the United States → the EU

Travelling with a dog from the USA to Europe in 2026

There is no US pet passport. For a normal trip with five or fewer pets travelling with you—or an authorised person within five days—the core document is an EU non-commercial health certificate issued by a USDA-accredited vet and endorsed by APHIS.

Rules and airline policies last reviewed 21 August 2026

Route alert

Time-sensitive: USDA says the replacement EU non-commercial certificate becomes mandatory on 1 October 2026. Current certificates can be endorsed through 30 September 2026. Use the form live on APHIS for your destination and travel date.

Document: EU non-commercial health certificate
US authority: USDA-accredited vet + APHIS endorsement
Endorsement window: Within 10 days of EU arrival
Owner timing: Pet travels with you/authorised person within 5 days

In the right order

Your step-by-step checklist

1
Before booking
Choose the first EU arrival country
The first EU entry point controls the certificate and inspection. A connection can matter if you clear the border there.
2
At least 21 days before if primary
Scan the microchip before rabies vaccination
Use an ISO-compatible microchip or carry the correct reader. The chip must pre-date the rabies vaccination used for EU entry.
3
Inside the certificate window
Use a USDA-accredited veterinarian
The vet examines the pet and issues the correct non-commercial EU certificate for the destination and 2026 form version.
4
Within 10 days of EU arrival
Get APHIS endorsement
The completed certificate must be endorsed by USDA APHIS. Sign the non-commercial declaration and travel with the originals.
5
Destination dependent
Add special-country treatment
Dogs entering Ireland, Finland, Malta or Northern Ireland—and Norway under aligned rules—need tapeworm treatment 24 to 120 hours before arrival.
6
Before buying a fixed ticket
Reserve pet capacity
Confirm cabin/hold/cargo, total carrier weight, aircraft, breed, connection and return policy with the operating airline.
7
Before departure
Plan the US return
Every dog returning to the US needs a CDC Dog Import Form receipt and must meet age, microchip, health and travel-history rules.

Choose the journey

Transport options

Small pets that fit

In-cabin

KLM, Air France, Lufthansa and Delta accept eligible small pets on selected transatlantic routes. Limits and cabin availability differ.

Larger eligible pets

Hold

KLM, Air France and Lufthansa publish hold products with weight, crate, aircraft and breed limits.

Very large, unaccompanied or destination-required travel

Cargo

Use a specialist shipper and treat it as a separate logistics product; unaccompanied travel may become commercial movement.

Route-aware comparison

Airline pet policies

The operating carrier, direction, aircraft and available pet space all matter. “Cabin allowed” never means every flight.

Airline	Cabin	Larger pets	Route warning
KLM ↗	One cat or dog in Economy, or Business within Europe; pet plus carrier up to 8 kg and 46 × 28 × 24 cm.	Eligible pets can travel in the hold up to 75 kg combined, subject to aircraft, breed and connection restrictions.	Useful for eligible US→EU and departures from Great Britain. KLM does not accept pets into the UK as passenger cabin/hold baggage.
Air France ↗	Cats and dogs up to 8 kg including carrier may be eligible for the cabin, subject to route and availability.	More than 8 kg and up to 75 kg including carrier travels in the hold when accepted.	Useful for eligible US/Great Britain departures to France or onward EU travel. UK-bound pets are governed by the UK's cargo-only air-entry rule.
Lufthansa ↗	Small cats and dogs up to 8 kg including a soft carrier; maximum carrier size 55 × 40 × 23 cm.	Larger eligible animals may travel in the air-conditioned hold, with separate crate and breed rules.	A practical option for eligible trips to Germany and connections, but always check the operating carrier on codeshares.
Delta ↗	Small dogs and cats can travel in-cabin on eligible international routes when the carrier fits under the seat; booking is capacity-limited.	Standard checked-pet travel is not a general transatlantic option; international cargo uses a specialist shipper.	International in-cabin fee is currently listed as $200. No pets in cabin to or from the United Kingdom or Iceland.
American Airlines ↗	Carry-on pets are not accepted on transatlantic trips.	Ordinary checked pets are not offered; cargo is the practical route for most non-service animals, with checked-pet exceptions for qualifying military/State Department travel.	Not a normal in-cabin NYC→Europe option. Pets to the UK or Ireland require cargo rather than checked baggage.

Plain-English answers

Frequently asked questions

Can I get an EU pet passport in the US?

No. APHIS says EU pet passports are not issued in the United States. Use the correct EU health certificate unless the pet already has a still-valid qualifying EU passport.

Does USDA have to endorse the certificate?

For an ordinary US-issued EU health certificate, yes: a USDA-accredited veterinarian issues it and APHIS endorses it.

Can my pet travel a week before me?

That normally falls outside the five-day non-commercial window and can trigger commercial movement requirements. Check with APHIS before arranging separate travel.

Verified, not vibes

Official sources

These rules and policies were checked on 21 August 2026. Use the links below for the final check immediately before travel.

Important: this is a researched planning guide, not veterinary or legal advice. Rules vary by animal, travel history, destination and operating carrier, and can change after publication.

Your step-by-step checklist

Choose the first EU arrival country

Scan the microchip before rabies vaccination

Use a USDA-accredited veterinarian

Get APHIS endorsement

Add special-country treatment

Reserve pet capacity

Plan the US return