China Airlines pet policy — why pets cannot travel in the cabin
China Airlines does not accept pets in the cabin, so no carrier size will make it work — this is a policy limit, not a size limit. China Airlines does not publish a cabin-pet fee on its own policy page. Your options are China Airlines's cargo service or an approved pet shipper. If you need your pet with you in the cabin, you need a different airline.
That means nothing on our list fits, and nothing comes close enough to squeeze in either — at not published this is one of the tightest allowances we track. Check China Airlines's own policy for cargo or an approved pet-shipper option before you book. China Airlines does not accept pets in the cabin, so there is no carrier height to compare. Its own policy covers cargo or approved pet-shipper options instead.
China Airlines pet rules
| Recommended max carrier (soft) | not published |
| Soft-sided required? | Soft recommended; hard allowed within its limit |
| In-cabin fee | Not published · compare all airlines → |
| Species allowed | service dogs only (and Psychiatric Assistance dogs on specific routes) — pets are not permitted in the cabin |
| Pets | Hold/checked baggage only: maximum 8 cages per flight, and maximum 2 cages per passenger occupying a seat; one pet per container |
| Booking | Pets travel in the cargo hold as checked baggage. Contact the China Airlines booking department at least 48 hours before departure to confirm charges and terms — pet transport is not accommodated without prior application; arrive at the airport 2 hours before the flight |
Source: official China Airlines pet policy · verified 2026-07-23
Airlines that do allow pets in the cabin
A cabin ban is a policy limit, not a size limit, so no carrier changes it. China Airlines’s own published route: Pets travel in the cargo hold as checked baggage. Contact the China Airlines booking department at least 48 hours before departure to confirm charges and terms — pet transport is not accommodated without prior application; arrive at the airport 2 hours before the flight
If the cabin is the requirement rather than the route, these are the airlines we track that do allow it, ranked by how many of our tracked carriers clear their published limit. We do not know your route, so treat this as a reference rather than a substitution:
- Allegiant Air — 18 × 12 × 11 in · 9 of 15 carriers clear it
- Frontier Airlines — 18 × 14 × 11 in · 9 of 15 carriers clear it
- American Airlines — 18 × 11 × 11 in · 8 of 15 carriers clear it
- Delta Air Lines — 18 × 11 × 11 in · 8 of 15 carriers clear it
- JSX — 17 × 13 × 11 in · 8 of 15 carriers clear it
- United Airlines — 18 × 11 × 11 in · 8 of 15 carriers clear it
- Porter Airlines — 21.5 × 15.5 × 10.5 in · 6 of 15 carriers clear it
- Avianca — 22 × 14 × 10 in · 3 of 15 carriers clear it
Carrier sizes we track
None of these can be used in an China Airlines cabin. They are listed so you can size up for whichever airline you switch to.
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| Carrier | Size | Fit | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 × 10 × 8.5 in | No cabin pets | See on Amazon → | |
| 16 × 10.5 × 9.8 in | No cabin pets | See on Amazon → | |
| 17 × 10 × 10 in | No cabin pets | See on Amazon → | |
| 17 × 11 × 10.5 in | No cabin pets | See on Amazon → | |
| 22 × 10.5 × 10.5 in | No cabin pets | See on Amazon → | |
| 17 × 12 × 10.5 in | No cabin pets | See on Amazon → | |
| 17 × 8.5 × 10.5 in | No cabin pets | See on Amazon → | |
| 18.7 × 10.8 × 10.75 in | No cabin pets | See on Amazon → | |
| 17 × 11 × 11 in | No cabin pets | See on Amazon → | |
| 16 × 8 × 11 in | No cabin pets | See on Amazon → | |
| 18 × 11 × 11 in | No cabin pets | See on Amazon → | |
| 19 × 11.75 × 11.5 in | No cabin pets | See on Amazon → | |
| 18.5 × 11.75 × 11.5 in | No cabin pets | See on Amazon → | |
| 18 × 11.5 × 11.5 in | No cabin pets | See on Amazon → | |
| 18 × 12 × 12 in | No cabin pets | See on Amazon → |
How to confirm your actual under-seat space
China Airlines'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 China Airlines to confirm under-seat dimensions for that aircraft, or
- Choose a collapsible / flexible-height carrier that adapts to a tighter space.
More airlines: Air Canada · Alaska Airlines · Allegiant Air · American Airlines · Breeze Airways · Delta Air Lines · Frontier Airlines · Southwest Airlines · United Airlines · all →
Common questions
What size pet carrier does China Airlines allow in the cabin?
China Airlines's recommended maximum in-cabin carrier is not published. It must fit fully under the seat in front of you. Source: the China Airlines pet policy.
How much does China Airlines charge for an in-cabin pet?
Not published. Always confirm the current fee on the official China Airlines pet page before you fly.
Which pet carriers fit China Airlines?
No carrier we track clears China Airlines's published not published outright, and none compresses down far enough either — check China Airlines's cargo or approved pet-shipper options. Full shortlist: /fits/china-airlines/.
Is China Airlines's not published limit guaranteed on every aircraft?
No. China Airlines states that pets as checked baggage are not accepted on its B738 / 32C aircraft due to cargo hold temperature control considerations, so acceptance depends on the aircraft operating your flight. (This is a hold constraint — there is no cabin pet option at all.) Treat the published figure as a fleet-wide maximum, not a promise for your seat, and prefer a collapsible or flexible-height carrier.
How many pets can I bring in the cabin on China Airlines?
Hold/checked baggage only: maximum 8 cages per flight, and maximum 2 cages per passenger occupying a seat; one pet per container. Species accepted: service dogs only (and Psychiatric Assistance dogs on specific routes) — pets are not permitted in the cabin. Pets travel in the cargo hold as checked baggage. Contact the China Airlines booking department at least 48 hours before departure to confirm charges and terms — pet transport is not accommodated without prior application; arrive at the airport 2 hours before the flight