Airline Pet Policy – Lufthansa Airlines
Can my pet fly with me in the cabin? Yes (Certain Flights)
Can my pet fly with me as checked baggage? Yes (Certain Flights)
Can my pet fly with me as manifest cargo? Yes
In-Cabin Pet Policy
If your dog or cat meets the requirements listed in Lufthansa pet policy to travel in-cabin, you will need an approved airline pet carrier. The carrier must have a waterproof bottom, have room for your pet to stand up and turn around, must fasten securly and have adequate ventilation.
Pets Allowed:
Small dogs and cats
Age Requirements:
The minimum age for dogs and cats is 12 weeks except for those traveling to/from the USA. In this case, the minimum age is 16 weeks.
Carrier Requirements:
Maximum measurements: 21.6″ L x 15.7″ W x 9″ H (55 cm x 40 cm x 23 cm). You must notify the airlines that you are traveling with a pet. The combined weight of your pet and its carrier cannot exceed 17 pounds (8 kg). Reservations for your pet cannot be made online.
A total of 2 dogs or cats per passenger are permitted whether traveling in-cabin or as checked baggage. If both are traveling in the cabin, they must fit in one carrier with room to stand up and turn around.
Cost:
€55-100
Service and Emotional Support Dogs
Service dog (guide dogs, hearing assistance, seizure alert, etc.) dogs can travel with their owners in the cabin free of charge with advance notification. For flights that do not involve the United States, a certificate from a recognized training institute must be submitted in advance to Lufthansa Medical Operation Center, the Service Center or your travel agent. You must provide two copies of the pre-approval form that you receive from Lufthansa at check-in. A muzzle for your dog is requested but not required.
Emotional support animals are only permitted to fly in the cabin on direct flights either originating or terminating in the United States. This includes flights involving layovers. On portions of flights outside of the United States (or portions thereof), your ESA will need to fly in an airline-compliant pet carrier or an IATA-compliant pet crate in the cargo hold if too large to fly in-cabin. You must provide either a carrier or crate for your ESA to fly in for that portion of the trip that does not involve the United States.
Within 48 hours of deparrture, you must submit a medical certificate issued by a licensed physician confirming the need for your ESA to the centers listed above. You will receive a notification of approval and two copies must be presented at check-in.
More information on Lufthansa’s service and emotional support policy.
Checked Baggage Pet Policy
If your pet is too large to fit under the seat, it is an animal other than a dog or cat, or if it is a very long flight, Lufthansa may transport your pet in the cargo section of the aircraft according to its regulations. This section of the cargo department has the same temperature and pressure as the passenger cabin.
Pets Allowed:
Domesticated dogs, cats hares and rabbits. One animal is allowed per pet crate. Limit of 2 pets per passenger including those flying in-cabin. The number of pets per plane will depend on cargo demands.
Route Restrictions:
Pets will not be permitted to travel as checked baggage to locations that require they enter as manifest cargo such as the United Kingdom or Hong Kong. Country pet import requirements ↗
Live animals cannot transit Munich in the cargo hold with the exception of assistance animals.
Check-In:
Between two and three hours prior to departure.
Cost:
€70 – €400 depending on the size of your pet”s crate and the route.
Pets traveling in the same carrier
For young animals (up to 6 months old) a maximum of three animals are permitted per crate.
A maximum of two animals of comparable size and weighing up to 14 kg each in one crate are permitted.
In all cases, your pets must be able to stand up and move around in the crate, and your pets must know eachother well.
Temperature Restrictions:
Lufthansa understands the additional risk to live animals transported during the higher temperatures of summer and lower temperatures of winter. If you are traveling from, transiting, or traveling to an area that is known for extremely high or low temperatures, you should confirm that Lufthansa will board your pet.
Pets flying in or out of Houston (IAH), Dallas (DFW) or Phoenix (PHX) should confirm with Lufthansa that temperatures will permit the carriage of live animals on the date of flight. No animals are permitted in the cargo hold on flights to or from Hong Kong from June 1 to September 1.
Snub-nosed Breeds
Lufthansa no longer flies snub-nosed breeds as checked baggage; however, they can fly as air cargo. See more information below.
