Travelling with a pet through Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) requires careful planning. Japan has strict animal quarantine rules, while each airline has its own requirements for pets travelling in the cabin, as checked baggage or as cargo. Haneda has its own Animal Quarantine Service (AQS), and dogs and cats entering Japan may need advance notification, microchip records, rabies vaccinations and additional veterinary documents depending on where they are travelling from.

Travelling With Pets at Haneda Airport

Regular pets cannot normally move freely through Haneda’s passenger terminals. If you are checking a pet with your airline, keep the animal inside the required kennel or carrier and take it to the airline check-in counter.

Check Your Terminal
Haneda has separate domestic and international terminal operations, so confirm where your airline is located before travelling.
Confirm How Your Pet Will Fly
Cabin, checked pet and cargo policies are determined by the airline and can change by route or aircraft.
Check the Carrier Rules
Airlines set their own limits for carrier dimensions, total weight and accepted animal types.
Separate Airline and Japan Entry Rules
An airline accepting your pet does not automatically mean the animal meets Japan’s quarantine requirements.

Airline Pet Policies and Fees at Haneda

Pet transport at HND varies considerably by airline. Japanese domestic carriers commonly transport regular pets in the aircraft hold, while some international airlines allow eligible small pets in the cabin.

Airline Cabin Hold / Cargo Pet Fee Guide Key Rule
ANA No Regular Pets Yes Domestic: JPY 6,600
International: JPY 25,000–40,000 per cage		 International price depends on whether the flight stays within or crosses ANA’s geographic areas.
Japan Airlines (JAL) No Regular Pets Yes Many Haneda domestic routes: JPY 7,700
Advance payment on many routes: JPY 5,500		 Fees and acceptance depend on route and operating carrier.
AIRDO No Yes JPY 6,600 per cage / route Pet check-in should be completed at least 30 minutes before departure.
Skymark Airlines No Yes Most routes: JPY 7,000
Selected routes: JPY 5,000		 Pet + carrier maximum is generally 32 kg. Short-nosed breed restrictions apply.
Solaseed Air No Yes Most routes: JPY 6,600
Naha–Ishigaki: JPY 4,400		 Summer restrictions apply to listed brachycephalic breeds.
StarFlyer No Yes JPY 6,600 per cage / route Short-nosed dog restrictions apply from May through October.
United Airlines Selected Pets Limited Check during booking International pet acceptance depends on origin, destination and government entry rules.
Delta Air Lines Yes Limited USD 200 each way on eligible international cabin-pet journeys Pet must remain inside an approved under-seat kennel.
American Airlines Route Dependent Restricted Check during booking International destination restrictions can determine whether pet travel is available.
Air Canada Yes Eligible Flights Route and service based Aircraft type, kennel dimensions and seasonal conditions can affect acceptance.
Air France Eligible Pets Yes Route-based Cabin weight, carrier and destination restrictions apply.
Lufthansa Yes Yes Intercontinental cabin: about €70
Hold: about €150–300		 Cabin pets are generally limited to 8 kg including the carrier.
Finnair Yes Yes Intercontinental cabin: €120–130
Hold: route and size based		 Lower cabin price applies when booked at least seven days before departure.
Turkish Airlines Yes Yes Route and weight based Cabin pet + carrier can weigh up to 8 kg; heavier pets use hold categories.
Qatar Airways Usually No Yes Up to 32 kg: USD 350
32–75 kg: USD 450 on most non-Qatar routes		 Animals above the checked-pet size or weight limit travel as cargo.
Emirates No Regular Pets Hold / Cargo Up to 23 kg: USD 500
24–32 kg: USD 650
Over 32 kg: USD 800		 Carrier dimensions over 300 cm require cargo transport.
Singapore Airlines No Regular Pets Eligible Flights Weight / route based Regular pets are generally handled as checked animals where permitted; assistance dogs follow separate rules.
Cathay Pacific No Regular Pets Cargo Cargo quote Regular pet shipments are handled through Cathay Cargo arrangements.
Korean Air Yes Yes Region and combined weight based Cabin pets and heavier hold pets use different weight categories.
British Airways No Regular Pets Cargo Cargo quote Regular pets normally travel through approved cargo arrangements rather than in the passenger cabin.
Before booking: Pet fees can change by route, aircraft, weight and booking date. Confirm the current charge and obtain pet acceptance from your airline before travelling to Haneda.

