Thai Airways Pet Policy (2026): Cabin, Checked Baggage, Cargo and Fees

The Thai Airways pet policy keeps pet dogs and cats out of the cabin. Only trained service dogs fly in the cabin. Dogs and cats fly in the hold as checked baggage, up to 70 kg with the crate, for USD 320 or USD 540 one way on international flights. The catch is the aircraft: THAI does not carry pets on its A320s, and it refuses 34 dog breeds.

Thai Airways pet policy: quick answers

• Can my pet fly in the cabin? No. THAI only accepts trained service dogs in the cabin.
• Can my pet fly as checked baggage? Yes. Dogs and cats over 4 months old fly in the hold.
• How much does it cost? USD 320 up to 32 kg and USD 540 above that, on international flights. Domestic flights cost THB 1,500.
• Which flights do not take pets? A320 flights, and routes to Auckland, Denpasar, Dubai, Hong Kong and Australia.
• Are French Bulldogs or Pugs accepted? No. Snub-nosed breeds are on THAI’s list of refused breeds.
• How early must I book? At least 3 working days before the flight.

Does Thai Airways allow pets in the cabin?

No. THAI’s pets-in-cabin page states that pets are generally not permitted in the aircraft cabin. The exception is a trained service dog. Guide dogs, hearing dogs and other assistance dogs fly in the cabin on all routes. Medical alert dogs fly in the cabin on European routes only.

The dog must be at least 6 months old and flies free of charge. Notify a THAI office at least 48 hours before departure, with a certificate from the organisation that trained the dog. THAI’s pages accept emotional support dogs only on flights to or from the United States, and THAI has no US flights in the 2026/27 winter. In practice, an emotional support animal flies in the hold like any other pet.

If your pet is small enough for a cabin bag, another airline may suit you better. Our guide to airlines that allow pets to Thailand lists the carriers that accept cabin pets on Thailand routes.

Flying a dog or cat as checked baggage on Thai Airways

THAI calls this service AVIH, a live animal in the hold. The pet flies on the same flight as you, and you collect it at the destination airport. THAI accepts only dogs and cats this way; other animals travel as cargo.

THAI sets these conditions on its AVIH page:

• Age: over 4 months on international flights. Domestic flights have no age limit.
• Weight: up to 70 kg, pet and crate together.
• One pet per crate: two puppies or kittens may share a crate if they are small. THAI’s English page allows 10 kg in total and its Japanese page 5 kg, so confirm.
• Health: the pet must be healthy and not pregnant.
• Crate: strong, leak-proof and clean, with absorbent bedding such as wood shavings, never straw. The pet must be able to stand, lie down and turn around.
• Food and water: you supply enough for the whole journey, including connections.

THAI’s Japanese page adds that the crate must be rigid plastic, fibreglass or wood, with a water bowl fixed inside. Wire cages are not accepted. The IATA crate size calculator turns your pet’s measurements into a crate size.

Thai Airways pet fees

THAI charges a flat fee per crate, per flight. The fees apply to travel from 2 March 2026 until further notice. They are not refundable and not part of your baggage allowance.

Journeys that start in Bangkok are charged in baht. Elsewhere, THAI converts the USD fee to local currency on the day it charges you. The airline fee is only one part of the trip cost. Our Thailand pet relocation cost guide breaks down the full budget.

Flights and routes where Thai Airways does not carry pets

THAI does not load checked pets on the Airbus A320. Many of its regional and domestic flights use this aircraft. Published schedules for winter 2026/27 show A320s on THAI’s flights between Bangkok and Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang. THAI’s page says nothing about its newer A321neo, so check the aircraft on your flight and confirm with THAI.

THAI’s AVIH page also lists routes with no checked pets:

• Auckland, Denpasar, Dubai and Hong Kong: no checked pets on flights to these cities. THAI’s Japanese page adds that Denpasar does not take pets as cargo either.
• Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney: no checked pets to or from Australia.
• London: pets flying into the UK must travel as manifest cargo under UK law. THAI is on the UK government’s list of approved airlines for pets into Heathrow.

On flights from London to Bangkok, THAI’s language versions disagree about checked pets. Get written confirmation from THAI before you book that route. For any European route, confirm the pet on your exact flight.

Breeds Thai Airways will not carry

THAI does not accept 34 dog breeds as checked baggage. Most are snub-nosed or short-muzzled; a few are pit-bull types. The list includes:

• Snub-nosed and short-muzzled: Pug, French Bulldog, English Bulldog, Boston Terrier, Shih Tzu, Pekingese, Lhasa Apso, Boxer, Shar Pei, Chow Chow, Japanese Chin, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Dogue de Bordeaux and all Mastiffs.
• Pit-bull types: American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bull Terrier and American Bulldog.

