Flying with cats in cargo. Yes, many airlines will allow flying with cats in a designated pet-area of the plane. As only small cats are permitted to fly in the cabin, if your cat is over 20 pounds, he/she will have to fly in shipping cargo or as checked-in luggage. Don’t worry! The cargo area of a plane is not as scary as you may think.

Dogs and cats flying in cargo must travel in a well-ventilated, rigid (a.k.a. hard-sided) kennel. Soft-sided carriers are not allowed for safety reasons. Most airlines required that the kennel have a solid top and base (i.e. without ventilation openings) and at least three sides with ventilation.

Your pet flies as baggage when you’re on the plane and they’re in the cargo hold underneath. Most medium sized dogs, and some cats will be required to fly underneath the plane because of their size. They’re considered checked baggage, and must be contained in kennels with certain dimensions.