Planning guide • reviewed August 14, 2026
Istanbul Airport Pet Transit Guide
The key question is whether the pet remains in international transit or formally enters Türkiye.
What to confirm for this exact trip
- Government entry and transit requirements.
- The operating airline for every segment, including codeshares.
- Cabin, checked or manifest-cargo availability.
- Carrier or crate measurements and combined weight.
- Breed, age, temperature and aircraft restrictions.
- Health certificate, vaccination, microchip and import-permit timing.
- Who issues each document and what fallback exists if the route changes.
Common mistake
Travelers often confirm one layer of the trip and assume the rest is approved. Government eligibility does not guarantee airline acceptance, and one airline’s approval does not automatically cover a codeshare segment.
Recommended next step
Use the calculators to build a timeline and readiness check, then obtain written confirmation from the relevant authority and operating airline.