Iberia flying with pets

What is Iberia policy on pet acceptance?

Pets can travel with the passenger in the cabin or as baggage in the hold. It is important for you to know that there is some required documentation you will need to present if you want to transport your cat, your dog, your tortoise or bird and any other pet you have as long as they are not listed in the prohibited animals to be transported. Iberia does not permit the transport of weasels (pine martens, ferrets and others). It is also important to have in mind the legal policies and requirements to be able to transport them.

Are there any documents needed when traveling with a pet?

If you meet all the legal procedures and cover the required documentation, you can transport your pet with you on the trip:

  • You will need a veterinary passport, in order for you to travel with pets such as cats and dogs.
  • The regulation on the transport of pets between European Union Member Countries, regarding trips to European Union Member States, implies that animals must be transported with a pet passport that shows the following:
    • The pet has been identified by a microchip or by a clearly readable tattoo.
    • The pet has been subject to a rabies vaccination.
  • For entry from other countries to the European Union, pets must have a certificate and all documentation that meets applicable national regulations.

Which are the limitations regarding carrying pets on Iberia flights?

Iberia does not accept for transportation the following dog breeds classified as dangerous: Akita, American Staffordshire Terrier, Brazilian Mastiff, Dogo Argentino, Pit Bull Terrier, Rottweiler, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and Tosa. Acceptance of other breeds will depend on their build, muscle, height, and weight.

Iberia will not allow transporting any animal to the United Kingdom because the carriage of animals to this country by Iberia is still unauthorized.

On IB26XX flights operated by Iberia for LEVEL, pets are not allowed in the aircraft cabin or baggage hold. On IB5XXX flights operated by Vueling, pets are not accepted for transportation in the baggage hold.

Traveling to/from the US with a connecting flight that uses another carrier

If passengers are traveling with a live animal in the hold, they will not be able to send it until the final destination in transit. The passenger should pick up his or her pet from the airport of the city that figures as the transit place and check it once again with the other airline, paying a fee for each. The passenger has to send his or her animal as air cargo, in that way it can be transported in transit. If passengers are traveling with a live animal in the cabin, they will need to pay each carrier in a separated way.

American Airlines has its own limitations and policies for checking animals. Only sniffer dogs and guide dogs, which are used in special missions, are allowed to travel inside the cabin. The pets that are transported in the hold might not be checked-in transit, at the concluding destination. Different prices, charges, or taxes could apply in line with each country’s law.

Pets in the Cabin

Iberia allows you to carry your pets inside the cabin if they do not weigh more than 8 kg, together with their container, with prior authorization from the Reservations Office. The conditions required to fulfill in order to transport pets in the passenger cabin are the following:

  • Iberia allows a maximum weight of 8 kg of the pet and its container.
  • The maximum permitted dimensions of the container are 45 x 35 x 25 cm, not exceeding total linear dimensions of 105 cm.
  • The pet’s container must be ventilated and strong. In order to transport birds, please make sure that the cage is solid enough, that locks work properly and that nothing can spill. Besides, the cage must always be covered.
  • You can travel with various pets of similar species in only one container if they are light and small enough.
  • Your pet traveling with you must not bother passengers around. It must be kept inside its container during the entire flight, and you are responsible for taking care of it.
  • The pets with particular characteristics like a strong odor will possibly bother other passengers; that is why they will not be allowed to be transported.

Fees

The fee (single charge in each direction, payable exclusively at the airport) for carrying an animal in the passenger cabin is:

  • €35/45$/30£ – domestic flights, excluding the Canary Islands.
  • €50/60$/45£ – flights to/from Europe, the Canary Islands, the Middle East, and North Africa.
  • €150/180$/135£ – flights to/from America, Asia and South Africa.

Pets in the Hold

You can transport your pets in the hold of the aircraft as long as they are in an appropriate container that is secure, resistant, ventilated, and comfortable; besides, it has to comply with the following international policies:

  • It has to be built with a secure and resistant material with a lock that proves that it will not be opened by itself.
  • Appropriated for the animal’s size and with no deterioration that could harm your pet.
  • It must have adequate ventilation and a floor that is leak-proof.

The number of containers is limited by the type of airplane. If you aim to fly with your pet, you ought to contact the Reservations Office at least 48 hours before departure in order to obtain an authorization. The transportation can only be authorized if a space in all of the flight’s legs is confirmed. Pets are accepted on connecting flights only if the transit time is no less than 90 minutes and no more than 4 hours.

The maximum weight permitted is 45 kg (pet + crate). The size of containers is limited by the type of airplane. For Iberia Regional Air Nostrum flights, the maximum dimensions permitted are 83 x 65 x 56 cm.

Fees

The fee (single charge in each direction, payable exclusively at the airport) for carrying an animal in the passenger cabin is:

  • €80/$95/£75 – domestic flights, excluding the Canary Islands.
  • €120/$145/£110 – flights to/from Europe, the Canary Islands, the Middle East, and North Africa.
  • €300/$360/£270 – flights to/from America, Asia and South Africa.

Service Animals

Iberia accepts to transport Assistance Dogs, but only if they are accompanying passengers who depend on them, for example, deaf or blind persons. It may be necessary for passengers with a hearing or physical disability or a specific disorder (epilepsy, diabetes, autism) to present a medical certification which confirms this situation.

To travel with an Assistance Dog, carriage permission must be requested through Serviberia at least 48 hours before the flight.

When traveling in the passenger cabin, the dog must be muzzled. The dog will be located next to the passenger but will not occupy a seat. A significant thing to consider is that, due to the fact that no pet can be placed near the emergency exit, the seat which the passenger occupies must be in a different row. Service Animals can travel in the cabin or hold without any extra fee; the weight of the Service Animal will not be included in the free luggage allowance of the passenger.

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