Flying with a dog in Spain: Iberia vs Vueling vs Air Europa, compared
Quick answer
In cabin the three admit small dogs, with different math: Iberia caps at 8 kg including the carrier (45x35x25 cm), Vueling at 10 kg with the dog inside a soft 45x39x21 cm bag, and Air Europa at 8 kg of dog and 10 kg total in a soft 40x30x30 cm carrier. Fees on domestic routes: Air Europa 35 EUR, Iberia 40 EUR online, Vueling shows its price when you add the service with a Fly Light fare. For dogs too big for the cabin, Iberia is the only one that publishes a hold limit, 45 kg with carrier, excluding snub-nosed and listed dangerous breeds. Air Europa also takes dogs and cats in the hold without published conditions on its page, and Vueling carries no animals in the hold.
TL;DR
- Cabin caps differ in what they count: Iberia 8 kg with carrier, Vueling 10 kg with dog inside, Air Europa 8 kg of dog and 10 kg total. Weigh dog plus bag before choosing.
- Domestic fees (mainland): Air Europa 35 EUR (Baleares included, Canarias 50), Iberia 40 EUR online (Canarias priced as Europe), Vueling priced when adding the service on a Fly Light fare.
- Long haul climbs fast: Iberia 180 EUR online and Air Europa 150 to 175 EUR per journey in cabin.
- Hold: Iberia is the only one with a published limit (45 kg with carrier, no snub-nosed or dangerous breeds). Air Europa takes dogs and cats without published conditions, Vueling none.
- Paperwork is the same everywhere: microchip and EU pet passport with rabies vaccination. Iberia and Air Europa also state where the carrier travels and which rows are off limits.
Everything here comes from the three official pet pages, read and verified on the date above. Airline pet rules change without notice and Iberia itself states it can modify prices at any time, so treat the sources at the end as the living truth and this page as the map.
The comparison at a glance
| Iberia | Vueling | Air Europa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabin weight | 8 kg including carrier | 10 kg with the dog inside | Dog up to 8 kg, 10 kg total with carrier |
| Cabin carrier | 45x35x25 cm (sum up to 105 cm). Soft required on Air Nostrum flights | Soft only, 45x39x21 cm | Soft only, 40x30x30 cm |
| Domestic fee | 40 EUR online, 44 at the airport (mainland, Canarias priced as Europe) | Shown when adding the service (Fly Light fare) | 35 EUR (mainland and Baleares, Canarias 50) |
| Europe fee | 60 EUR online | Shown when adding the service | 50 EUR |
| Long haul fee | 180 EUR online | Shown when adding the service | 150 to 175 EUR by route |
| Hold | Yes, up to 45 kg with carrier, no snub-nosed or dangerous breeds | No animals in the hold | Dogs and cats (booking channel not published, ask the airline) |
| Booking | Online at purchase, up to 48 h before | Fly Light fare plus the pet service at purchase | At purchase. The pet service is non-refundable |
How to choose in 30 seconds
1. Do the weight math each airline actually uses
The same 9 kg dog fails Iberia (8 kg with carrier), passes Vueling only if dog plus bag stay within 10 kg (that leaves about 1 kg of margin for the bag), and fails Air Europa's dog cap (8 kg of animal). Weigh dog and bag together on a suitcase scale and compare against each rule, not against a remembered number.
2. Big dog means Iberia or the train
Iberia is the only one that publishes hold conditions: up to 45 kg with the carrier, excluding brachycephalic dogs and breeds on Spain's dangerous list, with prior authorization through its reservation offices. Air Europa also takes dogs and cats in the hold, without published conditions on its page. If your dog is snub-nosed or you dislike the hold, the ground alternative is the train: Renfe takes dogs up to 40 kg without a carrier and Iryo also accepts large dogs, as our Spanish trains comparison details.
3. Check the fine print that surprises people
Vueling requires the Fly Light fare and carries no animals in the hold at all, and it does not accept ferrets or rabbits. Iberia requires soft carriers on flights operated by Air Nostrum. Air Europa asks for a minimum age of 3 months, bans cabin pets in emergency and XL rows, sells the service as non-refundable and does not carry cabin pets in Business on long-haul flights. All three check microchip and EU pet passport at the counter.
What we did not include
Ryanair and easyJet, the other big low-cost options in Spain, are next in line: they enter this comparison when we verify their pages the same way.
Frequently asked questions
Which Spanish airline is cheapest for a small dog on a domestic flight?
Of the fees published on the official pages, Air Europa at 35 EUR per journey on mainland and Baleares routes (Canarias goes to 50). Iberia charges 40 EUR online on mainland routes, and Vueling shows its price when you add the pet service to a Fly Light fare.
Can I fly a 20 kg dog with these airlines?
Iberia publishes the clearest path: hold up to 45 kg including the carrier, with prior authorization, excluding snub-nosed and listed dangerous breeds. Air Europa also takes dogs in the hold without published conditions, so ask it directly. Vueling carries no animals in the hold. The train is the usual alternative.
Does my 9 kg dog fit in cabin?
It depends on whose math: it exceeds Iberia's 8 kg with carrier and Air Europa's 8 kg of animal, and it fits Vueling only if dog plus bag together stay within 10 kg and the bag closes at 45x39x21 cm.
Do these airlines require a specific carrier?
Soft-sided is required by Vueling and Air Europa, and by Iberia on flights operated by Air Nostrum. Iberia otherwise accepts a carrier up to 45x35x25 cm with the three dimensions summing 105 cm at most.
What paperwork do they check at the counter?
Microchip and EU pet passport with the rabies vaccination. Iberia fills an official IATA form at check-in, and Vueling asks for the rabies shot at least 21 days before the flight.
Can my dog fly in cabin next to an emergency exit?
No. Iberia and Air Europa ban pets in emergency rows (Air Europa also in XL seats), and on both the carrier travels under the seat in front. Vueling assigns you a suitable seat at the check-in counter.
Sources
Who can help with this
Renfe Mascotas
Spain's national rail operator: official pet travel rules for every train type.
Baleària
Ferry operator connecting mainland Spain with the Balearic Islands, with published pet options per ship.
IPATA
The international association of professional animal transporters: the directory to find a licensed pet shipper.