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I’ve been traveling with my rescue pug Puglo for years now, across 23 countries, and a lot of those flights he’s spent in the cabin beside me as my emotional support animal. He’s the reason I stopped dreading flying. I just hold him and the whole thing gets easier.
If you’re wondering what the best emotional support dog breeds are for travel, I got you covered.
U.S. airlines stopped recognizing emotional support animals back in 2021, so on a Delta or United flight your ESA is treated as a pet and has to fit in a carrier under the seat. Plenty of airlines outside the U.S. still accept ESAs though, especially across Latin America. Puglo flies as an ESA on Volaris and Copa, and on those flights he often travels free, out of the carrier, with weight limits far more generous than the pet-in-cabin rules.
I’ll go through the small breeds that make wonderful emotional support dogs, what each one is actually like to travel with, and how the airline rules shape which one is the right choice for the way you travel.
The ESA rule changed in the U.S., not everywhere
In January 2021 the U.S. Department of Transportation redefined a service animal under the Air Carrier Access Act as a dog individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. Emotional support animals were specifically excluded. You can read the rule on the DOT service animals page.
Delta, United, American, Alaska and Southwest all followed, so on those airlines your ESA letter buys you nothing. Your dog pays the pet fee and rides under the seat like any other dog.
That rule is American, though, and it only governs American carriers. A lot of airlines elsewhere never changed, and the ones I fly most are the ones that still say yes.
| Airline | Where ESAs are accepted | Size limit | Fee waived |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volaris | Within Mexico, and routes to Central and South America. Not to or from the U.S. | 26 lb including carrier, about 10 in tall | Yes, free |
| Copa | Routes to or from Mexico and Colombia | 10 kg (22 lb), or buy an extra seat for a bigger dog | Yes |
| Aeroméxico | Latin America and Europe routes | 12 kg (26 lb), max 22 in long and 12 in tall | Yes |
| Wingo | All routes (Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, DR, Venezuela) | 55 lb | Fee over 22 lb |
| Avianca | Colombia and Mexico routes | 22 lb in cabin, larger dogs fly cargo free | Yes |
| Air Transat | Canada to Europe, Central and South America (not the UK) | 26 lb free, heavier needs an extra seat | Yes |
| Arajet | Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina. No U.S. | Lap-sized or foot space | Fee applies |
Look at those numbers next to the U.S. situation and you’ll see why this matters for picking a breed. Wingo’s limit is 55 lb. Volaris and Aeroméxico both go to 26 lb. A dog that would never fit under a seat on a U.S. flight travels comfortably on any of these, and usually for free.
The full breakdown of every airline, the exact documents each one wants, and the routes where ESAs are and aren’t recognized is in my guide to what airlines allow emotional support animals.
So how small does your dog actually need to be?
It depends entirely on where you’ll be flying.
| How you’re flying | The limit | Realistic dog size |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. airline, as a pet | No published weight limit, but the dog must fit an under-seat carrier and be able to stand up and turn around | Up to about 20 lb, depending on shape |
| European airline, as a pet | Usually 8 kg (17.6 lb) for dog and carrier combined | Under about 13 lb, since the carrier eats 2 to 3 kg |
| Latin American carrier, as an ESA | 22 to 26 lb on most, up to 55 lb on Wingo | Comfortably up to 26 lb, and more on some routes |
10 best small emotional support dog breeds
The best small emotional support dog breeds are the Havanese, Maltese, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Bichon Frise, Miniature Poodle, Yorkshire Terrier, Coton de Tulear, Chihuahua, Shih Tzu and Pug. All of them are affectionate and people-focused. If you’ll be flying U.S. airlines, stay under about 15 lb so your dog fits an under-seat carrier. If you’ll be flying Latin American carriers that still recognize ESAs, you have far more room, because their limits run from 22 lb up to 55 lb.
Weights are the American Kennel Club breed standard ranges. I’ve flagged which ones clear the tighter European pet limit, since that’s where most people get caught out.
1. Havanese
Typical weight: 7 to 13 lb (3 to 6 kg) (AKC standard)
The Havanese is about as close to a purpose-built companion dog as you’ll find. They were bred to be lapdogs and they take the job seriously, following you room to room and settling wherever you land. They’re cheerful rather than needy, and they train easily. They also clear every limit in the table above, including the European 8 kg one with a carrier, which almost nothing else on this list manages.
