Flying with a Dog in Australia: The Ultimate Guide

When planning to travel between different parts of Australia, whether for a holiday or some other reason, you’ll probably consider flying. After all, Australia is a big country, and it takes days to drive from one side of the country to the other.

But if you’re travelling with a dog, is it possible for them to also fly? What’s involved when travelling with a dog and on what flights are they allowed? And what about the new option to fly with pets in the cabin on Virgin flights? Find out more about all the options available and everything you need to know for a smooth flight.

Flying with Pets in the Cabin in Australia

Up until recently, dogs were not allowed to fly in the cabin on flights within Australia (as well as flights to and from Australia), unless they were a recognised service dog. However, in December 2021 the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) changed the rules so that pets can now fly in the cabin, but only if individual airlines allow it.

For the first few years, none of the Australia airlines changed their rules. However, in 2024 Virgin Australia announced that they were planning to allow pets in the cabin.

Pets in the Cabin on Virgin Australia Flights

The first airline to allow pets to fly in the cabin on domestic flights in Australia is Virgin Australia. From 16th October 2025, they are trialling pets in the cabin on selected flights, currently between Melbourne Airport and both the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast airports.

Note that it’s not a free for all for all dogs. Like when flying with a pet in the cabin in Europe, pet dogs (and cats for some routes) are restricted to a maximum weight of 8kg, including their airline-approved carrier. They will need to stay in their carrier at all times, underneath the seat in front.

To minimise disruptions, pets can only fly at certain seats on the aircraft, with a maximum number of pets allowed on a single flight. All of these seats are in economy class – it’s not possible to fly with your dog in business class.

To book your pet on one of these flights, you’ll need to call up the Virgin Call Centre. An introductory fee of $149 will apply per flight. For more details, covering everything from carrier requirements to health certificates for certain pets, see my full guide to flying with a dog in the cabin on Virgin Australia.

Pet-Friendly Flights to Tasmania

I have also come across one other instance where pets are allowed to travel in the cabin on domestic flights in Australia – the pet-friendly flights to Tasmania operated by Pawmobile.

Since early 2021, Pawmobile has offered weekly chartered flights from Melbourne (Essendon Airport) to Devonport, along with occasional flights to Hobart. Pets fly in the cabin of the small plane, in their crates, accompanied by an experienced handler.

Note however that human passengers are not accepted at this time, unless you charter the entire plane. Additionally, this is a premium service with prices higher than those for flying pets in the cabin or hold on other airlines – but in return your pet is treated as a passenger, rather than simply luggage.

Pets in the Cabin on International Flights

The rule change to allow pets in the cabin in Australia didn’t only apply to domestic flights; it also applied to international flights.

Unfortunately, there are biosecurity reasons that mean that pets cannot travel in the cabin on flights to Australia, at least on regular commercial flights. However, there are a small number of foreign airlines that allow pets in the cabin on flights out of Australia, including Etihad and Korean Air.

Flying with Pets in the Hold in Australia

While pets can fly in the cabin on some flights, on most flights in Australia and for all but the smallest dogs, the only option is to fly in the hold of airplanes, generally as cargo.

This means that you need to make a booking with the freight division of the airline (or a pet transport company) and drop them off at the cargo terminal. They’re loaded along with cargo into the hold (but with extra care) and then you pick them up at the cargo terminal.

There is also a third way that dogs can fly, as “checked baggage”. This means that they fly in the hold but you drop them off and pick them up inside the terminal, like oversized baggage items. This is generally not possible in Australia, except with Regional Express (REX) on selected routes.

What Airlines Fly Pets in the Hold in Australia?

When flying your dog domestically in Australia, there are three main options: Qantas (including Qantaslink), Virgin Australia and Regional Express.

Jetstar, the low-cost airline operated by Qantas, doesn’t allow pets to fly on its flights. This is the same as many other discount airlines overseas, like Ryanair and Easyjet. This also extends to Qantas codeshare flights operated by Jetstar.

There are also a number of small regional airlines that operate in Australia, often just from one airport. Check directly with the airline whether they transport pets (this is not always listed on their websites). Some of these small airlines transport pets through Qantas freight or a pet transport company.

Flying Pets in the Hold with Qantas

Pets are allowed to fly on most Qantas flights within Australia. On Qantas flights, pets fly through Qantas Freight, the cargo division of Qantas.

