How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Pet from the USA to Mexico?
All-inclusive, door to door, for one pet: a move from the United States to Mexico runs about $2,500 to $6,000, the lowest range we publish for a move abroad. Crate size, which is what the airline charges on, sets where a move lands in the range, and a second pet costs extra.
APHIS and SENASICA list a screwworm form from your vet for a dog and an inspection on arrival for a dog or cat. Freight is a fraction of what a transatlantic route costs.
Airline freight, and why the crate decides it
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 | $420 |
| Medium (size 200) | 28 x 20.5 x 21.5 in | 34 kg | $427 |
| Large (size 400) | 36 x 25 x 27 in | 66 kg | $653 |
| Giant (size 700) | 48 x 32 x 35 in | 147 kg | $948 |
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.
Whichever carrier takes the booking sets its own hold conditions, crate rules and pet charges, and those vary more between airlines than the fares do. Our list of the airlines that carry pets internationally covers which carriers accept live animals out of the US, and our comparison of US airline pet policies puts the big carriers side by side. The freight mechanics on this page come from American Airlines Cargo, whose conditions are set out in full in our guide to the American Airlines pet policy.
The rest of the bill
| Cost | Amount | Who charges it |
|---|---|---|
| USDA export endorsement | Not charged: the dog’s screwworm form goes without it, and a cat needs no certificate | USDA APHIS |
| IATA crate | $65 to $378 depending on size | Retailer |
| Screwworm inspection form, dogs only | Set by your clinic | Your vet |
| Airline live animal processing | $150 per air waybill | Airline |
SENASICA issues the import certificate at its office on arrival, and its page for dogs and cats, dated August 4, 2026, gives no fee for it. If ticks are found at the inspection, the laboratory work and any treatment are charged to the owner.
The screwworm form has been required since August 3, 2026, and APHIS’s instructions ask for the vet’s signature by hand in colored ink, never a digital one. Your vet charges for the visit, and the five day window before entry is tight, so book it late. Cats are unaffected. Checked against USDA APHIS on September 25, 2026.
Because the freight component is so much lower here, the crate and the vet make up a much larger share of the total than they would on a long haul route. Buying the right crate size matters proportionally more.
What the tables leave out
Your vet sets their own fees. The examination, the certificate paperwork and any blood draw are priced by your clinic and vary between practices. Every laboratory we checked states plainly that the draw is the clinic’s charge, not theirs.
Ground transport at either end depends on the distance. Both are inside the all-inclusive, door to door range at the top of this page, and the quote for your pet prices each one.
What moves the price
Ground transport is a genuine alternative on this route in a way it is not for most destinations, particularly for northern Mexico. For some moves it is both cheaper and easier on the animal than flying.
Heat is the main seasonal constraint, and it applies at both ends.
Crate size drives the freight, though the effect is smaller here because the per kilo rates are lower.
Figures and sources
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.
- APHIS export requirements, United States to mexico
- SENASICA, entering Mexico with a pet
- American Airlines Cargo live animal tariff
Terms used here are defined in our pet relocation glossary.
Want this priced for your pet and dates?
Send 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.
For entry rules and the full paperwork timeline, see our guide to pet shipping requirements for Mexico.
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