We transport three types of pets:
- Pet: we accept dogs and cats older than 4 months of age.
- Emotional support dogs: you must present a medical certificate issued by a mental health professional proving your condition to fly with your pet.
- Service dogs: trained to help a person with a disability. They are trained in specialized and certified centers.
Check the conditions according to the characteristics of your pet. If you are flying with an emotional support dog or a service dog, you must comply with additional requirements. We only transport dogs, cats and roosters, and you must request this service at least 48 hours before the departure of your flight.
Keep in mind:
- If you are flying with your dog to the United States, check the new documentation required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- In addition to the documents required to travel with your pet, you must present the form for transporting pets in the hold and cabin. Download it and present it printed at the airport or ask our service agents at the counter.
- If you have a flight with partner airlines, codeshare, or connecting flights, the pet transportation service may not be available with the other airlines.
- Dogs and cats weighing no more than 22 lb, including the weight of their container, may fly in the cabin.
- We do not transport pets (dogs or cats) that are less than 4 months old, due to the minimum waiting period after the rabies vaccination. This policy is applicable except for domestic flights in Colombia, where we accept pets older than 2 months with the appropriate vaccination schedule for their age.
- To guarantee the transportation of your pet, you must comply with all the requirements and documents required.
- You can only fly with one (1) pet in the cabin. The pet must be in flexible containers (kennels) that can be put under the seat in front of you in the aircraft.
- The container must measure: 22x14x10 in. (length, width, and height), and your pet must remain inside the container during the flight at all times.
- The transportation of your pet is subject to availability of space.
- Book this service at least 48 hours before your flight departure through our Contact center, points of sale, or travel agencies.
- Check the charges for this service.
- Pets weighing no more than 154 lb, including the container's weight, may fly in the hold.
- We do not transport pets (dogs or cats) that are less than 4 months old, due to the minimum waiting period after the rabies vaccination. This policy is applicable except for domestic flights in Colombia, where we accept pets older than 2 months with the appropriate vaccination schedule for their age.
- To guarantee the transport of your pet, you must comply with all the requirements and documents required.
- Your pet may only fly in containers (kennels) made of rigid materials such as fiberglass, metal or plastic and must be supplied by you.
- The transportation of your pet is subject to availability of space.
- Book this service at least 48 hours before your flight departure through our Contact center, points of sale, or travel agencies.
- Check the charges for this service.
- If your pet exceeds 154 lb in weight, including the container, please consult how you can transport it via avianca cargo.
Although we transport dogs of special handling breeds (dangerous breeds), you must check the regulations of the country you are traveling to. Each country may have additional requirements or restrict the entry of your pet.
Allowed breeds
- We transport in the hold the following breeds: American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier, Presa Canario, Doberman, Argentine Dogo, Bordeaux Mastiff, Brazilian Fila, Neapolitan Mastiff, Pitbull Terrier, Rottweiler, and Japanese Tosa.
- Dogs of these breeds can travel in a metal-walled container, with non-toxic materials that allow their feeding and hydration.
- It is necessary that your dog has a basket muzzle if traveling in a plastic container.
- In Colombia, according to article 108-E of chapter XIII of Law 746 of July 19, 2002, “the importation of canine specimens of the Staffordshire Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, or canines resulting from crosses or hybrids of these breeds is prohibited”. If your pet was born in Colombia and you want to take it out of the country, you must obtain a permit for it to enter again. It is important to be informed about the measures required by the sanitary and governmental entities of the country of origin, transit, and destination.
Not allowed breeds
- We do not transport dogs and cats of brachiocephalic breeds or breeds resulting from crossbreeding (i.e., one of the parents belongs to one of these breeds) on flights to and from Mexico.
- We do not transport the following brachiocephalic breeds and crossbreeds of these breeds in the hold: Chinese Shar Pei, Boxer, Dogue de Bordeaux, Bulldog, English Bulldog, Belgian Griffon, Griffon Bruxellois, Petit Brabancon, Chin, Japanese Spaniel, Boston Terrier, French Bulldog, Tibetan Spaniel, Chinese Shar Pei, Boxer, Dogue de Bordeaux, Tibetan Spaniel, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, King Charles Spaniel, English Toy Spaniel, Pekingese, Pug and Doguillo.
- We do not carry the following brachiocephalic cat breeds and crossbreeds: Burmese, Persian, Exotic Shorthair and Himalayan.
- Animals that are aggressive, dangerous, or whose inappropriate behavior in a public environment generates safety or health risks, or is an obstacle to an eventual emergency evacuation on board, will not be allowed to be transported.