Note that pets may not be permitted on some Qantas flights. In particular, there may be some regional airports that don’t have the necessary facilities, or some flights may arrive or depart outside of freight terminal hours.

One other issue that you may encounter if you are flying a larger dog is that some of the smaller planes cannot accommodate the larger size crates. This is less likely to be an issue if you are flying between the state capitals, but could be the case if you are flying on a Qantaslink flight in or out of a regional area.

It’s possible to make bookings directly with Qantas Freight, both for pets flying accompanied (on the same flight as you) or unaccompanied (such as a puppy flying to its new home).

Flying Pets in the Hold with Virgin Australia

Virgin also flies pets in the hold within Australia, through their cargo division. Bookings can either be made through their animal transport partners or directly with Virgin Australia Cargo over the phone or through email. (There is no online option.)

Unlike Qantas, Virgin Australia have a maximum weight limit for flying pets. This is 65kg including your dog’s crate. Additionally, depending on the aircraft operating the flight, larger crates may not be accepted on some flights. See the fleet compatibility guide.

There are also some Virgin flights that can’t accept pets on board. In particular, they have a couple of A320s they seem to mainly fly within Western Australia, that don’t have the temperature control necessary for flying pets. They also only fly pets to and from the airports listed here.

Flying Pets with Regional Express (REX)

Regional Express, or REX for short, is a smaller airline that mainly operates flights from capitals and major cities to regional airports. They also fly pets within Australia.

As REX does not have a freight division, they either accept pets as “checked baggage” on some flights, or require other flights to be booked either through Qantas Freight or through a pet transport company.

At the moment, the only pet bookings that can be made directly with REX for carriage as “checked baggage” are regional flights within NSW and Victoria operated by Saab 340 turbo-prop aircraft. For these flights, pets are dropped off at the check-in in their crate and they fly as excess baggage, similar to flying a golf bag.

However, like for all excess baggage, there is a size limit, otherwise your pet must fly as freight. The maximum crate size is restricted to 85cm high x 77cm wide x 131cm long. (And crates often need to be larger than you expect, to meet the IATA guidelines.) Excess baggage also generally has a weight limit of 32kg.

For regional flights in South Australia and Western Australia, you will need to book and lodge your pet with Qantas Freight. This is because both Adelaide and Perth Airports don’t allow animals other than assistance dogs in the terminal.

For regional flights in Queensland, dogs are similarly not allowed in the terminals of Brisbane, Cairns and Townsville Airports. For pets flying on these flights, you need to book and lodge your pet with Dogtainers, a pet transport company.

Are All Dog Breeds Allowed to Fly in the Hold?

The majority of dog breeds are permitted to fly in the hold on flights in Australia, with some restrictions.

Flying Dangerous and Strong Dog Breeds

There are a short list of dangerous dog breeds, which are prohibited from being imported into Australia, and are also not allowed to fly at all in Australia (if they are already in the country):

• Fila Brasilerio
• Japanese Tosa
• Dogo Argentino
• American Pit Bull and other Pit Bull Breeds
• Perro de Presa Canario

Other strong dog breeds are permitted to travel in the hold as long as they travel in a special non-plastic crates, such as the CR-82 crate or an airline approved guard dog cage. Qantas singles out American Staffordshire Terriers as requiring these crates.

Qantas also doesn’t fly active racing greyhounds, although retired greyhounds can be transported with special conditions.

Flying Snub-Nosed or Brachycephalic Breeds

The second main category with special caveats for flying in the hold are snub-nosed or brachycephalic breeds, as these breeds are more likely to experience breathing difficulties and heat stress.

Some overseas airlines forbid these breeds from flying in the hold. REX also does not fly brachycephalic breeds. However, both Virgin Australia and Qantas permit them to fly, subject to extra conditions.

With both Qantas and Virgin Australia, short-nosed breeds can only be booked through an approved pet transport company. The transport companies are aware of the additional regulations that may apply, including being restricted to early morning or evening flights, plus larger crate requirements.

Both Qantas and Virgin have their own list of the affected breeds. Check the relevant airline list. You may need to sign extra forms to fly brachycephalic breeds or cross-breads.

Flying Large Dogs

If your dog is large, whether in height or weight, they may have additional limitations. For starters pets over 65kg cannot be booked with Virgin Australia. There are also restrictions on the maximum size crates accommodated by different Virgin aircraft.