ANA Pet Travel From Haneda

ANA is one of Haneda’s largest operators. Regular pets generally do not travel in the passenger cabin under ANA’s standard pet service. Instead, accepted pets are checked in and transported in the aircraft hold.

Japan Domestic
JPY 6,600
Most routes
Same ANA Area
JPY 25,000
International / per cage
Across ANA Areas
JPY 40,000
International / per cage
Example: ANA lists Haneda–Bangkok as travel within one geographic area, while Haneda–Los Angeles crosses areas and uses the higher international pet fee.

JAL Pet Travel From Haneda

Japan Airlines also transports eligible pets on domestic services from Haneda. Regular pets are handled separately from passengers rather than travelling under the seat in the cabin.

Standard Same-Day Pet Charge
JPY 7,700
On many major Haneda domestic routes
Advance Payment
JPY 5,500
Available on many eligible routes

Always check your exact JAL flight because pet fees and acceptance conditions can vary by route and operating carrier.

Bringing a Dog or Cat Into Japan Through Haneda

Japan has one of the more detailed pet-entry systems used by major travel destinations. Dogs and cats arriving at Haneda must meet Animal Quarantine Service requirements before they can enter the country.

Designated Regions
Japan currently classifies Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji Islands, Hawaii and Guam as designated regions. Specific residence, identification and certification conditions still apply.
Non-Designated Regions
Animals arriving from other countries generally face additional steps including microchip identification, rabies vaccinations, an antibody test and the required waiting period.

Japan’s 40-Day Notification Rule

Japan requires advance planning when bringing a dog or cat into the country. One of the most important deadlines is the arrival notification.

40 Days
Before Arrival

Dogs and cats entering Japan generally require advance notification to the Animal Quarantine Service responsible for the planned airport of arrival.

For a Haneda arrival, submit the notification at least 40 days before your planned arrival date. Notifications submitted later are generally not accepted in principle.

Plan well ahead: Do not leave this until the final weeks. For many pets, the full preparation process begins months before the actual flight.

Arriving From a Non-Designated Region

For most countries, Japan’s pet-entry process involves several stages that must be completed in the correct order.

Microchip Identification
The pet must be correctly identified by microchip before the relevant rabies vaccination process.
Rabies Vaccinations
Japan generally requires at least two qualifying rabies vaccinations under the non-designated-region procedure.
Rabies Antibody Test
The required antibody titre must reach at least 0.5 IU/ml at an approved testing laboratory.
180-Day Waiting Period
The required waiting period is counted from the blood-sampling date used for the qualifying antibody test.
Official Certification
Required information must be certified by the appropriate government authority in the country of export.

What Happens at Animal Quarantine at Haneda?

After arrival, dogs and cats entering Japan must complete an import inspection with the Animal Quarantine Service.

Microchip
Identity check
Certificates
Document review
Rabies Records
Vaccination checks
Release
If requirements are met
Incomplete Requirements Can Mean a Long Quarantine
If required import conditions or certification are incomplete, detention quarantine can last for the remaining required period, potentially up to 180 days.

Connecting Through Haneda With a Pet

A pet that only changes aircraft at Haneda may be treated differently from an animal formally entering Japan. Japan has a specific transhipment process for eligible animals that remain inside the airport’s restricted area.

Same-Airport International Transhipment
When the animal remains within the approved restricted-area process and continues from Haneda, Japanese import entry may not be required in the same way as a normal arrival.
Airport Change or Ground Transfer
If the itinerary requires a different airport or a change in transport method, the transhipment exemption may no longer apply.

Haneda to Narita With a Pet

HND → NRT is not a normal terminal transfer. Haneda and Narita are separate airports.