2. Maltese
Typical weight: Under 7 lb (3 kg) (AKC standard)
Small enough that weight stops being a question on any airline anywhere. Maltese bond hard with one person, which is the trait you want in an ESA. The coat needs real upkeep, and they can be vocal if nobody’s taught them otherwise, so factor training in from the start.
3. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Typical weight: 13 to 18 lb (6 to 8 kg) (AKC standard)
Cavaliers are the breed people describe as intuitive, and it isn’t marketing. They’re unusually attuned to mood and they’d rather be touching you than near you. At the top of the range they’re over the European pet limit, but they sit comfortably inside the 22 to 26 lb ESA allowances, so Latin American routes stay open.
4. Bichon Frise
Typical weight: 12 to 18 lb (5 to 8 kg) (AKC standard)
Bichons are sturdy and good-natured and do well in apartments. They’re sensitive to a chaotic household, so they suit a quieter home. Same size picture as the Cavalier: tight for a European pet ticket, fine as an ESA.
5. Miniature Poodle
Typical weight: 10 to 15 lb (4 to 7 kg) (AKC standard)
Poodles are the smart choice if you want a dog that learns fast, and that matters more than people think for a support animal. A dog that picks up cues quickly is one you can shape around what you actually need. They shed very little, which helps in shared accommodation.
6. Yorkshire Terrier
Typical weight: Up to 7 lb (3 kg) (AKC standard)
Yorkies are tiny, portable and completely devoted to their person. They also have more terrier in them than the size suggests, so they need proper socialising or they get snappy with strangers. Get that right and you have a dog you can take almost anywhere on any airline.
7. Coton de Tulear
Typical weight: 8 to 15 lb (3.5 to 7 kg) (AKC standard)
The Coton is the one most people haven’t heard of and probably should. They’re soft-natured, low-reactivity dogs that are happy to just be with you, and they tend to travel well. Harder to find from a good breeder or rescue than the others here.
8. Chihuahua
Typical weight: Under 6 lb (2.7 kg) (AKC standard)
Chihuahuas attach themselves to one person more intensely than almost any other breed, which is exactly what some people need and exactly what others find overwhelming. Easiest breed here to fly with on size alone. Also the easiest to accidentally under-socialise, because it’s tempting to carry them everywhere instead of letting them walk.
9. Shih Tzu
Typical weight: 9 to 16 lb (4 to 7 kg) (AKC standard)
Bred as palace companion dogs, and it shows. Shih Tzus are content, undemanding and happy to sit with you for hours. They’re also brachycephalic, which brings the extra paperwork I cover in the pug section below.
10. Pug
Typical weight: 14 to 18 lb (6 to 8 kg) (AKC standard)
I’m biased, so I’ve given pugs their own section next. The short version is that they’re wonderful at this, and the airline picture is more workable than people assume.
Pugs as emotional support animals
I’ll say upfront that I’m biased, because I have one. But I think pugs are the most amazing emotional support dogs in the world, and I’d say that even if Puglo weren’t mine.
They were bred for exactly one purpose, which was sitting with people. That’s the whole job. Puglo is incredibly well behaved and he was really easy to train as an ESA, which isn’t something I expected going in.
There are some real caveats, however.
The first is size. A lot of pugs don’t qualify as small for airline purposes. Puglo is over the 8 kg limit European airlines use for pets, so a European pet ticket isn’t an option for us. What is an option, and what we actually do, is fly him as an ESA on Volaris, Copa and Aeroméxico, where the allowance runs to 22 or 26 lb and he fits with room to spare. Some pugs squeak under the European limit too.
The second is the snub-nosed issu. Brachycephalic breeds have compressed airways and they overheat and struggle to breathe more easily than other dogs. Puglo himself is healthy and has no issues traveling, but for some pugs it might be more stressful.
Most airlines that carry pets in cargo refuse snub-nosed breeds outright, because of how many have died in the hold. In-cabin is a different matter and plenty of airlines still take them, but there’s often an extra step. Volaris, for example, requires a signed liability waiver for brachycephalic breeds.
I have a comprehensive list of airlines that allow snub-nosed dogs in cabin, and everything I’ve learned flying with Puglo is in flying with a pug.
If your dog is bigger than the pet limits
If your dog is bigger than in-cabin limits, you still have options.
