{"id":6703,"date":"2026-06-16T19:22:41","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T17:22:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/booking-a-flight-with-a-dog-by-phone-with-air-europa-our-experience\/"},"modified":"2026-06-16T21:02:47","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T19:02:47","slug":"booking-a-flight-with-a-dog-by-phone-with-air-europa-our-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/booking-a-flight-with-a-dog-by-phone-with-air-europa-our-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"Booking a flight with a dog by phone with Air Europa: our experience"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When we bought tickets for our next trip with our dog to South America this year, we quickly realized how much last year\u2019s experience helped. It was still fairly fresh in our minds, and we knew exactly what\u2019s worth sorting out in advance\u2014and where you can easily get tangled up when booking. We decided to write it up in a concise, practical way.<\/p>\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-white ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/booking-a-flight-with-a-dog-by-phone-with-air-europa-our-experience\/#Choosing_flights_why_we_went_with_Air_Europa\" >Choosing flights: why we went with Air Europa<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/booking-a-flight-with-a-dog-by-phone-with-air-europa-our-experience\/#Why_we_booked_by_phone_when_traveling_with_a_dog\" >Why we booked by phone when traveling with a dog<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/booking-a-flight-with-a-dog-by-phone-with-air-europa-our-experience\/#What_to_prepare_before_booking_by_phone_with_a_dog\" >What to prepare before booking by phone with a dog<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/booking-a-flight-with-a-dog-by-phone-with-air-europa-our-experience\/#How_booking_by_phone_with_a_dog_works\" >How booking by phone with a dog works<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/booking-a-flight-with-a-dog-by-phone-with-air-europa-our-experience\/#How_much_it_costs_to_transport_a_dog_on_Air_Europa\" >How much it costs to transport a dog on Air Europa<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/booking-a-flight-with-a-dog-by-phone-with-air-europa-our-experience\/#How_payment_works_when_booking_a_ticket_with_a_dog\" >How payment works when booking a ticket with a dog<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/booking-a-flight-with-a-dog-by-phone-with-air-europa-our-experience\/#What_to_check_before_confirming_a_booking_with_a_dog\" >What to check before confirming a booking with a dog<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/booking-a-flight-with-a-dog-by-phone-with-air-europa-our-experience\/#What_youll_learn_during_booking_and_what_you_need_to_find_elsewhere\" >What you\u2019ll learn during booking and what you need to find elsewhere<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/booking-a-flight-with-a-dog-by-phone-with-air-europa-our-experience\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Choosing_flights_why_we_went_with_Air_Europa\"><\/span>Choosing flights: why we went with Air Europa<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For our route from Madrid to Asunci\u00f3n and the return from Buenos Aires to Madrid, we chose Air Europa. Both legs are nonstop, which is a big advantage when traveling with a dog. Fewer connections mean less handling of the crate and fewer chances for things to get needlessly complicated. We\u2019d also flown Air Europa to Paraguay and Bolivia last year and everything had gone smoothly, which helped tip the scales again.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_we_booked_by_phone_when_traveling_with_a_dog\"><\/span>Why we booked by phone when traveling with a dog<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can\u2019t add a dog directly during online booking on the Air Europa website. In theory, you can buy the ticket online and add the dog later\u2014by phone or even at the airport\u2014but that\u2019s where the risk lies. The pet capacity on a specific flight may already be full by the time you try to add your dog, even if you reserved your own seat early. If you don\u2019t arrange the passenger ticket and the dog\u2019s spot at the same time, this risk is very real.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s why we handled the entire booking, including the dog, by phone from the start. The fare was slightly higher than on the website, but in exchange we could handle everything\u2014seat selection included\u2014and get the dog\u2019s spot confirmed in a single call.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_prepare_before_booking_by_phone_with_a_dog\"><\/span>What to prepare before booking by phone with a dog<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before calling, we selected specific flights plus backups, knowing pet capacity might not be available on every departure. Along with dates and times, we also noted current website prices so we could immediately compare how the phone fare differed from the online price.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the dog, we prepared:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the dog\u2019s weight,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>crate dimensions in centimeters,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>mode of travel\u2014in our case the cargo hold, since Ibo is a larger dog.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the call, we also needed:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the full names of all passengers exactly as in the passport,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>a payment card (we ended up needing two),<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>an email address to receive the ticket documents.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Air Europa handles calls in Spanish or English. Be ready to spell out names and your email address\u2014over the phone it\u2019s easy for an agent to record something incorrectly.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re still choosing a crate, our guides to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/dog-crate-for-airplane-cargo-hold-how-to-choose-the-right-type-and-what-not-to-forget\/\">right crate for the cargo hold<\/a> and for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/dog-carrier-for-airplane-cabin-how-to-choose-the-right-type\/\">in\u2011cabin crates<\/a> may help.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_booking_by_phone_with_a_dog_works\"><\/span>How booking by phone with a dog works<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We found the phone number directly on the Air Europa website, where you can choose the line for your region. That\u2019s practical too, because on a longer call the cost can add up.