your feet without blocking the aisle, because service dogs ride on the floor, not in a seat.

Step 4: Keep your dog on a leash, harness or tether. The ADA notes service animals should generally be harnessed, leashed or tethered unless that interferes with the dog's work or the handler's disability prevents it. Step 5: Exercise and relieve your dog before the flight, and use the airport pet relief area after security.

What airlines can and cannot do

Airlines may not refuse a service dog solely because of its breed, the AKC reports, but they can assess an individual dog and refuse one that behaves aggressively or poses a direct threat to others. A well-trained service dog stays calm, quiet and under control through check-in, security and the flight, which is what keeps the system working for everyone.

Misrepresenting a pet as a service animal is a growing concern, the AKC notes, and it makes travel harder for people who rely on their dogs. If your dog is a pet or an emotional support dog, book it as a pet and follow the airline's pet rules.

Health and comfort on the flight

Service dogs face the same travel stresses as any dog. Make sure vaccinations, including rabies, are current and carry records. Ask your vet whether your dog is fit for long flights, especially if it is older or flat-faced. On long flights, plan relief breaks before boarding and keep a little water and food handy.

Never give a sedative without your vet's advice, because the AKC warns sedatives can raise the risk of heart and breathing problems.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.