How Much Does It Cost to Fly With a Pet in the Cabin? Southwest's $125, Delta's $150 Domestic and $200 International, and Alaska's $100 to $200, Each Way

The fee is per carrier, per direction

Every airline below charges for the carrier, not for the booking, and the charge applies to each leg. A round trip doubles the number you see.
Southwest lists $125 per pet carrier, one-way, for U.S. mainland flights and $35 per pet carrier, one-way, for flights to the Hawaiian Islands. That makes a mainland round trip $250.
Delta lists $150 per direction for travel within the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. That is up from $95 before April 8, 2025. A domestic round trip comes to $300.

International and long-haul fees run higher

Delta lists $200 per direction for international travel, and $200 for Brazil after April 8, 2025 (it was $75 before). Alaska Airlines says fees range from $100 to $200 depending on the type of travel and route, each way, per kennel or carrier.
Alaska's page does not break the range down by route, so ask its reservations line for the exact fee before you book.
If your trip mixes airlines, the fee of the second airline can apply separately.

What the fee does not include

Several airlines count the carrier as your personal item, which matters if you also carry a bag. JetBlue's pet page says the carrier counts as a personal item and that carriers cannot exceed 17 inches long, 12.5 inches wide and 8.5 inches high.
Southwest also treats a pet carrier as a carry-on or personal item. Keep that in mind when you check what else you plan to bring on board.

Rules that can cost you the booking

The price matters less if the pet is not accepted. Southwest requires a pet to be at least 8 weeks old, accepts domestic flights only, and transports no pets in the cargo compartment.
Delta requires domestic pets to be at least 8 weeks old. For travel into the U.S. its page lists 6 months for dogs and 16 weeks for cats, and 15 weeks for the European Union.
JetBlue accepts only small dogs and cats in the cabin, with no checked pets, and allows up to two pets per traveler in their own carriers.

How many pets one fee covers

Southwest allows one carrier per ticketed customer and up to two small cats or dogs of the same species in that carrier, which means one fee can cover two small pets. Delta limits how many pets can sit in each cabin: two in Delta First on domestic flights, none in Delta One and Delta Premium, and four in Comfort and Main.
Pets cannot sit in bulkhead seats, emergency exit rows or flat-bed seats. Book early because these caps limit the number of pets a flight can carry.

Refunds and the carrier you may need to buy

Southwest says the pet fee is refundable if you cancel your reservation, and that you pay at the ticket counter by credit card. Delta requires a soft-sided, leak-proof kennel, recommending a maximum of 18 by 11 by 11 inches that fits fully under the seat in front of you.
A new carrier is a separate cost not covered here, so measure the one you own against the airline's dimensions first.

A round-trip cost estimate

With the published fees, a mainland round trip with one pet carrier costs $250 on Southwest and $300 on Delta, plus the fare itself. An international round trip on Delta is $400 in pet fees alone.
Add paperwork if you leave the country. Our guides to USDA endorsement fees and the travel health certificate cover those costs.
For a trip that stays on the ground, compare it with pet train fares and what pet-friendly hotels charge.

Check before you book

Airline fees and rules change; Delta's own page shows an increase in 2025. We could not open every airline's page, so we left out United, American and Spirit rather than quote a number we could not verify. JetBlue's pages did not list its pet fee, so look at the booking screen.
This guide covers costs only and is not veterinary advice. Ask your veterinarian whether your pet is fit to fly, and confirm every fee and rule with the airline before you pay.