With online bookings through Qantas, the maximum size crate you can book online is 131cm x 77cm x 85cm (an Extra Large PP90 crate). If the combined weight of your pet and crate exceeds 50kg, Qantas recommends calling up to confirm compatibility of your crate and aircraft type.

For pets flying as excess baggage on Rex flights, there is a maximum crate size of 85cm x 77cm x 131cm. Excess baggage also generally has a weight limit of 32kg.

Flying Puppies and Senior Dogs

Qantas will not fly puppies under the age of 12 weeks, due to the risk of dehydration. For Virgin Australia the cut-off is 8 weeks, with puppies between 8 and 12 weeks requiring a vet health certificate. A vet health certificate is also usually required for pets over 12 years old.

Booking Your Pet to Fly in the Hold in Australia

If you’re flying together with your pet, it’s best to book their flight before making your own flights. There are two main reasons for this: the number of pets that can be accommodated on most flights are limited (sometimes only one or two on smaller planes), plus as detailed above there are some occasions where pets are not permitted at all (such as specific planes, airports and hours of the day).

Cancellation and change conditions are also usually quite generous for pet bookings, compared to many human bookings. Bookings through Qantas can be cancelled online up to 24 hours in advance with no penalty. Additionally, there is no variation in the cost of flying pets, even if you are booking last minute.

Note that before you book your pet, you will need to know the size of the crate and the combined weight of your pet and crate, as this is used to determine if your pet will fit on the flight plus their ticket cost.

Booking Pets to Fly with Qantas

Qantas is the easiest airline to make a booking for your pet, thanks to their online booking portal, as long as your pet plus their crate is no larger than 131cm x 77cm x 85cm (and doesn’t weight more than 50kg combined) and you don’t have a snub-nosed pet.

When I’ve flown with Qantas and my dog in the past, after booking our dog’s flight online, we then booked our own tickets online on the regular booking site. Currently, you can only make bookings on the Qantas online booking portal up to around three months out.

Booking Pets to Fly with Virgin Australia

With Virgin Australia, there are two options available to make a booking. Firstly, you can book directly with the Virgin Australia Cargo team, either by phone (13 82 87) or by sending an email to [email protected]. Alternatively, you can book through one of their pet transport partners.

When I booked with Virgin back in 2019, I made a booking through their main call centre. We booked both our own tickets and our pet’s flight together on the same call, without the usual charge for booking through a call centre. I believe you now need to book separately – book your pet’s ticket first then your own ticket.

Booking Pets to Fly with REX

If flying with REX and your pet is flying as excess baggage, call up the call centre (13 17 13). There is no option to add pets to your booking online and advanced bookings may not be required, but it’s best to at least call and check there is room for your pet on your preferred flight.

For flights outside of NSW and Victoria, bookings are required to be made in advance through either Qantas Freight or Dogtainers.

Cost of Flying Your Pet in the Hold in Australia

Just as the cost of your own ticket varies depending on how much baggage you purchase, the cost of flying a pet in Australia varies depending on the size of your pet, or more accurately, the size of their crate or the combined weight of your pet and their crate. In recent years, since the pandemic, the cost to fly with pets within Australia has substantially increased.

It’s easiest to find out the costs of pet flights with Qantas, by searching on their online booking portal. The price depends on both the crate size and the route. For example, the cost to fly a pet in a S size crate (the 2nd smallest size) from Sydney to Adelaide is $265.32, as of October 2025.

The current rates with Qantas are far higher than when I flew this route back in 2019 before Covid, when it cost us $137.50 for an S size crate.

In 2019, I also paid $95 to fly my dog with Virgin Australia Cargo from Sydney to Melbourne. With Virgin, the ticket price is based on the combined weight of your pet and their crate, with the smallest weight category 1kg to 10kg, then 11kg to 20kg, etc. The fees for Virgin have also likely increased.

With pets flying on REX as excess baggage, the price is based on the combined weight of your pet and their crate. The fee charged is the regular excess baggage charge, which has been $5.50 per kilo for years. So, if you are flying a small 5kg pet in a 5kg crate, the charge should be $55.00. Rates for pets flying as cargo with REX likely differ.

If your pet is flying unaccompanied (you are not on the same flight), the rates charged are typically higher. Additionally, if you make a booking through a pet transport company a premium is charged (but the booking may include extra services such as pick-up and delivery).

Buying a Flight Crate For Your Dog

The biggest step to prepare your pet for their flight in the hold is choosing a crate. As I mentioned above, you need to find out the size of the crate your pet should fly in, plus often its weight, before booking your pet on their flight.

