How to Fly Large Dogs in Cabin: K9 Jets Review

In June of 2009 I moved from Phoenix, Arizona to Northern Italy with my 65lb dog and Ragdoll cat. Four stressful days, three commercial flights, one dog with explosive diarrhea and one cat who peed herself in her carrier when we were forced to place her in the hold on the last leg of our journey later, I vowed never, ever again to put pets through the trauma of flying in the airplane hold.

Fast forward nearly a decade and a half later, and I was once again faced with needing to transport a dog too large to fly in the cabin by commercial airline standards across the Atlantic. Thanks to K9 Jets, a private aviation charter broker who arranges pay-per-seat private jet charters, there are now other options beyond flying your dog as checked baggage or cargo.

Flying With Your Pet

Most commercial airlines have a combined pet and carrier weight limit of around 8kg (17lbs) for companion pets to fly in cabin, with the exception of the all business class airline La Compagnie, who allows pets up to 15kg (33lbs). Commercial airline weight and size limits don’t apply to service dogs. Beyond just the size and weight limit, there’s a long list of other challenges pet parents are faced with when flying commercial from limits on the number of pets allowed on each flight to bans on snub-nosed breeds such as pugs and even Burmese cats.

Between all the restrictions and the number of unfortunate airline-related pet incidents from lost pets to pet deaths, it’s no wonder the majority of pet travel experts – myself included – don’t recommend flying pets commercially unless absolutely necessary. Especially for larger dogs who have to be placed in the hold, the varying temperatures both on the runway while pets are loaded and in the hold itself, along with the unfamiliar noises and startling movements make for a stressful travel experience for both pets and pet parents.

While I’m personally an advocate for traveling by car, pet-friendly ferry companies that allow pets in cabin, or even train when possible to ensure the safest and most comfortable travel journey for your pet, it’s not always possible. When it comes to crossing the Atlantic between the US and Europe, the only options are to fly or take a 7-day Transatlantic cruise aboard Cunard Line’s Queen Mary 2.

When it comes to flying with your pet, flying private is a safe alternative to commercial air travel, especially for breeds restricted from air travel and for dogs too large to fly in cabin.

What is K9 Jets?

K9 Jets is a private aviation charter broker, meaning K9 Jets is not an airline. They don’t own and operates their own planes, but instead arrange charters with private aviation companies for their clients. Essentially, K9 Jets works as a middleman between you and the aircraft owner/operator.

Owners Adam and Kirsty Golder were inspired to start K9 Jets after they received an unusual request for a flight for 10 people and 10 dogs through their private jet charter company, G6 Aviation. At the height of the pandemic when Cunard Line had suspended their Transatlantic routes, a group of pet owners relocating abroad and needing to move their too large to fly in cabin pets abroad with them all found each through social media. That group decided to charter a private jet together and share the cost, making the seemingly too expensive and impossible… well, possible.

Those strangers coming together to charter a private jet to get their fur babies safely overseas launched a Facebook group. Soon Adam and Kirsty found themselves regularly arranging charters for more and more groups of strangers banding together to fly their pets abroad. A few years later K9 Jets was born, and now have flown hundreds of pets.

K9 Jets offers a calendar of regularly scheduled routes flying between the US and Europe, London and Dubai, and within the US. New routes, such as between both the US and Melbourne and London and Melbourne, are launching soon. And based on client requests, other regular routes are always in the works. If there’s a route you’re particularly interested in and not offered, you can also register your interest on K9 Jets.

How K9 Jets Works

As you might imagine, even sharing the cost of a private jet charter with others still leaves it a costly option with the average one-way flight for one person and their pet around $9000. K9 Jets’ primary clients are those relocating overseas, but the flights on their regularly scheduled routes are gaining traction among leisure travelers as well. No matter the reason you’re traveling with your pet, you want to be sure to understand how the entire process works.

K9 Jets, specialists in private jet charters with pets, makes it as easy as booking a commercial flight like you would on Delta. You simply head to the K9 Jets website, choose a route and date, click book and fill in your and your pet’s details. You can pay by bank transfer or credit card.

