Trained Service Animals

Service animals are accepted in cabin for qualified individuals with a disability.  Delta accepts only trained service animals that are dogs. Customers traveling with a trained service dog(s)  must complete the required DOT form(s) available on this page. Delta no longer recognizes emotional support animals as service animals.

We know how important it is to travel smoothly with your trained service dog. For questions, call 404-209-3434 (dial 711 for relay services).

The CDC Issued a Temporary Suspension for Dogs from High Risk Countries Into the U.S.

The CDC has an ongoing, temporary suspension, opens in a new window prohibiting the entry of dogs, including trained service animals, into the United States arriving from high-risk countries for rabies. Dogs from high-risk countries, opens in a new window must appear healthy, be microchipped and be at least 6 months of age. For dogs with a travel history in high-risk countries, please review the CDC’s guidance on importation, opens in a new window. 

In-page Links

Traveling with your Trained Service Animal Guidelines

On Delta flights, trained service animals are expected to be seated in the floor space below a customer’s seat or seated in a customer’s lap - they are not permitted to occupy seats. Trained service animals and their associated items travel for free. The size of the animal must not exceed the “footprint” of the passenger’s seat.

  • Items include a kennel, blanket, food or similar item

NOTE: If you encounter any issues with your trained service animal while at the airport or on board, please ask to speak to a Complaint Resolution Official (CRO). These trained Delta representatives are ready to assist passengers with accessibility needs and protect your rights when you travel by air.

Trained Service Animals

 

Trained service animals are defined as only dogs specifically trained to assist a person with a disability. Customers may travel with up to two trained service animals. Trained service animals must be properly cleaned and must not have a foul odor.

Customers must submit the U.S. DOT Service Animal Air Travel Form for validation prior to their flight attesting to the animal’s health, training and behavior.

  • To protect public health, Delta Air Lines requires all dogs including service animals to be current on all vaccinations. Dogs can be vaccinated against rabies at a minimum of 12 weeks (three months) of age and must wait an additional 30 days for the vaccine to become effective.
  • For travel booked 48 hours or more prior to departure, customers must submit this documentation in advance for validation through the Accessibility Service Request Form located in My Trips.
  • For travel booked less than 48 hours prior to departure, customers may present the U.S. DOT Service Animal Air Travel Form at the check-in counter or departure gate.
  • For flights scheduled for 8 hours or more, customers must also submit a DOT Relief Attestation Form, attesting that the dog will not relieve itself in the aircraft or can do so in a sanitary manner.

DOWNLOAD RELIEF ATTESTATION FORM, opens in a new window       OPEN SERVICE ANIMAL AIR TRAVEL FORM

Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available for download free of charge at https://get.adobe.com/reader, opens in a new window, is needed to open the PDF version of the DOT Relief Attestation Form.

Inappropriate Animal Behavior

We understand how important your animal is to you. We will only refuse transportation of a trained service animal if it engages in disruptive or aggressive behavior such as: 

  • Growling 
  • Biting 
  • Jumping on customers, flight attendants or staff 
  • Relieving themselves in the gate area or cabin 
  • Barking excessively, not in response to a handler’s need or distress 
  • Eating off seatback tray tables
  • All customers traveling with a trained service dog must submit the U.S. DOT Service Animal Air Travel Form for validation 48 hours prior to your flight attesting to the dog’s health, training and behavior. If you booked a flight less than 48 hours prior to departure, you may present the Service Animal Air Travel Form at the check-in counter or departure gate. If your flight is scheduled for 8 hours or more, you must also submit a DOT Relief Attestation Form.
  • If you’re traveling with a trained service, you should select a seat that offers space for your animal. Trained service animals must be seated in the floor space below a seat, or in a customer’s lap. No animals may occupy seats that are designed for customers or to eat off tray tables. 
  • Please understand that with larger trained service animals or customers with multiple trained service animals, we may need to re-accommodate you if the animal encroaches on other customers or extends into aisles, which would be a violation of FAA regulations.
  • If you would like additional time to board the aircraft, pre-boarding is available to accommodate you during the boarding process. Please be sure to arrive at the gate with enough time to make arrangements with the gate agents prior to departure.
  • It is important to remember that some locations such as Hawaii, U.K. and other island nations have additional requirements, quarantine laws may not permit the entry or transit of animals. Contact us at 404-209-3434 or visit the local government’s consulate to learn the requirements for any transit points as well as for your final destination.
  • Customers traveling with a trained service animal may not also bring a pet in the cabin.

Trained Service Animal FAQs

In most circumstances, a service animal in training does not meet qualifications for a trained animal and cannot ride in cabin. However, a service animal in training may travel with a professional trainer en route to the owner. 

Yes, all airports in the United States are required to provide a designated animal relief area. Although Delta Air Lines is not responsible for providing care, food or supervision to the areas, we can assist with identifying the location of an animal relief area and escorting a customer to the area, including through security if necessary.

The Delta Sky Club policy for trained service animals is the same as the policy for these animals on a Delta aircraft.

Qualified individuals with a disability are permitted to travel with a maximum of only two service dogs. It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure that they have adequate space to accommodate both animals and for completing the required DOT documentation for each animal. Though it is not required, extra seats may need to be purchased to provide enough floor space to accommodate the extra animal. Animals cannot sit in seats at any time (including during taxi or boarding). They must be placed in the customer’s lap or on the floor in the foot space of the customer. All animals must behave appropriately in a manner fit for public access.

