Can You Take a Cat On a Plane?

Having a nice and cute cat is worth all the hassle of the airports.

Flying with a cat used to be an easy process: get a travel crate, don’t give too much food to your cat, purchase a portable litter box, administer a sedative from your vet, treat the cat in its crate as checked luggage, and cross your fingers.

Today the process is a bit complicated, and for good reason; the old approach was not only challenging and a bit scary, but also frequently unsafe.

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Can You Take A Cat Through The Tsa Security Checkpoint?

According to the TSA cats are allow in the security checkpoint without any restrictions, However you will need to take out your cat from the pet carrier and place your carrying for screening.

Your carrier size and weight are regulated by airlines, check the table bellow for more information about airlines rules on traveling with cats.

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How To Travel With Your Cat On A Plane?

The first thing to do when deciding to fly with your cat is to Check your airline’s pet policy in advance before booking a flight.

  • Before paying your cat fees, make sure to see your veterinarian who will conduct an overall examination on your cat and deem that he is ready to fly. Some airlines may require you to present a pet health certificate before allowing your cat on board.
  • At the airport The security agent will require you to take your cat out of the carrier and hold him in your arms as you are going through the security checkpoint. if you practice at home that will make your cat get familiar with the process, and when at the airport.
  • your cat may do some unusual behavior so do not expect him to behave like a little dog. So make sure to harness and always make sure he sports a collar with your cell phone and an identification microchip that includes contact info for you and your veterinarian. You don’t want to run the risk of him escaping and running inside the huge airport.

How To Travel With Two Cats On A Plane?

The US Department of Agriculture sets the basic guidelines for domestic pet travel. So if your pets aren’t leaving the country, they can travel together in the same carrier if:

  • They are the same species (dog or cat).
  • They are less than six months old.
  • They weigh less than 20 lbs. each.

Otherwise, the rule is one animal per kennel. If your pets will be traveling outside the US, you’ll need to research the specific rules for your airline. Like other details of pet travel, each airline sets their own policies.

What Airlines Allow Cats To Fly In The Cabin?

To many airlines are pet friendly and they allow take your cat onboard it airplanes;

before we dive in on How to travel with a cat on a plane here is some airlines that allows you to take your cat on its airplanes:

American AirlinesAmerican airlines allows cats on board its airplane for domestic flights as long as they are kept in a small carrier under the seat for the entire flight.For international flights the airline cats or overall pets must be checked as cargo to ensure they’re properly cared for while flying long distances.
Frontier AirlinesFrontier Airlines really believes that pets are a part of the family, so they go the extra mile to make sure you can comfortably travel with your pets. In fact, this is one airline that welcomes dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and birds on their domestic flights.
JetblueJetBlue allows you to fly with pets, and it has a very generous program The JetPaws, the program provides pet-parent travelers with a carrier bag, a list of tips for managing your pet while traveling, and 300 TrueBlue points.
Lufthansa AirlinesLufthansa allows Only smaller cats and dogs, with a weight no more than 8 kg including their transport container, to be transported under certain conditions as additional carry-on baggage in the passenger cabin. Larger dogs and cats and all other animal species, regardless of their weight and size, are not allowed in the cabin.
Deltayou can go with your cat onboard delta airlines, if you’re flying domestically, household birds are welcome to join! Like most pet-friendly airlines, small pets can ride with passengers in the cabin, while larger dogs must ride with cargo for their own safety and comfort.
Turkish AirlinesTurkish Airlines makes travelling with pets super easy, as long as you have the proper documentation and vaccines are up to date. Cats, dogs, and singing birds are all allowed to travel in the cabin, as long as they remain in their carrier at all times.

How Much Is It To Fly A Cat On A Plane?

American Airlines– Carry-on pet :Within and between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central America, Colombia and the Caribbean (based on specific country’s entry policy)
: $125 per kennel
Frontier Airlines A one-way, directional charge of $99 will apply and may be paid in advance during booking. If you do not pay in advance, you’ll need to pay when you check-in your pet
Jetblue There is a pet fee of $125 each way. Only one pet per customer is allowed. 
Delta-US/ Canada / Puerto Rico : $125USD
-US virgin islands / international : $200/USD/CAD/EUR
-Brazil : $75USD
Turkish AirlinesCabin:
-Journeys to Turkey from departure points which apply the baggage piece concept: Excess baggage fee (At least 150 USD)
-Domestic journeys from stopover points in Turkey:35 USD
-Journeys to international destinations which apply the baggage weight concept from stopover points in Turkey : 50 USD
-Journeys to international destinations which apply the baggage piece concept from stopover points in Turkey: 150 USD
On hold:
-Journeys to Turkey from departure points which apply the baggage piece concept: 2 x Excess baggage fee (At least 300 USD)
-Domestic journeys from stopover points in Turkey:70 USD
-Journeys to international destinations which apply the baggage weight concept from stopover points in Turkey :100 USD
-Journeys to international destinations which apply the baggage piece concept from stopover points in Turkey: 300 USD

Should I Sedate My Cat For Flying?

You don’t have to, there are better options.

Why!!

When you sedate your cat or pet, the brain will sleep.

and for long journeys,cat or pet owners (and pet health professionals) believe the best way to make your cat or dog calm is by “knock ‘em out, and they won’t know the difference.

” Over the years, medical research has taught that this is not a good solution , because there are potential dangers to dogs and cats that could be much worse.   

So do not sedate your little cute creature , starwoodanimaltransport detailed all the other options for not sedating your cat while traveling.

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