KLM Pets Carriage Policy

KLM carries only dogs and cats. The airline limits how many animals each flight can take, so you must reserve your pet separately from your own ticket. This article summarises KLM's current rules and replaces the earlier version, whose weights and conditions have changed.

Reserving

Book the pet right after you book your own seat, and never later than two days (48 hours) ahead of departure. A cabin pet can be added through My Trip.
The animal has to be on your flight, not a different one, and must have reached 15 weeks of age.
Ask the destination's authorities whether your pet may enter before you commit.

In the cabin

A single cat or dog is accepted in the cabin in Economy, and in Business on routes inside Europe.
It rides in a closed bag or kennel, 46 x 28 x 24 cm at most, beneath the seat ahead. There must be room to stand, turn around and breathe freely.
The combined weight of bag and animal is capped at 8 kg, and the pet stays inside throughout the flight.
Premium Comfort, and Business on long-haul routes, do not take cabin pets, since a kennel will not fit under those seats.

In the hold

Up to three pets can go in the hold. Two adult animals of similar size, or three animals up to six months from one litter, can share a kennel if each weighs no more than 14 kg.
Kennel and pet together must weigh no more than 75 kg.
Maximum kennel size is 122 x 81 x 89 cm, or 102 x 69 x 76 cm on European flights flown with Boeing 737 and Embraer aircraft.
Pets cannot travel in the hold on KLM flights with Boeing 787-9, Boeing 787-10 and Airbus A321neo aircraft, or on KLC flights longer than 2 hours.
A connection of 3 hours or more rules out the hold. At Paris Charles de Gaulle and Orly the pet must be collected and checked in again, whatever the transfer time.

Restrictions

Snub-nosed breeds: most cannot travel in the hold; they may go in the cabin or as cargo. KLM names, among cats, Burmese, Exotic Shorthair, Himalayan and Persian, and among dogs, bulldogs, boxers, pugs, Boston terriers, Shih Tzu, Pekingese and others on its list.
United Kingdom: because of a UK embargo, KLM cannot carry pets into the UK as passenger baggage, either in the cabin or the hold. Pets travelling from the UK are not affected.
United States: dogs need the CDC Dog Import Form, a microchip and a minimum age of 6 months. For a dog aged 6 to 12 months, complete the form at least 15 days before departure.
Shanghai Pudong: pets stay in their carriers in the terminal and go through X-ray inside them.

Cost and check-in

KLM charges between EUR 70 and EUR 500 for each one-way flight. At the airport go to the special assistance desk, where the pet and kennel are weighed and labelled. KLM suggests arriving at least three hours before departure.