Here’s where it is important to understand how it works. You are purchasing a seat one-way. But for your flight to be guaranteed to operate, K9 Jets needs to sell 75% of the seats for the entire return flight route. If the 75% threshold for the full return flight route is not reached, K9 Jets may cancel the flight with a 100% refund or offer to re-book you on a different flight.

For example if you’re purchasing a seat from London to New Jersey, your flight is guaranteed once 75% of the seats on the flight from both London to New Jersey and the return from New Jersey to London are sold. You don’t have to worry much though, as K9 Jets is so in demand that they have yet not to operate a flight. In fact, most flights sell out well in advance and there is usually a waiting list in case any spots open up.

Should a flight not reach the 75% minimum threshold, K9 Jets will inform you of the cancellation no later than 28 days in advance. A 100% refund is offered or you can be re-booked on another date.

A seat purchase entitles you to:

• bring one pet over 51 pounds (23 kilograms) or two pets each under 50 pounds each (22kgs each)
• one 20kg (44 lbs) checked bag
• one small carry-on (which will also be stowed in the hold, but the flight attendant can access easily if you need something from it during the flight
• a personal item such a purse, small backpack or tote bag

Note that as I was traveling for an extended period of 4-5 months, I also used the convenient luggage shipping service Send My Bag to send an additional piece of trunk luggage from France to the US a few days ahead of our trip, and back from the US to France at the end of our trip.

Dogs of any size are welcome to fly in cabin with you with no crates, but cats must be in a carrier for the comfort and safety of all passengers. It is not required for dogs to wear a muzzle, but all passengers are requested to have a muzzle with them just in case.

About a month before your flight, K9 Jets invites passengers (and pups) for a video call and flight briefing. The flight briefing is everything you need and want to know from arrival at the airport to the layout of the aircraft. The video call is an opportunity to ask any questions you might have.

You’re still responsible for ensuring you meet all requirements such a vaccinations and microchips, and obtain all necessary animal health certificates to enter your destination. But K9 Jets does help support you through the process by answering questions and connecting you with proper authorities who can help you ensure everything is in order. All pet documentation is submitted via K9 Jets secure portal a few days ahead of your flight, which they then submit to the relevant authorities for pre-clearance.

A few days ahead of your flight, you also receive a final flight briefing. This includes important information like the aircraft tail number and PPR number, which you need to access some of the private terminals which K9 Jets flies from, and a seating chart for the flight.

Our K9 Jets Experience

We flew K9 Jets round trip from Europe to the US, and then the US back to Europe. We flew from London Farnborough in the UK to Teterboro, just outside of NYC, and on return from Teterboro to Paris, France.

Our flight from London to the US departed from the private executive airport London Farnborough. We arrived one hour ahead of our flight, as directed in the pre-flight briefing. We had driven to London from our home in Bordeaux, and Tim dropped me and Coco off. At the airport entrance gate, we presented the security booth with a PPR code that is required to access the airport.

As soon as we pulled up to unload my luggage, airport staff was immediately there with a luggage rack to assist. My passport was checked, my checked bag was whisked off to be screened and loaded on the aircraft by staff, and we were directed to the lounge to relax. Each individual flight has their own private lounge, and we were able to meet our fellow passengers and pups we were flying with. Tim was also able to wait in the lounge with us until departure.

Adam, based in the UK, was there to greet each and every passenger and pup. Your pet receives a K9 Jets canvas tote bag, which contains a personally embroidered bone toy, K9 Jets cookies from Life of Riley Pet Bakery, and a collapsible K9 Jets water bowl. Each passenger also receives a little gift, and on my departure from London it was a lovely travel set from TempleSpa.

There’s plenty of grassy areas all along the front of London Farnborough Airport, and you can go outside as needed. About 30 minutes prior to our scheduled departure, we all took the pups outside. And about 15 minutes before departure, you board the aircraft from the back to front so as to avoid any pets having to walk past the others.

The aircraft is a Gulfstream G-IVSP long range jet. It has a maximum capacity of 16 passengers, but K9 Jets sets their maximum capacity to 10 passengers + 10 pets. There’s typically three cabin zones with one bathroom located at the back of the aircraft.

