Booking a flight and finding out your dog can't ride up front with you is a gut-punch, and with Air Vanuatu that cabin door stays closed for pups. Cooper has done this trip three times now, so I know the sting fades fast once you understand the alternative. Here's what I wish someone had told me: the cargo route works well when you prepare early, and it's smoother than the panic first makes it feel.

Air Vanuatu'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 Vanuatu 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.

In the cabin Not accepted
In the hold / cargo Accepted

Cabin policy

Pets accepted Not acceptedverified 2026-07-20

Hold & cargo policy

Hold: Advance booking required Yesverified 2026-07-14
Hold: Max weight (pet + crate)10 kgverified 2026-07-14
Hold: Crate must have/belive-animal labelverified 2026-07-20
Cargo: Pets accepted Acceptedverified 2026-07-24
Cargo: Advance booking required Yesverified 2026-07-24
Cargo: Crate must have/beIATA-compliant, live-animal label, a carrierverified 2026-07-20

Health & documents

Health certificate required Yesverified 2026-07-20

Other rules

Dangerous breeds banned Yesverified 2026-07-20
Breed restrictions apply Yesverified 2026-07-20
Assistance animals accepted Yesverified 2026-07-20

Service & assistance animals

Documentation required Yesverified 2026-07-20

Frequently asked

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.
Take a breath, because the hardest part is just knowing where to start, and you've done that already. Every airline juggles crate sizes, health paperwork, and booking windows differently, so the details matter more than any general guide can capture. Let Pawgo build you a personalized plan for your exact route and travel dates, then follow it step by step. You've got this, and your best friend will land happy on the other side.
Get YOUR personalized plan for Air Vanuatu →

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.