A dog or cat moving from the United States to Germany typically runs $1,600 to $4,600. No import permit, no government entry fee, no quarantine for a compliant pet.
Germany is worth choosing deliberately. Frankfurt runs a dedicated Animal Lounge where pets in transit are rested, watered and checked between flights, which makes it one of the better places in the world for a pet to change planes.
Airlines price live animals on chargeable weight: whichever is greater, the actual weight or a volume figure worked out from the crate. For pets the volume figure almost always wins, which is why crate size drives the flight cost more than the animal does.
The divisor is published by Air Canada Cargo at 166 cubic inches per pound. The rates come from the American Airlines Cargo public tariff, the tariff these estimates are calculated against. Current version checked July 2026.
| Crate size | Approx. dimensions | Chargeable weight | Freight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (cat or toy dog) (size 100) | 21 x 16 x 15 in | 14 kg | $690 |
| Medium (size 200) | 28 x 20.5 x 21.5 in | 34 kg | $1,066 |
| Large (size 400) | 36 x 25 x 27 in | 66 kg | $1,960 |
| Giant (size 700) | 48 x 32 x 35 in | 147 kg | $2,977 |
These are our own calculation from the published rate and divisor, for a direct booking. A connecting routing or a carrier that quotes rather than publishes will differ.
| Cost | Amount | Who charges it |
|---|---|---|
| USDA export endorsement | $101 per certificate | USDA APHIS |
| IATA crate | $65 to $378 depending on size | Retailer |
| Microchip and rabies vaccination | Set by your clinic | Your vet |
| EU Animal Health Certificate | Set by your clinic | Your vet |
| Airline live animal processing | $150 per air waybill | Airline |
| Import permit | None | Not applicable |
| Quarantine | None for a compliant pet | Not applicable |
| Frankfurt Animal Lounge handling | EUR 480 | Facility |
| Frankfurt veterinary clearance | EUR 200 | Facility |
The endorsement sits in the $101 band for EU destinations because the United States is a listed country and no rabies titer test is required. Vaccinations do not count as tests for fee purposes. That detail alone is worth more than a hundred dollars per certificate, and most guides state it wrongly.
The fee is per certificate, not per pet, so two animals on one certificate costs far less than two separate certificates.
The Frankfurt handling figures are published by Air Canada Cargo. They apply where your routing uses the Animal Lounge, which is common for onward connections into central and eastern Europe. A direct US to Frankfurt flight where you collect your pet may not incur both.
Your vet sets their own fees. The examination, the certificate paperwork and any blood draw are priced by your clinic and vary between practices. Ask your vet directly. Every laboratory we checked states plainly that the draw is the clinic’s charge, not theirs.
Ground transport at either end is quoted per route. Our coordination fee is included in the total we quote you and itemised on your invoice.
Crate size is the biggest lever, because it sets chargeable weight. Sizing up unnecessarily is an expensive mistake.
Breed can remove options entirely. Snub-nosed dogs and cats face airline restrictions and some carriers will not take them in the hold. See our guide to breed restrictions.
Season matters. Heat embargoes apply across the whole route, not just the departure airport.
If your final destination is elsewhere in Europe, routing through Frankfurt is often gentler on the animal than a cheaper itinerary with an unmanaged connection, even when it is not the cheapest line on the quote.
Figures verified July 2026. Government fees change, so each links to the authority that publishes it. If you are reading this long after that date, check the source first.
Terms used here are defined in our pet relocation glossary.
Send us the route, the breed and roughly when you want to travel. Request a quote and we will reply with an itemised plan, a timeline and clear next steps, usually within two business hours.
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