- The transportation service for roosters is available only on domestic flights within Colombia.
- Carry them in a container or crate which must be designed for this purpose (cardboard, wood or the most common in fabric).
- Present the bird's health certificate issued by a veterinary doctor.
- If the crate has several compartments, remember that only one bird per compartment may travel.
- Two crates per passenger are allowed.
- Regardless of the number of compartments in the crate, a passenger may only carry a maximum of 6 cocks.
- The weight of the birds must not exceed 20 kg, including the container weight.
- This service is charged per container.
- We do not transport live exotic birds, or protected or endangered species.
- For aircraft with ventilated hold 32S family, a maximum of 15 pets may be carried, and each pet must not exceed 50 kg in weight.
- Pets cannot be transported in aircraft with non-ventilated hold.
Conditions and generalities
- In order to guarantee the comfort and safety of all passengers, it is prohibited to place two (2) pets in the same row, unless they belong to the same family group.
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You may travel with a maximum of two (2) pets, as long as they comply with the established conditions and requirements. One pet is required to accompany you in the cabin, provided that the combined weight of the pet and its container does not exceed 10 kg, and the other pet must be transported in the hold.
- If it is determined that the hygiene or health conditions of the dog endanger the health or safety of the flight, crew or passengers, the customer may be denied boarding with the accompanying emotional support or service dog.
- To fly with your pet, you must present a copy of its vaccination card, its health inspection certificate, issued by a veterinarian, indicating the professional registration number. The time of validity of this document depends on the country. You may have to comply with other conditions if the regulations of your destination require it. Check, before your flight, the pages of the countries where you will find this type of information.
- Your emotional support dog or pet will not be able to fly with you in the cabin if you are traveling in Business class on our 787 aircraft.
- For aircraft with ventilated hold 32S family, a maximum of 15 pets may be carried, and each pet must not exceed 110 lb in weight.
- Pets cannot be transported in aircraft with non-ventilated hold.
- The refund of the value of your ticket does not apply if your pet does not have the required sanitary and veterinary documentation or shows aggressive behavior.
- The refund of the value of your ticket does not apply if your pet does not have the required sanitary and veterinary documentation or shows aggressive behavior.
Considerations for Colombia
- When flying with your dog or cat to Colombia, you must have an original health certificate showing that your animal is fit to be transported. It must be valid for no more than 10 calendar days and must state that your pet is free of infectious and parasitic diseases. Likewise, it must be mentioned that there are no fresh or healing wounds. Also, you must specify the species, identification, breed, sex, age, and coat of the animal, the vaccination plan and the vaccination certificate issued by a veterinarian indicating his professional registration number.
- Pets coming from the United States, flying to Colombia must have a health certificate stamped and signed by Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service USDA - APHIS, which is the official entity of Animal Health of the U.S.A.
Considerations for Peru
If you are traveling to the United States, Canada and Mexico from Peru:
- In case the permanence is less than 30 days, export sanitary certificates are only issued by SENASA for the above mentioned destinations. Upon the return of the pet, you must provide a copy of this certificate.
- In order to allow the entry of pets into Peru, it is imperative that you present the sanitary certificate issued by the Official Authority of the country of origin.
Considerations for Europe
If you are flying to Europe, keep in mind the following information:
- According to EU Regulation 576/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 June 2013 on the non-commercial movement of pets, at the authorized Passenger Points of Entry for the introduction of pets, checks will be carried out on all pets, whether traveling in the cabin or in the hold, upon disembarkation from aircraft, when the flight is coming from a third country.
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For travels to Spain, the pet must have a passport (vaccination card or zoosanitary certificate) and be identified with a microchip or tattoo. It is important to treat the pet with praziquantel at least 48 hours before the flight.
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In Madrid and Barcelona, the responsibility for carrying out these controls is the personnel of the Guardia Civil and in case the required documentation is not available or is not in order, the decision will be one of the following two:
- Re-dispatch the animal, which means that it returns to its country of origin on the first flight that is possible.
- Quarantine the animal, if the previous option is not possible.
- If your flight is from Spain to Colombia, you will have to present the Export Certificate from the Kingdom of Spain for any type of pet. This document will be required upon arrival in Colombia.
Pet transport exceptions
- The transport of live animals to the Galapagos Islands is not allowed.
- Due to Animal Reception Center restrictions, this service is not available for flights to the UK.
- This service is not available for flights to Aruba and Curaçao. The only exception is in case of a permanent move to the island of Curaçao with the corresponding authorization from the authority.