In the cabin: what Frontier actually accepts
Frontier's own rules, in plain English. Confirm the current details at flyfrontier.com.
Frontier accepts these species in the cabin, but only on flights within the United States, not on any route that crosses a border. The pet must be at least 8 weeks old.
One adult dog or cat is allowed per carrier, and Frontier allows one pet in the cabin per passenger. The carrier itself must fit fully under the seat in front of you.
Pet travel has to be arranged before you get to the airport. Frontier's phone, chat and WhatsApp lines can help set it up ahead of time, but it isn't something to sort out at the counter.
The species Frontier will never carry, in the cabin or otherwise
This is the part a lot of people don't expect from a "pets welcome" airline, and it's specific to Frontier, not generic industry policy.
Parrots, macaws, cockatoos and birds of prey are not accepted, only small household birds qualify.
Mice, rats and squirrels are excluded, along with beavers and ferrets.
Reptiles, including snakes, amphibians, spiders and insects are never accepted, cabin or otherwise.
If your animal isn't a dog, cat, rabbit, guinea pig, hamster or small household bird, Frontier won't carry it as a pet at all, no exceptions we've found published. Call us before you assume otherwise.
International pet travel, currently paused
The gotcha that catches people mid-booking to Mexico, the Caribbean or Central/South America.
Frontier currently isn't accepting new pets on international routes, confirm before you book. That's true whether you're headed to Cancún, San José or Bogotá: for now, the cabin-pet program is domestic-only, and Frontier is not taking new international pet bookings. Service animals are the exception, trained service dogs still travel internationally under their own separate documentation rules (see below), because they aren't classed as pets.
This is a status, not a permanent rule, so it can change without much notice. If your trip leaves the US at all and a pet is coming, call us or check flyfrontier.com directly before you buy a ticket or a carrier, don't assume the domestic rules carry over.
Carrier rules & what gets a pet turned away at the gate
Where a trip actually falls apart, often over something fixable in advance.
Hard-sided carriers up to 18 x 14 x 8 in; soft-sided up to 18 x 14 x 11 in. Either way, it must fit fully under the seat in front of you, and your pet must be able to stand, turn around and lie down inside it.
Your pet has to be harmless, not disruptive, odorless and need no attention from you during the flight, and it must stay in the carrier at all times. You may not sit in row 1 or an exit row with a pet.
Frontier notes that most vets advise against sedating a pet for a flight, the effect of tranquilizers at altitude is unpredictable. If your pet gets anxious flying, talk to your vet about it well before travel day, not the morning of.
A pet that fails any of these on the day can simply be refused boarding. Confirm your specific carrier and pet against Frontier's current rules before you travel, they're set by Frontier and can change.
The fee, and why we won't guess the amount
One of the few things Frontier doesn't put a number on.
Frontier charges a one-way, directional pet fee, payable in advance when you book or at pet check-in at the airport. We looked. Frontier does not publish a dollar figure for this fee anywhere on its site, so we're not going to invent one here. The amount is confirmed at booking on flyfrontier.com, or we'll get you the current figure on the call before you commit to anything.
Pet fees are set by Frontier and change; always get the number confirmed before you pay.
Service dogs vs. emotional-support animals, a critical difference
These are NOT pets, and the two are treated very differently on Frontier.
Frontier accepts individually trained service dogs, not other species, and not dogs still in training. No carrier is required; a service dog may sit on the floor, or on your lap if it's smaller than a two-year-old child, but it cannot sit in an exit row. Frontier requires the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form, submitted at least 48 hours before travel. Maximum 2 service dogs per passenger.
Frontier requires a service dog to be at least 4 months old for domestic travel. For international travel, Frontier's own pages disagree with each other, one says 4 months, another says 6 months. We use the stricter figure, 6 months, and recommend you confirm on the call before booking an international trip with a service dog.
Since 2021, Frontier does not recognize emotional-support animals as service animals at all. An ESA can only travel under Frontier's paid pet policy, same species list, same carrier rules, same domestic-only restriction as any other pet.
Service-animal rules are set by Frontier and the US DOT and change; confirm current requirements at flyfrontier.com before you travel, and submit the DOT form well ahead of your flight.
Before you book, the checklist
A few minutes now avoids a pet turned away at the counter.
- Is your trip entirely domestic? International pet bookings are currently paused, confirm before you buy
- Is your pet on the accepted list? Dog, cat, rabbit, guinea pig, hamster or small household bird, nothing else
- Will the carrier fit under the seat? Hard-sided max 18 x 14 x 8 in; soft-sided max 18 x 14 x 11 in
- Did you avoid row 1 and the exit rows? A pet can't sit there
- Is your pet at least 8 weeks old? Younger pets aren't accepted
Confirm the species list and the international pause before you spend on a carrier. Frontier's accepted-pet list is narrower than people assume, no reptiles, ferrets or exotic rodents, and if your trip leaves the US at all, new pet bookings aren't being taken right now. Tell us your pet, route and dates and we'll tell you straight whether Frontier can carry it before you buy anything.
Frequently asked
Can I bring my dog or cat in the cabin on Frontier?+
Can I check my pet as baggage, or ship it as cargo, on Frontier?+
Can I fly with my pet to Mexico, the Caribbean or another international destination on Frontier?+
What's the difference between a service dog and an emotional-support animal on Frontier?+
How much does it cost to bring a pet on Frontier?+
Contact options
Reach Frontier directly, or let us confirm your pet and book the spot.
Contact Frontier Airlines directly
The airline's own official channels, free.
These are Frontier's own channels; confirm current pet rules at flyfrontier.com.
More Frontier Airlines help
Related guides.