The JetBlue Airlines pet policy 2023 includes options for flying with small dogs or cats in the cabin, but no pets are allowed to travel in the aircraft hold. For cats and dogs to fly in the cabin, they must be at least 12 weeks old. Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are no longer accepted under the JetBlue Airlines ESA pet policy 2023 due to changes in US laws. However, trained and registered Assistance & Service Dogs, including Psychiatric Service Dogs, may fly in the cabin free of charge. If you’re importing a dog to the USA, your dog’s age and vaccine requirements depend on the risk of rabies where your trip starts. At present, there’s a ban on dog’s being imported to the USA from more than 100 high risk rabies countries. Check out pet travel reviews for JetBlue Airlines, or leave a review if you’ve flown your cat or dog in the JetBlue cabin. Read on for the full JetBlue cat and dog policy for 2023.
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Table of contents
- Does JetBlue Airlines Allow Dogs & Cats in the Cabin?
- Which JetBlue Airlines Routes Allow Cats & Dogs in the Cabin?
- Restricted Routes for Flying with Cats & Dogs in the Cabin
- Does JetBlue Airlines Allow Pets in the Hold as Checked Baggage or Cargo?
- JetBlue Airlines Assistance & Service Dog and Emotional Support Animal (ESAs) Policy
- Pet Travel Documentation & Vaccines
- Are Pets Safe on Planes?
- Related Pages
| Dogs & Cats in the Cabin of the Plane | ✅ |
| Dogs & Cats flying as Checked In Baggage | ❌ |
| Pets flying as Cargo | ❌ |
| Assistance Dogs in Cabin | ✅ |
| Psychiatric Service Dogs in Cabin | ✅ |
| Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) in Cabin | ❌ |
Does JetBlue Airlines Allow Dogs & Cats in the Cabin?
The JetBlue Airlines pet travel policy 2023 accepts small dogs and cats to fly in the cabin within their pet travel carrier.
The travel bag or kennel must also meet the JetBlue Airlines specifications outlined in their pet travel policy. The maximum dimensions for your cat or dog’s travel carrier in the JetBlue Airlines cabin are L 17″ x W 12.5″ x H 8.5″, and the combined weight of your pet inside the carrier must not exceed 20 pounds (9.07kg).
On the flight, the travel bag will be stowed underneath the seat in front of you, you can’t remove your cat or dog during the flight for safety reasons. However, JetBlue Airlines does allow you to rest your pet’s travel carrier on your lap during the flight, but not during take-off and landing.
One pet is permitted per passenger to fly in the JetBlue Airlines cabin as carry on luggage, with a maximum of six cats or dogs allowed on each aircraft. You can purchase a full price seat for your cat or dog, and, during the flight, your pet’s travel carrier may be rested on the extra seat.
In addition, the following rules apply when flying your pet in the cabin with JetBlue Airlines:
- Pets must be able to stand and sit up, turn around normally and lie down in a natural position in their kennel, without touching any side or the top of their travel bag.
- Non-collapsible kennels can’t exceed the under seat dimensions of any aircraft included in your journey.
- Soft-sided collapsible kennels can be slightly larger but still need to fit under the seat in front of you. They also have to be secure, padded, made of water-repellant material and have nylon mesh ventilation on two or more sides.
IATA Regulations for Cats & Dogs Flying in the Cabin
While you need to ensure that your pet’s travel crate meets the maximum dimensions set by JetBlue Airlines to fly in the cabin, remember that you must also adhere to the Live Animal Regulations (LAR) set by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This includes calculating the minimum inner crate dimensions allowed by the IATA LAR for your cat or dog to fly in the cabin. In addition, the airline pet travel carrier must adhere to the criteria set by the IATA LAR, in terms of ventilation, design etc.
If you’re new to pet travel, check out 8 IATA Compliant Airline Pet in Cabin Carriers.
