We’re proud to offer active duty U.S. military personnel on Permanent Change of Station (PCS), State Department Foreign Service Personnel (FSP) and their spouses certain benefits for transporting their pet dogs and cats while traveling on assignment to and from international destinations.
Qualifying pets that meet all of our requirements, including the weight limit, will receive specialized handling through United PetSafe®, and we’ll give them a tag during check-in. With this process, you won’t need a third-party IPATA shipping agent or customs broker to clear your pet in customs, which helps you save on additional fees. We also allow you to check your pet in at an airport check-in or QuickPak® counter instead of cargo facilities so it’s more convenient for your trip.
The military and State Department pet exception benefits don’t apply to military personnel who are on leave or traveling for leisure.
This pet travel policy only applies to travel segments and flights operated by United and United Express®. If you’re traveling with your pet on codeshare flights, or flights that are marketed by United but operated by another airline, you won’t be able to use this exception. Your pet also won’t be transferred automatically between airlines, so check our Connecting flights section below to learn more.
Advance reservations are required, and the PetSafe program rates apply. Please visit our PetSafe® page to learn more about our pet travel policies and requirements. You can also watch this video for important pre-flight tips from American Humane to prepare your pet for a safe and comfortable trip.
If you have any questions, you can reach out to the PetSafe desk at 1-800-575-3335 or 1-832-235-1541