Crate Requirements

There are international guidelines on what size crate your animal should fly in when flying in the hold. To determine the ideal size, check out this handy guide on the Qantas website. There is also a similar guide on the Virgin website.

However, I also feel it is best to test out the size of a crate in person, before making the final decision. The guidelines stipulate that there needs to be enough room for your dog to stand, sit and turn around in their crate.

Buying or Hiring a Crate

It’s best to visit a large pet store with crates out on display, along with your dog, so you can test them and confirm your pet’s fit. Qantas also have crates for purchase from selected domestic terminals, that they recommend picking up a few days in advance.

The other alternative to purchasing a crate, especially if you’re just flying a single time with your dog, is to hire a crate. This is possible through some of the pet transport companies that operate in Australia (but only for domestic, not international, flights). It is also possible to purchase a pet crate from these companies.

Familiarising Your Dog with Their Crate

As soon as you get a crate for your dog, familiarise them with the crate. Ideally, they will have been crate trained while a puppy, even if they are now flying in a different crate. Our dog Schnitzel was readily comfortable in his flight crate for this reason.

Encourage them to spend time in their crate, including sleeping. One of the best training methods is to put their bowl at mealtimes in their crate.

Preparing Your Dog For Their Flight in the Hold

The biggest step to prepare your pet for their flight in the hold is to familiarise them with their crate, as mentioned above. This helps them to be comfortable in it, without stressing, while waiting for and on their flight.

Other steps that you should complete on the day of your pets flight include:

• Take them for a walk, to help tire them out and increase the likelihood that they sleep on the flight
• Only feed them a small meal or snack in the lead-up to their flight, ideally well before the flight.
• Plus toilet them, as close to their flight at possible. I usually do this when dropping off my dog at the freight terminal – most have some nearby grass or gardens.
• Put a water dish in their crate, that can be filled from outside – this is a requirement of air travel. Purchase this at the time you purchase their crate. Fill this up only when dropping off your pet, to minimise spillage. Or consider filling it with ice cubes, that will gradually melt during the flight.
• Put something absorbent in their crate, such as a puppy pee-pad. I usually tape this to the bottom of the crate.
• There are varying recommendations on whether to put anything else in your dog’s crate, but I usually like to add my dog’s favourite blanket, at the back of the crate away from the water dish.
• On the top of your pet’s crate, attach a sheet of paper with key details: your pet’s name, your own name and contact phone number, the Airway bill number.
• Don’t leave your pet’s collar, harness or leash attached when they are in the crate, as there is a risk these could be snagged and cause an injury (or worse) to your pet, while they are unattended in the plane’s hold. (Virgin Australia actually recommends pets wear their collar, while their leash is attached to the outside by zip-ties.)

Note that while many people consider sedating their pets, this is not recommended, unless your vet has specifically recommended it and has supplied a vet certificate (check with the airline first). The reason for this is that pets are more likely to experience breathing difficulties or other issues when they have been sedated, and actually are at greater risk.

Dropping Off Your Pet Before Their Flight in the Hold

If you are making a booking through a pet transport company, you will likely drop off your pet at the transport company’s office. They can advise you on where to go, the timings required and what they require you to bring along.

Otherwise, pets flying in cargo with a direct booking, generally need to be dropped off between 120 minutes and 90 minutes before your flight is scheduled to depart, although this can vary at some airports and for early morning flights.

You drop off your pet yourself at the relevant cargo office, which can be a fair distant from the passenger terminal (1km or more away), with their location varying between airport and airline.

When we dropped off our pet to fly with Virgin when booking directly, we were required to already be checked-in online (and present our boarding pass), plus present the Airway bill number and the completed and printed AVI acceptance checklist (as provided with the booking confirmation).

Qantas has a similar list of requirements. You need to have a copy of your pet’s booking confirmation, photo ID, the completed shipper’s statement and acknowledgement form, and your flight details (e-ticket or boarding pass), if you are flying on the same flight.

When we flew with Qantas, it was okay to have the shipper’s statement on our phone, although we ended up completing the paperwork on a tablet at the terminal instead.

At the freight terminal, they will generally check over your paperwork, get you to sign any extra forms and weigh your pet in their container. Cable ties and stickers will generally be attached to your pet’s crate.

If your pet is flying with excess baggage with REX, the process is simpler. Instead you simply head to the regular check-in counter. However, REX does recommend that you arrive earlier than usual.

