Air New Zealand
✈ Star Alliance📍 New Zealand · AKL✓ Verified 11 Jul 2026
★ Moderate 3.2/5
63/100 · MyDogCanFly score
No cabin pets (service dogs only); pets fly in the hold on NZ domestic flights, and internationally only via approved transporters.
⚖️ Where does your dog travel?
Cabin—
Holddomestic ≤ 60 kg
Cargointl / solo
Weight includes the carrier or kennel.
🐾 CabinNot allowed
No pets in the cabin — only accredited service dogs.
—
🧳 HoldDomestic
Cats, dogs & small caged birds as checked baggage on some NZ domestic flights (pet + carrier ≤ 60 kg) in a climate-controlled, pressurised hold.
NZ$120
✈️ Cargo Pet ServicesVia transporter
Solo pets, international, over 60 kg or oversize via an approved pet transporter (ANZ doesn't take direct public bookings).
Quote
💶 Fares
| Hold — NZ domestic | NZ$120 (flat) |
| Cargo — international / solo | Via transporter |
| Service dog | Free |
Flat NZ$120 domestic pet fee, paid at the airport; international is quoted by an approved transporter. ✓ Official source
⚠️ Key restrictions
🐶 Flat-faced breeds
Not over 5 h
Snub-nosed breeds (and crosses) are only accepted on single-sector flights of 5 hours or less: bulldogs (all), boxers (all), pug (all), Boston terrier, chow chow, Cane Corso, mastiffs, Shih Tzu, Pekingese, and Burmese/British Shorthair/Exotic/Persian/Himalayan cats. Not on flights over 5 h.
🚫 Other rules
No sedation (MPI)Min. 8 weeks
Sedation is prohibited (NZ MPI rule). Racing/breeding greyhounds aren't accepted (family pets only by Cargo approval). Min 8 weeks.
🌡️ Temperature & hold
Fully pressurised, temperature-controlled holdBrachy: no flights over 5 h
The hold is fully pressurised (like the cabin) and temperature/ventilation-controlled, with dimmed lighting. There's no numeric limit, but snub-nosed breeds are barred from flights over 5 hours (heat/humidity/stress).
📦 Check your crate size for this airline →🦮 Assistance dog
✓ In the cabin
Accredited service dogs (ADI/IGDF or NZ Dog Control Act) may travel in the cabin, with a free extra seat if space allows.
📄 Documents
Add via Special Assistance at booking; submit the route-specific forms (US, Australia–NZ, and other) before flying.
ℹ️ Good to know
🧳 Hold domestic onlyPets fly as checked baggage only on some NZ domestic flights; internationally, only via an approved transporter.
📄 No domestic paperworkNo vaccination or vet paperwork is needed for pets on NZ domestic flights (international needs MPI export certification).
🐾 Shared carrierTwo adults (≤ 14 kg each) or three littermates may share a carrier; one animal per carrier over 14 kg.
🗺️ Where Air New Zealand flies with dogs
Main hubs
🧭
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🛡️ Official source7 Air New Zealand sources · last verified 11 July 2026