Animals can travel as checked baggage or as cargo, depending on the route, destination, animal and aircraft size. Read on to find out how your pet will travel.

Travelling as checked baggage

• Pets such as cats, dogs, and birds can fly as checked baggage on most routes, as long as they meet the weight and size guidelines. 
• They will travel in a dedicated section of the baggage hold area of the aircraft and will be taken care of in a comfortable environment until they reunite with you at the destination.
• We do not accept animals that are connecting from flights operated by other airlines. 
• Animals travelling on Qatar Airways can connect to other airlines. You must ensure all the necessary arrangements are made with the airlines involved.
  
  Other terms and conditions apply. 

Travelling as cargo

• Animals must be transported as cargo if they are non-domestic animals, travelling alone, exceed the maximum dimension (300cm) and weight (75kg), or connecting with other airlines.  
• Due to local regulations, animals must fly cargo if travelling to and from Australia or New Zealand.
  • For further information on travelling from Australia or New Zealand, please contact your nearest Qatar Airways Cargo office 
  • When travelling to Australia, note that animals can only be transported through Melbourne (MEL). For further information, please contact Post Entry Quarantine Services at PEQservices@agriculture.gov.au or phone at 1800 900 090 or (61 3) 8318 6700 (from outside Australia).        

Falcons and service dogs can travel on Qatar Airways flights with you in the cabin. Our aim is to keep your companions close and ensure a comfortable journey for you both.

Falcons as checked baggage

If you need to fly with several falcons, they can travel as checked baggage. The fees for transporting them this way are the same as other animals travelling as checked baggage, which can be found in the 'Pets & small animals' section.

Eligibility

• We accept domesticated dogs, cats and birds as checked baggage, either on your flight or on a separate one, provided that the animal is in good health and all travel requirements are met.
• The transport of certain breeds of dogs and cats is restricted as these animals are normally susceptible to increased risk of heat stroke when exposed to stress or temperatures above 21°C (69.8°F). Visit the ‘Restricted breeds’ page to learn more.
• Emotional support dogs do not qualify as service dogs and are not accepted in the cabin. 
• Additional eligibility rules and regulations may apply based on your origin and destination countries. Learn more on our ‘Travel requirements’ page. 

Health and documentation requirements

You must ensure that the necessary documentation is ready before your pet travels. These include their health certificate (signed by your veterinarian, indicating that the animal is fit to fly), vaccinations, and pet passport or identification.

• Health certificate: Your pet must be certified as fit to fly by a veterinarian within 10 days before their travel date.
• Vaccinations: Ensure your pet's vaccinations are up to date, as required by the destination country. Rabies vaccination is mandatory for most international travel.
• Microchip and identification: Some countries may require pets to be microchipped and hold a pet passport for identification. 
• Destination regulations: Research and follow the import regulations and quarantine requirements of the destination country here.

• Your pet's travel carrier, or kennel, must be of an adequate size and be equipped with sufficient openings for ventilation. All openings must be designed to be nose and paw-proof, preventing any part of the pet’s body from protruding or sticking out to avoid any risk of injury. It must also be of suitable design and sufficient strength to prevent escape. There are also limits on including more than one pet per carrier. Additionally, the carrier must be labelled with your name, contact details, and your pet's name.
• For your pet’s well-being, we reserve the right to refuse the transport of any animal if we find the carrier is too small. 
• Read more on pet travel carriers below, and use our handy tool to calculate the minimum required kennel size to transport your pet, based on IATA guidelines. 

Note: Carriers larger than 300cm in dimension must be transported as cargo.

Curious about your pet’s journey with us? Learn how we ensure their safety and what you can do to help.