Dog Transport Service Cost: How Much is it to Fly? | PetRelocation
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When planning to move your dog across the country or especially overseas, it's hard not to constantly think about how much you should budget. Many elements go into dog travel, from vet visits to customs clearance; it might be more than expected.
Even if you choose not to hire a professional service to coordinate a safe move plan for your dog's travels, the items can add up to a hefty price tag. To help give you a better idea of what to expect with the costs of your dog's move, we've compiled a list of example expenses to consider when budgeting for your travels.
Read on to learn how much it costs to fly a dog. While some costs, like airfare, may be a no-brainer, other expenses, like vet visits and import permits, might be less familiar to you.
Attention: The below estimates only provide a general idea of how much it costs to ship a dog without hiring a service provider to help. Involving a service provider or adding various conditions to your move will make the prices vary. Contact a PetRelocation Consultant here to find out the specifics of how much it is for a dog to fly with our services.
Table of Contents
Dog transport service costs are complex. We break down how much it costs to fly a dog when you move by different expenses.
Travel Crate
Vet Visit
Airline Ticket
Ground Transportation and Pet Taxis
Government Endorsements
Import Permits
Custom Clearance
Quarantine
DIY vs. Hiring a Professional
Dog Transport Service Costs: Must Haves
Whether your dog is taking a domestic flight or you're taking them on your international travels, there are a few upfront costs to consider. Here, we break down some of the highest costs of transporting your dog.
Travel Crate
Is your pet traveling in-cabin or in the cargo hold? Either way, you must purchase a kennel that meets the airlines' requirements. We have some tips and tricks for finding the right kennel and size for your dog for cargo travel on this page.
Research the costs of travel crates beforehand, and don't forget to purchase two water bowls to attach to the door! No matter how far you're traveling with your dog, having a suitable pet carrier is essential for their safety, comfort, and peace of mind.
Example Estimate: A PetMate Sky Kennel for a dog can cost anywhere between $50 USD and $400 USD, depending on your dog’s size. You might even need to have a custom crate made if your dog is considered a large breed. If your dog needs a custom crate built, the costs will start at about $1,000.
Freya and Odin required custom crates.
Vet Visits
From general vaccinations to blood tests to health checks, your dog's move will require at least one vet visit. You might even have to ensure your dog sees a government-approved or accredited veterinarian if you are moving internationally!
Read the pet import requirements for your destination and discuss the process, including the related costs, with your vet. Vet visits are often overlooked when calculating how much it costs to fly a dog, but many airlines and foreign countries require them.
Example Estimate: A simple domestic health certificate alone can vary greatly between vets — we’ve seen prices range from $75 USD up to $250 USD before. Talk with your vet and try to schedule multiple procedures in the same visit, if possible, to bring the costs down.
Airline Ticket and Fees
Of course, the most significant expense for air travel with your pet will be the cost of airfare. Because pets require extra care and attention throughout their journey, airlines' rates for
live animals are often more expensive than regular passenger ticket prices. For cargo specifically, most airlines base the ticket pricing for pets on the travel crate's volume and the pet's weight with the travel crate.
Additionally, you must consider how the costs to fly your dog will be affected if your dog's routing requires a layover. Layovers for pets that last more than a few hours can add additional fees, which ensure they are well looked after at a pet hotel until they are put on the next flight. While you may be able to jump on a discount flight to your destination without worrying about routing or stops, pets have to be carefully routed to ensure they're only flying in and out of airports that have pet-friendly airlines.
Lastly, it is essential to note that some airlines will not allow you to book directly with them to fly your dog internationally to some countries. Instead, you must go through a pet-shipping company with an airline account. This is because they want assurance that the import procedures and paperwork were completed correctly to avoid penalties or fees.
Example Estimate: Flying one small dog (like a Chihuahua) domestically via cargo with a pet-friendly airline, will likely cost between $275 USD to $300 USD. Larger dogs’ airfreight (like a Great Dane) can go up to around $1000 USD for a domestic move, especially if you have a custom kennel. International flights can be two to three times this amount, depending on the locations involved.
Other Dog Transport Service Costs
Of course, how much it costs to fly your dog is just one part of the overall moving expenses. Don't forget that your pet may need additional transportation services once they land.
