Air Transat (TS) runs Canadian leisure routes — Montreal and Toronto to Caribbean, European, and selected Asia-Pacific destinations. Their cabin pet program is solid for small dogs and cats on their main aircraft, though carrier dimensions and weight rules are stricter than other Canadian carriers. Nala and I have not flown TS together, but Montreal-based friends praise their seasonal Florida and Cuba routes for pet-in-cabin reliability. The single decision is whether your pet meets their carrier limits.
TS'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 TS treats your pet
Cabin policy
Hold policy
Cargo policy
| Item | Detail | Source & confidence | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pets accepted | Accepted in the cargo | 95% | |
| Advance booking | Add to booking ≥ 24 h before departure | 95% |
Cabin pet reservations on Air Transat must be made at least 24 hours before departure. The booking is processed through their special services line, not the standard online booking flow. Walk-up cabin pet requests at the airport are not accepted, even on routes with available cabin slots. Confirm the cabin pet reservation and receive written confirmation outside the 24-hour cutoff.
Air Transat applies restrictions on brachycephalic breeds in both cabin and checked baggage hold, with assistance dogs exempt. Brachycephalic restrictions on TS are tied to specific aircraft and seasonal routes, so confirm acceptance for the exact aircraft and route at the time of booking. The restriction is not consistent across the entire fleet, and assistance-dog status documentation is checked separately at check-in.
Frequently asked
- How many pets can I bring on TS?
- TS allows 1 in the cabin, per passenger. Each pet needs its own carrier.
- Can snub-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds fly TS?
- Snub-nosed breeds such as bulldogs, pugs and Persian cats are not accepted in the cabin.
- How far in advance must I book my pet on TS?
- Add your pet to the booking at least 24 hours before departure — do it when you book the ticket, not at the airport.
- 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.
- 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.
For Air Transat: book the cabin pet slot through special services at least 24 hours before departure, confirm aircraft type and route eligibility for your specific itinerary, and verify brachycephalic acceptance if applicable. Bring printed health documentation in English, plus French for the Quebec departure if applicable. Build your plan against your departure date in Pawgo before booking — it confirms aircraft-specific brachy rules and the cabin slot capacity.
Glossary
- ISO chip
- ISO 11784/11785 — the universal microchip standard.
- FAVN
- Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralization — a rabies serology test required by rabies-free destinations.
- Brachycephalic
- Snub-nosed breeds (French Bulldogs, Pugs, Persians, Himalayans) with restricted airline acceptance due to heat-stress risk.
- AVIH
- Animal Vehicle In Hold — IATA's term for cargo pet shipment, with fees that vary by carrier and route.