The jet is running as you go out to board the plane, but it’s not exceptionally loud. Coco was not really bothered by the sound as we boarded, and was perfectly fine to pose for some photos before boarding.

The pilots and flight attendant greeted us as we boarded, and I was offered a glass of champagne. With only a maximum of 10 passengers, it doesn’t take long to get everyone boarded and ready for takeoff. There’s also not all the commercial air traffic of scheduled flights, so you’re typically in the air within a few minutes after boarding.

Your dog is welcome to sit right on the seat alongside you, in your lap, or lay on the floor. It’s basically anything goes, as long as your dog stays on a leash throughout the flight and your cat stays in their carriet. K9 Jets recommends you bring a blanket or travel mat to protect the seats if your pet chooses to sit on the seats. We brought a travel mat, which folds up conveniently, and it worked perfectly for covering the seat while Coco sat and looked out the window.

Our flight from London was a daytime flight departing at 11am, and in the pre-flight briefing we were told we would have a light afternoon tea service. As soon we were up in the air, our flight attendant, Amanda, offered everyone drinks, pastries and a fresh fruit plate. There’s an open bar, and you can have coffee, tea, water, wine and champagne as you like throughout the flight. I asked if iced tea was available, and Amanda made me iced tea.

A steady stream of food came throughout the flight. We had delicious Scotch eggs, there was a cheese plate, cookies and brownies, and tea sandwiches. Additionally, there’s a stocked snack bar where you can grab a variety of chips, candy bars and granola bars throughout the flight.

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It was a gorgeous day all the way from London to Teterboro and it was an incredibly smooth flight. I’ve flown private before while on safari by private jet, but never such long haul or across an ocean. Private jets can actually fly higher, the Gulfstream G-IVSP up to 45,000 feet, whereas commercial aircraft are capped at 30,000 – 40,000 feet.

Before I knew it, the New Jersey coastline came into view and we were getting ready to land at Teterboro Airport. Upon landing, we first stopped and all got off the jet at a building for US immigration. Outside the immigration office is a grassy area, so the first order of business was letting the pups all do their business. US Immigration took about 30 seconds per passenger and within minutes our entire group was all set. Not spending hours waiting in a line snaking through an airport terminal was worth flying private alone, not even Global Entry is as fast. We all hopped back on the jet, and finished taxiing to the terminal.

I booked a pet-friendly car service with Blacklane. My driver was waiting, and it only took a few minutes for a porter to bring all the luggage out. Within 20 minutes of landing, Coco and I were in the car and on our way to NYC for the first stop of our US trip. Though if you’re traveling onward immediately, it’s good to know that there is a Hertz car rental desk right at Teterboro and that Hertz is a pet-friendly rental car company.

Our return flight from Teterboro to Aéroport Paris-Le Bourget was an overnight flight, and it was a bit of a different experience.

As we were departing from Teterboro at 9pm, I booked a day use hotel close to Teterboro where we could relax comfortably for a few hours ahead of our flight after a day exploring New York City. As we were traveling just a few minutes from the hotel to Teterboro, I used UberPet to get to Teterboro.

Like London Farnborough, there was a security booth checkpoint to access the Teterboro complex. There’s several separate buildings, and the security guard simply asked for the flight information and directed us to the correct building for departure. Pulling up, my UberPet driver unloaded my luggage but there wasn’t porters that assisted me with getting my bags inside the building like in London.

The captain greeted me inside, asked for my passport and took the bags I was checking. Coco and I arrived a full hour ahead of the flight but were the last to arrive, and the captain said we were going to take off early. I barely had a chance to sit down, and we were starting boarding already. Luckily, I had walked Coco and she had gone to the bathroom just before our UberPet picked us up because we didn’t have a chance for a final potty break before boarding.

Our flight attendant happened to be Amanda, the same flight attendant I’d had a few months earlier when we flew from London to the US. Amanda immediately remembered us and came to chat about our trip, before offering a glass of champagne or a drink.

After we were up in the air, Amanda offered a selection of Jersey Mike’s sub sandwiches and chips as a light dinner. The lights were dimmed shortly after, and everyone slept the majority of the flight. It was very quiet, unlike the our daytime flight from London when everyone mostly chatted throughout the flight.

