Transport of dogs and cats in the hold

The transport of cats and dogs in the air-conditioned hold as excess baggage in special pet carriers is now bookable for flights from December 1, 2025. To ensure your pet arrives at the destination safely and well looked after, we have made all the important information available to you on this page.

Discover Airlines puts the safety and well-being of all passengers first, and of course this includes the safety and well-being of pets. For this reason, our guidelines are based on the current animal welfare provisions, import and export regulations and International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations.

Please also refer to the general information on the transport of animals on Discover Airlines flights.

General information on the transport of animals

Requirements

Cats and dogs weighing more than 8 kg, including the travel carrier, are not allowed to travel in the cabin.

A maximum of two animals are allowed per passenger (in a compliant travel carrier). Animals can be transported either in the cabin and/or hold:

  • A maximum of two animals (dog or cat) in the cabin (in a compliant travel carrier) or a maximum of two animals in the hold (in one or two approved travel carriers).
  • One animal (dog or cat) in the cabin (in a compliant travel carrier) and one animal in the hold (in a compliant travel carrier).

For cats and dogs, the minimum age for travel to/from Germany is 15 weeks.

Detailed information on the nature and dimensions of travel carriers can be found at the bottom of this page.

Special regulations apply for fighting dog breeds and snub-nosed breeds.

Compliance with import and export regulations and animal welfare provisions is your responsibility. For the applicable regulations, please check with the consulate of the applicable country or countries you are visiting and your veterinarian. In addition, Discover Airlines reserves the right to apply stricter rules if necessary and to refuse bookings for certain routes.

If Discover Airlines has to refuse to transport the animal because the provisions have not been complied with, Discover Airlines is not liable for the resulting costs (e.g., rebooking fees, accommodation for the animal, hotel stay).

In exceptional cases, e.g. due to regulations of individual countries, it is possible that your animal cannot be transported as excess baggage in the air-conditioned hold of the Discover Airlines aircraft, despite fulfilling all of the above requirements.

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You can transport your dog or cat in the air-conditioned hold as excess baggage in a special travel carrier on your Discover Airlines flight. We will check availability and make your booking for you no later than 72 hours before departure.

Important note: Please note that the transport of animals in the hold is not available on flights with stopovers, but only on direct flights operated by Discover Airlines to/from Frankfurt and Munich. Transportation is available on short and medium-haul flights, provided the flight takes place on board an A320. Transport in the cargo hold is not possible on all long-haul flights, as well as on short-haul and medium-haul flights to the following destinations: Ålesund, Bodø, Chania, Djerba, Hurghada, Kalamata, Kefalonia, Keflavík, Larnaca, Marsa Alam, Monastir, Samos, Skiathos and Zakynthos.

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Requirements for the travel carrier

A travel carrier that meets International Air Transport Association (IATA) requirements is needed to transport an animal in the hold; otherwise, Discover Airlines may refuse to transport the animal. In this case, Discover Airlines will not be liable for the resulting costs (e.g., rebooking fees, accommodation of the animal, hotel stay).

Please note: The travel carrier must be secured with metal screws. A plastic lock is not considered a safer lock and is not accepted.

Different travel carriers are required depending on the species of animal. You must supply the travel carrier yourself. Usually, they cannot be purchased at the airport. We recommend getting the travel carrier early so your pet can get familiar with it before you fly.

Please note: You must also provide a water and food bowl, which must be attached to the inside of the door and be fillable from the outside.

Below are the specifications of the carriers for the transport of cats and dogs in the air-conditioned hold.

1. Each carrier must be suitable for the cat or dog to be transported.
2. The size must allow the animal to stand, move and lie in its natural position.
3. The inside of the container must be smooth and free of protrusions that the animal could bite or scratch off, in order to keep the container completely intact.
4. The top must be tight to prevent rain, snow or hail from entering.
5. Containers composed of a top and a bottom must be securely screwed together with metal screws.
6. The container must be stable, sealable and clean, and have a waterproof floor that is fitted with absorbent material (e.g. an absorbent pet carrier insert). The use of newspaper, cat litter or straw is not permitted.
7. The door openings must be securely closed.
8. The use of cable ties is recommended to secure the doors.
9. Wheels on the carrier are not allowed. If it has wheels, these must be removed or rendered inoperable prior to acceptance.
10. Ventilation must be provided on all 4 sides of the travel carrier. To prevent the risk of injury, the ventilation openings must be sufficiently small or covered with mesh so that no body parts of the animal are able to escape or protrude.
11. The side and rear ventilation openings must be in the top two-thirds of the carrier.
12. The design must feature spacers (including along the sides and rear) which serve as handles for moving the carrier and prevent the ventilation openings from becoming blocked by other cargo or items of baggage.
13. One water and one food container each must be attached to the cage. They may not be filled for the flight, but they must be accessible from the outside. Food and water for the flight can be provided in non-spill containers. The instructions for feeding and drinking must be indicated on the information label.
14. The carrier must be easy for personnel to handle and provide protection against scratch and bite injuries from the animal.

Please note: Wire or mesh carriers are not approved for air transport. The top of the container must also be made of solid material, not wire. Ventilation holes are permitted unless they reduce the stability of the top of the carrier.

Special conditions apply for fighting dog breeds.

Travel carriers for animals in the hold

1. Door hinges and latches must protrude at least 1.60 cm above and below the door openings at the horizontal protrusions.
2. Ventilation openings
3. Rear view
4. Attached food and water containers
5. Door lock
6. Spacers

Prices

The costs for transporting animals in the air-conditioned hold as excess baggage depend on both the flight route and the size of the travel carrier. The price is calculated per direction of flight. Please note: For return flights and stopovers (stopovers of more than 24 hours), the fee will be charged again.

Payment for the transport of the animal must be made at the check-in counter or at the Discover Airlines Service counter at the airport. In addition to your pet and its travel carrier, you can also take the free baggage allowance included in your flight ticket.

You can check your free baggage allowance in just a few steps using the baggage calculator – based on your route, travel class and fare. You will also find the prices for taking your pet in the hold or cabin.

Go to baggage calculator

Checklist

To assist with your preparations, we have created a checklist with all the important points.

Checklist for the Transport of Animals in the Hold (PDF)
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