Airlines for Pet Transport From Vietnam to Europe (2026)

Pet travel from Vietnam to Europe works in three ways: in the cabin or as checked baggage with the owner, or alone as cargo. Vietnam Airlines flies nonstop to Paris and Frankfurt, and Air France flies nonstop from Ho Chi Minh City to Paris. Other airlines connect through Istanbul, Doha, Dubai or Singapore.

Three things decide which airline and which way will work: the pet’s weight together with its crate, its breed, and whether the owner is on the same flight. The EU entry rules are the same on every airline. They are covered in the pet shipping guide for Europe.

Quick Answers

• Can my pet fly with me? Yes. Small pets can go in the cabin, larger pets as checked baggage on the same flight.
• Is there a direct flight? Yes. Vietnam Airlines flies nonstop to Paris and Frankfurt.
• How heavy can the pet be? Cabin limits are 6–8 kg with the carrier. Checked baggage limits are 32–75 kg with the crate, depending on the airline.
• Which breeds are refused? Most airlines refuse snub-nosed breeds in the hold, and several refuse Pit Bull types outright.
• Can my pet fly without me? Yes, as cargo. The owner then has to travel within 5 days of the pet.

Cabin, Checked Baggage or Cargo: Which Way Can Your Pet Fly?

There are three ways a pet can travel on this route.

• Cabin: the pet stays in a soft or rigid carrier under the seat in front of the owner.
• Checked baggage: the pet flies in the aircraft hold on the owner’s flight. The owner checks it in at the passenger counter.
• Manifest Cargo: the pet flies under its own air waybill. A cargo agent books it and checks it in at the cargo terminal. The owner does not have to be on the same flight.

Airlines always weigh the pet and its carrier or crate together. A crate that is heavier than expected can move a pet from the cabin to the hold, or from the hold to cargo.

Which Airlines Fly Pets From Vietnam to Europe?

Six airlines are the usual choices on this route. Each sets its own limits.

The limits come from each airline’s own pet pages, read between July and October 2026. Airlines change them, so the figures need checking again at booking.

Vietnam Airlines

Vietnam Airlines flies nonstop from Vietnam to both Paris and Frankfurt. It accepts dogs and cats from 10 weeks old. A rigid container is required in the cabin and in the hold. Each economy cabin section takes at most two pets. The pet must be booked at least 24 hours before departure.

Europe is in the airline’s Zone C. Its published fees, excluding VAT, are $600 per flight sector in the cabin. Checked baggage costs $300 up to 9 kg, $400 for 9–16 kg and $500 for 16–32 kg. How these fees fit into the total bill is shown in the cost breakdown for pet relocation to Europe.

Air France

Air France flies nonstop from Ho Chi Minh City to Paris. Its hold limit is 75 kg with the crate, so a large dog can still fly as checked baggage. Pets above that limit, or flying alone, go through Air France KLM Martinair Cargo. The fees and a worked example for Paris are in the guide to flying pets from Vietnam to France.

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines flies nonstop from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Istanbul, then on to most European cities. It allows up to 2 crates per passenger in the hold. Two dogs up to 14 kg each, or two cats up to 10 kg each, may share one crate. On a connection of 4 hours or more, or a flight of 8 hours or more, the crate must hold water and food.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways does not take dogs or cats in the cabin. Its minimum age is 12 weeks. Some stations accept only the lower checked limit, so the Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City limit needs confirming before booking.

Emirates

Emirates SkyCargo carries every pet from Vietnam as cargo. Emirates accepts checked pets only on trips that start in Dubai. The cargo minimum age is 15 weeks, or 27 weeks if Emirates classes the origin as high risk.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines has no cabin option for pets. Pets from 3 months old fly as checked baggage within the limit in the table. The airline asks for at least 48 hours’ notice through its local office.

Which Breeds Do Airlines Refuse on Europe Flights?

Airline breed lists apply before any EU country’s own breed rules. A breed that one airline refuses may still fly on another.

• Vietnam Airlines: its list of animals it does not carry covers snub-nosed dogs such as the Pug, French Bulldog, Boxer and Shih Tzu. It also names the Pit Bull, American Staffordshire Terrier, Tosa, Rottweiler, Akita, Chow Chow and all mastiffs. For spaniels the list says only “Spaniels”, so owners of a spaniel should ask the airline first. Four cat breeds are refused: Burmese, Exotic, Himalayan and Persian.
• Turkish Airlines: snub-nosed breeds have not been accepted as checked baggage since 1 October 2021. They can fly in the cabin within 8 kg, or with Turkish Cargo under four conditions. Pit Bull types, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa and American Bully are refused in every form. Turkish Cargo does not accept Sphynx cats.
• Air France: snub-nosed dogs and cats are refused in the hold when their build makes hold travel unsuitable.
• Qatar Airways: snub-nosed dogs are refused in every form, cargo included. The airline gives heat stroke above 21°C as the reason.
• Singapore Airlines: snub-nosed dogs and cats are refused as checked baggage and cargo, crossbreeds included.

