Guide

Flying with a large dog from Seattle

A large dog does not fly in the cabin. On Alaska Airlines, Delta and American, the cabin is for a small pet in a carrier that fits under the seat in front of you, so a big dog flies in the hold: as checked baggage on your flight where the airline still offers it, or on its own as cargo. Checked against each airline's own pages on October 14, 2026.

A German shepherd standing beside an extra large hard plastic airline crate in a garage on a rainy day

What size dog can fly in the cabin?

Only a dog small enough to ride in a soft carrier under the seat in front of you, for the whole flight. What each airline said on its pet pages on October 14, 2026:

Alaska Airlines: small dogs, house cats, domesticated rabbits and small household birds, in a soft-sided carrier up to 17 x 11 x 9.5 inches. Hard-sided kennels are not allowed in the cabin, and Alaska lists no weight limit.
Delta: small dogs, cats and household birds on flights within the contiguous US. Delta recommends a soft-sided kennel up to 18 x 11 x 11 inches, and says the real limit depends on the space under the seat on each aircraft.
American: cats and dogs that meet the size, age and destination rules. A soft-sided carrier up to 18 x 11 x 11 inches is recommended on all flights.

A carrier that size holds a cat or a small dog. A Labrador, a German Shepherd or a Golden Retriever will not fit, whatever the weight limit says.

Which airlines accept large dogs?

A large dog flies in the hold, in a hard kennel. On the pages we read, the airlines differ a lot on who can send one:

Airline	In the hold with you (checked)	On its own (cargo)
Alaska Airlines	Yes, when you are on the same flight. Dog and kennel up to 150 lb, with a health certificate from a licensed vet within 10 days.	Yes, through Alaska Air Cargo (Pet Connect), airport to airport. Dog and kennel up to 150 lb.
Delta	The pet travel overview we read covers cabin pets, and sends active-duty US military and State Department staff with transfer orders to a page of their own.	Delta Cargo ships pets "until further notice" only for active-duty US military and State Department Foreign Service staff with permanent change of station orders.
American	Only for active-duty US military and State Department Foreign Service staff traveling on official orders.	American says a pet too large for the cabin must travel with American Airlines Cargo, which offers its PetEmbark service.

Of these three, Alaska is the one whose pages offer both to anyone: a big dog checked on your own flight, or flying on its own as cargo.

How does a large dog fly as cargo from SEA?

In a hard kennel in the hold of a regular passenger flight, with a booking of its own. Alaska Air Cargo calls the service Pet Connect, and its guidelines say it is "airport-to-airport service only". The airline does not pick up or deliver. That leaves two jobs on the ground:

At SEA: your dog is handed in at the cargo building, not the passenger terminal, no more than 4 hours before the flight. Alaska says acceptance for most flights is done 2 to 3 hours before departure.
At the other end: pets are usually ready about 1 hour after landing and must be collected within 4 hours, by someone with photo ID. After that, Alaska says kenneling may be needed.

Every dog flying as cargo needs a health certificate from a licensed vet, issued within 10 days of the flight (14 days for dogs going to Hawaii). The airline gives no medication of any kind in transit, and muzzles, harnesses and choke collars are not allowed in the kennel.

This is the move we arrange: the kennel, the papers, the booking, home pickup and check-in at SEA, and collection and delivery to your door at the other end. Moving to Seattle, it works the same way in reverse. See dog transport.

What crate does a large dog need?

One big enough for your dog to stand without its head or ear tips touching the roof, turn around and lie down in a natural position. Most large dogs need Alaska's two biggest sizes:

400 series: 36 x 24 x 26 inches outside, 24 lb empty.
500 series: 40 x 27 x 30 inches outside, 28 lb empty.

The kennel's weight counts toward the 150 lb limit, so a heavy dog can reach it sooner than you would think. A dog that needs more room than the 500 series gets a custom quote from us. The kennel must be rigid and held together with nuts and bolts, with a solid roof, a metal door and no wheels. More on sizes and how we measure: airline pet crates.

Are there seasonal and breed limits?

Yes, on every airline we read, and they matter more for big, thick-coated and short-nosed dogs.

Alaska

Temperature: pets in the cargo hold are generally accepted when the forecast is between 45°F and 85°F at every airport on the trip. Below 45°F, a vet's certificate of acclimation, issued within 10 days, may let a pet travel. Some stations also post summer embargoes for animals.
Breeds: short-nosed dogs and their mixes are not accepted in the cargo compartment. The list includes Boxer (all breeds), Bulldog (all breeds), Mastiff (all breeds) and Chow Chow, so many large dogs are on it. The checked pet list is similar and adds the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

Delta

For pets shipped by cargo, Delta does not ship when it is above 80°F or below 20°F while the animal is on the ground, and asks for a certificate of acclimation between 20°F and 45°F. Short-nosed dogs, cats and their mixes are not permitted.

American

No travel for checked or cargo pets when it is above 85°F or below 45°F at any point on the trip (a vet letter can lift the cold limit). Pets outside the cabin cannot travel to, through or from Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas or Palm Springs from May 1 to September 30.

A short-nosed dog that cannot fly in the hold can still move: we plan these dogs by road.

Can you arrange it for me, including abroad?

Yes. Seattle Pet Valet moves large dogs door to door to and from Seattle: the crate, the vet papers, the booking, home pickup, check-in, and pickup and delivery at the other end. Moves to and from other countries add the destination's own papers and customs clearance through a licensed customs broker, and are priced as a custom quote. See international pet relocation.

Flying with a large dog: questions

Can a large dog fly in the cabin?

Not as a pet on the airlines we read. Alaska, Delta and American all limit the cabin to a small pet in a carrier that fits under the seat in front of you. Alaska's cabin carrier is up to 17 x 11 x 9.5 inches. Trained service dogs follow separate rules on each airline.

What size dog can fly in the cabin?

One small enough to stand, turn and lie down in a soft carrier of about 17 to 18 inches long, 11 inches wide and 9.5 to 11 inches high, depending on the airline. Alaska's cabin page lists no weight limit; the carrier size is what counts.

Which airlines accept large dogs?

Of the airlines we read, Alaska takes a large dog in the hold as checked baggage when you are on the same flight, and on its own as cargo through Alaska Air Cargo. On the pages we read, Delta ships pets as cargo only for active-duty US military and State Department staff with transfer orders, and American takes checked pets only for that same group and sends larger pets to American Airlines Cargo.

Can my dog fly with Alaska Airlines without me?

Yes, as cargo with Alaska Air Cargo, in a hard kennel in the hold, airport to airport. Someone hands your dog in at the cargo building and someone collects it after landing. We arrange both ends, door to door.

What is the weight limit for a dog flying with Alaska?

Dog and kennel together can weigh up to 150 lb, checked or as cargo.

Can my Cane Corso, Bullmastiff or Boxer fly?

Not in the hold on Alaska. Its cargo restrictions page lists "Boxer (all breeds)" and "Mastiff (all breeds)" among the short-nosed breeds it does not take, mixes included, and its checked pet page has a similar list. Ask us about moving these dogs by road.

Last checked against the official pages on October 14, 2026.

Airline and state rules can change, so check the official page before booking.

Moving with a big dog?

Tell us the breed, the weight and where your dog is going. Some routes show a price on screen; for the rest we prepare your quote and email it to you.

Get your price