As our flight brief had said there would be a light breakfast before we were due to land in Paris at 10am, I was honestly a bit surprised that nothing was offered in the morning. It seemed like everyone woke up and we were already getting ready for landing.

Also unlike our arrival at Teterboro, immigration officers met our flight in the lounge. We immediately deplaned and went inside the lounge, where the immigration officers collected passports to process them. Emma from K9 Jets was also there to greet everyone arriving, and handing out the K9 Jets tote bags with the embroidered bone toy, K9 Jets collapsible water bowl, K9 Jets cookies and this time an adorable gift box of Valentine themed gingerbread cookies all shaped like dogs, of course, from British company Biscuteers for the human passengers. Coco was doing the potty dance, so I asked to step outside to let her go to the bathroom and was able to go out front while the passports were being checked.

I had booked a taxi with G7, which has pet-friendly options and I always recommend for travel in Paris as you can easily book in advance via their website or app. UberPet is an option, too. Within 30 minutes of landing, Coco and I were on our way in to Paris to catch our Paris to Bordeaux train home.

Requirements to Travel Internationally with your Dog

It’s important that you always check the official government websites of the countries you’re visiting to verify exactly what requirements and documents are needed to travel internationally with your dog for your situation. For the US, visit the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) website. For the UK, check GOV.UK and for the EU, check Your Europe, the official website of the European Union.

As Coco was born and resides in France, she has an EU Pet Passport issued in France. This is a standardized document across EU countries which essentially records important information about your pet such as vaccinations, microchip number and fit for travel certifications.

Travel to and from the US to the EU with a pet is quite simple for us. We needed nothing more than Coco’s EU Pet Passport showing her up to date rabies vaccination and microchip number to fly to the US and return to France. As we also traveled from France to the UK, we did have to visit our veterinarian for a tape worm treatment to be administered and recorded in Coco’s EU Pet Passport within 24 – 120 of our arrival in the UK.

Again, you should always verify with official government websites of the countries you’re visiting for requirements, import documents and health certifications. But here are the current requirements for pets traveling to the EU, UK and the US.

Microchip

For pets traveling to the EU and pets traveling to the UK, the pet must be microchipped with an ISO-compatible microchip (a global standardized 15-digit long microchip). For the US, there is currently no nationwide mandate for pets to be microchipped.

If your pet has been microchipped in the US, it is likely that the microchip is not ISO-compatible. When we moved to Italy with our dog and cat, they both received an additional ISO-compatible microchip in preparation for our move even though they had previously been microchipped.

Rabies Vaccination

Your pet must be vaccinated against rabies before your pet can travel, and the rabies vaccination is required for all pets traveling to the EU, UK and the US. The rabies vaccination is valid for travel after 21 days for a primary rabies vaccination.

If you’re microchipping your pet for the first time, the rabies vaccination must be administered on or after the microchip. That may mean that you need to re-vaccinate your pet against rabies to prepare for travel.

After your pet is microchipped and received a primary rabies vaccination, there can be no lapses between rabies booster vaccines in order for it to remain valid. For pets with an EU Pet Passport, the primary rabies vaccine and any subsequent boosters can only be administered and recorded in the passport by authorized EU veterinarians.

If there are ever any lapses between rabies vaccinations, you must start over with a primary rabies vaccination and the 21-day waiting period.

Animal Health Certificate or EU Pet Passport

To fly internationally from the EU or UK to the US, or vice versa to fly internationally from the US to the EU, your pet needs either a valid EU Pet Passport or an Animal Health Certificate. To fly from the US to the UK, your pet needs an Animal Health Certificate regardless of whether they hold an EU Pet Passport or not since BREXIT.

To obtain an Animal Health Certificate for travel to the EU or UK, there are a few steps to complete the process:

1. You must take your pet to a USDA accredited veterinarian for an international health exam. This exam ensures your pet is free of contagious diseases and is fit to travel.
   
