Published in 2025 / Updated in 2026
I spent 3 months investigating 27 airlines. Thousands of incident reports. DOT documents. Policy manuals. And what I found…
Some airlines are flat-out lying about pet safety.
Here’s what the airlines don’t want you to know:
Only U.S. carriers are required to report pet deaths and injuries. That’s it.
Emirates? No data. Cathay Pacific? No data. Turkish Airlines? Nothing. Every single Chinese carrier? Zero transparency.
They claim ‘safe pet transport’ but refuse to prove it. No public incident reports. No independent oversight. No accountability.
And here’s the kicker: I found documented cases of pet deaths that never made headlines because the airline wasn’t required to report them.
So when an airline says ‘we prioritize pet safety’ but won’t show you the numbers? That’s your first red flag.
I ranked every major airline on 5 criteria:
- Safety Record – death and injury rates
- Cargo Conditions – temperature control, ventilation
- Communication – tracking, updates
- Transparency – do they actually tell you what happens?
- Emergency Protocols – what happens when things go wrong
Each airline gets a score. 0 to 100. No fluff. Just facts.
Let’s start with the worst.
Tier 4: The Opacity Zone
I’m grouping these together because they all share one fatal flaw: ZERO transparency.
All Chinese Carriers (China Eastern, Air China, China Southern):
- Score: 56-58/100
- No public safety data. None.
- Policy documents? Try finding them in English. I dare you.
- One airline rep literally told me ‘information not available to public’
- If something goes wrong, good luck getting answers
Latin American Carriers (LATAM, Aeromexico, Avianca):
- Scores: 56-65/100
- No reporting requirements
- Inconsistent standards
- Avianca scored 56 – lowest of any airline that transports pets
Why does this matter? Because when there’s no transparency, there’s no accountability. And when there’s no accountability, pets die.
But here’s the real betrayal…
AMERICAN AIRLINES – Score: 72/100
A U.S. carrier. Required to report. And in 2023?
- 3 pet deaths
- 2 injuries
- Highest incident rate of ANY major U.S. airline
2022? 5 pet deaths.
They have good transparency – I’ll give them that. But transparency doesn’t save lives when your safety protocols are failing.
UNITED AIRLINES – Score: 78/100
2017: 18 pet deaths. EIGHTEEN. More than every other U.S. carrier COMBINED.
They suspended their PetSafe program, made reforms, and improved. 2023? 1 death.
But ask yourself: would YOU trust them with your family member after that history?
Budget carriers Spirit and Ryanair don’t transport pets in cargo at all. Which honestly? Might be the most honest thing on this list.
But wait – there’s actually some GOOD news…
ITA AIRWAYS – THE GAME CHANGER
September 23rd, 2025. ITA Airways just made history.
They conducted a test flight letting large dogs travel in the cabin WITHOUT carriers. Two dogs – Moka and Honey – got to sit on the floor next to their owners on a Milan-Rome flight.
And this wasn’t just a publicity stunt. Italy’s Civil Aviation Authority passed a law in May 2025 allowing Italian airlines to transport animals over 10 kg on the adjacent passenger seat.
ITA Airways is now rolling out a policy for dogs up to 25 kilograms in the main cabin.
This is what progress looks like. No cargo hold. No temperature risks. No mystery about what’s happening to your pet. They’re right there with you.
If other airlines were paying attention, they’d be taking notes.
TIER 3: THE MEH MIDDLE
These airlines aren’t terrible. But they’re not great either.
The International Blind Spot:
- Emirates (82/100)
- Cathay Pacific (81/100)
- Singapore Airlines (85/100)
- Qantas (84/100)
Modern fleets. Climate control. Decent customer service. But here’s the problem: NO public incident reporting.
Singapore Airlines has a reputation for excellence. But can I prove their pet safety record? No. Because they don’t have to share it.
TIER 2: The Improved But Sketchy:
DELTA – Score: 80/100
2016-2017: Suspended pet cargo after incidents. Reinstated with better protocols. 2023: 2 deaths, 1 injury.
