Flying a Dog in the Hold: The Ride and Check-In

Animal transport needs to be requested at booking, the same way a wheelchair or an oversized item does — this isn't optional paperwork, it's how we make sure the car we send actually has room for a crate rather than a boot packed for suitcases. Give us the crate's approximate size and the dog's weight in the booking notes so we can confirm it fits before pickup.

Guide dogs and assistance dogs travel differently and are always welcome; this guidance is specifically about a dog travelling in the aircraft hold as cargo, which is the case that needs a crate and extra planning.

A hold-travel crate is built to IATA sizing rules and is often larger and more rigid than a soft carrier, which means it competes for the same boot space as your luggage rather than sitting neatly alongside it. Measure the crate before you book and choose a vehicle category with enough combined room, or mention the dimensions in the notes if you're not sure which category fits.

For a larger dog with a correspondingly large crate, the SUV / XL category's bigger boot is often the safer choice over a Standard car, even if your own luggage is modest.

Animals travelling in the hold typically check in at a dedicated counter separate from ordinary passenger check-in, and that counter can have its own cut-off time — sometimes earlier than the standard check-in deadline for the flight itself. Check your airline's specific requirement for animal check-in rather than assuming it matches the normal passenger deadline.

Because that counter can close earlier, and because getting a crate and a nervous dog through the airport takes longer than walking through with a rolling case, build in a genuinely earlier pickup than you would for the same flight without an animal.

Have the crate ready and the dog settled before the car arrives — loading a crate with a stressed animal inside takes longer at the kerb than doing it calmly at your own pace beforehand. Keep water available for the dog until the last practical moment, and confirm with your airline in advance exactly what documentation or health certification they require, since that varies by destination and isn't something we can advise on.