Delta Service Dog Policy: Forms, Rules & Fees (2026)

Delta Service Dog Policy — Forms, seating, fees and the DOT rule.

Delta’s service dog policy is built on the federal air carrier access act and the 2021 Department of Transportation rule. Delta permits a trained service dog to fly in the cabin free of charge, with no pet fee, when you submit the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form before your flight. A service animal on Delta is a dog individually trained to perform specific tasks for a disability. Delta no longer accepts emotional support animals as service animals; they are treated as pets. Here is how the delta service dog policy works in 2026.

Does Delta allow service dogs in the cabin?

Yes. Delta transports a trained service dog in the cabin on every flight, in the United States and abroad. Under the air carrier access act, a service animal is not a pet, so Delta charges no pet fee and reserves no cost for the dog. The animal travels in your foot space on the floor space in front of your seat; a small service animal may rest on your lap if it fits. Delta accepts up to two trained service animals per passenger, and the dog may not block the aisle, an exit row, or bulkhead seats.

What DOT form does the Delta service dog policy require?

Delta requires the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form, the federal service animal air transportation document the Department of transportation created in 2021. You complete and submit the animal air transportation form attesting the dog is a trained service animal that is healthy, vaccinated, and will behave. For any flight of eight hours or longer, Delta may also ask for the DOT relief attestation form. Submit both through the Delta accessibility page at least 48 hours before departure; a printed copy at the gate helps if you book late. One dot form covers the trip, and you keep additional information such as vaccinations handy.

How to add a service animal to your Delta flight

Fill out the dot form, then visit Delta’s accessibility page or call to submit it and note your service animal on the reservation. Arrive at the airport early for boarding; Delta lets a service animal handler pre-board so the dog can settle in the foot space. Tell the gate agent if you need help, and transport the dog on leash through security. Delta customers flying with a psychiatric service dog follow the exact same steps; a psychiatric disability is handled like any other disability under the rule.

Trained service dog Emotional support animal
Accepted by Delta as a service animal Yes No (treated as a pet)
Pet fee None Standard pet fee / cargo
DOT form required Yes N/A
Rides in cabin foot space Yes Only as a paid pet, if eligible
Task trained Yes No

Delta service animal behavior and seating rules

Your service animal must be task trained, housebroken, and under control at all times. Delta may deny boarding to a dog that shows a significant disruption — barking that will not stop, jumping on other customers, growling, or relieving itself in the gate area. The dog cannot occupy a seat or eat from a tray, and it must stay out of the exit row. A large dog that cannot fit in your own foot space and under seat space may need an extra seat you purchase, or a later flight with more space. Keep the dog in its other area only if crew direct you to the final destination gate for connections.

Emotional support animals under the Delta service dog policy

Since the 2021 transportation rule, Delta does not accept emotional support animals as service animals. An emotional support dog may still fly as a paid pet if it meets Delta’s pet size rules and you pay the pet fee. If your dog performs tasks for a psychiatric disability, it is a psychiatric service dog, not an emotional support animal, and the full delta service dog policy applies — free cabin air travel with the dot service animal air form.

Delta service dog size and large dogs

A larger service animal must still fit within your own foot space and under seat space. If the dog cannot, Delta may suggest you buy an adjoining seat or move to a flight with open space. There is no breed ban for a service animal, and small dogs simply curl in the floor space. Keep the dog clear of the exit row and bulkhead seats, where crew need the foot space clear for safety.

Does Delta accept psychiatric service dogs?

Yes. A psychiatric service dog trained to perform specific tasks for a psychiatric disability is a trained service animal under the air carrier access act, not an emotional-support pet. The same dot service animal air form applies, the dog is permitted in the cabin free, and Delta cannot ask about your disability beyond the task it is task trained to do.

Summary — what to remember

Common questions about delta service dog policy

Does Delta charge a fee for a service dog?

No. A trained service animal is not a pet, so Delta charges no pet fee and reserves the dog no seat. You only submit the DOT form.

What form does Delta require for a service dog?

The DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form. For flights of eight hours or more, Delta may also require the DOT relief attestation form.

Does Delta still accept emotional support animals?

No. Since the 2021 DOT rule, Delta treats emotional support animals as pets. Only trained service dogs fly free in the cabin.

How many service dogs can I bring on Delta?

Up to two trained service animals per passenger, as long as both fit within your own foot space and do not block the aisle or exit row.

Where does my service dog sit on a Delta flight?

On the floor in your foot space, in front of your seat. A small dog may rest on your lap. Service dogs are not allowed in exit rows or bulkhead seats.

Can Delta deny my service dog?

Delta may deny a dog that is not housebroken, barks uncontrollably, jumps on other customers, or behaves aggressively, because that is a significant disruption.

Does a psychiatric service dog follow the same Delta policy?

Yes. A psychiatric service dog is a trained service animal, so it flies free in the cabin with the same DOT form; a psychiatric disability is treated like any other disability.

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Written by USAR Editorial Team · Last reviewed:

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