Entry refused
Great Britain bans bringing in a dog of a banned type — Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and XL Bully — unless it already holds a valid Certificate of Exemption.
gov.uk ↗ · checked on 23 October 2026
Flying with an American Bully XL
An American Bully XL can fly in the hold, sometimes as cargo, but never in the cabin, and the airline decides: three are options for the hold, subject to confirmation, because their pages, which we read in full, do not refuse it and their limits allow its weight; eleven list it among the breeds they refuse, and the United Kingdom only lets it in if it already holds a Certificate of Exemption.
Every rule is linked to its official source and dated on this page
At a glance
What is possible, and what is not
Possible In the hold, with three airlines to consider, subject to confirmationairBaltic, Avianca and Finnair: their pages, read in full, do not refuse the breed, and their hold limits allow a 50 kg dog with its crate. With airBaltic, Avianca and Finnair, this possibility depends on the route or the flight, as the airline table explains.
Refused In the cabin, and in the hold with eleven airlinesNo airline in our database takes it in the cabin at this weight. Air Europa, American Airlines, French Bee, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, LATAM, Lufthansa, Luxair, Qatar Airways, SWISS, Transavia, Turkish Airlines and Air Caraïbes list it among the breeds they refuse, while 24 airlines cap their hold below its weight. The United Kingdom only admits a dog that already holds a Certificate of Exemption.
To check Four airlines to confirm, 26 with no published limitAir Austral, Air France, EL AL Israel Airlines and Royal Air Maroc do not list it, but exclude a category of dogs it may fall into. A further 26 airlines publish no hold limit, so there is no telling whether a dog this heavy would be accepted. Three more cap their hold at 50 kg, crate included: at the reference weight, that leaves nothing for the crate, though a lighter dog may fit. These are not refusals but questions to put to the airline, or to the Finder for your trip.
Plan your trip
Which airline for your American Bully XL?
The breed is already filled in. Enter your route and your dog's actual weight: the Finder automatically takes into account the airlines and countries that refuse it.
The United Kingdom only admits an XL Bully that already holds a Certificate of Exemption, so the Finder will not offer you a flight to London for this breed.
The breed, route and weight will be passed on to the Finder.
Where it can travel
Three airlines to consider for the hold, subject to confirmation, four less certain
The limit each airline publishes, compared with the breed's reference weight of 50 kg. A crate big enough for an XL is heavy, so weigh dog and crate together before you book.
| Airline | Hold | Published limit | Left for the crate | What the airline says | Checked on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| airBaltic | Possible | 75 kg, crate included | 25 kg | airBaltic's page, read in full, refuses no breed, and the airline accepts a dog in the hold up to 75 kg with its crate, except on flights to or from Amsterdam, where the limit drops to 39 kg. airbaltic.com ↗ | 24 October 2026 |
| Avianca | Possible | 70 kg, crate included | 20 kg | Avianca lists the American Bully neither among the brachycephalic breeds and their crosses that it refuses in the hold, nor among the breeds, including the “Pitbull Terrier”, that it accepts there under conditions, in a metal-walled crate or, in a plastic crate, with a muzzle; its page, read in full, accepts a dog in the hold up to 70 kg with its crate. Flights to the United Kingdom are excluded: Avianca does not offer this service there. ayuda.avianca.com ↗ | 24 October 2026 |
| Finnair | Possible | 75 kg, crate included | 25 kg | Finnair's page, read in full, refuses no breed, and the airline accepts a dog in the hold up to 75 kg with its crate on the flights it operates, or up to 50 kg on those operated by Norra. finnair.com ↗ | 24 October 2026 |
| Air Austral | To confirm | 75 kg, crate included | 25 kg | Air Austral refuses category 1 and 2 dogs in the cabin and in the hold, and category 1 dogs as cargo, describing them as mastiff-type molossers with a massive body, heavy bone and a thick neck, with or without a pedigree. An American Bully may fall into these categories depending on its build, so check with Air Austral before booking. Wording in the source: “catégories 1 et 2 (Races assimilées à des races dangereuses)”. air-austral.com ↗ | 23 October 2026 |
| Air France | To confirm | 75 kg, crate included | 25 kg | Air France refuses first-category dogs in the cabin, in the hold and as cargo — dogs without a recognised pedigree that resemble a Staffordshire terrier or an American Staffordshire terrier in build. An American Bully, which no recognised French studbook registers, may fall into this category depending on its build, so check with Air France before booking. Wording in the source: “chiens de 1ère catégorie”. wwws.airfrance.fr ↗ | 23 October 2026 |
| EL AL Israel Airlines | To confirm | 100 kg, crate included | 50 kg | EL AL does not accept snub-nosed dogs in the hold or as cargo, and publishes no list; other airlines, such as SWISS, Lufthansa and KLM, place the American Bully in that category, so check with EL AL before booking. Wording in the source: “כלבים וחתולים פחוסי אף”. elal.com ↗ | 23 October 2026 |
| Royal Air Maroc | To confirm | 70 kg, dog alone | crate not counted | Royal Air Maroc lists “Pit-bull (toutes races)” among the dogs it does not accept in the hold; this breed is not on the list, but the wording may cover it, so check with the airline before booking. royalairmaroc.com ↗ | 23 October 2026 |
A summer heat embargo, the aircraft or the route can still close the hold on a given flight: the Finder checks all of this for your flight. As for the other airlines in our database, apart from those that refuse it: 24 cap their hold below its weight, 3 at exactly its weight, crate included, 26 publish no limit, 21 take no animals in the hold, and 10 have a hold policy still to be confirmed.
