Air New Zealand Pet Policy
Unfortunately, pets are not permitted to travel in the cabin with Air New Zealand. However, there are options for pet travel on their flights.
Dogs, cats, and small caged birds can travel as checked-in baggage on all domestic flights around New Zealand, as long as they are in pet carriers suitable for air travel. Two adult animals of comparable size, weighing up to 30 lbs (14 kg) each, that are used to cohabitation may be shipped in the same container. Animals over 30 lbs (14 kg) must travel individually. Additionally, three animals up to six months old from the same litter may be shipped in the same carrier.
Pets weighing up to 55 lbs (25 kg) will incur a charge of $75 NZD, while those weighing 57 lbs (26 kg) and above will incur a charge of $100 NZD.
Guidance, Tips, & info on Airlines and Airports
- Go to our guide to global airlines to find information on any other commercial airline.
- Peruse the Air New Zealand NZ baggage fees and restrictions page to learn what luggage policies and fees are imposed.
- Check out where you can fly direct to on Air New Zealand if you live near one of their gateway cities.
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For international travel, pets must be transported as cargo in the hold instead. The costs for this vary depending on the destination, size, carrier, and administration time to prepare required travel documents such as vet certificates. To find out more information about international pet travel, it is recommended to contact the Air New Zealand Customer Service Team at (800) 262-1234.
When traveling with pets as checked baggage, the dimensions of the carriers vary depending on the aircraft you are flying on. On A320 aircraft, the dimensions can be 38" x 31" x 52" (97 cm x 79 cm x 131 cm). On ATR72 aircraft, the dimensions should be 40" x 24" x 40" (100 cm x 60 cm x 100 cm). On Q300, the dimensions should be 32" x 30" x 47" (82 cm x 75 cm x 120 cm). It is important to note that carriers should be rigid without a pop-up hatch.
There are some restrictions and limitations to keep in mind when traveling with Air New Zealand. Due to space limitations on Air New Zealand Link services (flight numbers in the 5000 and 8000 series), only one carrier per customer is allowed. Brachycephalic breeds (snub-nosed), young pets, and embargoed breeds may not be permitted to travel on certain routes. It is also important to note that emotional support dogs are not permitted to fly with Air New Zealand.
Keep in mind that air carriers can change these policies at any time, so you should always check directly with the airline you are traveling on, before you book, for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
Check out our Air New Zealand Guide for detailed info about this airline, including flight check-in, baggage policies, corporate information, and more.
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