Air Canada in-cabin pet policy — and the carriers that fit
Air Canada allows small pets in the cabin in a carrier up to 17 × 16 × 8 in. Below: the official rules (cited), the honest under-seat caveat, and which carriers fit that limit.
Air Canada pet rules
| Recommended max carrier (soft) | 17 × 16 × 8 in |
| Soft-sided required? | Yes |
| In-cabin fee | CA/US $50–60 one-way (within Canada & Canada/US); $100–120 international |
| Species allowed | small dogs, cats |
| Pets | 1 cat or small dog per passenger; not permitted in Premium Economy |
| Booking | Add in advance (space is limited); must see an agent at check-in, 30 min before recommended check-in |
Source: official Air Canada pet policy · verified 2026-07-03
Air Canada publishes its limit per aircraft
Air Canada is the rare airline that publishes its carrier limits per aircraft. The under-seat box is genuinely smaller (8" tall, 17" long) on most jets than on the regional turboprops (10" tall, 22" long), and Business Class trades length for height. We show all three — cited — and the matcher uses the most-common Economy box (17×16×8) as the safe default.
| Aircraft / cabin | Max carrier (L×W×H) |
|---|---|
| Most narrow- & wide-bodies, Economy (A220-300, A319, A320, A321, A330-300, 737 MAX 8, 777, 787) | 17 × 16 × 8 in |
| Regional jets & turboprops (Dash 8-400, E175, CRJ900, Landline) | 22 × 16 × 10 in |
| Business Class (A330-300, 777, 787) | 16 × 8 × 11 in |
Carriers that fit Air Canada
Matched to Air Canada's published 17 × 16 × 8 in limit (height checked strictly; footprint may rotate). See the full Air Canada carrier shortlist →
| Carrier | Size | Fit | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherpa Original Deluxe (Small) | 15 × 10 × 8.5 in | Flexes — check height | See on Amazon → |
| Mr. Peanut's Gold Series Mini (Low-Profile) | 16 × 10.5 × 9.8 in | Flexes — check height | See on Amazon → |
| Sherpa Original Deluxe (Medium) | 17 × 11 × 10.5 in | Flexes — check height | See on Amazon → |
| Diggs Passenger | 17 × 12 × 10.5 in | Too tall (10.5" > 8") | See on Amazon → |
| Petsfit Expandable Soft-Sided | 17 × 11 × 11 in | Too tall (11" > 8") | See on Amazon → |
| Sleepypod Air | 22 × 10.5 × 10.5 in | Too big | See on Amazon → |
| Away The Pet Carrier | 18.7 × 10.8 × 10.75 in | Too big | See on Amazon → |
| Sherpa Original Deluxe (Large) | 19 × 11.75 × 11.5 in | Too big | See on Amazon → |
| Mr. Peanut's Gold Series Standard (Expandable) | 18.5 × 11.75 × 11.5 in | Too big | See on Amazon → |
| SturdiBag Pro (Large, Flexible Height) | 18 × 11.5 × 11.5 in | Too big | See on Amazon → |
| ibiyaya JetPaw Expandable Backpack | 18 × 12 × 12 in | Too big | See on Amazon → |
Affiliate link — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes our specs or which carriers we list.
How to confirm your actual under-seat space
Air Canada's number is a fleet-wide recommendation, not a promise for your exact seat. Before you buy or fly:
- Check which aircraft operates your flight (in your booking or on a seat-map site).
- Avoid bulkhead and some window seats — they have less (or no) under-seat storage.
- Call Air Canada to confirm under-seat dimensions for that aircraft, or
- Choose a collapsible / flexible-height carrier that adapts to a tighter space.
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