- Fly a carrier that still recognizes ESAs. With a current letter from a licensed mental health professional, Volaris, Copa, Aeroméxico, Wingo, Avianca, Arajet and Air Transat will all take a dog well over the usual pet-in-cabin size, usually free, and often out of the carrier for the flight.
- U.S. airlines don’t publish a weight limit, so a dog too heavy for a European pet ticket can often still fly in the cabin on a U.S. route as a paying pet.
- Trains. Most European networks take dogs with no weight limit at all, which I cover in my train travel with a dog guide.
- Some airlines take larger dogs in the cabin outright, which I track in airlines that allow large dogs in cabin.
One thing to be realistic about: the ESA route comes with paperwork every single time. A letter from a licensed mental health professional issued within the last year, and for Aeroméxico specifically it has to be a psychiatrist rather than a psychologist, on letterhead with their license number. Plus vaccination and health certificates.
What makes a small dog good at emotional support
Setting the flying aside for a second, the traits that matter are fairly consistent across the breeds below.
- They want to be near you. A dog that’s happy in its own company is lovely, but it isn’t what you need here.
- They settle. A dog that can switch off in a cafe, on a train, or under an airline seat is a dog you can actually take places.
- They read the room. The good ones notice when something’s off with you before you’ve said anything.
- They’re trainable, because an emotional support dog that pulls, barks or panics in public stops being supportive very quickly. Airlines that accept ESAs expect them to behave like service animals, and Aeroméxico says so explicitly.
What Puglo actually does for me
Puglo is my heart outside of my body. That’s the truest way I can put it.
I’m much calmer around him. Flights don’t feel as scary anymore, because I just hold him. He provides so much comfort that I can’t even explain how much he has changed my life.
Having him beside me rather than zipped into a bag under the seat is a big part of that, and it’s why the ESA airlines matter to me as much as they do.
Best small emotional support dog breeds: FAQ
What is the best small emotional support dog breed?
The Havanese is the strongest all-round pick, because it was bred purely as a companion, settles well in public, and at 7 to 13 lb it clears every airline size limit including the tight European one.
Do airlines still accept emotional support animals?
U.S. airlines do not. Since the Department of Transportation rule change in January 2021, Delta, United, American, Alaska and Southwest treat ESAs as regular pets. Many airlines outside the U.S. still accept them, including Volaris, Copa, Aeromexico, Wingo, Avianca, Arajet, Air Transat, Cebu Pacific and Corendon, mostly on Latin American, Canadian and Asian routes.
How big can an emotional support dog be on a plane?
It depends which airline. Flying as a pet on a U.S. carrier, your dog just has to fit an under-seat carrier, which is roughly 15 lb. On European carriers the limit is usually 8 kg for dog and carrier combined. Flying as an ESA on a Latin American carrier the limits are more generous: 22 lb on Copa and Avianca, 26 lb on Volaris and Aeromexico, and up to 55 lb on Wingo.
Are pugs good emotional support dogs?
Yes. Pugs were bred to sit with people and they are affectionate and easy to train for the role.
Does an ESA letter still help me fly?
Not on U.S. airlines, where it no longer gets you a fee waiver or cabin access. It very much still helps on the airlines that recognize ESAs, where a letter from a licensed mental health professional issued within the last year usually means your dog flies free and out of the carrier.
Which small breeds should I avoid if I want to travel?
Brachycephalic, or snub-nosed, breeds are the trickiest. Pugs, Shih Tzus, French Bulldogs and Boston Terriers are widely refused for cargo travel and need extra paperwork on some carriers.
Flying with your small dog? Get my Cabin Guide
The flight is the part that stresses most dog parents out, and I get it. I put everything I’ve learned flying with Puglo into one simple resource, from picking an airline-approved carrier to the ESA paperwork to keeping a nervous pup calm in the cabin.
More guides for traveling with a small dog
The companion piece to this one is what airlines allow emotional support animals, which has every airline policy, the documents each one wants and the routes where ESAs are recognized. If you’re still choosing a breed, my roundup of the best dogs for travel covers the same question from the travel angle. Once you have the dog, start with my tips for flying with your dog in cabin and what traveling with a dog actually costs.
Airline ESA policies and the DOT rule verified on September 17, 2026. Breed weights are American Kennel Club standard ranges. Airline pet policies change often and vary by route, so confirm with your carrier before you book.
