It is a common question from owners who have bonded pets: can two dogs or cats share a crate during air travel so they can keep each other company? The short answer is almost always no, and the reasons are worth understanding before you plan your move.
IATA Live Animal Regulations (LAR), which set the global standard for air transport of animals, cite the following from the US Department of Agriculture Animal Welfare Act:
No more than two live puppies or kittens between 8 weeks and 6 months of age, of comparable size and weighing 20 lbs (9 kg) or less each, may be transported in the same primary enclosure via air carrier.
IATA also notes that animals may become stressed and aggressive when traveling by air, and that pets who share the same household may turn on each other in a crate even if they get along well at home. Stress changes behavior in ways that are hard to predict.
For most dogs and cats, shared crate travel is not permitted regardless of crate size. Even if your pets technically meet the weight and age criteria, an airline can still reject the arrangement if it determines there is insufficient ventilation or room to move. Airlines make this call at check-in and their decision is final.
PetRelocation does not arrange shared crate transport for client pets unless they are small enough to be physically separated by a partition inside the crate. For dogs and cats, that threshold is not realistic. Each pet travels in their own crate.
The good news is that airlines generally keep pets from the same shipment together throughout transport. Your pets will be near each other in the hold — they just will not be sharing a single enclosure. Getting each pet comfortable in their own crate well before travel day is the best thing you can do. A pet that is relaxed and settled in their own space handles the journey better than one that has never spent time alone in a crate.
Start crate training several weeks before departure. The goal is for the crate to feel familiar and safe, not like a last-minute surprise on travel day. See our crate size and preparation guide for specifics on choosing the right crate for each pet.
If you want to talk through how to move multiple pets together, our team can help you plan it.