Air India Announces New 2025 Pet Policy With Higher Cabin Weight Limit

Air India has updated its Paws on Board policy, offering pet parents more flexibility for flying with their cats and dogs across 80+ destinations. Under the new system, pets up to 10 kg (including their carrier) can fly with their humans in the Economy cabin.

Pet Travel Weight and Booking Requirements

Pets ranging between 10–32 kg must travel as checked baggage or cargo, and those over 32 kg can only fly as cargo. Cabin bookings must be made 48 hours in advance, giving the airline adequate time to prepare.

The airline now provides priority check-in, smoother document checks, and a 24x7 helpline for any pet-related queries. Approved soft carriers are required for cabin pets, while larger pets need IATA hard kennels.

Route Restrictions, Fees, and Mandatory Pet Documentation

Pets cannot fly to or from the USA, Canada, or Australia, and cabin pets are not allowed on flights from India to the UAE. In the UK, pets are only taken as cargo at Heathrow and Gatwick.

Fees start at ₹7,500 for cabin pets on domestic routes and ₹12,480-14,260 internationally. Pets traveling as checked baggage are charged ₹16,000 domestically and ₹31,240 on international routes.

Pet parents must carry vaccination records, health certificates, and indemnity forms, with originals required at check-in.

The New Pet Travel Policies

1. Pets up to 10 kg can fly in the cabin (Economy only).
2. Pets 10–32 kg must travel as checked baggage/cargo.
3. Pets above 32 kg only travel as cargo.
4. Cabin bookings must be made 48 hours in advance.
5. Only soft carriers allowed in cabin; IATA hard kennels for heavier pets.
6. Bring all required documents + original copies.
7. Pets not allowed to/from USA, Canada, Australia.
8. No cabin pets on flights from India to UAE.
9. UK accepts pets only as cargo (not at Birmingham).
10. Charges apply per sector on all routes.

Air India says the goal is simple: make pet travel easier, safer, and more humane for every family choosing to fly with their furry companions.

What Pet Parents Are Saying

Some pet parents feel that the carrier is far too small. For example, @milotheshihtzu._ says that "despite the 10 kg weight limit, the interior space realistically fits only a 2–3.5 kg puppy, making it much tighter than advertised".

Rhea from Mumbai says that "this makes planning so much easier as the the rules are now clearer."

Daniel from Bengaluru says that "the paperwork is long, but at least there’s a checklist now".

A Step In the Right Direction

The revised pet policy of Air India is a step in the right direction, especially for frequent flyers. Travel seems easier now with clearer pet rules. Pets under 10 kg can finally fly in the cabin, compared to previous 5 kg upper limit.

Akasa air is another airline that allows pets upto 10kgs in the cabin. These changes show that airlines are finally paying attention to the challenges pet parents face while flying and are taking steps to improve the experience.