On Air France, a dog can fly in the cabin if it weighs less than 8 kg with its bag, and in the hold if, with its crate, it weighs more than 8 kg and up to 75 kg. Above that, neither the cabin nor the hold is open to it, which leaves cargo, the only option Air France offers for the United Kingdom, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Snub-nosed breeds are refused in the hold, and dogs in France's “category 1” everywhere.
Every rule is linked to Air France's official page, quoted in French and dated
MyDogCanFly is not affiliated with Air France. The logo is shown for identification only. We do not sell tickets and take no bookings.
At a glance
Work out your trip
Enter your dog's weight, the weight of its bag or crate, and your destination from Paris: the calculator applies the limits, route rules and fares Air France publishes.
Fees
These are the amounts Air France publishes, per container and per one-way trip; a place in the hold must be booked no later than 24 hours before departure.
| Route | Cabin | Hold | Example from Paris, return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flights within mainland France | €70 | €100 | Paris – Nice: €140 in the cabin, €200 in the hold |
| Europe, or between Europe and North Africa | €125 | €200 | Paris – Rome: €250 in the cabin, €400 in the hold |
| Mainland France ↔ Cayenne, Fort-de-France, Pointe-à-Pitre or Réunion | €125 | €200 | Paris – Pointe-à-Pitre: €250 in the cabin, €400 in the hold |
| Flights within the Caribbean | €125 | €200 | — |
| United States or Canada ↔ Europe, Cayenne, Fort-de-France, Pointe-à-Pitre, Réunion, Nouméa or Tel Aviv | €200 / US$200 / C$200 | €600 / US$600 / C$600 | Paris – New York: €400 in the cabin, €1,200 in the hold |
| United States or Canada ↔ rest of the world | €250 / US$250 / C$250 | €750 / US$750 / C$750 | — |
| Other flights | €200 | €400 | Paris – Tokyo: €400 in the cabin, €800 in the hold |
If your dog is added less than 24 hours before departure, and the airport's customer service accepts it, the hold costs 50% more on flights within mainland France or within the Caribbean, and 25% more on international flights. Cargo has no published fee: ask the approved forwarder for a quote. wwws.airfrance.fr ↗ · fees checked on 11 September 2026, surcharge read on 25 October 2026
Destinations
Air France says the first three apply until further notice; the Finder takes them into account on every Air France flight.
United Kingdom
To the United Kingdom, Air France only carries animals as cargo. Great Britain also sets its own entry requirements, and refuses banned-type dogs, the XL Bully among them, unless they hold a Certificate of Exemption.
wwws.airfrance.fr ↗ · checked on 13 October 2026 · gov.uk ↗ · checked on 23 October 2026 · UK entry requirements →
Dubai and Abu Dhabi
The same rule applies to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates: a dog can only fly there with Air France as cargo, through an approved forwarder.
wwws.airfrance.fr ↗ · checked on 13 October 2026 · UAE entry requirements →
Moscow → Paris
From Moscow to Paris, Air France does not accept animals in the hold; the cabin is not covered by this notice.
wwws.airfrance.fr ↗ · checked on 13 October 2026
United States
To the United States, the requirements of the US health authorities (CDC) apply to every airline, on top of the usual formalities. Air France asks for the booking request to be made 48 hours before departure.
wwws.airfrance.fr ↗ · read on 25 October 2026 · US entry requirements →
Air France flying to a country does not mean your dog can enter it: each country page sets out the entry requirements (microchip, rabies, certificate) and the breeds it restricts.
Europe
Albania · Austria · Croatia · Czechia · Denmark · Finland · France · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Ireland · Italy · Malta · Netherlands · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Switzerland · United Kingdom
Africa
Algeria · Egypt · Ivory Coast · Kenya · Madagascar · Mauritius · Morocco · Nigeria · Senegal · South Africa · Tunisia
Americas and Caribbean
Argentina · Brazil · Canada · Chile · Colombia · Costa Rica · Dominican Republic · Mexico · Panama · Peru · United States
Asia and Middle East
China · Hong Kong · India · Israel · Japan · Lebanon · Maldives · Philippines · Saudi Arabia · Singapore · South Korea · Thailand · Turkey · United Arab Emirates · Vietnam
Breeds
Two separate rules: one covers snub-nosed breeds, in the hold only; the other covers category 1 dogs, however they travel.
| Breed | Cabin | Hold | Cargo | What Air France says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pug, Boxer and Shih Tzu | Possible | Refused | To confirm | Listed among the snub-nosed animals Air France bars from the hold on its own flights (“est interdit en soute sur les vols effectués par Air France”); the ban covers the hold only, so the cabin remains open to them under 8 kg with the bag. wwws.airfrance.fr ↗ |
| French Bulldog and English Bulldog | Possible | To confirm | To confirm | Air France lists “bulldogs” without saying which ones: we show the hold as to be confirmed until the airline says which breeds it means. |
| Other snub-nosed breeds | Possible | To confirm | To confirm | Air France's list begins with “tels” (such as), so it is not closed: for a short-muzzled breed it does not mention, have the hold confirmed before you book. |
| Category 1 dogs | Refused | Refused | Refused | Dogs that belong to no breed but resemble Staffordshire terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, mastiffs (Boerboels) or Tosas in build (“n'appartenant à aucune race mais assimilables par leur morphologie”). An American Bully without a recognised pedigree may fall into this group: have its acceptance confirmed. wwws.airfrance.fr ↗ |
Checked on 12 and 23 October 2026. Each breed listed links to its own page, which brings together the rules of the other airlines.
