If you have an emotional support dog, these are the airlines on which it can fly with you
Looking to fly with your emotional support animal? You might run into some problems on these airlines.
Due to rules implemented by the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2021, airlines are no longer required to allow passengers to fly with emotional support animals. However, federal law still protects the rights of travelers with service animals, such as seeing-eye dogs.
What is the difference between a service animal and an emotional support animal?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) require airlines to allow service animals in the cabin. Airlines cannot charge passengers additional fees for bringing these animals on board.
Travelers with service animals must provide documentation attesting to the animal’s training, health, and behavior, which airlines may request as proof of their status.
In contrast, emotional support animals are not covered under these laws.
Most major U.S. airlines, including Delta, American Airlines, JetBlue, and Southwest, do not recognize emotional support animals as service animals and do not allow them in the cabin.
United Airlines, however, permits emotional support animals on certain flights. Passengers flying on select aircraft (A319, A320, A321neo, 737-800, 737-8 (MAX 8), 737-900, and 737-9 (MAX 9)) may be allowed to bring a small dog or cat in the cabin, provided the pet is traveling to or within a qualifying country and fits within an airline-approved carrier.
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