Better than American. Better than their own history. But still… 2 deaths.
British Airways (70/100): Remember the 2005 incident? Dog died from heat exposure. 20 years later, still minimal transparency about protocols.
Look, these airlines probably transport thousands of pets safely. But ‘probably’ isn’t good enough when it’s your dog. Your cat. Your family.
PetsTravel Info – the most complete and reliable information on international travel regulations for dogs, cats, birds, rodents, and even exotic pets.
TIER 1: THE ONLY AIRLINES THAT ACTUALLY CARE
These five airlines didn’t just talk about pet safety. They PROVED it.
#5 – AIR CANADA (87/100) Strong record, clear policies, trained staff. Solid choice for North American routes.
#4 – SWISS INTERNATIONAL (90/100)
Part of Lufthansa Group. Access to the best animal facilities in the world.
#3 – ALASKA AIRLINES (91/100)
2023 DOT data: ZERO pet deaths. ZERO injuries.
Consistently the safest U.S. carrier. Proactive communication. Temperature monitoring. They actually give a damn.
If you’re flying domestic? This is your airline.
#2 – KLM ROYAL DUTCH (92/100)
Dedicated animal hotel at Amsterdam Schiphol.
24/7 animal care team. Temperature and pressure-controlled compartments. Veterinary partnerships.
This isn’t a cargo hold. It’s a pet resort.
#1 – LUFTHANSA (94/100)
The gold standard.
Lufthansa Cargo Animal Lounge in Frankfurt: 24/7 monitoring, veterinary staff on-site, climate-controlled holding areas.
No publicly reported deaths in recent years.
While other airlines treat pets like luggage, Lufthansa built an entire infrastructure around their safety.
These airlines aren’t perfect. But they’re the only ones who act like your pet’s life actually matters.
Okay. You’ve seen the rankings. Now here’s how to protect your pet regardless of which airline you choose.
THE RULES & TIPS
RULE #1: NEVER FLY CARGO IN SUMMER
Cargo holds hit 120°F on tarmacs. Your dog can survive maybe 15 minutes. Flight delay? Could be 3 hours. Early morning or late evening flights ONLY.
RULE #2: DIRECT FLIGHTS. NO EXCEPTIONS
Every connection doubles the risk. Bags get lost. Now imagine that bag is breathing.
RULE #3: VET CERTIFICATE WITHIN 10 DAYS
Must say ‘FIT FOR AIR TRAVEL’ in bold. Not negotiable.
RULE #4: IATA-APPROVED CARRIER ONLY
That $30 Amazon special? Death trap. Ventilation on all sides. Secure locks. Your pet’s life isn’t worth saving $50.
RULE #5: FREEZE THE WATER BOWL
Fill it, freeze it the night before. It melts during travel = fresh water for hours. Simple. Genius.
RULE #6: CALL AHEAD – TWICE
24 hours before: Confirm your pet is on the manifest.
At the gate: Confirm AGAIN.
Make them say your pet’s name. Make it REAL to them.
RULE #7: DOCUMENT EVERYTHING
Screenshot confirmations. Record conversations. If something goes wrong, you need receipts.
I’ve compiled detailed information on 50+ airlines at PetsTravel.INFO. Bookmark it. Check it before EVERY flight. It’s free. Because your pet’s safety shouldn’t cost extra.
After 3 months of research, here’s what keeps me up at night:
370 confirmed pet deaths in 5 years.
And that’s just what we KNOW about.
Airlines only improve when we demand it. When we stop accepting ‘acceptable losses.’ When we hold them accountable.
Your pet trusts you completely. They don’t understand why they’re in a crate. Why it’s loud. Why it’s scary.
They just trust that you’ll keep them safe.
Choose the airline that deserves that trust.
Share it with anyone planning to fly with their pet. Drop a comment telling me which airline you’ll use – or avoid.
And check out PetsTravel.INFO for the complete rankings.
Because the more people know the truth, the harder it is for airlines to hide it.
Safe travels. To you and your family.
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