Compare
The limits published by the airlines serving Paris, read from the same database: useful when your dog is just over 8 kg for the cabin, or heavy for the hold.
| Airline | Published limit |
|---|---|
| Air India, Avianca and KM Malta Airlines | 10 kg, bag included |
| Vueling | 10 kg, bag included (no hold) |
| Aeromexico and EL AL Israel Airlines | 9 kg, bag included |
| Air France this page | under 8 kg, bag included |
| Airline | Published limit |
|---|---|
| EL AL Israel Airlines | 100 kg, crate included |
| Air France this page | 75 kg, crate included |
| Air Austral, Air Caraïbes, airBaltic, Finnair, French Bee, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Transavia | 75 kg, crate included |
| Qatar Airways | 75 kg, crate included (no cabin) |
A more generous limit says nothing about the breeds an airline refuses or its route rules: the Finder applies all of them to your flight.
Getting ready
These answers help you prepare; they do not replace Air France's approval or your vet's advice.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, if it weighs less than 8 kg with its carrier bag. It costs from €70 one way on a flight within mainland France to €250 between the United States or Canada and the rest of the world. The cabin is closed on flights to the United Kingdom, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where only cargo is accepted.
Up to 75 kg, crate included. A dog that weighs more than 8 kg with its bag has to travel in the hold, and must be added to the booking no later than 24 hours before departure; after that, the airport's customer service may still accept it, with a 50% surcharge within mainland France or within the Caribbean and 25% on international flights.
€600 one way, or €1,200 return, since the route falls under the “United States or Canada ↔ Europe” fare. In the cabin, for a dog under 8 kg with its bag, it is €200 one way.
In the hold, snub-nosed breeds, of which Air France lists the pug, the boxer, bulldogs and the shih tzu; the refusal covers the hold only, so the cabin remains open to them under 8 kg. Everywhere, in the cabin, in the hold and as cargo, category 1 dogs, that is, dogs that belong to no breed but resemble Staffordshire terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, mastiffs or Tosas in build.
Only as cargo, for any animal that is not an assistance dog: until further notice, Air France does not carry animals to the United Kingdom in the cabin or in the hold. You will then need an approved forwarder, and must meet the British entry requirements.
The same rule applies: cargo only, through an approved forwarder, for any animal that is not an assistance dog.
Neither the cabin nor the hold is open to it, which leaves cargo, handled for Air France by an approved forwarder at a price quoted on request. The Finder can show you the airlines with a higher hold limit on your route.
Have it confirmed before you book: Air France refuses category 1 dogs everywhere, and an American Bully without a pedigree recognised in France may fall into that group depending on its build. Its breed page brings together the rules of every airline.
Sources and method
The sentences on the official page that this page relies on, quoted in their own language, with the date they were read.
En cabine (chats et chiens de moins de 8 kg, sac de transport compris) […] avec sa caisse de transport, plus de 8 kg et jusqu'à 75 kg, il doit […] voyager en soute. […] le transport en soute est également possible pour les […] chiens de moins de 8 kg. Si votre chat ou votre chien pèse, avec sa caisse de transport, plus de 8 kg et jusqu'à 75 kg, il doit impérativement voyager en soute. Vous devez alors l'ajouter à votre réservation au plus tard 24 h* avant votre départ. Ces tarifs sont définis sur la base d'un aller simple et pour un seul sac (ou caisse). Si votre voyage comporte une ou plusieurs correspondances, le tarif est calculé en fonction de votre pays de départ et de votre pays de destination finale. […] L'Afrique du Nord comprend l'Algérie, le Maroc et la Tunisie. * Moins de 24 h avant votre départ et sous réserve de l'acceptation de transport de votre animal par le service client à l'aéroport, une majoration du tarif sera appliquée (50 % sur les vols en France métropolitaine et en intra Caraïbes, 25 % sur les vols internationaux). Notez que jusqu'à nouvel ordre : […] Vers le Royaume-Uni, Dubai et Abu Dhabi, seul le transport d'animaux par fret est autorisé. Notez que jusqu'à nouvel ordre : […] De Moscou à Paris, le transport d'animaux en soute est interdit. Pour vous accueillir dans les meilleures conditions à l'aéroport et vous assurer de pouvoir transporter votre chien, veuillez effectuer votre demande de réservation 48 heures avant votre départ (96 heures pour les chiens d'assistance en provenance ou à destination du Royaume-Uni et des Émirats arabes unis). Le transport des animaux à nez retroussé (tels les chiens carlin, boxers, bulldogs, shih tsu ou encore les chats persans ou burmeses) est interdit en soute sur les vols effectués par Air France. Les chiens de 1ère catégorie telle que définie par le ministère français de l’Agriculture, de l’Agroalimentaire et de la Forêt, à savoir les chiens dits d’attaque n’appartenant à aucune race mais assimilables par leur morphologie aux chiens de race suivants : Staffordshire Terriers (pitbulls), American Staffordshire Terriers (pitbulls), Mastiffs (Bœrbœls), Tosas. The figures and lists on this page are recalculated every time the site is updated, from the MyDogCanFly database; a rule appears only with the official page that establishes it, quoted in its own language.
Rules taken from Air France's official pages, dated and archived; page reviewed and approved on 25 October 2026 by Phil Albert-Benoist.
Spotted a mistake or a rule that has changed? Write to us at contact@mydogcanfly.com. Report an error · Citing this page
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