Ground Transportation
If you're moving with your pet within the continental United States, ground transportation may need to be an option you consider. Due to COVID-19, there are not as many airlines accepting pets as there previously were. Furthermore, if your dog is a large breed or snub-nosed pet, no airlines will fly them in the US.
Example Estimate: The cost of ground transportation when needed will vary based on the length of the journey. PetRelocation's ground transportation rates start at $2200 - $2400 for a 10-hour drive and increase to around $6000 - $6400 for a cross-country journey.
Pet Taxis
Considering that your dog's travels may not align with your travel plans, looking into hiring services to transport your dog to and from the airport may be a good idea. Hiring a professional pet taxi or driver with a climate-controlled vehicle may not be as inexpensive as you consider the time spent on the drive, the distances traveled, fuel costs, and traffic.
Also, if you plan on having someone check in your dog at the airport for you, it may take a few hours to ensure that all of the paperwork is in order and that your dog is weighed and prepped for departure.
Example Estimate: Animal transportation costs vary based on the city, distance from the airport, number of pets, and time of day the travel takes place. The transport of one dog in a major US city (like New York) during regular business hours to an airport within 10 miles of your home may cost you up to $275 USD.
International Dog Transport Service Costs to Consider
Of course, how much it costs to fly your dog internationally can be drastically more than a domestic move. Here are some unique dog transport service costs associated with international travel.
Government Approvals or Endorsements
Depending on where you are moving, you may need to take your dog's veterinary paperwork to get government approval or endorsement before travel. Some countries even require multiple endorsements, such as Consular and USDA.
Again, knowing the rules for importing a dog to your destination is essential.
Example Estimate: USDA endorsement fees can be found on their website here -- for one dog with no blood tests it will cost $38 USD. Keep in mind that this does not include the time spent to book and attend an in-person appointment or the cost of mailing in paperwork to be endorsed.
Import Permits
Some countries will only allow pets to enter with an import permit. As you can imagine, getting formal approval from a government to bring your pet overseas can often come at quite a price.
If your destination requires an import permit, try looking for these fees on that country's government website.
Example Estimate: The fees for obtaining an import permit for a pet going to Australia can be found on the DAFF website here. For just one dog, the import permit fees will cost $480 AUD.
Customs Clearance
Once your dog arrives, clearance steps need to be taken. These can include brokers, taxes, tariffs, and other country-specific fees that must be paid for your dog to be released to you.
Most airlines will gladly share any of these customs fees with you when you book your dog's flight. If that's not the case, check your destination country's government website to see if any customs fees are indicated there.
Example Estimate: New Zealand’s governing body over pet imports, MPI, lists their border clearance charges on their website here. Depending on the country your dog is traveling from, this fee can range anywhere between $28.19 NZD (fixed) to $186.30 NZD (hourly).
Quarantine
If you're moving to a country requiring a quarantine period, like New Zealand or Malaysia, you must consider the fees needed to keep your pet at the quarantine facility. Remember that these facilities offer more than just accommodations for your pet -- they provide food, outdoor time or walks, and medical care if needed.
Example Estimate: The quarantine fees for pets moving to Singapore can be found on the AVA website here. In short, it will cost at least $336.50 SGD for a dog to stay in quarantine for 10 days (the typical minimum period for pets).
Should You Hire Professional Pet Relocators?
While some people choose to handle their pet moves independently, many owners eventually decide to have a service organize it all. Managing the costs and logistics of a pet move from door to door can be complicated and stressful, so hiring an all-in-one pet transportation company relieves the most. It's more expensive to hire a service since you'd also be paying for managing your dog's move, but it's just one less thing to worry about!
Dacey and Radar moved to Australia.
Don't just take our word for it -- here is some insight from other happy pet owners who sought PetRelocation's assistance with their dog's travels:
"High heels, lots of treats, and a smiling dog, as she pulled away, made me exhale and focus on the next 3,000 things I needed to do before I made a move the next day." Read More
"We are so happy that we didn't try to do this ourselves, and we picked PetRelocation, especially Evelyn and Kelcey, who helped us with everything." Read More
"From the very first email we received from PetRelocation, the stressful process of moving our precious puppy back to Australia has been completely stress-free." Read More
"Every question and concern was addressed immediately, and we became more confident that Maya would arrive and be released without any issues." Read More