Flying with your dog

Flying with your dog on Delta

Here's exactly how to fly with a trained service dog on Delta Air Lines— the forms, the timing, where to submit, and what happens at the gate. It's the same process Danny and his service dog Copper have used on every flight, written plainly so you're not guessing at the counter.

Delta at a glance

Advance notice: 48 hours
Where to submit: https://www.delta.com/accessible-travel-services/service-animals
Good to know: Check "Trained Service Animal" box in Step 4. Relief Attestation Form only required for flights 8+ hours. Sky Club access allowed.

The two DOT forms every airline requires

Two official U.S. Department of Transportation forms do the heavy lifting — the same ones for every U.S. airline, Delta included:

DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form— your dog's health, vaccination, training, and behavior in public. Required for a service animal in the cabin.
DOT Relief Attestation— your plan for your dog's relief needs. Only required for flights of 8 hours or more.

These are not a certification — no U.S. registry certifies service animals, and none is required by law. The forms simply document that your dog is trained for a specific task and behaves appropriately. Paws on Board gives you editable versions with every field pre-explained.

Step by step: flying with your dog on Delta

Confirm the basics. Your dog is trained to do a specific task related to a disability and behaves calmly in public. Make sure their microchip and rabies vaccination are current — you'll reference them on the forms. (There is no government registry or official certification for service animals in the U.S., and none is required by law.)
Fill out the two DOT forms. The DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form covers your dog's health, vaccination, training, and behavior — every major U.S. airline requires it. The DOT Relief Attestation is only required for flights of 8 hours or more. Paws on Board pre-explains every field.
Submit to Delta. Delta asks for 48 hours of advance notice. Submit online at https://www.delta.com/accessible-travel-services/service-animals. Check "Trained Service Animal" box in Step 4. Relief Attestation Form only required for flights 8+ hours. Sky Club access allowed.
At the gate. Under the Air Carrier Access Act, staff may ask only two things: (1) is the dog required for a disability, and (2) what task is it trained to perform. They can't ask about your diagnosis or demand medical paperwork. Bring copies of your forms as backup.

Copper's tip

Submit Delta's forms as early as you can, then bring printed copies to the airport anyway — a friendly agent at the counter beats a portal glitch on travel day. And keep it calm and matter-of-fact at the gate — a well-behaved dog at your feet answers most questions before anyone asks.

Flying with a small dog (as a pet) on Delta

Not every dog on a plane is a service dog — a small dog can fly in the cabin as a pet, in a carrier under the seat. No DOT forms (those are service-animal documents). Here's Delta's current shape:

Pet fee: $150 each way (US/Canada/Puerto Rico/USVI, each way (raised April 2025). International routes $200. Aggregators report a further 2026 increase; the Delta page is canonical.)
Carrier: soft-sided up to 18" × 11" × 11"; your dog must fit and move comfortably inside. No published weight limit; the dog must fit and stand comfortably in a carrier that fits under the seat.
Per passenger: 1 carrier per ticketed passenger
Book the pet spot early: Add the pet to your reservation as early as possible; cabin pet spots are capped per flight and first-come.

Verified 2026-08-14. Fees and rules change without notice — Delta's own pet page is always the final word.

Common questions — Delta

How much advance notice does Delta need for a service dog?

Delta: 48 hours. Check "Trained Service Animal" box in Step 4. Relief Attestation Form only required for flights 8+ hours. Sky Club access allowed. Requirements can change — always confirm the current window with Delta before you book.

Where do I submit the DOT forms for Delta?

Delta accepts the forms through its accessibility portal: https://www.delta.com/accessible-travel-services/service-animals. Bring printed copies to the airport as backup.

Does Delta charge a pet fee for a service dog?

No. A trained service animal is not a pet under the Air Carrier Access Act, so there's no pet fee and no carrier requirement — your dog rides in the cabin at your feet. This is not a certification; what matters is that your dog is task-trained and well-behaved.

Can Delta ask whether my dog is really a service animal?

Delta staff may ask only two questions under the ACAA: is the dog required because of a disability, and what task is it trained to perform. They may not ask about your specific disability or require medical documentation.

Can a small dog fly on Delta without being a service animal?

Yes — as a pet in the cabin: a carrier under the seat (soft-sided up to 18" × 11" × 11"), a $150 pet fee each way, and a limited number of pet spots per flight, so add the pet to your booking early. No DOT forms — those are service-animal documents. Confirm current fees on Delta's pet page.

Want this handled for you? Paws on Board fills the DOT forms, tracks Delta's deadline, and lets you ask Copper anything about flying Delta — for free.

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Not legal advice, and not a certification of anything. Airline requirements change — always verify the current rules directly with Delta before you fly. Policy details last updated July 26, 2026. See all airlines →