Although there aren’t many commercial airlines in the USA that ship pets anymore, there are a number of international pet shippers to help you transport your pet. Here’s what you need to know in 2024.
Pin it to your pet relocation board!
Moving from the US to the UK and overwhelmed with how to ship your pet internationally? Moving your dog or cat to the UK from the US in 2024 isn’t as straightforward as in 2017 during pre-Brexit or pre-covid days. And straightforward is never a word I imagined using to describe the number of steps, paperwork, vet appointments, and stress involved in relocating our dog to London ourselves.
But that’s what’s different now compared to then. With fewer flight options from the US to UK to transport animals, and in-cabin restrictions to the UK (unless the pet is service or ESA), the option of managing a pet move without a third party is less of an option at all.
Heck, I can’t even fly my dog from Houston to Boston in 2024, let alone another country. I completely empathize with anyone shipping their pet internationally and the inflated costs of doing so. While a pet transport company simplifies things exponentially for you, paying for the pet relocation yourself can be a major financial hurdle. (Make sure you can afford to live in the UK first.)
In this post, I’m sharing a list of international pet shipping companies and methods that Americans are using to move their pet from the US to the UK.
Why? Because I still firmly believe, despite the transportation obstacles, that taking your pet with you is one of the best decisions you can make as an expat family.
In fact, I’m positive the British lifestyle, dog-friendly culture, and weather gave our lab a full extra year of life. He provided the emotional support my family needed most during the first tough months of adjusting to living in the UK.
So deciding on which international pet shipper to use or whether the option exists to manage the pet move on your own is worth the research. And because there are so many, I’ve condensed a list for you. If this is all too overwhelming to take in from this post, you can purchase just the dog relocation pages from the Moving To England Workbook. Find the dog relocation from US to UK in the Shop.
Table of Contents
Your International Pet Shipping Story Matters
While this is not an exhaustive list of US to UK pet relocation companies, it is a list of companies that American expats use and recommend using again to help you with your own pet shipping search.
Have experience moving your dog or cat to Britain?
- If you agree or disagree with a company on this list, share your own experience with the pet relocation company so other Americans seeking to move to the UK have information to help them decide.
- Is there a company missing from the list? Add the international pet shipper in the comments and your experience with the service.
Similar to How To Keep Your US Mobile Number While Abroad post, moving or shipping a pet is a topic that relies on personal experience and referrals.
There are many steps to moving a dog, mistakes are hard to “undo” and it’s stressful as stressful can be. After all, it’s our furry child that we’re putting in cargo, sending off with a stranger, or leaving behind for hours, sometimes days before reconnecting again, praying that everything goes as planned (and it will!). So, if you have experience, your input matters!
US To UK Pet Relocation Companies
International pet shippers referred by Americans who moved to the UK are listed in the order in which I would personally contact for a free quote first. The pet shipping company headquarters location is included to simplify or narrow your search.
- Starwood Pet Travel (formerly called Starwood Animal Transport) – Florida
- Petsfly.com – Colorado
- Pet-Express – LA, California
- World Pet Travel – Dallas
- AirVets – Dallas
- Air Pets International (formerly called Air Pets America) – Dallas
- Air Animal – Tampa, Florida
- Pender Air – Virginia
- Animal Land Pet Movers – Georgia
- World Care Pet Transport – Connecticut
- Pack Your Pets – Kansas
International pet shipper/consultancy for US military families:
- Silver Birch Pet Jets – Cambridgeshire, UK
Commercial Airlines That Transport Dogs and Cats From US To UK 2024
If you want to pursue managing the international pet move, look into these airlines that have flights from the US to UK.
- American Airlines Cargo
- British Airways Cargo (using IAG Cargo) – British Airways requires that the animal be booked through an animal transportation company.
We managed our dog’s move to the UK and despite his health conditions, he did fabulous on cargo and was totally himself upon collection
Alternatives To Flying from US to UK
If managing international pet shipping yourself isn’t an option, the costs of hiring a pet shipping company are unbearable, or cargo is simply not an option you’re willing to entertain, there are other options.
While these are less direct and complex when also managing loads of luggage, they are proven workarounds. Other routes Americans take to move to Great Britain with a dog or cat include:
- Fly to Paris with the pet in the cabin and take the UK Chunnel
- Fly to Amsterdam and take the DFDS ferry across the North Sea to England
- Charter a private plane with other pet owners from the US to the UK. Rates started at $8000 per person with 1 pet in 2022. Given an international pet shipper for 1 pet can cost $4000+ in 2022, $8000 for a pet and a human to travel from the USA to London is actually a deal.
There are Facebook Groups for people pursuing US to UK Chunnel alternatives and chartering a private plane. Facebook groups, a moving checklist for the dog, and 90+ more pages to simplify the moving to England overwhelm can be found in my workbook.
Essential Resources For Shipping A Pet to The UK
No matter what path you choose for shipping your pet internationally, start planning as early as possible and follow the latest government guidelines. Essential resources for your international pet move:
- Get current first on UK government rules on bringing a pet.
- Use USDA APHIS for explicit USDA instructions on pet travel from the USA to United Kingdom/Great Britain. You can also find how I broke down these USDA steps and tips for moving our lab to London in How to Move A Dog To The UK (costs, too!).
- Use IPATA, International Pet and Animal Transportation Association, for more information on how to ship a pet and a directory for even more third-party pet shipping services than in this post.
- Use Gov.UK for approved sea and rail routes for pet entry in the UK.
- Use Gov.UK for approved charter and commercial airlines for pet entry in the UK.
Final Tips On International Pet Shipping To The UK
With fewer American commercial airlines offering pet transport options, a third party removes the hassle of figuring out the complicated logistics and paperwork for you. Although expensive, the cost to transport your pet worry-free is worth it.
If you’re in charge of your move timing, avoid relocating to the UK during the summer months. Your dog or cat might not be able to fly due to warm temps.
Always ensure that whoever you work with on your pet relocation is an accredited IPATA pet shipper.
Lastly, keep checking to see if your preferred airline has resumed pet transport services (like United PetSafe; also required for Lufthansa flights originating from the USA). For managing with an easy printable or list to save to your phone, buy the dog relocation checklist in the Shop.
Looking for more moving with dogs resources? Try these.
- How to Move A Dog To The UK (costs, too!)
- How To Find Rentals That Allow Dogs In The UK
- Moving abroad? Use my ultimate MOVING ABROAD CHECKLIST
—————————————————————-