Lufthansa pet travel 2025 – Complete guide to flying with dogs

Whether your dog is small enough to travel under the seat or needs a larger crate for the hold, Lufthansa offers multiple options for pet transport. This article brings together everything you need to know for flying with your dog in 2025—based on official rules, traveler experience, and airline updates.

Lufthansa pet travel in 2025

Lufthansa is one of the most pet-friendly airlines in Europe, offering options to fly with your dog in the cabin, in the hold, or via Lufthansa Cargo. This guide covers the latest rules, booking steps, approved crate sizes, and useful tips.

• Summary
• Pet in cabin with prices
• Pet in hold/cargo with prices
• How to book
• Required documents
• Recommended travel gear
• Tips
• Pros & Cons
• FAQ

1. Overview of Lufthansa’s Pet policy

Summary of pet travel options (in-cabin, checked baggage, cargo)

• Accepted Travel Options:
  • ✅ In-cabin: Yes (dogs up to 8 kg including carrier)
  • ✅ Checked baggage: Yes (dogs over 8 kg, IATA crate required)
  • ✅ Cargo: Yes (for large, snub-nosed, or unaccompanied dogs)
• Cabin weight limit: Max 8 kg (including soft carrier)
• Carrier size (in-cabin): Max 55 × 40 × 23 cm (must fit under the seat)
• Minimum age: 12–15 weeks (EU travel) 6 months (USA, with CDC form)
• Main transit hub: Frankfurt (FRA) – Munich does not allow pet transfers only in cabin
• Booking deadline: At least 72 hours before departure (via Service Center)
• Link to the Lufthansa website

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2. Lufthansa pet in cabin with prices

Lufthansa allows dogs up to 8 kg (incl. carrier) to travel in the cabin. The carrier must be soft-sided, ventilated, and fit under the seat – max 55 × 40 × 23 cm. Keep in mind that pets must stay inside the carrier for the entire flight. But you can usually take the crate with your dog on your lap while you are in the air.

Only one pet per carrier is allowed (or two of the same species if used to each other and under the weight limit). The minimum age is 12 weeks (or 15 weeks when entering Germany).

In-cabin travel must be booked in advance, preferably 72 hours before departure, via the Lufthansa Service Center. Some destinations (e.g. UK, India) don’t allow cabin pets due to local regulations. More on the travel between Europe and UK here.

For dog in cabin Lufthansa charges €55 for domestic German flights, €70–€100 for most European fligths, and €110–€160 for long international flights. The exact flight ticket fee depends on the route and is charged per flight.

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3. Dogs in hold or cargo with prices

If your dog weighs more than 8 kg including the crate, they’ll need to travel in the aircraft’s hold. Lufthansa allows this on selected routes, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

First — transfers are only possible through Frankfurt. Munich doesn’t support pet transfers in the hold. In summer, Lufthansa may also restrict hold transport on certain routes due to high temperatures — it’s for animal safety.

Your pet must travel in a rigid, IATA-approved crate that allows them to stand, turn, and lie down comfortably. Fees vary depending on route and crate size, but typically range between €150 and €400.

And importantly — if you’re traveling with a snub-nosed breed (like a pug or bulldog), hold transport isn’t allowed at all. If they don’t fit cabin rules, Lufthansa Cargo may be your only option.

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4. Booking process

Flying with your dog on Lufthansa takes a little extra planning – it’s not just about booking your seat.

You’ll need to reserve a spot for your pet separately, follow a few airline-specific steps, and make sure you’ve got all the paperwork in order. Here’s how the booking works step by step for pet in cabin or in hold, and also in cargo.

Lufthansa pet in cabin or in hold booking

1. Check if pets are accepted on your route.
2. Book your flight first.
3. Contact Lufthansa to register your pet (via Service Center or “My bookings” online section).
4. Provide pet and crate details.
5. Receive confirmation.
6. Pay online via sent link or later at the airport.
7. Prepare pet travel documents and 2 required forms.

Please keep in mind, that you have to register your dog at least 72 hours before the flight (24h in special cases, except for US flights).

Booking through Lufthansa Cargo

1. Check if your dog qualifies for cargo travel.
2. Find a certified pet shipping company (IATA/IPATA aaproved).
3. Check the availability on your route.
4. Provide dog’s and crate details.
5. Let the shipper handle the booking with Lufthansa Cargo.
6. Complete all vet checks and have ready paperwork (travel, health and import/export docs).
7. Drop your dog at the assigned Lufthansa Cargo terminal (usually 4-6h before the flight).
8. Pick up your dog at the destination.

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5. Required documents

To fly with Lufthansa, your dog needs:

• EU Pet Passport – valid and up to date.
• Rabies vaccination – and any other required vaccines depending on your destination.
• Fit-to-fly certificate – from your vet shortly before travel – often as a stamp in the EU pet passport.
• (Optional) Breed clearance – especially for snub-nosed breeds, which may have restrictions in hold or cargo

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6. Recommended travel gear

Good gear makes travel smoother – for both of you. If your dog’s flying in the cabin, you’ll need a soft-sided carrier that meets Lufthansa approved pet carrier rules (55 x 40 x 23 cm – total size not exceeding 118 cm) and fits under the seat. For hold or cargo, it has to be a rigid crate that’s IATA-approved and gives your dog enough space to stand up, turn around and lie down.

For a checked bag (in hold) there are two crate sizes depending on the size of the animal:

• Small crate up to 60 × 45 × 40 cm (max 4 kg crate weight),
• Large crate up to 125 × 75 × 85 cm (max 22 kg crate weight)

It’s also smart to pack a few extras: a non-spill water bowl, something for chewing which will be handy during the takeoff and landing, and a pee pad just in case. Especially if you’ve got a long flight or layover coming up.

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7. Tips and experience from travelers

Traveling with a dog on Lufthansa can go smoothly, but here’s what we and some travelers from our community experienced and what to watch out for:

One frequent key note: carrier size matters—strictly. As one former airline staffer shared, Lufthansa expects the pet to lie down, stand up, and turn comfortably inside the carrier (and it must fit under the seat). They’ve even denied dogs that were too cramped or slightly over the 8 kg weight limit. A traveler flying with a Shih Tzu mentioned that even subtle deviations in dimensions could cause issues if staff check closely.

Passengers who flew cats or dogs in the hold report that layovers via Frankfurt work well, as Lufthansa uses their animal lounge—pets are handled with care, and owners often appreciate the overall calm process.

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8. Pros & Cons of choosing Lufthansa for pet travel

Why travelers like flying Lufthansa with pets: Lufthansa is generally considered one of the most pet-friendly European airlines. They allow both in-cabin and hold travel, offer well-rated animal lounges for layovers (especially in Frankfurt), and provide detailed guidance when booking. For many routes, they accept two pets per passenger—more than most airlines.

What could be better: All bookings must go through the Service Center, meaning no instant confirmation online. There’s no clear info about the total number of pets allowed on a flight, so availability can’t be checked in real time. Also, their weight and crate limits are strictly enforced—some travelers have been turned away over small differences.

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9. FAQ – Lufthansa pet travel