ITA Airways is a national Italian airline. The company allows pets on most of the flights in the cabin and the baggage hold.

It is important to always book your pet in advance. Contact the Call Center at +800 936090 if you are in Italy, at +877-793-1717 if you are in the USA and at +39 06 85960020 if you are calling from abroad.

You can take your pet (dog, cat or ferret) in the cabin with you if its weight does not exceed 10 including the transport container. The pet itself must not weigh more than 8 kg. In order for your pet to be allowed to travel in the cabin, the bag or container must meet the following requirements:

It might be soft-sided, semi-rigid, or rigid;

The maximum dimensions of the container are 24 x 40 x 20 cm;

The container must be suitable for the pet, so it can stand in its natural position, lie down and turn around;

Your pet must stay inside the container during the whole flight;

The container must be placed under the seat in front of the pet owner;

Up to 5 animals of the same species can travel in one container if their total weight does not exceed the norm.

Pets weighing more than 8 kg may be transported in the baggage hold. In this case, consider the following requirements for the transport container:

You can only transport your pet in a rigid container;

The container must be made of fiberglass or hard plastic;

It is prohibited to use wheeled containers. If there are wheels, they must be removed;

If you want to transport a dog, your container must be securely locked. It must have a metal door with closure points at the top, middle and bottom of it;

The container must be well-ventilated. Ventilation holes must be made of metal, not plastic;

The maximum dimensions of the transport container may vary depending on the aircraft type. For further details, contact the ITA Airways Call Center.

Please note that brachycephalic (snub-nosed) breeds of pets are prohibited in the baggage hold due to safety issues. Snub-nosed breeds of dogs include American Pit Bull Terrier, Boston Terrier, Bulldog, Cane Corso, Dogo Argentino, Pug, etc. Brachycephalic cat breeds are Burmese, Exotic Shorthair, Persian and Himalayan.

There are several restrictions on pet transportation on flights of ITA Airways:

Pets younger than 3 months old are not allowed to travel;

It is prohibited to transport pets to/from the UK on board; 

When traveling to South Africa, animals cannot be transported in the cabin and luggage compartment, only as cargo. On flights departing from South Africa, pets may travel in the aircraft cabin with a maximum allowable weight of 7 kg, including a carrier bag or container. If the weight exceeds 7 kg, pets can be transported as cargo. For more information, contact the South African embassy or consulate.

Transportation of pets on ITA Airways flights is a payable service. Here you will find the list of current fees: 

Domestic flights in Italy: $60 for pets in the cabin, $70 for pets in the hold; 

To/from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East: $95 for pets in the cabin, $105 for pets in the hold; 

To/from the rest of the world: $225 for pets in the cabin, $235 for pets in the hold.

When you prepare for the journey with a pet, remember to familiarize yourself with the pet import requirements of your destination country. 

To travel within the EU, pets must have the following:

Pet passport issued by a veterinarian showing the vaccinations your pet has received and proving the fact that the pet is free of infectious diseases;

Valid rabies vaccination certificate;

Microchip or legible tattoo.

To travel in Italy, pets must have:

Pet health card or passport.

To travel within the USA, pets must have one of the following documents:

Valid rabies vaccination certificate;

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) issued a non-immunized dog license (for dogs not adequately immunized against rabies). You can find further information on importing a dog to the USA here;

Written (or verbal) statement that the pet has lived in a rabies-free country for the past 6 months or since birth.

For further information, please visit the “International Travel” section on our website.