Flying with a pet to and from South America.
South America is genuinely one of the easier continents to fly cabin pets to and from. LATAM and Avianca both have strong cabin networks. Brazil's import rules are some of the most lenient in the world. The catch: each country has its own paperwork, Colombia bans specific breeds by law, and the cabin weight limits cap out at 10 kg. Here's what you actually need to know.
Verified against LATAM, Avianca, USDA APHIS, Brazil's MAPA, Argentina's SENASA, Chile's SAG, Peru's SENASA, and Colombia's ICA as of May 2026. Rules change — confirm with each country's authority before booking.
LATAM and Avianca are the cabin pet workhorses
Plus a useful Mexico connector and several European long-haul cabin options.
LATAM Airlines
South America's largest cabin pet network. Hubs in Santiago (SCL), São Paulo (GRU), and Lima (LIM). Cabin weight 7-10 kg combined (varies by aircraft). Carrier max: soft 40×28×25 cm or hard 36×33×19 cm. Fee ~USD 200 international, BRL 200 (~$40) domestic Brazil. The critical rule: LATAM-operated flights only, no codeshares, no connections to other airlines. Book through their Contact Center, not online. Brachycephalic dogs welcome in cabin (banned from cargo). One pet per passenger.
Avianca
Colombia-based, 10 kg combined cabin limit — the most generous in Latin America. Hub at Bogotá (BOG). Excellent for the northern half of South America plus Central America connections. Cabin NOT allowed to UK (cargo only), Galapagos (live animals prohibited), Aruba and Curaçao (except permanent moves). Carrier max 55×35×25 cm soft only. Fee ~USD 160 to North America, USD 180–200 to Europe. Brachycephalic dogs cabin-only.
Copa Airlines
Often overlooked, but essential for deeper South America. Panama City (PTY) is Copa's hub, and Copa is the cabin pet route to Uruguay (Montevideo), Paraguay (Asunción), and Bolivia — countries with no direct US cabin connections. Cabin weight 10 kg combined, max carrier 45 × 27 × 27 cm soft-sided only. $125 international, $25 domestic. Network covers all of South America plus Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico, US, and Canada. Brachycephalic dogs accepted in cabin (never cargo).
Aeromexico
Connects Mexico City to several South American capitals (Bogotá, Lima, San José within the 6-hour window; São Paulo, Buenos Aires and Santiago beyond it). Cabin pets are capped at 9 kg combined, and Aeromexico's own policy restricts cabin pets to flights of 6 hours or less — useful for the shorter pairs, but the longer pairs are blocked under the published rule. Aeromexico's example page does cite Mexico City–Paris as an exception, so call to confirm in writing before booking anything over 6 hours. Snub-nosed breeds are welcome in cabin.
Long-haul connections via Europe and US
From Europe: Iberia (Madrid is the main hub), Air France (CDG), LATAM-operated long-haul (MAD, FRA, FCO, LIS). From the US: this is more limited than you might expect. American Airlines and Delta do NOT accept cabin pets to/from Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Uruguay, or Venezuela — those are cargo-only (American PetEmbark). LATAM is the main cabin US-South America option, but as of May 2026 has suspended cabin service on US ↔ Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador routes pending CDC dog-import rule updates. So for US→SA cabin in 2026, your realistic options narrow to: LATAM to Chile or Argentina (still active), or Avianca via Colombia connections (also affected by US-Colombia suspension on direct routes).
From easiest to strictest
Same continent, very different import bureaucracies.
1. Brazil 🇧🇷 — Easiest
No microchip required. No titer. Just rabies vaccine 21+ days old, USDA-endorsed health certificate within 10 days, and a vet exam. No import permit. No quarantine.
2. Argentina 🇦🇷 — Easy
ISO microchip + rabies 30+ days + SENASA-endorsed health certificate. No pre-trip permit needed; SENASA inspection happens at EZE on arrival.
3. Uruguay 🇺🇾 — Easy, but only via connection
ISO microchip + rabies 30+ days + MGAP-recognised health certificate from origin country's official veterinary authority. No direct US cabin pet route to Montevideo (MVD) — connect via Copa (through Panama City), Avianca (through Bogotá), or LATAM (through São Paulo or Buenos Aires). The 1-hour Buenos Aires → Montevideo hop is the shortest cabin entry to Uruguay.
4. Peru 🇵🇪 — Moderate
ISO microchip + rabies 30+ days + SENASA import permit (apply 30+ days ahead) + health certificate from origin country's official authority.
5. Colombia 🇨🇴 — Moderate but with breed bans
Standard paperwork (microchip recommended, rabies 30+ days, health certificate). The complication: Pit Bull, American Staffordshire, and Staffordshire Bull Terrier imports are banned by law. ICA inspection on arrival.
6. Chile 🇨🇱 — Strictest
ISO microchip mandatory. Rabies 30+ days. SAG import permit MUST be pre-arranged 30+ days ahead. Without the permit, your pet is detained at SCL on arrival. SAG is rigorous about paperwork accuracy.
Brazil is one of the most lenient countries in the world for pet imports
The exception, not the rule, for South America. Easy paperwork, no quarantine, multiple entry airports.
Required: rabies vaccine administered at least 21 days before travel (for pets over 3 months old); USDA-endorsed Veterinary Health Certificate completed within 10 days of departure; vet examination confirming the pet is healthy; parasite treatment (internal and external) shortly before travel, recorded on the health certificate; additional vaccines depending on origin (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Leptospirosis for dogs; FVRCP for cats).
