Kuwait Airways pet policy 2026: the booking process nobody documents clearly

Planning this route? A personal plan covers every step for your exact dates and airline.

What Kuwait Airways actually allows

Only trained service dogs fly in the cabin, free of charge, and only for passengers with a documented disability. Everyone else has two options:

• Checked baggage (AVIH): your pet travels in a temperature-controlled section of the hold on the same flight as you. Fee is 45 KWD if the combined weight of animal and carrier stays within the standard baggage allowance (32 kg in upper classes, 23 kg in Economy). Anything heavier is billed as an extra piece.
• Manifest cargo: for animals that exceed checked baggage limits, or that travel unaccompanied. This is a separate booking through the cargo department, arranged independently of your passenger ticket.

There is no in-cabin pet option on Kuwait Airways at any weight, on any route. If a website tells you otherwise, that page is wrong.

The transit trap

This is the part most people get wrong. If your itinerary includes a layover in Kuwait, your pet cannot make that connection. Kuwait Airways stopped accepting live animals in transit through Kuwait International Airport in September 2023, citing a lack of dedicated holding facilities during layover periods. This applies whether your pet is booked as checked baggage or cargo.

Practically, this rules out Kuwait Airways for any route that isn't a direct flight to or from Kuwait. If your trip needs a connection, you need a different airline for at least one leg, or a different routing entirely.

Booking: why it takes a phone call

Kuwait Airways does not let you add a pet through online self-service the way some airlines do. You need to call the reservations line directly. The airline limits the number of animals per flight, so reservations work on a first-come, first-served basis, and the agent needs your pet's breed, weight, and carrier dimensions before confirming.

Book the pet slot at the same time as your own ticket, or as close to it as possible. Space fills up, and a confirmed passenger ticket does not guarantee your pet a spot if the flight's quota is already full.

Documentation you actually need

Kuwait Airways requires:

• A valid health certificate from your vet, generally issued within 10 days of travel.
• Proof of vaccination, particularly rabies, matching the requirements of your destination country.
• A copy of any import permit or licence required by the destination, presented at check-in.

The airline does not enforce a single standard certificate across all routes. The destination country's import rules decide what's required, not Kuwait Airways' own paperwork. This means the checklist for flying into London differs from the checklist for flying into Mumbai, even though the airline and the basic booking process are the same.

What it will cost

Approximate ranges, since exact figures depend on your specific route:

• Checked baggage within weight allowance: 45 KWD (about $145)
• Overweight or oversized checked baggage: additional per-kilo charge, varies by route
• Manifest cargo for larger or unaccompanied pets: priced separately by the cargo department, typically higher than checked baggage and requiring its own quote

Get a written quote from the cargo department before booking your own ticket if your pet is anywhere near the weight or size limits for checked baggage. Crossing the threshold after you've already booked your flight is a more expensive and more stressful fix than checking first.

Timeline: how far in advance to start

FAQ

Not sure if your situation is covered? That's exactly what the Personal Plan is for. A human reviews your specific route, airline, and pet before you get your checklist. $24.