Getting ready
Four tools to use before you leave
The crate, heat and destination tools open with the breed already filled in.
Crate tool Work out the right crate Measure your dog standing and get the crate dimensions to check against the airline's limits. Start measuring → 
Heat tool Check temperatures along the route Enter a date and your route to compare temperatures at departure, at any stopover and on arrival. Try a date → 
Destinations Where can I go with my dog? Enter your departure city, your dates and how long you are happy to fly: the tool suggests destinations with temperatures that suit your dog. See suitable destinations → 
Airports Find a relief area for my dog Find, terminal by terminal, the areas where your dog can relieve itself before or after security. Search an airport → Before you book
These answers help you prepare; they do not replace the airline's approval or your vet's advice.
Details and evidence
For those who want to check: the refusals as the airlines word them, the countries' rules, the breed standard, related breeds and our sources.
The refusals, quoted
Eleven airlines list the American Bully among the breeds they refuse
Each refusal is quoted in the airline's own language and dated; the link leads to the page that sets it out.
| Airline | Hold | Cargo | What the airline says | Checked on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Europa | Refused | To confirm | Refused in the hold: the airline lists “American Bully” among the breeds it does not accept. aireuropa.com ↗ | 1 November 2026 |
| American Airlines | No hold | Refused | Refused as cargo: the airline lists “American Bully” among the breeds it does not accept. aacargo.com ↗ | 1 November 2026 |
| French Bee | Refused | Refused | Refused in the cabin, in the hold and as cargo: the airline lists “American Bully” among the breeds it does not accept. frenchbee.com ↗ | 23 October 2026 |
| KLM Royal Dutch Airlines | Refused | To confirm | Refused in the hold: the airline lists “Amerikaanse Bully” among the breeds it does not accept. klm.nl ↗ | 23 October 2026 |
| LATAM | Refused | To confirm | Refused in the hold: the airline lists “Bully Americano” among the breeds it does not accept. latamairlines.com ↗ | 19 October 2026 |
| Lufthansa | Refused | To confirm | Refused in the hold: the airline lists “American Bully” among the breeds it does not accept. lufthansa.com ↗ | 23 October 2026 |
| Luxair | Refused | To confirm | Refused in the hold: the airline lists “American Bully” among the breeds it does not accept. luxair.lu ↗ | 1 November 2026 |
| Qatar Airways | Refused | To confirm | Refused in the cabin and in the hold: the airline lists “American Bully” among the breeds it does not accept. qatarairways.com ↗ Qatar Airways accepts this breed only as cargo, and only in a crate that meets container requirement 82 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations (LAR). Wording in the source: “American Bully”. qatarairways.com ↗ | 23 October 2026 |
| SWISS | Refused | Refused | Refused in the hold: the airline lists “American Bully” among the breeds it does not accept. swiss.com ↗ Refused as cargo: the airline lists “American Bullies” among the breeds it does not accept. swiss.com ↗ | 9 October 2026 |
| Transavia | Refused | To confirm | Refused in the hold: the airline lists “Amerikaanse Bully” among the breeds it does not accept. transavia.com ↗ | 23 October 2026 |
| Turkish Airlines | Refused | Refused | Refused in the cabin, in the hold and as cargo: the airline lists “American Bully” among the breeds it does not accept. turkishairlines.com ↗ | 31 October 2026 |
| Air Caraïbes | Refused | Refused | Refused in the hold and as cargo: the airline lists “American Bully” among the breeds it does not accept. This applies only in some cases, set out by the source. aircaraibes.com ↗ | 23 October 2026 |
No other airline in our database mentions it in any of the rules we have collected; those whose pages we read in full are set out above, along with those still to be confirmed.
