Flying with a dog in summer: heat and bans
Flying with a dog in summer: above 29.5°C the hold can close, some destinations are barred for months, and the cabin stays open. The published rules.
By the Loulou Air team · · 8 min read
In summer, the obstacle to flying with a dog is not the fare: it is the temperature on the ground. Air Canada warns that above 29.5°C (85°F) it cannot always accept an animal in the hold, and it publishes bans by destination that last for months; WestJet lists heat among its three reasons for refusing a pet. Here are those rules as the airlines and IATA write them, and what stays open once the hold shuts. One of the answers keeps your dog in the cabin at your feet for the whole flight: the shared private flight.
Does the hold close to dogs in summer?
Yes, on part of the network, and the reason lies with the aircraft. Air Canada explains that temperature-controlled and ventilated baggage compartments are available only on certain aircraft, and that it may therefore not always be possible to accommodate a pet when summer temperatures exceed 29.5°C (85°F).
In flight, the hold is not the hot spot: TAP Air Portugal gives its usual temperature range as 10°C to 19°C. What summer changes is the time spent on the ground, and Air Canada treats it as such: it advises a direct or non-stop flight to limit the time spent in the baggage compartment, and says pets remain airside with its own personnel, loaded last on departure and offloaded first on arrival.
WestJet sorts refusals into three reasons: holiday, heat and entrance restrictions. The first two are matters of timing rather than paperwork, so a dog whose file is in perfect order can still be left behind because of the date.
Which destinations are closed to animals in summer?
The ones where ground heat is worst, and each airline publishes its own calendar. Air Canada’s is among the most detailed: it bars animals from the hold on the dates below, by country of arrival.
| Destination | Hold closed to animals |
|---|---|
| India | 1 March to 31 October |
| Egypt | 1 April to 31 October |
| St Lucia, St Maarten, Turks and Caicos | 1 April to 30 November |
| Bahamas | 1 May to 31 October |
| Dominican Republic | 1 May to 30 September |
| Puerto Rico | 1 May to 30 November |
| China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea | 1 June to 30 September |
| Greece, Israel, Italy, Mexico | 1 July to 31 August |
| Bermuda, Morocco (Casablanca) | 1 July to 30 September |
| United Arab Emirates (Dubai), Qatar (Doha), Jamaica, Panama, Costa Rica, Aruba, Belize, Curaçao, Trinidad and Tobago, Cayman Islands | all year |
For the United States, the closure runs from 1 May to 30 November, but it applies only to fifteen named airports, among them Miami, Orlando, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta. Air Canada states that other U.S. destinations are not restricted. From Hawaii, the restriction runs from 15 May to 31 October.
Two lessons come out of that table. First, a destination that is hot all year, such as Dubai or Doha, has no good season: the hold stays shut in January as much as in July. Second, the Mediterranean summer matters. Greece and Italy leave the calendar on 1 September, which makes that month easier for a departure.
These dates belong to one airline. Before buying a ticket, find your own carrier’s calendar, and check it for the departure airport, the arrival airport and every stopover.
Why can a snub-nosed dog not fly in summer?
Because it regulates its temperature poorly, and the industry’s own texts say so plainly. IATA, the international air transport association, advises against carrying snub-nosed dogs in the hot season, explains that these animals have difficulty maintaining a normal body temperature in hot weather, and asks for a container 10 per cent larger for them.
Airlines go further than advice. Air Canada refuses these breeds in the hold because they face an increased risk of heat stroke and breathing problems when exposed to extreme heat or stressful situations. WestJet applies the same exclusion to bookings made after 4 July 2023, citing the risk of heat stroke and breathing problems in an animal that becomes stressed or overheated. TAP writes that such dogs face a risk of death within the hold’s usual temperature range of 10°C to 19°C, so for them the problem is not summer alone. Corsair accepts them neither in the cabin, nor in the hold, nor as cargo.
If your dog is flat-faced, summer changes nothing: on these airlines the hold is closed to it all year. The breed lists and the exceptions are set out in our article on flying with a snub-nosed dog.
Do summer bans affect the cabin?