If you need to collect your pet at Haneda and travel by road or rail to Narita, the animal leaves Haneda’s restricted transit area. Japan’s normal animal-entry conditions may therefore apply.

Confirm the arrangement with your airlines and Animal Quarantine Service before booking. A flight search engine showing a possible connection does not guarantee that the itinerary works legally for your pet.

Tokyo Summer Heat Matters for Pet Travel

Tokyo summers are hot and humid. Animals travelling in the hold can be exposed to outdoor temperatures while their kennel is moved between the terminal and aircraft.

Short-nosed breeds can face additional heat-related restrictions.
Older or vulnerable animals may be more sensitive to temperature changes.
Seasonal airline rules should be checked again close to departure.

Short-Nosed Breeds Need Extra Planning

Brachycephalic dogs and cats have a higher risk of breathing difficulties during air transport, so many airlines apply special rules.

Examples of Short-Nosed Dogs
French Bulldog
English Bulldog
Pug
Pekingese
Possible Airline Restrictions
No hold transport
Seasonal bans
Special kennel requirements
Cargo-only arrangements

Assistance Dogs at Haneda Airport

Recognised assistance dogs are treated differently from ordinary pets. Haneda permits seeing-eye, hearing and service assistance dogs to accompany eligible passengers through the airport. Airline notification and destination-specific documentation may still be required.

Leaving Japan With Your Pet From Haneda

Dogs and cats leaving Japan may require an export inspection from the Animal Quarantine Service. Your destination country can also require its own health certificate, vaccination records, microchip details or import permit.

About 2 Weeks
Recommended ahead
Haneda Export Inspection Appointments Are Busy
Animal Quarantine Service currently recommends applying for the export inspection and making the Haneda reservation approximately two weeks before your preferred inspection date.

Check your destination country’s requirements before requesting the inspection so AQS can certify the information you actually need.

Before You Travel Through Haneda With Your Pet

Start Early
Japan’s import procedure can take months when rabies testing and the 180-day waiting period apply.
Remember the 40-Day Rule
Submit the required advance notification to AQS at least 40 days before entering Japan.
Reserve Your Pet With the Airline
Pet capacity can be limited even when passenger seats remain available.
Check the Kennel
Confirm carrier dimensions, construction and combined pet-and-carrier weight before departure.
Check Every Document
Microchip numbers, vaccination dates and certificates should match exactly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Dogs and cats can enter Japan through Haneda when the applicable Animal Quarantine Service requirements have been completed.

Dogs and cats generally require advance notification to Animal Quarantine Service at least 40 days before arrival.

Regular pets should remain inside an appropriate kennel or cage. Recognised assistance dogs are treated separately under Haneda’s terminal rules.

Regular pets generally travel under ANA’s checked-pet procedures rather than in the passenger cabin.

On most Japanese domestic routes the current charge is JPY 6,600 per cage. ANA international charges can be JPY 25,000 or JPY 40,000 per cage depending on the geographic areas involved.

Many major JAL domestic routes from Tokyo currently use a JPY 7,700 standard pet fee, with an advance-payment price of JPY 5,500 on many eligible routes.

For dogs and cats arriving from non-designated regions, a rabies antibody test is part of the standard import process and the qualifying titre must be at least 0.5 IU/ml.

For non-designated regions, the import process normally requires a 180-day waiting period from the qualifying rabies-antibody blood-sampling date. Arriving too early can result in detention for the remaining period.

The pet can be held in detention quarantine for the required period, potentially up to 180 days, or may face other import restrictions.

Potentially. Japan has a transhipment procedure for eligible animals that remain inside the airport’s restricted area, but the arrangement must be coordinated in advance.

Potentially, but HND and NRT are separate airports. Because the pet may need to enter Japan for the ground transfer, confirm AQS entry requirements before booking.

Yes. Recognised seeing-eye, hearing and service assistance dogs can accompany eligible passengers through Haneda Airport.

Dogs and cats may require an AQS export inspection depending on the journey and destination requirements. Haneda AQS currently recommends arranging the inspection approximately two weeks ahead.