Flying to Japan with Pets: The Complete Airline Guide — ANA, JAL, EVA Air, China Airlines, STARLUX & United (2026)

The Question Every Pet Owner Dreads

You've done the vaccinations, passed the antibody test and counted down 180 days. Now comes the part that keeps owners awake at night: can my pet actually fly to Japan with me — and if so, in the cabin or in the hold?

The answer depends on your pet's size, the airline, the route, the season and whether your pet is a snub-nosed (brachycephalic) breed. Japan's import rules are the same however the animal travels, so choosing an airline is really about comfort, cost and what each carrier will accept.

One thing worth knowing up front: on long-haul routes to Japan almost every airline carries pets in the hold rather than the cabin. Cabin pets are common on short regional flights within Asia, but once you cross the Pacific or fly from Europe, expect your pet to travel as checked baggage or as cargo.

Two Ways to Fly: PETC vs. AVIH

PETC (Pet in Cabin) — Flying Together

Your pet travels with you in the cabin, inside a compliant soft or hard carrier placed under the seat in front of you.

Advantages:

• You can see and reassure your pet throughout the flight
• No exposure to cargo-hold temperatures or extra baggage handling
• Fewer people involved on the ground, so less room for error

Limitations:

• Tight limits: usually 5–8 kg including the carrier, and the carrier has to fit under the seat
• Most airlines do not offer cabin pets on long-haul routes to Japan — service dogs are the usual exception
• Cabin pet quotas are tiny, often one or two animals per cabin, and they sell out months in advance
• Snub-nosed breeds are frequently excluded from the cabin altogether

AVIH (Animal in Hold) — Checked Baggage or Air Cargo

Your pet travels in a rigid IATA-compliant container in the aircraft's live-animal hold.

Advantages:

• Works for larger animals and heavier breeds
• Accepted on most international routes
• The container is sized to your pet rather than to a seat

Important notes:

• The live-animal hold is separate from the regular baggage hold and is pressurised and temperature-controlled
• You cannot check on your pet during the flight
• Some airlines stop accepting snub-nosed breeds, or all animals, during hot months, or when the departure or arrival city is above a set temperature
• Depending on the airline, "AVIH" means checked baggage on your own ticket or a separate air-cargo booking. Checked baggage is usually cheaper and simpler but is not offered everywhere — ANA, for example, does not accept checked pets to or from the UK, Hong Kong or Australia

IATA Container Size and Construction

Whatever the airline or the mode, the container must let your pet stand naturally, turn around, and lie down. IATA sets out both the sizing formulas and the construction rules in its Live Animals Regulations.

Minimum Container Dimensions

Length  = (nose-to-tail-base length) × 1.5  (add tail length if the tail curves upward)
Width   = shoulder width × 2
Height  = floor-to-head-top height when standing naturally (including upright ears)

How to Measure — Step by Step

1. Length: with your pet standing, measure from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail. If the tail curves upward naturally, add the tail length. Multiply by 1.5.
2. Width: measure the widest point across the shoulders. Multiply by 2.
3. Height: measure from the floor to the top of the head, or to the ear tips if the ears stand up, with your pet standing. No multiplier needed.

💡 Tip: round up after calculating, then pick the next standard commercial size. A container that is far too large is not ideal either — your pet needs enough room to move but not so much that it slides around.

Ventilation, Fastenings and Labels

Size is only half of it. IATA's container requirements also cover how the box is built:

• Ventilation openings covering at least 16% of the total surface area of the four sides, provided on at least three sides and preferably all four
• A rigid body with the top and bottom halves secured by bolts — snap clips alone are not enough
• A metal door latch
• A leak-proof floor or an absorbent tray in the base
• Food and water containers that can be filled from outside, with "LIVE ANIMAL" labels on the box

IATA's one-page summary is the quickest way to check the detail: Pet container requirements (PDF).

Common Breed Reference Sizes

Snub-Nosed (Brachycephalic) Breeds: Extra Care Required

Brachycephalic dogs and cats have shortened upper airways, which makes breathing less stable under pressure and temperature changes. Most airlines restrict these breeds far more tightly than other animals.

Common Brachycephalic Dog Breeds

Boston Terrier, Bulldog (English, French, American), Pekingese, Pug, Shih Tzu, Boxer, Mastiff-type breeds

Common Brachycephalic Cat Breeds

Persian, Exotic Shorthair, British Shorthair (some lines), Burmese

How the Main Carriers Handle Them

⚠️ If your pet is brachycephalic, get written confirmation from the airline before you buy the ticket. Being turned away at check-in is a real risk, and it happens most often in summer.

Airline by Airline

ANA — All Nippon Airways

Official page: ANA — travelling with pets

JAL — Japan Airlines

Official page: JAL — travelling with pets

EVA Air

Official page: EVA Air — travelling with pets

China Airlines

Official page: China Airlines — pet transport

STARLUX Airlines

Official page: STARLUX — carriage of live animals

Delta Air Lines

Official page: Delta — pet travel

United Airlines

Official page: United — travelling with pets

💡 Whichever airline you use, Japan's quarantine inspection happens at your arrival airport and the inspection itself is free. Only a pet that is held for quarantine generates a cost.

Container Checklist: What to Buy and Prepare

Rigid Container (Required for the Hold)

• Rigid plastic or metal construction — fabric carriers are not accepted in the hold
• Top and bottom halves bolted together, not just clipped
• Ventilation on at least three, preferably four, sides, covering at least 16% of the total surface area of the four sides
• Metal door latch
• Leak-proof floor or absorbent pad in the base
• "LIVE ANIMAL" labels on the outside, plus food and water instructions if the airline asks for them
• Your name, phone number, destination contact and your pet's name clearly marked on the outside

Inside the Container

• Absorbent pad or a thin layer of bedding — do not overfill, your pet needs room to move
• Water bowl attached to the inside of the door
• A familiar blanket or a piece of your clothing
• A mild sedative only with a vet's prescription, and only if the airline permits it

⚠️ On sedatives: some vets suggest a mild sedative to reduce travel stress, but many airlines prohibit them, and medication can behave differently at altitude. Talk it through with a vet who works with animal transport, and get the airline's answer in writing before giving anything.

Five Things to Confirm Before Booking

1. How your pet will arrive — pets travelling with you are inspected at any hour, while air cargo has fixed reception hours that AQS states in your approval
2. That a pet slot exists on your specific flight — call the airline; website availability is not always live
3. Written confirmation that your breed is accepted — essential for snub-nosed breeds, and worth having for anything very large
4. Seasonal temperature limits — summer departures are the ones that get refused at short notice
5. That your AQS notification and your ticket name the same arrival airport — stopovers are fine, but the final arrival airport has to match the one you declared