No, the heat calendars apply to the hold. WestJet puts it in writing: if your destination is heat restricted year-round, your animal may still travel in carry-on baggage provided every other condition is met. The distinction is worth knowing, because the same city can be out of reach in the hold and within reach in the cabin, on the same day and the same flight.
Two limits frame that way out. The first is weight: at Corsair, any animal weighing more than 8 kg with its container must travel in the hold, and the cabin ceilings set by other airlines are detailed in our article on flying with a dog over 8 kg. The second is an outright ban: WestJet accepts no pets at all, in the cabin or the hold, to or from Barbados, Hawaii, Ireland (Dublin), Jamaica and the United Kingdom.
What time of day should a dog fly in summer?
Early in the morning or late in the evening, when the air is coolest. That is exactly what Air Canada recommends, because temperatures are lower then. WestJet gives the same instruction in one line: early morning or late evening flights in summer, and midday flights in winter.
IATA adds three points of method. Weekdays are preferable. Some airlines limit the number of animals per flight, so the more notice you give, the better. And you should reconfirm at least 48 hours before departure, check in as late as possible for a cabin journey, and check in early for a hold journey.
How do you protect a dog from the heat before the flight?
By treating the drive to the airport and the wait as the hottest part of the trip. The Canton of Geneva points out that the temperature inside a parked car can climb to between 38°C and 50°C within minutes, even in the shade, and that leaving a window ajar is not enough to prevent heat stroke. An animal is never left alone in a vehicle.
The same official guidance applies to departure day: walk the dog early in the morning and late in the evening, keep off asphalt in full sun, and offer fresh water regularly. Corsair, for its part, advises against leaving a pet too long in the boot of a car before the flight. If you see a dog shut inside a car in the sun, the Canton of Geneva asks you to call the gendarmerie or the local municipal police immediately.
For water and meals during the flight itself, our article on toilet breaks, water and food gathers the airlines’ advice. For a destination that is hot all year, read our precautions on dogs and heat in Dubai. Any question about health, fitness to fly or medication belongs with your vet, who should hear about the trip several weeks ahead.
How do you avoid the hold in high summer?
By taking a flight where your dog has no hold to fear, because it stays in the cabin with you. That is what Loulou Air does, as a brand of AEROAFFAIRES, a private aviation broker since 1991: Pay-per-Seat private jets for your dog and you, where you pay for your seat, not the jet, and each ticket covers one seat for a human and their dog. Your dog travels in the cabin with you, never in the hold, and stays at your feet for the whole flight, with none of the weight limit imposed by scheduled airlines: capacity depends on the aircraft and on how many animals are on board, and a broker clears every dog case by case. Boarding is through a private aviation terminal with no queues, and the crew is briefed on welcoming animals, with water, bowls and blankets provided.
Entry requirements still apply on every flight, private ones included, and our brokers check every dog’s file before departure; the details by country are on our travel requirements pages. Our flights serve New York, Dubai and Los Angeles: see the open flights. We open new routes every month, so tell us where you want to go and talk to a broker about your dates. For a whole aircraft, our sister company AEROAFFAIRES handles full charter.
Frequently asked questions
Can a dog travel in the hold in summer?
It depends on the airline, the destination and the day. Air Canada states that above 29.5°C (85°F) it cannot always accept an animal in the hold, because temperature-controlled and ventilated compartments are available only on certain aircraft, and it publishes a calendar of bans by country. Check that calendar for the departure airport, the arrival airport and every stopover before you buy.
What temperature is too hot for a dog in the hold?
Air Canada cites 29.5°C (85°F) as the level above which a pet cannot always be accepted in the hold. That figure belongs to one airline: others publish their own thresholds or work by destination and date instead. For a snub-nosed dog, IATA advises against carriage in the hot season, and several airlines refuse it in the hold all year.
Which destinations are closed to dogs all year?
At Air Canada, the hold stays closed to animals all year to the United Arab Emirates (Dubai), Qatar (Doha), Jamaica, Panama, Costa Rica, Aruba, Belize, Curaçao, Trinidad and Tobago and the Cayman Islands. WestJet, separately, accepts no animals at all, in the cabin or the hold, to or from Barbados, Hawaii, Dublin, Jamaica and the United Kingdom.
Sources
Rules change: check them against these sources before every trip.