   *It’s recommended to reach out to a USDA accredited veterinarian in your area as soon as possible for them to advise you on their pet travel process. Some veterinarians require an initial international health exam at least 30 days ahead of travel, then a subsequent appointment for completing and submitting the health certificate to APHIS for endorsement.
2. The USDA accredited veterinarian then submits the Animal Health Certificate to APHIS for review and endorsement within within 10 days of travel. It’s advised to include an overnight shipping with Saturday delivery label to receive your APHIS endorsed Animal Health Certificate as promptly as possible.
   
   The Animal Health Certificate is good for 4 months, and can be used to travel within the European Union and to return to the United States.
3. If you’re traveling to the UK, Ireland, Finland, Malta, or Norway then you will return to the veterinarian after receiving the endorsed Animal Health Certificate for a tape worm treatment from 24 to 120 hours before entering one of these destinations. The veterinarian will administer the tape worm treatment and complete the tapeworm treatment section of the health certificate.

The average cost of an international health exam from a USDA accredited veterinarian is around $300. Some veterinarians also charge an additional fee for a subsequent appointment within 10 days of travel and completing the health certificate, again with a cost around $300.

Tapeworm Treatment

Pets traveling to the UK, Ireland, Finland, Malta, or Norway also require a veterinarian administered tapeworm treatment from between 24 hours and 120 hours before arrival in the destination.

A tapeworm treatment is very simple. It’s a pill your pet simply has to swallow in the presence of the veterinarian so that they can either sign the EU Pet Passport of Animal Health Certificate.

Veterinarians across the EU are all very familiar with tapeworm treatment. We have personally gotten tapeworm treatments in France, Italy and the Netherlands in preparation for travel to the UK. The price is nominal in the EU and varies from €8 to €40 depending on if the veterinarian also charges for a full exam.

It’s been many years since we’ve visited a veterinarian in the US, but research of the national average for a routine vet visit in the US seems to range from $25-$186. I’d expect you’d pay for a routine visit plus the cost of the tapeworm pill itself in the US.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost?

The cost of K9 Jets depends on the route. All costs for the routes K9 Jets flies is listed on their website. The most popular and frequent route flies between Teterboro, New Jersey and Farnborough, just outside of London, England and costs $8925.

How many pets can fly with one person? Is there a fee for more than one pet?

Each ticket is sold as a “seat” on K9 Jets. The seat entitles you to bring one pet that weighs over 23kg (51lbs) or two pets that each weigh under 22 kg (50lbs). If you wish to bring more pets, you need to purchase additional seats.

Is there any additional cost on top of what is listed on the K9 Jets website, such as taxes or extra fees?

K9 Jets lists a per seat price that is all inclusive. There are no additional taxes or fees such as a fee for baggage. What is not included is the cost of veterinarian fees, animal health certificates, and any additional travel fees such as hotel or getting to the departure destination.

How long is the flight? Is it direct?

The flights are all direct. There are no layovers, though longer routes may need to make a brief fuel stop. The length of the flight depends on the route you are flying. Our flight from London Farnborough to Teterboro was 6.5 hours and our flight from Teterboro to Paris was 7 hours.

Where do the dogs go to the bathroom?

Four legged passengers use the bathroom facilities such as the grass outside the airport before boarding and after arrival. The average adult dog should have no problem holding their bladder for 10-12 hours with normal water intake. There are absorbent pee pads available onboard just in case.

Should you give your dog any anti-anxiety medication or natural relaxers before the flight?

This is up to you and your dog. I would suggest discussing any use of medication with your veterinarian.

I did not give anything to Coco before the flight. Coco is used to traveling and I wasn’t worried that she would be scared or anxious. We traveled for several days before our flights, which really tires Coco out. We had a walk before each flight, too.

Should you withhold food and water before the flight?

This is also up to you and your dog. I fed Coco earlier than her usual meal times before each flight so that she could have time to do any business. I did not without water, and I offered her a drink several times throughout the flight.

What if the dogs on the flight don’t get along?

It does happen that not all of the dogs on a flight will get along. K9 Jets are very experienced at flying planes full of pups, and they typically change the assigned seating around if two dogs are especially not getting along to give them more space from each other.

We had a seat mate at the set of four seats around the table who was a reactive dog. Coco is very adaptable, and the other dog tolerated her presence. It didn’t cause a problem.

Every passenger is also asked to bring a muzzle with them just in case.

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