The full list sits on THAI’s AVIH page. For cargo, the English page tells owners to contact THAI’s cargo department. THAI’s Japanese page goes further: it does not accept snub-nosed dogs, including crosses, as checked baggage or as cargo. Plan as if THAI is not an option for a snub-nosed pet.

These breeds struggle to breathe in heat and stress, so this is a safety rule. Our guide to large and snub-nosed pets in Thailand covers the airlines and seasons that remain open.

How to book a pet on Thai Airways

You cannot add a pet in the online booking. Contact a THAI office or call centre, or the travel agent that sold your ticket. THAI’s Japanese page notes that each flight takes a limited number of pets and that a reply can take a few days.

1. Request the pet place at least 3 working days before departure. Give the species, breed, age, weight of pet and crate, and crate size.
2. Wait for confirmation on every flight of your trip.
3. Prepare the documents for your destination and any transit country. THAI leaves this to the passenger.
4. Check in at least 2 hours early. THAI charges the pet fee before you board.

Flying into Thailand, the documents include the Thai import permit, and airlines can refuse to board a pet without it. Airlines that check Timatic expect the import permit to be issued at least 15 days before arrival. The permit stays valid for 60 days. Our guide to the Thailand pet import permit covers the form and the timing. The full entry rules are in bringing a dog or cat to Thailand.

Thai Airways cargo for pets

Pets that do not fly with an owner travel with THAI Cargo. So do pets over 70 kg with the crate, and animals other than dogs and cats.

THAI Cargo takes bookings only through its appointed agents, so a private owner cannot book directly. It follows the IATA Live Animals Regulations. It also says acceptance depends on the animal, the aircraft type and the temperature at origin, transit and destination. The space must be confirmed on every flight to the final airport, including flights on other airlines.

At Bangkok, the THAI Cargo terminal keeps a room for live animals at 20 to 25°C. It accepts cargo for passenger flights between 24 hours and 6 hours before departure.

Thai Airways domestic flights with a pet

On domestic flights, THAI carries dogs and cats as checked baggage for THB 1,500 per crate. THAI’s page states that no documents are needed for domestic pets.

The aircraft rule matters more at home. Schedules for winter 2026/27 show A320s on THAI’s Bangkok to Chiang Mai flights, and THAI carries no checked pets on that aircraft. Our guide to travelling with pets to Phuket, Chiang Mai and Samui covers the other options.

Bangkok Airways pet policy

Bangkok Airways carries dogs and cats in the hold, mostly on domestic flights, and does not transfer a checked pet from an international flight to a domestic one. Its crate sizes, fees and refused breeds are in our guide to domestic flights with pets in Thailand.

When another airline is the better choice

THAI suits dogs and cats that can fly in the hold, on a wide-body flight, on a route THAI serves. Another airline fits better in three cases:

• Your pet is small enough for the cabin: several European, Middle Eastern and Asian airlines accept cabin pets up to about 8 kg.
• Your pet is a snub-nosed breed: THAI will not carry it in any form.
• Your flight uses an A320: THAI will not load your pet on it.

The Thailand pet relocation page sets out the whole move. Confirm the pet booking before you pay for the tickets.

Thai Airways pet policy: FAQ

Can I bring my small dog in the cabin on Thai Airways?

No. THAI only allows trained service dogs in the cabin. A small pet dog flies in the hold as checked baggage.

How much does Thai Airways charge for a dog?

On international flights, THAI charges USD 320 for a pet and crate up to 32 kg, and USD 540 from 32 to 70 kg. Domestic flights cost THB 1,500.

Does Thai Airways accept French Bulldogs?

No. French Bulldogs are on THAI’s list of 34 breeds refused as checked baggage. THAI’s Japanese page also refuses snub-nosed dogs as cargo.

Can I fly my cat on Thai Airways domestic flights?

Yes, as checked baggage, if the flight is not an A320. THAI requires no documents for domestic pets.

What is the maximum weight for a pet on Thai Airways?

70 kg, pet and crate together. A heavier pet travels as cargo through THAI Cargo’s appointed agents.

Sources: Thai Airways, Pets as checked baggage (AVIH) and Pets in cabin; THAI Cargo, Live animals and pets; Bangkok Airways, Traveling with pet; UK government, Bring your pet to Great Britain. Checked October 2026.