I want to take my animal, what should I do?

Flying with a pet takes a bit of preparation, but it is perfectly doable. Here is how it works with us.

First, the good news

Most airlines accept cats and dogs, either in the cabin or in the hold. In the hold, your pet travels in a dedicated area that is pressurised and heated, in its own carrier.

Cabin or hold?

It comes down to weight. Your pet can usually travel in the cabin if it stays under the airline's limit, which is typically somewhere between 6 and 8 kg including the carrier. Above that, it travels in the hold. Each airline sets its own threshold and its own maximum carrier dimensions, so the exact figures depend on who you fly with.

Careful though: some airlines do not accept pets at all, on any flight. That is why the first step below matters.

How to book

A pet cannot be added on its own during checkout, so the process goes through our team.

  1. Write to us before you book, at support@ulysse.com. Tell us your route and dates so we can check whether the airline accepts pets on that flight.
  2. Once we confirm, buy your own ticket on the site, along with any other human travellers coming along.
  3. Send us your pet's details: species, breed, weight, and the dimensions of its carrier or travel bag.
  4. We contact the airline to get the exact price for adding your pet, and we come back to you with the figure.
  5. You pay that amount plus a 20 € Ulysse handling fee per request, and we add your pet to the booking.

What it costs

Two things add up: the airline's own pet fee, which varies a lot from one carrier and one route to another, and our 20 € handling fee per request. We always tell you the total before you commit to anything.

Do not forget the paperwork

Airlines and border authorities will ask for your pet's documents, and this is checked at the airport. Depending on where you are flying, that usually means a microchip, an up to date rabies vaccination, and a pet passport or health certificate. Some destinations add their own requirements, and a few impose a quarantine. Look this up early, because some of these documents take weeks to obtain.

Not sure where to start? Write to us and we will tell you what applies to your trip.