Avianca (AV) runs cabin and cargo pets on most routes from BOG and MDE, but they have a stricter brachycephalic policy than most Latin American carriers. The single decision that determines whether your pet flies is the breed list and the 48-hour cabin booking deadline. Luna would clear AV's cabin rules easily as a non-brachy cat, but their procedure requires going through the Contact Center or a travel agency, not their online system.
AV'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 AV 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 ≥ 48 h before departure | 95% |
Avianca requires cabin pet bookings to be made at least 48 hours before flight departure through their Contact Center, an authorized travel agency, a point of sale, or directly at the airport. Online booking is not supported for cabin pet reservations. The 48-hour cutoff is firm; last-minute bookings within that window are not processed, even when cabin slots remain available.
Avianca bans brachycephalic dog and cat breeds from cabin travel — French Bulldogs, Pugs, Persians, and similar flat-faced breeds are excluded. The ban extends to crossbreeds where one parent is a brachycephalic breed. Owners of these breeds need to book through alternative cargo or specialized pet transport channels, and documentation of breed mix may be required at check-in for borderline cases.
Frequently asked
- How many pets can I bring on AV?
- AV allows 1 in the cabin, per passenger. Each pet needs its own carrier.
- What is the cabin weight limit on AV?
- In the cabin, your pet plus its carrier must not exceed 10 kg. Heavier pets (up to 70 kg) travel in the hold.
- Can snub-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds fly AV?
- 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 AV?
- Add your pet to the booking at least 48 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 Avianca: book the cabin pet slot 48+ hours before departure through their Contact Center or a travel agency (not online), confirm the breed is not on their brachycephalic ban list, and bring vet-documented proof of breed if your pet is a mix. The carrier dimensions follow standard cabin specs but the booking channel is their bottleneck. Build your plan against your departure date in Pawgo before booking — it confirms your pet meets AV's breed eligibility rules.
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.