  • Trained service animals may be placed at the customer’s feet at any bulkhead seat or at any other seat as long as no part of the animal extends into the aisle. Animals must be of a size to not exceed the “footprint” of the seat.
  • The animal or animals may not extend into the foot space of another customer who does not wish to share foot space with a service or support animal.
  • Trained service animals animals may ride in the customer’s lap for all phases of the flight, including ground movement, take off, and landing, provided the trained animal is no larger than a lap held child (under 2 years of age).
  • The animal cannot occupy a seat.
  • Customers seated in Delta One seats, at times when the seat is not reclined, must keep animals larger than the size of a lap child in the foot space of the seat.
  • All animals must remain with the customer at all times.
  • If no single seat will accommodate both animal and customer without causing an obstruction, the customer may check the trained service animal as baggage, at no charge, or purchase an additional ticket for the animal, allowing the animal to occupy that space on the floor. The customer can buy a second ticket at the same rate as the original ticket.
  • There is no guarantee of additional space beyond 1 seat per ticket.

Delta Air Lines policies and procedures still apply to customers with memberships in the NSAR or any similar entity. Review the policies and procedures or call our accessibility assistance line at 404-209-3434.

Travel fees

There is no charge to transport trained service animals or their assistive devices, whether they are transported in the cabin or in the hold as checked baggage, or as an oversized animal in cargo. The animal's kennel (whether empty or occupied) is considered an assistive device and does not incur baggage fee.

Baggage

Trained service animals do not count toward a customer’s carry-on allotment.

Airport restrictions

Some airports have additional state and local requirements for transporting trained service animals through their airport.

JFK

Upon arrival to John F. Kennedy (JFK) Airport, all trained service animals arriving from an international pre-cleared station are required to clear TSA.

Hawaii Requirements

Trained service animals may travel to Hawaii under certain conditions. Trained guide dogs and service dogs, only, are accepted with certain provisions, including making advanced arrangements and verifying availability.

Per HDOA, customers must follow the steps outlined in the link below to come into Hawaii without quarantine. You may contact the HDOA at:

hdoa.hawaii.gov;, opens in a new window
808-483-7151
rabiesfree@hawaii.gov, opens in a new window

  • The trained service animal must be traveling with the customer with a disability. All animals are inspected upon arrival in Honolulu International Airport (HNL) at the Animal Quarantine Holding Facility, which operates 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. daily
  • Customers that have guide dogs or trained service dogs may request inspection at the HNL terminal between 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. if notified and approved by HDOA 7 days or more before travel

For more information:

Hawaiian Department of Agriculture (HDOA)
Website: HDOA.Hawaii.gov
Phone: 808-483-7151; email: rabiesfree@hawaii.gov
Animal Control Disease Branch
Phone: 808-837-8092 or 808-483-7106

Acceptance policies for service animals vary by country. This includes requirements for pet passports and animal health documentation. In particular, please pay close attention to the CDC High Risk Rabies Country list, which restricts animals from traveling into the United States in most instances.

If any country/territory on the route prohibits entry of such an animal, the animal will not be permitted to fly.

Attention Cuba:
Trained service animals are not recognized as service animals by Cuban authorities and will be treated as household pets (dog or cat only) upon arrival.  For an animal to travel to Cuba, the customer must request and have in their possession, a household pet certificate from their local Cuban embassy/consulate.

Documentation Requirements:
In order to receive a pet certificate from the embassy/consulate, customers  will need the following:

  • Animal's Pet Passport (where applicable) showing all vaccinations up-to-date
  • Health Certificate for the animal's trip (Request this from a veterinarian)
  • Certificate of good health
  • Photocopy of the Passport of the person travelling with the animal
  • Payment of the consular fee for this service

By mail:

  • Animal's Pet Passport (where applicable) showing all vaccinations up-to-date
  • Health Certificate for the animal's trip (Request this from a veterinarian)
  • Certificate of good health
  • Photocopy of the Passport of the person travelling with the animal
  • Payment of the consular fee for this service
  • Stamped self-addressed envelope for the return of the documents
  • Note: If the application is made by mail or via a third party, an extra consular fee will be charged for the pertinent Consular service. 
  • All payments must be made in cash or by a bank-certified check.  All cash sent by mail will be refused and returned at the risk of the applicant. 

U.K. Requirements:
Delta will transport trained service dogs to London (Heathrow and Gatwick), Manchester and Edinburgh with the proper documentation and compliance to U.K. regulations for transporting animals. 

In order for a customer to transport their dog or cat , they must:

  • Contact the appropriate Animal Reception Center (ARC) in the city they are traveling to for more information and instruction on what will be needed to enter the U.K.  After booking, customers  must contact the ARC directly to plan for the arrival of their pet and to ensure that all required documentation is completed in advance for the U.K. Customs clearance of their dog or cat.
  • Customers must provide a pre-approval letter from the ARC in the city they are traveling to, indicating that the service dog has the appropriate documentation, has met the appropriate health requirements and has the proper micro-chip implant.  Delta will ask for this documentation, including the pre-approval letter in order to process a request for transport of the customer’s dog.
    • Pay all appropriate fees and charges related to U.K. acceptance of trained service dogs.  A current list of charges can be provided by the ARC for the city they are traveling to.

LGW—London Gatwick
Animal Aircare Co. Ltd.
Gatwick Airport
Horley, Surrey, RH6 0SQ
(0)129 346 2180

LHR—London Heathrow
City of London Animal Reception Centre
City of London
Guildhall, PO Box 270
London EC2P 2EJ

MAN—Manchester Pets on Jets
Building 300
World Freight Terminal
Manchester Airport M90 5BA
(0)161 489 8220

EDI-Edinburgh Airport's small animal Border Inspection Post
arc@extrordinair.co.uk
(0)131 317 7277

For any questions related to the U.K. Pet Travel Scheme contact DEFRA (Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).