Dog Weight Limits for Flying in the Cabin: What You Need to Know

The first thing I looked up when we decided to fly with Sami was: how heavy can my dog be to fly in the cabin? It seemed like a simple question. It wasn’t.

Because there isn’t one universal weight limit. Every airline sets their own rules. And to make things more confusing, the way they enforce those rules is completely different depending on where you’re flying from.

So here’s what I’ve learned from over 20 flights with a dog who is always — and I mean always — right at the edge of the limit.

The General Rule: 8 kg, Including the Bag

Most airlines, especially in Europe, have a weight limit of 8 kg (about 17.5 lbs) for pets flying in the cabin. And this is important: that 8 kg includes the carrier bag. Your dog plus the bag, together, need to be under 8 kg.

Some airlines are more generous. You’ll find some that allow 10 kg, a few that go up to 12 kg (about 26.5 lbs), and that’s essentially the ceiling. There’s no airline I’ve come across that allows more than that for in-cabin pets.

This means that your carrier bag choice directly affects how much “weight budget” your dog gets. A heavy bag that weighs 2 kg leaves your dog with only 6 kg. A lighter bag at 1.2 kg gives your dog 6.8 kg. That difference matters a lot when your dog is, say, 7.5 kg. We talk more about this in our guide to choosing the right carrier bag.

Europe vs. the US: Two Completely Different Approaches

Here’s something that caught us off guard the first time we flew to the States, and it’s probably the most useful thing I can tell you.

In Europe, they care about weight. Almost every time we’ve checked in with Sami on a European flight, they’ve weighed him. They put the dog on a scale, check the number, and either you’re under the limit or you’re not. This is why we’re so careful about managing Sami’s weight before every flight — because in Europe, the number on that scale is what matters.

In the US, it’s the opposite. In our experience, and from everything we’ve heard from other pet owners, they don’t really weigh the dog. What they care about is whether your dog fits comfortably inside the carrier bag. Can the dog stand? Can they turn around? Does the bag fit under the seat? That’s what they check.

This means your preparation strategy needs to change depending on which side of the Atlantic you’re on. Flying from Europe? Focus on the weight. Flying from the US? Focus on the carrier bag fit.

What “Includes the Bag” Actually Means

Let me break this down, because it confused me at first too.

When an airline says “maximum 8 kg including the carrier,” they mean the total weight of your dog plus the bag they’re sitting in. So if your dog weighs 7 kg and your carrier bag weighs 1.5 kg, you’re at 8.5 kg. Over the limit.

This is why the weight of the bag itself is so important. Most soft-sided airline carriers weigh between 1 and 2 kg. The difference between a 2 kg bag and a 1 kg bag is enormous when you’re already close to the limit. It’s literally the difference between flying and not flying.

We learned this the hard way. Our first carrier was heavier than it needed to be, and we were constantly stressed about whether we’d clear the weight check. Once we switched to a lighter bag, things got much easier.

Do They Actually Weigh Your Dog Every Time?

No. And this is where it gets interesting.

In Europe, they weigh the dog most of the time, but not always. We’ve had flights where the agent didn’t bother with the scale at all — they just glanced at Sami, checked our documents, and waved us through. Other times, they’re meticulous about it. You genuinely can’t predict which agent you’ll get.

In the US, as I mentioned, weight is almost never checked. The focus is entirely on carrier bag fit.

But here’s my advice: always prepare as if they WILL weigh your dog. Because the one time you show up thinking “they probably won’t check” is the one time they do. And at that point, if you’re over the limit, your options are cargo or missing your flight. Neither is fun. I’ve written about what happens when your dog gets rejected at check-in — it’s worth reading so you know what you’re avoiding.

What If Your Dog Is Over the Limit?

If your dog is slightly over — say, 8.5 kg when the limit is 8 — there’s actually a lot you can do. We’ve been dealing with this exact situation with Sami for years. His normal weight puts him right at or slightly over the European limit, so we’ve developed a whole system for managing it.

The short version: a mild two-week diet before the flight, skipping a meal the morning of, and choosing the lightest possible carrier bag. I go into the specific details in our article on tips for flying with an overweight dog.

If your dog is significantly over — like 10+ kg when the limit is 8 — then you’ll need to look for airlines with higher limits, or consider other options. Some airlines allow up to 12 kg, and if your dog is small enough to fit comfortably in a carrier under the seat, you might find an airline that works.

The Bottom Line

Weight limits are real, and they can ruin your trip if you’re not prepared. But they’re also manageable. We fly with a dog who is perpetually at the limit, and we’ve figured out how to make it work every time.

The most important things: know your airline’s specific limit before you book, choose the lightest carrier bag you can find, and if you’re close to the edge, start preparing weeks before your flight — not days.

If you want the full system we use — weight management, carrier selection, documents, everything from booking to boarding — we put it all into a free email course. It’s the stuff we wish someone had told us before flight number one.

Got questions about a specific airline’s weight limit? Drop them in the comments. Between our experience and the community here, we’ve probably got the answer.