Service and Support Animals

In most circumstances, a service or support animal in training does not meet qualifications for a trained animal and cannot ride in cabin. Two exceptions are as follows:

• The service or support animal in training is traveling with a professional trainer en route to the owner
• The animal in training is already a trained service or support animal, and is traveling with a certified trainer for additional training

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 passenger to the area, including through security if necessary.

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

Delta accepts passengers traveling with multiple service animals.  However, only one emotional support animal is allowed per passenger.   The need for multiple animals will be assessed. It is the passenger’s responsibility to ensure that they have adequate space to accommodate multiple animals. Though it is not required, extra seats may need to be purchased to provide enough floor space to accommodate the extra animals. Animals do not sit in seats, they must be placed on the floor in the foot space of the passenger. All animals must behave appropriately and documentation for emotional support/psychiatric service animals must reflect the need for the additional animals. Animals must be of a size to not exceed the “footprint” of the seat.

• A service or support animal or animals may be placed at the feet of the passenger at any bulkhead seat or in 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 passenger who does not wish to share foot space with a service or support animal.
• Service and support animals may ride in the passenger'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 must remain with the passenger at all times.
• The animal cannot occupy a seat.
• If no single seat will accommodate both animal and passenger without causing an obstruction, the passenger may check the service or support 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 passenger 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.
• Passengers with trained service or support animals are permitted to occupy flat-bed seats but may require assistance from the flight attendant.

Delta Air Lines policies and procedures still apply to passengers with memberships in the NSAR or 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 service or support animals or their assistive devices, whether they are transported in the cabin or in the hold as checked baggage, or an oversized animal in cargo. An animal's kennel (whether empty or occupied) is considered an assistive device and does not incur baggage fee.

Baggage

Service or support animals do not count toward a passenger's carry-on allotment.

Airport restrictions

Some airports have additional state and local requirements for transporting emotional support/psychiatric service animals through their airport.

PBI

Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) requires emotional support/psychiatric service animals to be crated in the airport from lobby to gate.

GSP

Greenville Spartanburg Airport (GSP) requires emotional support/psychiatric service animals to be crated in the airport from lobby to gate.

JFK

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

Hawaii Requirements

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, passengers must follow the steps outlined in the link above 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 service animal must be traveling with the passenger 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
• Passengers that have guide dogs or 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

An emotional/psychiatric support animal (dogs or cats) traveling to or through Honolulu International Airport must meet the requirements and be approved by the 5-Day-Or-Less Quarantine program, opens in a new window. If the animal does not meet these requirements, it may possibly be quarantined for up to 120 days. Note: Because of the minimum amount of time needed to prepare a puppy or kitten to meet the requirements of the 5-Day-Or-Less program, the animal will need to be about 10 months old by the time preparations are complete.

• For animals other than dogs or cats, the passenger must contact the Animal Control Disease Branch, opens in a new window at 808-837-8092 or 808-483-7106. The emotional support animal must meet the requirements and be approved by the Animal Control Disease Branch.
• For travel to neighboring islands, the emotional support animal must meet the requirements and be approved by the Neighbor Island Program., opens in a new window
• Upon arrival at the airport, any documentation received from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA), the Animal Control Disease Branch or the Neighbor Island Program. Delta documentation requirements also apply. Note: CES must document in the PNR that passenger has been advised of all required documentation.
• Passengers traveling with emotional support/psychiatric service animals should arrange for their flights to arrive after 9 a.m. or by 3:30 p.m. Hawaiian time, opens in a new window, because it may take up to 1 hour for the airlines to transport an animal to the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility. Animals arriving to the facility too early or after 3:30 p.m. will not be released at the airport that day.
• Passengers with emotional support/psychiatric service animals may request inspection at the Honolulu International Airport (HNL) terminal before 9 a.m. and after 3:30 p.m.; approval for the inspection is required by HDOA, 7 days or more before arrival.

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.

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

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

Attention Brazil:
Trained guide dogs are the only type of service animal allowed on intra-Brazil flights operated by codeshare partner GOL Airlines.

• Emotional support/psychiatric service animals are never allowed on intra-Brazil flights operated by codeshare partner GOL Airlines. "Intra-Brazil" means from 1 city in Brazil to another city in Brazil (for example, from Sao Paulo to Rio).
• International passengers connecting to/from a codeshare, partner operated or interline domestic flight within Brazil who request emotional support/psychiatric service animal travel must make other arrangements upon arriving into Brazil (for example, traveling by car, bus or rail).
• Passengers must comply with GOL's policies even though in some cases they differ from Delta's.
• For GOL and Delta flights between the U.S. and Brazil, Delta's ESAN rules apply.  GOL Airlines complies with the U.S. DOT on flights to and from the U.S. 

Attention Cuba:
Trained service animals and emotional support/psychiatric 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 passenger 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, passengers 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 emotional support/psychiatric service animals - dogs and cats only - 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 passenger 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, passengers 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.
• Passengers must provide a pre-approval letter from the ARC in the city they are traveling to, indicating that the emotional support /psychiatric service dog or cat 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 passenger’s dog or cat.
  • Pay all appropriate fees and charges related to U.K. acceptance of emotional support dogs and cats.  A current list of charges can be provided by the ARC for the city they are traveling to.