Cargo: a requirement, not a refusal
These airlines do not exclude the breed from cargo, but their page requires a container that meets requirement 82 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations (LAR):
- Air Canada — Air Canada Cargo requires, for the breeds it calls strong, including the American Bully (“Pit-bull – all breeds”), a reinforced container that meets requirement 82 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations (LAR). Wording in the source: “bully américain”.
Pocket, Standard or XL: the same refusal
The airlines that refuse it list the American Bully without distinguishing between sizes, so a Pocket, which stands no taller than 43 cm at the withers, runs into the same refusal as an XL. Among the countries in our database, only the United Kingdom and Ireland specifically target the XL type.
Classed as short-nosed by several airlines
The United Kennel Club standard calls for a muzzle shorter than the skull, making up 25 to 35% of the length of the head, and rules out of any award a dog whose muzzle is so short that it interferes with breathing; it does not say whether the breed is brachycephalic. Several of the airlines that refuse it class it among the short-nosed breeds: for the flight, it is the airline's list that applies.
Destinations
United Kingdom closed without a Certificate of Exemption, Ireland under conditions
The Finder takes this into account for any trip to these countries. Each rule is linked to the official text that sets it out.
Entry under conditions
Ireland has banned the import of XL Bully dogs since 1 October 2024, with a few exceptions, including one for visitors: a person who is not ordinarily resident in Ireland may bring the dog for no more than 30 days in total in any year if it is covered by a certificate of exemption or an equivalent certificate issued abroad stating that it is microchipped and neutered; in public, the dog must among other things be muzzled and kept on a lead no longer than two metres, held by a person over 16.
irishstatutebook.ie ↗ · checked on 23 October 2026
Entry under conditions
France bans the import of first-category dogs, transit included. The American Bully is not listed as such, but a dog without a pedigree that may, by its appearance, resemble a first-category dog (American Staffordshire terrier type) must arrive with a certificate signed by a veterinarian, translated into French where necessary, stating that it does not belong to the dangerous-dog categories defined by the order of 27 April 1999; if the police are in doubt, a counter-assessment may be ordered, and a dog found to belong to one of these categories may be confiscated.
agriculture.gouv.fr ↗ · checked on 23 October 2026
Entry under conditions
Germany bans the import of Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers and Bull Terriers, and of their crosses with each other or with other dogs; the federal state where the dog is to live may also bar other breeds it presumes dangerous. The law does not list the American Bully, but it descends in part from the American Pit Bull Terrier and may be treated as such a cross. A dog covered by the ban may stay in Germany for up to four weeks with a companion who does not live there; for a longer stay or a move, have its status confirmed by the German authorities.
gesetze-im-internet.de ↗ · checked on 23 October 2026
Changing planes in London or Dublin? Before you book, ask the airline to confirm how your dog would be handled during the connection.
Related breeds
How the rules differ for related breeds
Same family, different rules, as recorded with their sources in our database.
| Breed | Reference weight | Countries restricting entry | Refused in the hold by |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Bully (XL) this page | 50 kg | United Kingdom, Ireland (under conditions), France (under conditions) and Germany (under conditions) | Air Caraïbes, Air Europa, French Bee, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, LATAM, Lufthansa, Luxair, Qatar Airways, SWISS, Transavia and Turkish Airlines |
| American Pit Bull Terrier | 20 kg | United Kingdom and New Zealand | LATAM, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, SWISS and Turkish Airlines |
| American Staffordshire Terrier | 25 kg | No quoted rule in our database | LATAM, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, SWISS and Turkish Airlines |
| Staffordshire Bull Terrier | 14 kg | No quoted rule in our database | Air Caraïbes, French Bee, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, LATAM, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, SWISS, Transavia and Turkish Airlines |
| American Bulldog | 35 kg | No quoted rule in our database | Air Caraïbes, French Bee, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, LATAM, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc and Transavia |
This table only shows the rules recorded for each breed in our database: the German law quoted above also bans the import of the Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Airline pages
Read each airline's policy
The airlines that refuse it, and the index of all the others. Each page sets out, with sources, what the airline accepts in the cabin, in the hold and as cargo.
- Air Europa refuses the breed · in the hold
- American Airlines refuses the breed · as cargo
- French Bee refuses the breed · in the cabin, in the hold and as cargo
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines refuses the breed · in the hold
- LATAM refuses the breed · in the hold
- Lufthansa refuses the breed · in the hold
- Luxair refuses the breed · in the hold
- Qatar Airways refuses the breed · in the cabin and in the hold
- SWISS refuses the breed · in the hold and as cargo
- Transavia refuses the breed · in the hold
- Turkish Airlines refuses the breed · in the cabin, in the hold and as cargo
- Air Caraïbes refuses the breed · in the hold and as cargo · on certain routes
Frequently asked questions
What people ask before booking
The answers rest on the rules quoted above.