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The call itself was professional and straightforward. The agent first checked pet capacity on our flights and only then moved on to the booking. Besides our personal details, they asked about:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the type of pet transport,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>crate dimensions,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the total weight of the dog plus crate,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the dog\u2019s breed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Breed is checked due to Air Europa\u2019s rules\u2014some breeds considered fighting or dangerous must travel in a specially reinforced crate.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the call the agent asked us to hold a few times\u2014to confirm fares, check availability, and arrange split payment. This isn\u2019t a five\u2011minute task. We allowed 30\u201345 minutes for the call, and that\u2019s exactly how long it took.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_much_it_costs_to_transport_a_dog_on_Air_Europa\"><\/span>How much it costs to transport a dog on Air Europa<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We paid \u20ac350 per segment to transport our dog in the hold in our own crate\u2014\u20ac350 for Madrid\u2013Asunci\u00f3n and another \u20ac350 for Buenos Aires\u2013Madrid. In total, \u20ac700 for the dog for the round trip, plus our own tickets.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_payment_works_when_booking_a_ticket_with_a_dog\"><\/span>How payment works when booking a ticket with a dog<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The agent sent us an email with a link to a payment gateway. Alternatively, you can enter the card number and expiry date via your phone keypad\u2014this option is also available. Because of the higher amount, we asked to split the payment in two, which the agent accepted without any problem. This approach had also worked for us last year when we ran into a card limit.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_check_before_confirming_a_booking_with_a_dog\"><\/span>What to check before confirming a booking with a dog<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before taking payment, the agent emailed us the full booking details. This isn\u2019t the moment to rush. We checked:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>flight dates and times,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>that the flights are indeed nonstop,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>passenger names\u2014exactly as in the passport,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>that the dog is listed in the booking\u2014if traveling in the hold, look for an entry \u201cAVIH \u2013 ANIMAL ON HOLD \u2013 CONFIRMED\u201d; if traveling in the cabin, look for \u201cPETC \u2013 PET IN CABIN \u2013 CONFIRMED\u201d.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don\u2019t skip this check\u2014fixing mistakes is much easier now than at the airport.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_youll_learn_during_booking_and_what_you_need_to_find_elsewhere\"><\/span>What you\u2019ll learn during booking and what you need to find elsewhere<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the call you\u2019ll get all the basics for traveling with a dog\u2014the airline\u2019s rules, crate requirements, the surcharge, and confirmation of the pet\u2019s spot. The agent will also flag potential restrictions, for example banned breeds or special crate requirements. If you want to compare policies across airlines before choosing a flight, we\u2019ve summarized them in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/flying-with-a-dog-airline-conditions\/\">overview of major airlines\u2019 pet policies<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Details about the airport process\u2014exactly where you hand over the dog, how check\u2011in works with a pet, or how pickup after landing goes\u2014tend to be general and depend on the specific airport. It\u2019s better to learn these from other travelers\u2019 experiences or directly at the airport. On our route, we\u2019ve written up experiences from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/vienna-schwechat-airport-our-experience-with-a-dog\/\">Vienna\u2013Schwechat Airport<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/adolfo-suarez-madrid-barajas-airport-in-madrid-spain-our-experiences\/\">Madrid Barajas<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/silvio-pettirossi-airport-in-asuncion-paraguay-our-experience\/\">Asunci\u00f3n<\/a>. You\u2019ll find more airport reviews in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/category\/activities\/airports\/\">airports category<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The same goes for veterinary entry requirements. The agent can provide basic guidance, but they won\u2019t have full, up\u2011to\u2011date rules for every destination\u2014and certainly not for your return. You need to verify these yourself\u2014for example with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/bordercooler\/\">BorderCooler\u00ae<\/a> tool, which generates requirements for your specific route.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Booking a long\u2011haul flight with a dog is more involved than buying a regular ticket, but once you know roughly what to expect, the process is manageable. Our experience is with Air Europa, but you can expect a similar flow with many other airlines on long\u2011haul routes. In purely practical terms:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Most portals don\u2019t let you add a dog online\u2014call the airline directly and handle the booking by phone from the start. Don\u2019t add the dog later, and definitely not at the airport.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Before you call, prepare your preferred flights plus alternatives, the dog and crate details, passengers\u2019 names exactly as in the passport, a payment card, and an email address.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>During the call, the agent will check pet capacity, record all necessary details, and arrange payment\u2014either via a link sent by email or directly via your phone keypad. Allow 30\u201345 minutes for the whole call.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Before paying, review the booking email\u2014flight dates, passenger names, and confirmation for the dog. For travel in the hold, look for the AVIH entry; for in\u2011cabin travel, look for PETC.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When we bought tickets for our next trip with our dog to South America this year, we quickly realized how much last year\u2019s experience helped. It was still fairly fresh in our minds, and we knew exactly what\u2019s worth sorting &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6704,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_titles_title":"Booking a flight with a dog on Air Europa: our experience \u2022 IBO GUIDE","_seopress_titles_desc":"Our experience booking a flight with a dog by phone on Air Europa. 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