Cost of Flying a Pet in Cabin with JetBlue Airlines
It costs $125 one way to take your pet as carry on baggage, and you can book your pet online under the Extras section while reserving your own flight.
Which JetBlue Airlines Routes Allow Cats & Dogs in the Cabin?
You can travel with a pet on most flights up to a maximum duration of 11 hours and 30 minutes or flights to / from:
- Within the 48 contiguous United States
- The U.S. and Canada
- Alaska
- Central America
- Mexico
- Puerto Rico
- St. Croix
- St. Thomas
In addition, when travelling with pets to Barbados, Grand Cayman, Jamaica or St. Lucia, you should begin the import process at least 30 days prior to travel to prepare your dog or cat for travel.
Your pet can’t fly in the JetBlue Airlines cabin on flights to and from Trinidad & Tobago or London.
Restricted Routes for Flying with Cats & Dogs in the Cabin
JetBlue Airlines doesn’t allow pets in the following circumstances:
- in Mint
- on interline/codeshare bookings (a single itinerary including both JetBlue and partnership airline flights), regardless of where and how the reservation was booked
- on flights to Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, and to/from London
At present, the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) has extended the ban on dogs travelling to the USA from more than 100 high risk rabies countries. If your dog has visited any of these countries in the last six months, the same rules apply.
Does JetBlue Airlines Allow Pets in the Hold as Checked Baggage or Cargo?
JetBlue Airlines doesn’t accept cats or dogs as checked baggage, or cargo, as the holds of their aircraft aren’t suitable for transporting live animals.
JetBlue Airlines Assistance & Service Dog and Emotional Support Animal (ESAs) Policy
As of 1 March 2021, the JetBlue Airlines pet policy no longer recognises Emotional Support Animals (ESAs), therefore no new ESA reservations will be accepted. Emotional Support Animals are now subject to the standard JetBlue Airlines pet travel policy.
Only professionally trained Assistance & Service Dogs (SVAN) can fly in the cabin free of charge if they meet the requirements. A service animal is defined as a dog that’s individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability, including but not limited to:
- Visual impairments
- Hearing impairments
- Seizures
- Mobility impairments
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
Trained Psychiatric Service Dogs (PSVDs) are therefore permitted to travel with JetBlue Airlines.
Pet Travel Documentation & Vaccines
JetBlue is an American international pet friendly airline. You can check out the laws for taking a cat or dog to USA, as well as other worldwide destinations in 2023.
Are Pets Safe on Planes?
If you’re worried about your furry travel companion’s wellbeing when flying, check out our comprehensive post regarding pet safety on planes. While in the USA, a monthly report is provided for airline pet incident rates, there isn’t an equivalent in Europe at the moment. Note that even the airline pet incident reports submitted in the USA are only for cats and dogs flying in the hold, and don’t include any in cabin events, therefore there is no data for JetBlue Airlines.
No doubt, at some point your trip will involve a car ride, so have a look at our 12 Essential Pet Car Safety Tips too. Should your cat or dog suffer from motion sickness, we’ve also compared some of the treatments, strategies and medications for pet travel nausea.
It’s important to be aware that you can’t sedate or tranquilize your cat or dog for their flight.
In addition, to protect your pet’s health and wellbeing in a new country, be sure to keep your cat or dog safe from vector-borne diseases. In particular, Heartworm from mosquitoes and Leishmaniasis from sandflies pose a serious pet threat in Southern Europe.
You might also want to check out 10 Pet Friendly Airlines in the EU, Pets in Cabin from the UK and 7 Transatlantic Pet Friendly Airlines.
And don’t forget the all important Essential Pet Travel Accessories!
Prior to booking, always view the JetBlue Airlines pet travel policy on their website for any recent changes. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, some airlines are frequently amending their rules for pets on planes.
Have a safe and wonderful trip, and remember to leave a pet travel review for JetBlue Airlines if you fly your pet cat or dog, in the cabin!
