Tom · with Koda (Chocolate Labrador mix, 30kg) “Koda flies cargo. Here's what actually matters.” Meet all guides →
About this guide ↓
This guide was generated by Pawgo's AI using verified data from official sources. Tom is a fictional persona — the data is real.
Koda flies cargo, and Air China is one of the carriers I will not put him on. The brachycephalic ban runs across both cabin and hold here, and the breed list is long enough that plenty of owners read it and find their dog on it unexpectedly. The hold limit is 32 kg with the crate, which for a big dog is tight. Read the list before you read the fare.
Air China's pet policy splits into cabin and cargo. This page summarizes the weight limits, fees, brachycephalic-breed restrictions, and carrier specifications for both modes — sourced from the airline's official pet pages.
How Air China handles your pet
Each fact comes straight from the operator’s published policy. Tap the to read the exact wording; the opens the source page.
Hold: Max weight (pet + crate)32 kgverified 2026-10-09
Hold: Crate must have/bewater bowl, ventilated, absorbent liner, a carrierverified 2026-10-09
Health & documents
Health certificate required✓ Yesverified 2026-10-22
Air China sets a minimum age of 8 weeks. Animals that are pregnant, nursing, have given birth within 7 days, or are sick are also refused carriage. Confirm the date of birth on the vaccination record matches what the booking declares, because acceptance is checked against the document at the counter rather than at booking.
The brachycephalic ban covers both cabin and hold, and the list reaches well past the obvious flat-faced breeds — terriers, English cocker spaniels, English toy spaniels, King Charles spaniels, bullmastiffs, Affenpinschers, Lhasa apsos, Pekingese and Chow Chows among them. Check the specific breed against the carrier's list before booking, since a refusal applies to every travel mode.
Done this 14 times: the thing that matters on Air China is the breed list, not the crate. A ban that covers cabin and hold leaves no fallback, so there is no rebooking your way around it the day before. If the dog is clear, the 32 kg hold limit including the crate is the next number to check. Build a personalized plan and we'll flag which carriers will actually take your breed.
Air China allows up to 1 in the hold, per passenger. Each pet needs its own carrier.Build my pet's travel plan →
Can snub-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds fly Air China?
Snub-nosed breeds such as bulldogs, pugs and Persian cats are not accepted in the cabin, not accepted in the hold.Build my pet's travel plan →
What if my flight is delayed past my health certificate validity?
If the certificate window expires before you board, you'll need a re-issue. Build a 1-2 day buffer between the cert date and departure to absorb minor delays.Build my pet's travel plan →
What happens if I forget a document?
At the destination airport: at best, an extended inspection while you produce backup; at worst, the pet is held in quarantine or returned to origin at your cost. Bring printed copies.Build my pet's travel plan →
Flying Air China?
Get a personalized travel checklist for your pet on Air China.