Can an American Bully XL travel in the cabin?
No, not as an adult: at around 50 kg, it is over every cabin limit published by the airlines in our database.
Which airlines should I consider for the hold?
airBaltic, Avianca and Finnair, whose pages, read in full, do not refuse the breed and whose published limits allow a 50 kg dog with its crate: it is a possibility, which the airline has to confirm. With airBaltic, Avianca and Finnair, this possibility depends on the route or the flight, as the airline table explains. Air Austral, Air France, EL AL Israel Airlines and Royal Air Maroc are less certain, because they exclude a category of dogs it may fall into.
Which airlines refuse it in the hold?
Air Europa, French Bee, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, LATAM, Lufthansa, Luxair, Qatar Airways, SWISS, Transavia, Turkish Airlines and Air Caraïbes list it among the breeds they refuse in the hold, whatever its size. With Air Caraïbes, this refusal only applies on certain routes, which the airline specifies.
Can it travel as cargo?
Cargo is refused by American Airlines, French Bee, SWISS, Turkish Airlines and Air Caraïbes, and still to be confirmed with Air Europa, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, LATAM, Lufthansa, Luxair, Qatar Airways, Transavia and Air Canada, with Qatar Airways and Air Canada setting specific conditions, detailed in the table of refusals. Elsewhere, no page we have read in full shows that the breed is accepted as cargo, so the Finder leaves it to be confirmed too.
Can it enter the United Kingdom or Ireland?
The United Kingdom only admits a dog that already holds a Certificate of Exemption. Ireland accepts a visitor's dog for up to thirty days a year, provided it is covered by a Certificate of Exemption or an equivalent certificate, and it must then, among other things, be muzzled and kept on a lead in public places.
Can it enter France or Germany?
In France, it all depends on how it looks: a dog without a pedigree that may be likened to a first-category dog must arrive with a veterinary certificate, since these dogs may not be imported. In Germany, the law also bans crosses of the breeds it lists; apart from a stay of up to four weeks with a companion who does not live there, have its entry confirmed by the authorities.
Does this apply to a Pocket or Standard American Bully?
As far as the airlines are concerned, yes, since they list the American Bully whatever its size. The British and Irish laws, on the other hand, target the XL type.
Is the American Bully brachycephalic?
Its standard does not say: it calls for a muzzle shorter than the skull, 25 to 35% of the length of the head, and rules out of any award a dog whose muzzle is so short that it interferes with breathing. Several airlines class it among the short-nosed breeds, and their classification is what applies to the flight.
Sources and method
Where this information comes from
- Air Austral — air-austral.com · checked on 23 October 2026
- Air Canada — aircanada.com · checked on 1 November 2026
- Air Caraïbes — aircaraibes.com · checked on 23 October 2026
- Air Europa — aireuropa.com · checked on 1 November 2026
- Air France — wwws.airfrance.fr · checked on 23 October 2026
- airBaltic — airbaltic.com · checked on 24 October 2026
- American Airlines — aacargo.com · checked on 1 November 2026
- Avianca — ayuda.avianca.com · checked on 24 October 2026
- EL AL Israel Airlines — elal.com · checked on 23 October 2026
- Finnair — finnair.com · checked on 24 October 2026
- France — agriculture.gouv.fr · checked on 23 October 2026
- French Bee — frenchbee.com · checked on 23 October 2026
- Germany — gesetze-im-internet.de · checked on 23 October 2026
- Ireland — irishstatutebook.ie · checked on 23 October 2026
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines — klm.nl · checked on 23 October 2026
- LATAM — latamairlines.com · checked on 19 October 2026
- Lufthansa — lufthansa.com · checked on 23 October 2026
- Luxair — luxair.lu · checked on 1 November 2026
- Qatar Airways — qatarairways.com · checked on 23 October 2026
- Royal Air Maroc — royalairmaroc.com · checked on 23 October 2026
- SWISS — swiss.com · checked on 9 October 2026
- Transavia — transavia.com · checked on 23 October 2026
- Turkish Airlines — turkishairlines.com · checked on 31 October 2026
- United Kingdom — gov.uk · checked on 23 October 2026
- United Kennel Club — American Bully breed standard — ukcdogs.com · checked on 24 October 2026
The figures on this page are recalculated every time the site is updated, from the MyDogCanFly database, which covers 102 airlines. An airline that does not list the breed is counted as an option only once we have read its page in full, and it still has to be confirmed with the airline; a rule is shown only with the source that establishes it.
Rules taken from the official pages, each in its original language, dated and archived; page reviewed and approved on 24 October 2026 by Phil Albert-Benoist.
Spotted a mistake or a rule that has changed? Write to us at contact@mydogcanfly.com or report it here. About us · How to cite our data