Airlines for Pet Transport from Vietnam to Indonesia: Carriers, Routes & Booking

Vietnam Airlines is the practical airline for pets flying from Vietnam to Jakarta. It flies nonstop from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to Soekarno-Hatta (CGK). It takes pets in the cabin, as checked baggage (AVIH) or as manifest cargo, and the pet’s weight decides which. See the Indonesia pet transport guide for the full entry requirements behind this route.

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Part 1: What Actually Decides the Airline Choice

Ticket price is a poor way to pick a carrier on this route. A handful of operational factors decide whether the shipment goes smoothly:

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Part 2: Cabin, AVIH or Cargo — What Decides It

Indonesia’s import rules don’t dictate the travel method. The airline does, based on weight and crate size. On Vietnam Airlines, a pet that weighs under 6 kg with its carrier can fly in the cabin, in a carrier no larger than 35 × 30 × 20 cm. A heavier pet, up to 32 kg with its crate, flies as AVIH in the hold of the owner’s flight. A larger dog travels as manifest cargo, on a separate booking that doesn’t have to match the owner’s flight.

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Part 3: Vietnam Airlines — The Direct Route

Vietnam Airlines flies nonstop from Ho Chi Minh City (VN631) and from Hanoi (VN635) to Jakarta. Its pet travel rules set no extra limit for Indonesia, so the cabin, AVIH and cargo are all open on this route. Its published fees for this zone are USD 300 for the cabin and USD 100–250 for AVIH, depending on weight. A nonstop flight also avoids a layover with a live animal on board.

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Part 4: Garuda Indonesia and Batik Air

Neither is a practical choice for pets on this route. Garuda Indonesia does not fly its own aircraft between Vietnam and Jakarta. It sells seats under its own flight number on Vietnam Airlines flights, and its baggage rules do not accept dogs and cats on international flights. Batik Air has no nonstop flight from Vietnam to Jakarta. If your ticket shows a Garuda number, check which airline operates the flight. On a flight operated by Vietnam Airlines, ask Vietnam Airlines to confirm the pet booking.

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Part 5: Booking Around the Document Timeline, Not the Other Way Around

The flight date should be set only after the import permit timeline is clear — the permit must be issued no more than 3 months before arrival, and booking a flight before knowing the permit’s issue date risks a mismatch.

See the Indonesia shipping timeline for where flight booking fits against the rest of the schedule.

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Part 6: What Airlines Check Beyond Indonesia’s Requirements

An import permit and a compliant crate are necessary but not sufficient — airlines separately enforce their own temperature restrictions, breed-specific cargo limits, and crate specifications that can be stricter than IATA’s baseline. Confirm the pet’s exact weight with its carrier or crate included before booking the cabin, AVIH or cargo, since airlines size classes by that combined figure, not the pet alone.

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Part 7: Landing at Soekarno-Hatta

Regardless of airline or travel method, pets from Vietnam land at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) — the only airport on this route equipped for the mandatory quarantine process. See the Jakarta quarantine guide for what happens after landing.

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Part 8: Airline Selection, Step by Step

1. Confirm the import permit timeline first — don’t book a flight before knowing the permit’s issue date.
2. Weigh the pet with its carrier or crate included — this combined figure decides cabin, AVIH or cargo, not the pet’s weight alone.
3. Check Vietnam Airlines’ nonstop flights from Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi first — they are the only nonstop options on this route.
4. Book the pet with the airline at least 24 hours before departure, the notice Vietnam Airlines asks for cabin and AVIH.
5. Confirm each carrier’s specific crate and breed restrictions directly with their cargo desk — these can be stricter than Indonesia’s own requirements.
6. Lock the booking only once the permit timeline, weight class, and airline policy all line up.

See the Indonesia pet import laws and FAQ for the documents to finish before you book.