Booking Your Pet's Travel

Certain pets may travel with you onboard in a secured soft shell kennel that fits under the seat in front of you. The kennels must adhere to the following size limitations: 

• For flights on our Boeing 737 jets: 18 inches long x 15 inches wide x 9 inches high  
• For flights on our ATR 42 turboprops: 15 inches long x 11 inches wide x 9 inches high
• The kennel must allow for your pet to naturally stand and turn around

Travelling with your pet in the cabin is subject to the following conditions: 

• No more than one (1) pet on the aircraft per authorized passenger
• Pets authorized to travel in the cabin are dogs, cats, or rabbits
• For the pets health and safety, they must be at least 8 weeks old 
• Passengers travelling with pets are required to check in no less than two (2) hours prior to scheduled departure 
• Passengers travelling with a pet will be charged a fee of $50–$56.50 
• As per Transport Canada regulations, all animals in the cabin must remain in their kennels for the duration of the flight - seats are not able to be purchased for an animal 

To book, please call our Animal Specialist at 1.800.661.0407 ext. 1 or locally at 668-2228 with the weight and dimensions of the kennel with your pet inside.

We accept animals in a rigid kennel as checked baggage. As space is limited, we cannot guarantee that a pet will be accepted at the last minute. Contact reservations as soon as possible, well ahead of the travel date, to ensure there is space and that your animal may travel with you.

All live animals must travel in an airline certified kennel subject to the following requirements:

• The kennel must meet IATA guidelines for size, quality of materials, and construction for the transportation of animals by air. Details available here: iata.org/en/programs/cargo/live-animals/pets/

• Soft-sided kennels are not accepted 

• Maximum of two animals of the same species per kennel, up to 12 kg and must be from the same household 

• There must be at least 5–8 cm of clearance above the pet's head in the kennel 
• The kennel must be leak-proof and escape-proof. It must also be free of wheels, be adequately ventilated and rigid (not collapsible or foldable)
• The kennel door must be constructed of welded or casted metal, plastic or top-opening doors are not allowed
• The kennel door should be secured, but not with a locking device so the agent can access it as needed—zip ties are recommended 
• Be large enough for the animal to stand, turn around, sit and lie comfortable in a natural manner
• The kennel must be clean, with no offensive odors and contain absorbent material
• The use of straw, hay or wood shavings is prohibited
• The kennel must be marked with the words 'Live Animal'
• Attach labels with the shipper and co-signee's name, street address and phone number and also the name of the pet travelling, to allow our agents to better reassure the animal 
• At this time, kennels over 33 inches in height and/or 165 lbs will not be accepted 

Having your pet travel as checked baggage is subject to the following conditions: 

• Pets authorized to travel in the cabin are dogs, cats, or rabbits
• For the pets health and safety, they must be at least 8 weeks old 
• Pets are required to check in no less than two hours prior to scheduled departure 
• Pets travelling as checked baggage will be charged a fee of $50–$113 depending on the size of the kennel 

To book, please call our our Animal Specialist at 1.800.661.0407 ext. 1 or locally at 668-2228 with the weight and dimensions of the kennel with your pet inside.

In most cases animals are able to be shipped as cargo. Pets sent as cargo are charged based on dimensions of the kennel and the combined weight of the kennel and animal. As with pets travelling as checked baggage, pets being shipped as cargo must be booked in advance as space is limited.

Kennels must adhere to the following guidelines: 

• The kennel must meet IATA guidelines for size, quality of materials, and construction for the transportation of animals by air. Details available here: iata.org/en/programs/cargo/live-animals/pets/
• Maximum of two animals of the same species per kennel, up to 12 kg and must be from the same household 
• There must be at least 5–8 cm of clearance above the pet's head in the kennel 
• The kennel must be leak-proof and escape-proof. It must also be free of wheels, be adequately ventilated and rigid (not collapsible or foldable)
• The kennel door must be constructed of welded or casted metal, plastic or top-opening doors are not allowed
• The kennel door should be secured, but not with a locking device so the agent can access it as needed—zip ties are recommended 
• Be large enough for the animal to stand, turn around, sit and lie comfortable in a natural manner
• Be clean, with no offensive odors and contain absorbent material
• The use of straw, hay or wood shavings is prohibited
• The kennel must be marked with the words "live animal" on top
• Attached labels with the shipper and consignee's name, street address, phone number and the name of the pet travelling, to allow our agents to better reassure the animal
• Kennels over 33 inches in height and/or 165 lbs will not be accepted

Note that it is not possible to ship pets as cargo on all flights due to cargo office hours of operation. In many instances, they cannot be shipped as cargo during the holidays due to demand. 

Having your pet travel as Cargo is subject to the following conditions: 

• Females with suckling young and unweaned animals will not be accepted for air transport
• Weaned puppies younger than eight weeks should not be shipped due to possible dehydration during flight
• The cost to ship an animal as cargo will depend on the weight and size of the kennel with the animal inside 

To book, please call our Animal Specialist at 1.800.661.0407 ext. 1 or locally at 668-2228 with the shipper and receiver’s name and phone number, kennel dimensions and weight of kennel with pet. Credit card is required for booking. 

Making Sure Your Pet Is Ready To Fly

We believe that pets are part of our families and that their travel should be as stress-free as it is for our other passengers. Our team goes to every effort to ensure your pet is comfortable, here’s a few tips to ensure your pet has the best journey: 

• Place a familiar, absorbent blanket in the kennel, this will help calm the animal, and maintain hygiene in the kennel during transport
• Clean the kennel thoroughly in advance to make sure it’s tidy and odor-free
• Bathe or clean your pet as close to the travel date as possible
• Make sure your pet's name is on the outside of the kennel so our team can reassure the animal  
• Two hours prior to departure give your pet a light meal and a short drink
• Take your pet for a walk or otherwise exercise it immediately before you leave for the Cargo office 
• Never transport an animal with a choke collar or muzzle on

Note that every animal that travels with us is subject to the following rules: 

• No animal shall be accepted if it is deemed to be hostile
• A maximum of two animals of the same species per kennel, up to 12 kg and must be from the same household
• Weaned puppies or kittens younger than 8 weeks will not accepted due to possible dehydration
• Females with suckling young and unweaned animals will not be accepted for carriage
• Shipment of females in heat is not recommended
• Tranquilizing of animals is not recommended
• If the animal is sedated or has undergone recent surgery a veterinary certificate must be provided stating the animal is fit to be transported by air
• Air North reserves the rights to deny transporting any animals

Pet Medical Requirements

Our policy is that you must consult your veterinarian prior to your pet’s travel. We recommend against sedating your pet prior to the flight as it slows heart rate and breathing patterns, making oxygen intake more difficult during flight.

Fly with your pet often? We recently introduced a Pet Passport. You can use it to track your pet’s air time, and get confirmation they’ve been tucked away safely for the flight. One of our passenger service or cargo agents can get a passport for you.

“Air North, Yukon’s Airline has always been one of the best airlines for pets. They’ve been as well taken care of as their human passengers, and it’s this approach that makes our entire team appreciate them as an airline,” says veterinarian, Dr. Michelle Oakley. “The comfort of pets in travel is important, and it’s amazing to see great businesses recognize the importance of our four-legged friends in our families.”