Crate Requirements
If you need to transport your pet in a crate that is more than 125 × 75 × 85 cm (49 x 29 x 33 inches), your pet will need to fly as air cargo.
Lufthansa requires that hard plastic crates be fastened together with metal hardware. Click here for crate requirements.
Crates for hares and rabbits must be equipped with metal mesh over the ventilation holes preventing knawing yet not impairing the ventilation.
Need an IATA compliant pet crate? Have a crate already? Need accessories for your crate?
Air Cargo Pet Policies
Lufthansa Cargo services larger animals, animals other than those carried in the cabin or checked baggage. A licensed agent must book transport when your pet is flying as air cargo.
Pets Allowed:
Larger or unaccompanied domesticated dogs and cats, hares and rabbits.
Forms Required:
Health certificate issued within 10 days of travel, proof of rabies vaccination and all forms required for your destination country.
Route Restrictions
Lufthansa will not transport live animals from Kuwait. Live animals cannot transit through Munich.
Temperature Restrictions:
See checked baggage policies above
Breed Restrictions:
Breeds known to be fighting breeds must be transported in IATA compliant CR82 airline pet crates. Find more information on airline pet crates for dangerous dogs.
Snub-nosed dogs will be transported in larger crates than normally required on routes where the temperature does not exceed 75°F (27 degrees C). An additional 10 cm (4 inches) must be provided on all sides and top of crate.
See further information about snub-nosed breed bans below.
Crate Requirements
Air cargo services are provided for pets requiring crates larger than 125 x 75 x 85 cm (49 x 29 x 33 inches). Acceptance of larger crates will depend on the type of aircraft that serves you route. Wide body aircraft can accommodate series 700 crates. See checked baggage category above. More info on crate requirements.
Have a crate already? Need accessories for your crate?
Lufthansa’s Pet Lounge
For all pets transiting Frankfurt, Lufthansa offers first class care in its Animal Lounge. Pets can enjoy the benefits of watering, feeding and walking for layovers over 3 hours in duration. More about the Lufthansa Animal Lounge.
Airports Served
Lufthansa serves locations worldwide in Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America including the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Lufthansa is also approved to fly into London Heathrow, Dublin (accompanied pets) and Edingurgh, Scotland which are approved Border Inspection Posts for the United Kingdom.
Puppies and Kittens
The age of your puppy or kitten permitted to fly on Lufthansa depends on age requirements of your destination country.
- Traveling with a puppy
Banned Breeds
After January 1, 2020, Lufthansa will no longer transport the following breeds or their crosses as checked baggage:
Lufthansa considers the following breeds and their crosses as snub nosed: Affen Pinscher, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Brussels Griffon, Bulldog (all breeds), Bull Mastiff, Bull Terrier, Chow Chow, English Toy Spaniel, Japanese Chin, Japanese Spaniel, Lhasa Apso, Pekinese, Pit Bull, Pug (all breeds), Shar Pei, Shih Tzu and Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Cat Breeds: British Shorthair, Exotic Shorthair, Himalayan, Persian and Scottish Fold.
Until January 1, 2020, breeds known to be snub-nosed will need to be transported in crates with 10 cm clearance between your pet and the sides and top of crate. Lufthansa will accept these breeds depending on temperatures forecasted in airports on your route.
Lufthansa will transport fighting dogs over 6 months in IATA compliant CR 82 crates. The breeds considered to be aggressive are American Staffordshire Terriers*, Staffordshire Bull Terriers&, Pitbull Terrier*, Bull Terrier*, Dogo Argentino, Rottweiler, Caucasian Owtscharka, and Karabash. No longer considered aggressive are: Filo Brasileiro, Mastiff / Bull Mastiff*, Mastino Napoletano, Tosa Inu, Bandog or Dogue de Bordeaux.
* Lufthansa will only transport this breed or its crosses or mixes until January 1, 2020.
Other Animals
Lufthansa will transport larger or unaccompanied domesticated dogs and cats, fish, fowl, horses, zoo animals and most warm and cold blooded animals as manifest cargo according to destination country import requirements.
