Traveling with Checked Pets (AVIH)

We know your pet is part of the family, so it is important to learn about the options available for traveling with your pet and the requirements that apply to each one.

There are two main options for transporting your pet by air:

The first is for your pet to travel in the passenger cabin with you; this service is known as pet in cabin. The second is for your pet to travel in the baggage hold. This second option is recommended for medium and large animals that cannot be carried in the passenger cabin. Below you will find the details to consider if you are thinking about this option.

• Traveling with checked pets in the baggage hold (AVIH)

This option is only for your animal to travel as part of your baggage; in other words, you must travel on the same flight. If you want to send your pet without traveling yourself, contact your airline’s cargo department.

Allowed species

• Only dogs and cats are accepted as pets in the passenger cabin.

Minimum age

Airline
Aeromexico	8 weeks
Alaska Airlines	8 weeks. The passenger must be at least 18 years old.
American Airlines	8 weeks.
Calafia Airlines	Information not available. Please check with your airline.
Copa Airlines	Does not accept checked animals, only in the passenger cabin and as cargo.
Delta Airlines	Does not accept checked animals, only in the passenger cabin and as cargo.
Tar	Information not available. Please check with your airline.
United Airlines	Does not accept checked animals, only in the passenger cabin and as cargo.
Viva Aerobus	16 weeks.
Volaris	16 weeks.

*Regardless of the minimum age required by the airline, keep in mind that additional age restrictions may apply when traveling to another country. When traveling to several US states, the animal must be 4 months old and one month must have passed since the rabies vaccination.

Required documents

Airline
Aeromexico	Domestic flights: Vaccination record. Valid rabies vaccination. Health certificate issued by a veterinarian (original and copy), valid for up to 5 days from the date of issue. It must be on letterhead with the printed professional license number and include the owner’s name and address and the animal’s breed, sex, age and color.   International flights: Vaccination record. Rabies vaccination, stating the date of application and its validity, with product information. Pets under 3 months old are exempt from this requirement. Health certificate issued by a veterinarian (original and copy), valid for up to 5 days from the date of issue. It must be on letterhead with the printed professional license number and include the owner’s name and address and the animal’s breed, sex, age and color. For pets that left Mexico and return to Mexico within 15 days, the same health certificate presented on departure will be accepted, provided the rabies vaccination is still valid.
Alaska Airlines	Rabies vaccination, stating the date of application and its validity, with product information. Health certificate issued by a veterinarian no more than 10 days before the flight and 30 days before the return flight.
American Airlines	Rabies vaccination, stating the date of application and its validity, with product information. Health certificate issued by a veterinarian no more than 10 days before the flight and 60 days before the return flight.
Calafia Airlines	Information not available. Please check with your airline.
Copa Airlines	Does not accept checked animals, only in the passenger cabin and as cargo.
Delta Airlines	Does not accept checked animals, only in the passenger cabin and as cargo.
Tar	Information not available. Please check with your airline.
United Airlines	Does not accept checked animals, only in the passenger cabin and as cargo.
Viva Aerobus	Domestic flights: Pet vaccination record, including a recent rabies vaccination and antiparasitic treatment. International flights: Pet vaccination record, including a recent rabies vaccination and antiparasitic treatment. Health and Fitness to Fly Certificate (original and copy) issued by a licensed veterinarian no more than five days before the trip.
Volaris	Vaccination record including rabies* (no more than one year from the date of application and at least 30 days before the flight date) and current deworming (no more than 6 months, counting to the date of the return flight). *Also applies to pets 4 months old. Animal health certificate in original and simple copy stating that your pet has undergone a prior inspection and is clinically healthy. It must be issued on letterhead with the veterinarian’s professional license number and dated less than 5 days before the start of the trip. If the certificate does not show the license number on the letterhead, you must also present a copy of the veterinarian’s professional license. If the return is more than 5 days after the certificate was issued, you will need to present another one that is still valid. If you are traveling from Mexico to Central America, you must also show an International Animal Health Export Certificate issued by SAGARPA/SENASICA.

*For pets entering Mexico: certificate of internal and external deworming of the pet within the six months prior to its arrival in Mexico, stating the date of application and the name of the product.

**For international destinations, the requirements of the destination country must be met; it is the customer’s responsibility to check with the country’s embassy or the offices of SAGARPA-SENASICA.

Kennel requirements

Airline
Aeromexico	170 and E-190 aircraft (length x width x height): 100 x 90 x 80 cm (40 x 36 x 32 in). 737-700, 737-800, 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft (length x width x height): 120 x 110 x 90 cm (48 x 44 x 36 in).
Alaska Airlines	Information not available. Please check with your airline. Alaska Airlines does not carry checked pets on its Airbus aircraft.
American Airlines	On regional aircraft and the Embraer ERJ190, the maximum kennel height is 71 cm. On A321T aircraft it is 117 cm. On 737 aircraft it is 71 cm. On 757 aircraft it is 102 cm. On 767, 777 and 787 aircraft it is 173 cm. The maximum combined weight of the pet and kennel is 45 kg.  *American Airlines does not carry checked pets on its Airbus A319, A320 and A321 aircraft (except the A321T).
Calafia Airlines	Information not available. Please check with your airline.
Copa Airlines	Does not accept checked animals, only in the passenger cabin and as cargo.
Delta Airlines	Does not accept checked animals, only in the passenger cabin and as cargo.
Tar	Dimensions: 95 cm x 80 cm x 75 cm Maximum weight: 20 kg including the kennel.
United Airlines	Does not accept checked animals, only in the passenger cabin and as cargo.
Viva Aerobus	Maximum dimensions: 319 linear cm (length + width + height). The maximum combined weight of the pet and kennel is 32 kg.
Volaris	Maximum dimensions: 158 linear cm (length + width + height). The maximum combined weight of the pet and kennel is 45 kg.

• The animal must fit comfortably in the kennel and be able to stand, sit, lie down and turn around naturally without touching the walls or the top. Some airlines require up to 10 cm of clearance between the standing animal and the top of the kennel.
• There is a maximum number of checked pets allowed. The number varies by airline, aircraft type and class of service; please check with your airline for details. 

Costs

Airline
Aeromexico	Domestic flights: MXN 1,000 including VAT. International flights: USD 200 plus taxes.
Alaska Airlines	USD 100; taxes may apply.
American Airlines	USD 200; taxes may apply. USD 150 for flights to Brazil.
Calafia Airlines	Information not available. Please check with your airline.
Copa Airlines	Does not accept checked animals, only in the passenger cabin and as cargo.
Delta Airlines	Does not accept checked animals, only in the passenger cabin and as cargo.
Tar	Information not available. Please check with your airline.
United Airlines	Does not accept checked animals, only in the passenger cabin and as cargo.
Viva Aerobus	MXN 849.
Volaris	Domestic flights: MXN 899 before the day of the flight. MXN 1,100 at the airport in low season. MXN 1,300 at the airport in high season. International flights: USD 90 before the day of the flight. USD 100 at the airport in low season. USD 140 at the airport in high season.

Other considerations

• The animal must be in good health and must not be under medical treatment.
• The animal must remain in the kennel and the kennel under the seat in front of you throughout the flight.