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Flying isn\u2019t always fun. If you have an emotional support animal (ESA) and you\u2019re wondering how it can accompany you to your destination \u2014 or if you require its support during the flight \u2014 you need to know your options before you board.<\/p>\n
While ESAs were historically allowed to travel for free, recent changes in legislation mean that most airlines have amended their policies and are now charging a fee. Not all US airline companies have the same policy, so it\u2019s important to check ahead before you buy your ticket.<\/p>\n
Below we outline the recent changes to emotional support animal policies on American Airlines and what this means for you and your ESA.<\/p>\n
The ESA and service animal policy by American Airlines is in line with federal laws granting rights to handlers and their service animals. Prior to March 2021, American Airlines treated service animals and ESAs the same. Both were given the same rights on board and were allowed to fly with their handlers.<\/p>\n
However, recent changes in new legislation from the Department of Transportation<\/a> (DOT) mean airlines are no longer required to accommodate emotional support animals. Only trained service animals can travel for free.<\/p>\n If you have an ESA that provides specific support for a mental disability, you may want to consider registering your animal as a psychiatric service dog (PSD) instead. PSDs are allowed on American Airlines for free and are granted the same rights as other service animals.<\/p>\n Emotional support animals are now treated as pets<\/a> on American Airlines flights. Therefore, ESAs are charged a pet fee and must travel in an enclosed pet carrier, either in the cabin or in the luggage or cargo area.<\/p>\n While this news may be disappointing for ESA handlers, you can still bring your animal with you; however, there are a few restrictions, which we cover below.<\/p>\n If your ESA is small enough, it can be brought into the cabin as a pet and treated as carry-on luggage. If they\u2019re too large for the cabin, they must travel in the American Airlines cargo. Fully trained service dogs can, however, fly in the cabin at no additional charge.<\/p>\n Bear in mind there are some restrictions to where your pet can travel to\/from. Below are the locations that are permissible for pets (on flights up to 12 hours):<\/p>\n However, you should check each destination\u2019s airlines before traveling as there are special restrictions for passengers in Canada, Central America, and Mexico.<\/p>\n Like most airlines, passengers can bring their ESA (dogs or cats) into the cabin as a carry-on if they meet the following requirements:<\/p>\n If your ESA can\u2019t meet these requirements or is too large, they must travel in the cargo.<\/p>\n Note<\/strong>: Each aircraft has limited space for carry-on animals. For example, they only accept 7 kennels on American flights (excluding service animals) and 5 kennels on American Eagle flights.<\/p>\n Also, passengers traveling in Business Class must place their kenneled ESA in a dedicated animal compartment located at the front of the plane.<\/p>\n American Airlines only accepts active-duty animals from the US Military and State Department Foreign Service as checked pets. Unlike other airlines that allow passengers to bring their animal in the hold luggage area, American Airlines restricts this to military and government personnel. Animals that don\u2019t meet the requirements<\/a> must travel in the cargo area instead.<\/p>\n Some restrictions are placed on checked short-nosed cat and dog breeds on American Airlines flights. These include:<\/p>\n Breeds that don\u2019t fall into the short-nosed category will likely be accepted on the flight as an ESA or service animal without trouble.<\/p>\n Other species exclusions include amphibians, reptiles, insects, non-household birds, ferrets, goats, rodents, and animals with hooves (minus trained miniature horses), tusks, or horns. If an animal is visibly dirty or has a perceivable odor, it will also be excluded from boarding.<\/p>\n For passengers traveling with pets, a fee is charged. Whether the animal is in the cabin, checked in, or transported as cargo, there is always a fee for traveling with a pet.<\/p>\n Normal pet fees for American Airlines are $125 per animal in a carry-on pet kennel or $200 per checked animal in a kennel. Cargo fees vary, so you\u2019ll need to check with the airline ahead of time.<\/p>\n As mentioned above, American Airlines accepts psychiatric service dogs (PSDs) without a fee. Training your ESA to become a psychiatric service dog can be a desirable option for people who require their animal for mental health reasons.<\/p>\n However, while PSDs are treated the same as service dogs, there are some regulations<\/a>, such as providing documentation outlining vaccination and microchip records 48 hours before your flight.<\/p>\n To fly with a psychiatric service dog on American Airlines, they must:<\/p>\n PSDs are also not permitted to:<\/p>\n If your psychiatric service dog is too big or too heavy to fit in the cabin, you may be offered an alternative flight or rebooked on a flight with more open seats. You also have the option of checking your PSD into the cargo hold as a pet.<\/p>\n While they aren\u2019t required to stay inside a travel kennel, PSDs are not allowed to roam freely on a flight. You must abide by the airline\u2019s rules which include:<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t abide by the behavior rules, you may be charged the usual pet fees. Because PSDs are required to be well trained to stay calm and disciplined in public spaces, consistent bad behavior may result in being classified as a pet instead.<\/p>\n If you have a mental health issue and require daily assistance, a psychiatric service dog might be a good solution. However, bear in mind that there are certain criteria that need to be met \u2014 the first being a mental disability that is demonstrably supported by the services of a psychiatric service dog.<\/p>\n Like an ESA, registering for a PSD also requires handlers to receive a letter of recommendation from a mental health professional stating the need for the animal. Handlers must also be active participants in the dog\u2019s training and have the financial capacity to support their animal.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also worth being aware that as of July 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a temporary suspension<\/a> of dogs from countries that are considered a high-risk for rabies. This includes service dogs and pets (both carry-on and checked).<\/p>\n If you have a dog from a high-risk country, you\u2019ll need an approved CDC Dog Import Permit, or you\u2019ll be required to meet the CDC vaccination and microchip requirements to fly on American Airlines. Cats from high-risk rabies countries are also not accepted on flights as carry-on or checked pets.<\/p>\n While emotional support animals are no longer accommodated on American Airlines flights, you do have options. The first is for your animal to travel as a carry-on pet or in the cargo area. Your ESA can also travel as a checked pet, but only if they are active-duty members of the US Military and State Department Foreign Service.<\/p>\n The final option is to register your ESA as a psychiatric service dog instead: this allows your animal to travel as a service dog for free if you submit the appropriate documentation to the airline within 48 hours of travel. In order for your ESA to become a PSD, contact your medical doctor or get in touch with US Service Animals<\/a> (USSA) to be connected with a doctor directly. Once you\u2019ve qualified, you can apply for a service dog at any service animal agency in your city or state.<\/p>\n Otherwise, be sure to check the individual policies of each airline before you book a flight to find out what they allow and require as documentation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In general, American Airlines treats service animals and ESAs the same. Both are given the same rights on board and both are allowed to fly with their handlers. […]<\/p>\nWhat Do These Changes Mean for ESAs?<\/h3>\n
How to Take Your ESA on American Airlines Flights<\/h2>\n
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Carry-On Rules<\/h3>\n
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Checked Pets Rules<\/h3>\n
Breed Restrictions<\/h4>\n
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Pet Fees<\/h3>\n
Psychiatric Service Dogs (PSD)<\/h3>\n
Flying with a Psychiatric Service Dog<\/h4>\n
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Service Dog Behavior in the Cabin<\/h4>\n
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How to Get a Psychiatric Service Dog<\/h4>\n
Temporary Suspension of High-Risk Dogs<\/h2>\n
The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n