KNOWMADS
Join Free

Flying with your pet in the cabin vs Shipping your pet as cargo for families

Many expat and nomad families moving to Bali with kids want their pet to travel with them, and the two main options are flying the pet in the cabin as a carry-on or shipping it as cargo in the aircraft hold. The right choice depends on your pet's size, which airline and route you fly, and how much hands-on paperwork you want to manage yourself versus hiring help to relocate a pet to Bali. Both routes get your pet to Bali, but they differ in stress, flexibility, and what your kids see during the move.

By the Knowmads Bali family — parents on the ground in Bali · Updated 3 November 2026

Flying with your pet in the cabinShipping your pet as cargo
Pet size and breed limitsOnly works for small cats and dogs that fit in an airline-approved carrier under the seat, usually with a combined pet-and-carrier weight cap.Works for pets of almost any size, from small cats to large dogs, since they travel in a crate in the cargo hold instead of the cabin.
Airline and route optionsFewer airlines flying into Denpasar accept in-cabin pets, and some long-haul routes to Bali do not allow it at all, which narrows your choice of airline and stopovers.More airlines accept cargo pets on the Bali route, including larger carriers, which gives families more flexibility on flight times and connections.
Contact and stress for the petYour pet stays within sight and reach for the whole flight, which tends to keep an anxious pet, and worried kids, calmer.Your pet travels alone in the hold without you or the kids nearby, which can be hard on the animal and on children saying goodbye at check-in.
Paperwork and lead timeStill needs health certificates, vaccination records, and Indonesia's pet import permit, but the process is simpler since there is no separate cargo booking.Needs the same health and import paperwork plus a cargo booking, an IATA-approved crate, and often an earlier deadline set by the airline's cargo division.
Hands-on logistics for parentsParents handle check-in, security, and boarding themselves, much like traveling with hand luggage, which fits around managing kids at the airport.Often involves a separate cargo drop-off, sometimes hours before the passenger flight, adding another stop to coordinate alongside kids and regular luggage.
Cost-levelCost-level is generally lower, since it is handled as an add-on to a passenger ticket rather than a separate shipment.Cost-level is generally higher, because of crate requirements, cargo handling fees, and sometimes a relocation agent.

Choose Flying with your pet in the cabin if…

Choose Flying with your pet in the cabin if your pet is small enough to meet the weight and carrier limits, your airline allows it on the Bali route, and you want your pet close to you and the kids for the whole trip.

Choose Shipping your pet as cargo if…

Choose Shipping your pet as cargo if your pet is too large for the cabin, you are comfortable with a cargo booking and crate, and you would rather have more airline and route options even if it means a separate goodbye at check-in.

Still weighing it up for your family?

Ask the Knowmads family guide