Service Dog – Air Travel

Flying with a service animal on American Airlines

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Fully-trained service dogs may fly in the cabin at no charge if they meet the requirements.

A service animal is defined as a dog that’s individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability, including but not limited to:

Visual impairments
Deafness
Seizures
Mobility impairments
Post-traumatic stress disorder

Our team members are trained to ask certain questions to determine if your animal is a service animal acceptable for travel.

Please note, service animals in training, emotional support animals, and comfort animals may travel as pets, not as service animals. All requirements and applicable fees will apply.

Pets

Forms and advanced notice

To travel with a service animal on flights operated by American, you must submit the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Service Animal Air Transportation Form attesting to the animal’s health, training, and behavior to the Special Assistance Desk at least 48 hours before your flight. We’ll notify you upon document approval.

You can complete the form at the airport if you bought your ticket within 48 hours before the flight. Be sure to arrive early.

DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form (PDF) Opens a PDF form in a new window.

This form is compatible with the latest version of JAWS and NVDA screen readers, and it may be completed and signed on a desktop or mobile device using Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Get Adobe Acrobat Reader Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines.

If your trip includes a flight on a partner airline you’ll need to contact them and complete all required forms for traveling with a service animal.

Flights to the U.S.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a temporary suspension of dogs, including service dogs, traveling to the U.S. from countries considered high-risk for dog rabies.

Only service dogs with an approved CDC Dog Import Permit, or that meet CDC U.S. vaccination and microchip requirements may fly on American.

Flights over 8 hours

If you have a flight over 8 hours in your itinerary, the Department of Transportation Service Animal Relief Attestation Sanitation Form is also required stating your animal won’t need to relieve itself or can do so in a way that doesn’t create a health or sanitation issue.

DOT Service Animal Relief Attestation Form (PDF) Opens in a new window

This form is compatible with the latest version of JAWS and NVDA screen readers, and it may be completed and signed on a desktop or mobile device using Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Instructions

Read and complete the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form
Complete the DOT Service Animal Relief Attestation Form if applicable
Submit at least 48 hours before your flight
Keep the form with you during your trip

Submit the DOT Service Animal form

Service Animal ID

Once you’ve submitted your form and it’s been approved, we’ll send you an email with your Service Animal ID (SVAN ID). You can add the SVAN ID when booking future travel with this animal and be approved without resubmitting forms. Keep in mind, your SVAN ID will expire after 1 year from the date of signature or when the animal’s vaccination expires, whichever is first.

Service Dog Pass™

Handlers with a Service Dog Pass ID (SDP ID) can enjoy a more seamless travel experience thanks to our partnership with K9s For Warriors and Service Dog Pass. You can add an SDP ID instead of an American-issued Service Animal ID (SVAN ID) when booking travel with us and be approved without submitting forms.

Service Dog Pass Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines

Travel requirements

Animal must be harnessed, leashed or tethered at all times
Animals under 4 months of age may not travel as a service animal
Animal must be clean and well-behaved
Animal must be able to fit at your feet, under your seat or in your lap (lap animals must be smaller than a 2-year old child)
Final approval for travel will not happen until you arrive at the airport and it is determined that the animal will safely fit at your feet.
If the animal is in a kennel, it must fit under the seat in front of you with the animal in it.
An individual is limited to 2 service animals

Animals may not:

Be seated in an exit row
Protrude into or block aisles
Occupy a seat
Eat from tray tables

If your animal is too large or too heavy to be safely accommodated in the cabin, you may need to:

Rebook on a flight with more open seats
Buy a ticket for the animal
Transport the animal as a checked pet.

Animal behavior

Animals must be trained to behave properly in public and they won’t be permitted in the cabin if they display any form of disruptive behavior that can’t be successfully corrected or controlled, including but not limited to:

Growling
Biting or attempting to bite
Jumping on or lunging at people

If this behavior is observed at any point during your journey and isn’t corrected or controlled, the animal will be considered a pet. All requirements and applicable fees will apply.

If you don’t complete or meet all the requirements, your animal may be able to fly as a pet. All requirements and applicable fees will apply.

Pets