NOT required: ISO microchip (though strongly recommended), rabies titer test, import permit, quarantine.
Entry airports: São Paulo (GRU), Rio de Janeiro (GIG), Brasília (BSB), Porto Alegre (POA), plus other international airports with VIGIAGRO agriculture customs offices.
On arrival: follow the customs route (Receita Federal) and agriculture inspection (MAPA/VIGIAGRO). Pets cleared on the spot if documents are in order — no quarantine.
Local breed law: Rio de Janeiro requires Pit Bull-type dogs (and crosses) already in the city to be registered with proof of sterilization and vaccination. Federal law doesn't ban the breed at the import level.
Argentina's process is straightforward but documentation matters
SENASA's inspection at the airport is the gate — get the paperwork right and you're through in 30 minutes.
Required: ISO 11784/11785 microchip implanted (before rabies vaccine if possible); rabies vaccine administered at least 30 days before travel and current; USDA or origin-country official veterinary health certificate within 10 days of travel; internal/external parasite treatment.
Entry airports: Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) is the main international gateway. Córdoba (COR) and Mendoza (MDZ) also receive international pets.
On arrival: SENASA inspection at EZE — present all documents and your pet for examination. Typically 15–30 minutes if documents are in order. No quarantine.
If you're an Argentine resident returning with your pet: additional documentation may simplify the process — SENASA recognises pets returning to their country of habitual residence.
Chile is the strictest — the SAG import permit is non-negotiable
Show up without the pre-arranged paperwork and your pet will be detained at Santiago.
Required: ISO 11784/11785 microchip implanted before rabies vaccine; rabies vaccine administered at least 30 days before travel; SAG (Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero) import permit pre-arranged at least 30 days ahead — this is the critical step; official veterinary health certificate from origin country within 10 days of travel; parasite treatments documented.
How to get the SAG import permit: apply through Chile's SAG online portal. You'll need your pet's microchip number, rabies vaccine date and product details, intended arrival date and airport, and origin country. Permit is route- and date-specific.
Entry airport: Santiago Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL) is the main international entry. SAG handles the inspection.
The strict part: SAG officials verify every document against the permit. Discrepancies (a vaccine date that doesn't match, an incorrect microchip number, a missing parasite treatment record) can result in your pet being held until corrections are made. The penalty is at the owner's expense.
Peru sits in the middle — permit required, but the process is straightforward
SENASA Peru issues the import permit; the paperwork load is between Brazil's and Chile's.
Required: ISO microchip (strongly recommended, sometimes required depending on origin); rabies vaccine 30+ days old; SENASA import permit (apply at least 30 days ahead via SENASA Peru's online portal); official sanitary certificate from origin country's veterinary authority; vet examination within 10 days of travel.
Entry airport: Lima Jorge Chávez (LIM) is the main international gateway. SENASA inspection on arrival.
Returning: Peru-resident pets exporting need a SENASA export certificate. If your trip is less than 30 days, the same certificate may be reused on return — check with SENASA when applying.
Colombia is straightforward for most breeds — but the breed bans are absolute
Pit Bull–type dogs cannot be imported, period. The law (Article 108-E) trumps any airline's general policy.
Required: ISO microchip recommended; rabies vaccine 30+ days old; health certificate from origin country's veterinary authority (USDA-endorsed for US origins, AHC for UK, EU vet for EU origins); parasite treatments documented.
Banned by law (Article 108-E of Law 746 of 2002): Staffordshire Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, and any crosses or hybrids of these breeds. Imports of these breeds are prohibited even with perfect paperwork. Colombian-born dogs of these breeds can leave and return with a re-entry permit.
Entry airport: Bogotá El Dorado (BOG) is the main international entry. ICA (Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario) handles inspections.
If your dog looks like a banned breed but isn't: bring pedigree papers and ideally DNA test results. ICA inspectors can make discretionary calls on visual identification.
Brachycephalic and breed restrictions across the region
Bulldogs, Pugs, and Frenchies have specific rules in South America. Plus the legal breed bans.
Brachycephalic in cabin: LATAM and Avianca both allow brachycephalic dogs in cabin if they meet weight (10 kg combined max). Aeromexico is more generous (9 kg combined, snub-nosed welcome).
Brachycephalic in cargo: NEVER on LATAM or Avianca. Both airlines explicitly ban snub-nosed breeds from the aircraft hold due to respiratory risk. If your French Bulldog or Pug is over 10 kg, your options become: charter flights (K9 Jets does not yet serve South America directly), professional pet relocation with a specialised cargo carrier, or driving where geographically possible.
For the full brachycephalic playbook, see our French Bulldog flying guide.
Legal breed bans summary:
- Colombia (federal): Pit Bull, American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier — banned from import.
- Rio de Janeiro (city): Pit Bull-type dogs require special registration with sterilization and vaccination proof.
- Brazil (federal): no banned breed list, but individual states/cities may have local rules.
- Argentina, Chile, Peru (federal): no banned breed lists at the import level; airline-specific restrictions apply.
Map your South America journey
Use the journey planner to pick exact origin and destination airports and get a country-specific checklist for the SA country your pet will enter.
Open the journey plannerVerified against LATAM Airlines, Avianca, USDA APHIS, Brazil MAPA/VIGIAGRO, Argentina SENASA, Chile SAG, Peru SENASA, and Colombia ICA published policies as of May 2026. Pet import rules change — always confirm specifics with the destination country's veterinary authority before booking, especially for Chile (permit timing) and Colombia (breed verification).
More from the pets-in-cabin guide
Back to the main guide — for the airline grid, journey planner, and full destination list.