Frequently Asked Questions

Dogs and cats can be shipped on an airplane as carry-on baggage, excess baggage and cargo. To carry a pet as carry-on baggage, it must be small enough to travel in a soft carrier under the airplane seat.

Some airlines allow pets to travel as excess baggage when size and weight policies are met, but fewer airlines are accepting pets as excess baggage each year.

The last option is cargo. Pets travel as cargo when they are too large, the breed cannot be transported by the airline, or because the airline does not accept pets as excess baggage. When using cargo, the pet must be checked at a cargo warehouse, must travel with a document called an Air Waybill and, in most cases, must be cleared through customs at the destination airport.

Air freight and other shipping costs depend on the weight of your pet and the volumetric weight of your cage. The air freight will be the result of multiplying the airline rate by the weight or volumetric weight (see “volumetric weight”). The rate will depend on the country of destination.

Volumetric Weight

The volumetric weight of a shipment is a calculation that reflects the density of a package. A less dense material generally takes up more volume of space, compared to its actual weight. The volumetric or dimensional weight is calculated and compared to the actual weight of the shipment to determine which is greater, the greater weight is used to calculate the shipping cost.

Formula: Width x Length x Height in centimeters / 6000 = Volumetric weight in kilograms.

Brachiocephalic dog breeds are not allowed on most airlines, there are some that do carry them, but they have their restrictions. Each case must be analyzed separately by our operations team before boarding.

First of all the animal must be older than 8 weeks old. It needs to have an animal health certificate issued by a veterinarian and signed by SENASA (National Animal Health Service). This certificate will be the document proving to the authorities of the country of destination that the animal is healthy and that its vaccinations are up to date. The certificate cannot exceed 10 days between the time it is issued and the animal arrives at destination.

The kennel where the animal will travel must meet the following requirements:

1. The bolts and nuts of the kennel and the door must be made of metal.
2. The animal must travel loosely in the kennel (it cannot touch any part of the body on the upper part of the kennel).
3. An absorbent material should be placed inside the kennel (newspaper or a towel).
4. Water and food containers inside the kennel and additional food outside the kennel.
5. Adequate ventilation.
6. Additionally, no collar or toys inside the kennel.

Once you have the right kennel, you should evaluate which is the ideal airline in which the pet should travel, this will depend on the breed of the animal (some breeds cannot be easily transported), the country of destination and the availability of space in the airline.

Regarding the shipment itself, the animal must be delivered to the export terminal where the airline is located, it is checked that the requirements are met and it is weighed, to be delivered to the airline staff.

Finally, a commercial invoice is prepared, which will be presented to customs to allow the animal to leave the country, with which the Single Customs Document (DUA) is processed. Then the air waybill (AWB) contract between the exporter and the importer must be prepared, where the exchange of the pet is detailed. With all this your pet is ready to be transported.

This will depend on the destination. A good rule of thumb is the rabies vaccination should always be more than 30 days and less than one year prior to your international travel.

Yes you can. many people handle their moves on their own to save money, however, many mistakes are made when doing this. If you go to another country and you are not very clear about the laws of that country, your pet will be the one to suffer. And it will cost you much more than you can imagine.

Animals are transported in temperature-controlled vehicles from the cargo facility to the plane and vice versa. They are transferred immediately from the van to the plane and from the plane to the van, so it is only a matter of minutes before they are actually outside. Pets are last on the plane and first in front of each destination.

This also depends on the country you are entering the country and you are leaving from. some countries allow you to kind of quarantine your home before entering their country, but again, this largely depends on where you are coming from and where you are going.

Yes, your dog/cat can be booked as manifest cargo and can fly alone to most places.