Picking Up Your Pet After Their Flight in the Hold

After your flight, for pets flying as freight and when you have made a direct booking, you pick up your pet at the freight terminal yourself. If you have booked your pet to fly through a pet transport company, check whether you will pick up your pet from their office afterwards or whether you can pick up your pet at the freight terminal yourself.

If flying your pet as excess baggage with REX, you will generally claim your pet from the oversized luggage area, although check with the airport staff if uncertain.

Picking Up Your Pet from a Freight Terminal

Generally, most freight terminals are at a distance from the passenger terminal, although this differs between airports and airlines. For instance, the old Qantas domestic freight building at Sydney Airport was only a few hundred metres from where you exited the Qantas domestic terminal.

In contrast, at Melbourne Airport when picking up my dog after flying with Virgin I had to proceed to the Menzies Aviation building, about 1km away. I was even required to put on a high-vis vest to enter.

Expect it to take at least 30-40 minutes after the flight arrives before your pet is ready for pick up. Virgin state that it can take up to 30 minutes for your pet to be ready for pick-up. Qantas advise that it generally takes about 60 minutes, and even longer at Brisbane Airport, but just 10-30 minutes at regional airports.

Note that you don’t want to leave it too late after the flight’s arrival to pick up your pet. Virgin state that they will only hold your pet for 90 minutes after your flight’s arrival (and Qantas for 3 hours), after which they will contact a local pet care company (at your own expense), to minimise the period your pet spends in their crate.

If you are worried about running late, have the phone number of the freight terminal where you are picking up your pet handy.

What About Using a Pet Transport Company?

Currently, it is a requirement for flying snub-nosed pets, some large pets and on selected REX flights to book through a pet transport company. But even once this temporary policy is reversed, you may still want to consider using a pet transport company to fly your pet within Australia.

There are a number of reasons why you may want to consider this, including if you are unable to pick up or drop off your pet yourself before or after their flight, or if you’d prefer someone experienced in pet transport to handle the arrangements. A pet transport company may also be able to rent you a crate.

When my dog had to fly from Melbourne to Sydney following his stay in quarantine after flying back into Australia, I booked his transport and flight through Jetpets.

They were able to pick him up from the quarantine facility, drive him to the airport, put him onto the flight, then afterwards we picked him up from the Jetpets office in Sydney. In late 2018, this cost $230, compared to $115 for when he later flew accompanied with a direct booking to Melbourne. (However, note that prices have substantially increased since then.)

Find out more about whether you should use a pet transport company

My Thoughts on Qantas vs Virgin

I personally didn’t find there was much difference between flying my pet in the hold with Qantas or Virgin Australia within Australia in 2019.

In both cases the procedures and steps were similar, although with slight differences. The prices were also fairly similar. The biggest difference between the two was that you could book your pet’s transport with Qantas online, while you needed to call the Virgin call centre to book your pet.

Both experiences went quite smoothly. The biggest possible issue was that there was a heat wave in Adelaide the November day we flew back from Adelaide to Sydney. I called up the Qantas freight call centre a day or two before our flight, to see if I should move my dog onto an earlier flight, and ended up waiting over 30 minutes on hold. (After the wait, I knew why there was an option to press 1 if your pet was flying that day!)

The staff member I spoke to was reassuring (perhaps a little too reassuring!), and we ended up going ahead with the original flight, partially as I know my dog and that he’s fine with warm weather. (He’s a typical Dachshund that likes to sunbake even on hot, sunny days.)

At least with that flight I knew for certain my dog was on it! When flying from Sydney to Melbourne, due to the frequency of the early morning flights between the two cities, I was a little paranoid he may have ended up on the flight before or after. (I should have asked a flight crew member when boarding.)

But when boarding the Qantas flight, the crew member saw my dog’s photo on my phone (where I had the boarding pass), and let me know he was safely onboard, and joked he had been asking for canapes!

I recommend choosing the airline that you prefer, or that has flights at the best time of the day. During the summer months, plus year round in the tropical parts of Australia, it is best to fly early in the morning or in the evening, to avoid hot weather.

Unfortunately, I haven’t yet flown with REX, with or without my dog.

You May Also Like

• Flying with a Dog in the Cabin on Virgin Australia
• Flying To or From Melbourne Airport with a Pet in the Cabin
• Travelling in Australia with a Dog
• Which Car Rental Companies in Australia are Pet-Friendly?

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