Pet Shipping Cost Calculator
What an international pet move costs comes down to the crate your pet needs, which sets the airline freight, the government fees at each end, and what your vet charges. Our pet carrier size checker sets IATA’s minimum for your dog or cat beside the under-seat limits that US and Canadian airlines publish.
Below is what each part of an international pet move actually costs, where the figure comes from, and when it was last checked. Government fees are exact, because they are public record. Airline freight is calculated from the live animal tariff American Airlines Cargo publishes. Your vet sets their own fees and that line comes from your clinic, and we time the visit so the paperwork lands inside its validity window.
What a pet move is actually made of
| Component | Typical range | Set by |
|---|---|---|
| Airline freight | $420 to $4,900 depending on crate size and route | Airline |
| IATA crate | $65 to $378, more for a custom giant build | Retailer |
| USDA export endorsement | $101 to $275 per certificate | USDA APHIS |
| Rabies titer test, where required | $79 to $90 lab fee | Laboratory |
| Import permit, where required | $0 to about $600 | Destination government |
| Quarantine, where required | $0 to about $1,900 and up | Destination government |
| Vet exam, health certificate, blood draw | Set by your clinic | Your vet |
| Ground transport at either end | Quoted per route | Us or a local partner |
| Our coordination | Itemized on your invoice | Us |
Two of these lines come from your own clinic. Your vet prices the exam, the certificate paperwork and the blood draw, and every practice sets its own rates, so ask for a quote when you book the visit. We handle the timing so each piece lands inside its validity window.
Why the crate matters more than the dog
Airlines charge on chargeable weight, which is whichever is greater: actual weight, or a volume figure derived from the crate. For pets, the volume figure almost always wins.
A size 400 crate works out to roughly 66 kg of chargeable weight whatever is inside it, while the dog and crate together might weigh 25 kg. That gap is why two similar dogs can be quoted very differently, and why a crate one size larger than necessary is an expensive mistake.
The divisor is published by Air Canada Cargo at 166 cubic inches per pound.
One thing to know before you budget
American Airlines Cargo carries pets for the general public through its PetEmbark service. Delta ships pets only for active US military and State Department Foreign Service personnel with permanent change of station orders. United publishes its own policy on its pets page.
American Airlines Cargo also publishes a live animal tariff, and it is the one this calculator’s freight line uses. We compare the three in our US airline pet policies guide.
Get your route priced
Tell us the route, the breed and roughly when you want to travel. Request a quote and we will reply with an itemized plan, a timeline and clear next steps.
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