You should be familiar with the airline’s policy on traveling with pets. The individual policies include when the airline will allow a dog as checked baggage or shipped as cargo. An airline may have a summer embargo on flying dogs as checked baggage from May to September, such as Delta. Instead of an embargo, an airline may have a year round policy where they refuse to accept a dog as checked baggage when the temperature gets too cold or too hot. You should always check the temperature at the airport so that you are prepared when you get to the airport and are unable to check your pets as baggage.
Pay attention to the specific plane being used (referred to as the equipment). Sometimes, the airlines have to change the model making the flight. If it is a smaller plane, then fewer dogs may be allowed on board in the cabin. Additionally, they may be unable to take the dogs as cargo or checked baggage. You should monitor your flight details on the website for your carrier to avoid any surprises at the airport when you check-in.
You can find the policy for a particular airline on the internet. In addition to web sites for each airline, there are some that specialize in pet travel. One of these is DogFriendly.com (www.DogFriendly.com) and another one is Trips with Pets (www.tripswithpets.com). DogFriendly.com has a comparison of the pet policies of several domestic carriers. Trips With Pets provides links to domestic carriers along with the 800 numbers to contact them with any questions. Listed below are selected domestic carriers with 800 numbers, web address, and selections to get the current pet policy. If no additional information is listed, there is no specific restriction on flying your pets as check baggage.
| AirLine | Main Phone Number | Website | Comments |
| Air Tran Airways | 800-247-8726 | www.airtran.com | no pets in cargo |
 | Travel Info - Policies – Animals | |
| American Airlines | 800-433-7300 | www.aa.com | |
| Travel Information – Special Assistance - Traveling With Pets |
| Continental Airlines | 800-525-0280 | www.continental.com | PetSafe® when not in cabin |
| Travel Information – Traveling With Animals | |
| Delta Air Lines | 800-221-1212 | www.delta.com | embargo 5/15 – 9/15 (baggage) |
| Planning Reservations – Special Travel Needs – Pet Travel Information |
| Jet Blue Airways | 800-JETBLUE | help.jetblue.com | no pets in cargo |
| use Search feature | | |
| Midwest Airlines | 800-454-2022 | www.midwestairlines.com | |
| Travel Planner – Travel Programs – Pet Travel | |
| Northwest Airlines | 800-225-2525 | www.nwa.com | |
| Travel Tools – Transporting Pets and Animals | |
| Pan Am Airways | 800-359-7262 | www.flypanam.com | |
| Traveler’s Info - Pets | | |
| Southwest Airlines | 800-435-9792 | www.southwest.com | not accepted in cabin or cargo |
| Travel Tools – Southwest Policies – Animals & Pets | |
| Spirit Airlines | 800772-7117 | www.spiritair.com | no pets in cargo after 5/1/07 |
| Travel Tools – Travel Policies – Pets & Service Animals | |
| United Airlines | 800-241-6522 | www.united.com | embargo 6/1 – 9/30 |
| Services & Information –Children, Pets, and Assistance |
| US Airways | 800-428-4322 | www.usairways.com | no pets in cargo |
| Travel Tools – Policies & Special Needs - Pets | |