The four Turkish Cargo conditions for a snub-nosed pet are a crate one size larger than standard, ventilation on all four sides, a signed indemnity letter and ground temperatures below 27°C at both ends. From Vietnam the temperature condition is the hard one. Why these breeds face extra limits is explained in the guide to flying with flat-faced breeds. Several EU countries also ban certain dog breeds on entry, as set out in the EU pet import laws.

What Changes When the Route Connects Through a Hub?

A connection adds a second airline’s rules and a second airport. Three rules catch owners most often.

• Qatar Airways: it does not accept a checked pet that connects into a Qatar flight from another airline. The whole trip should be booked on Qatar Airways. On a connection over 3 hours in Doha, staff take the pet out of the crate to stretch and clean the crate.
• Lufthansa: it does not carry checked pets through Munich, only through Frankfurt. In the cabin it allows up to 8 kg with the carrier. Its minimum age is 15 weeks for flights to, from or through Germany.
• Singapore Airlines: it does not carry pets on any Boeing 737 flight, because that hold has no temperature control. Some Hanoi–Singapore flights and all Da Nang–Singapore flights use the Boeing 737-8, so the flight number matters.

The EU entry check happens at the first EU airport on the route. The health certificate must be in that country’s language plus English. A pet on Vietnam Airlines to Frankfurt that continues to Vienna is checked in Frankfurt. How pets are looked after during a stop is covered in the guide to pet handling on layovers.

Can Heat or Cold Stop a Booking?

Yes. Vietnam Airlines may ask for a certificate of adaptation, or refuse a pet, when the weather is too hot or too cold. It does not publish a temperature figure. Qatar Airways names 21°C as the heat stroke risk for snub-nosed breeds. Turkish Cargo needs ground temperatures below 27°C at both ends for a snub-nosed pet.

Ho Chi Minh City is hot most of the year. Early-morning departures and cooler months give the most room. Booking early also matters because cabin and hold places per flight are limited.

How Do You Book Each Option?

A cabin or checked-baggage pet is added to the owner’s passenger booking. Vietnam Airlines takes the request at least 24 hours before departure through its branches. Singapore Airlines asks for at least 48 hours. Lufthansa takes online requests up to 72 hours before the flight. On the day, the owner checks the pet in at the passenger counter with the health certificate.

A cargo pet is booked by a cargo agent, not on the passenger website. Turkish Cargo, for example, works only through an IATA cargo agent. The agent books space, prepares the air waybill and delivers the pet to the cargo terminal. The crate has to meet the airline’s rules for size, ventilation and fittings. The crate rules are explained in the guide to checking whether a pet crate is airline-approved.

When the pet flies as cargo, the owner or an authorised person has to travel within 5 days of it. Otherwise the move no longer counts as non-commercial. The details are in the EU 5-day owner-pet rule.

What Does the Airline Check Before Boarding?

Airlines check that the pet can enter the country at the end of the trip. For the EU, that means the microchip, the rabies vaccination, the titer test and the EU health certificate. The certificate is issued no earlier than 90 days after the blood draw and is valid for 10 days until the EU entry check. The full sequence takes about 4 to 5 months and is laid out in the EU pet shipping timeline.

At check-in, staff also weigh the pet with its crate and check the crate against the airline’s rules. A pet that fails either check can be refused at the counter.

Which Routes Have Daisy Pet Clients Flown?

In August 2026, two Pomeranian puppies flew from Ho Chi Minh City to Paris on Singapore Airlines. They took SQ185 to Singapore and SQ336 to Paris Charles de Gaulle, on the same flights as their owner.

The same month, a Weimaraner flew from Ho Chi Minh City to Warsaw on Qatar Airways. He took QR971 to Doha and QR263 to Warsaw Chopin, with a connection just under 3 hours. Both trips were booked on a single airline from end to end.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my dog fly in the cabin from Vietnam to Europe?

Only a small dog. Vietnam Airlines allows up to 6 kg with the carrier. Air France, Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa allow up to 8 kg. Qatar Airways, Emirates and Singapore Airlines do not take pets in the cabin.

Is there a direct flight for pets from Vietnam to Europe?

Yes. Vietnam Airlines flies nonstop to Paris and Frankfurt and carries pets in the cabin and as checked baggage. Air France flies nonstop from Ho Chi Minh City to Paris.

Can my pet fly to Europe without me?

Yes, as Manifest Cargo through a cargo agent. The owner or an authorised person must travel within 5 days of the pet. Otherwise the move falls under commercial rules, which are considerably more complex.

Which airline should I choose for a snub-nosed dog?

Options are narrow. Vietnam Airlines, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines refuse snub-nosed dogs. Turkish Airlines takes them in the cabin within 8 kg, or with Turkish Cargo below 27°C at both ends. Cooler months and early departures give the best chance.

How much does the flight cost?

On Vietnam Airlines, a pet costs $600 per sector in the cabin, or $300–$500 as checked baggage, excluding VAT. Cargo is priced by weight and crate size. Full totals are in the cost guide for Europe.