How do I fly with my pet to or from Korea?

Flying with pets to or from Korea is well established but requires careful planning. Costs and rules vary by airline and country.

Key documents. From any country, you need a pet health certificate from a licensed vet (within 10 days of travel), rabies vaccination records (over 30 days old, less than 1 year for first vaccine), and a rabies antibody titer test for some countries (US to Korea is exempt; EU to Korea requires it). Korea uses APQA (Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency) for inspection on arrival.

Airline rules. Most airlines accept pets either in-cabin (small pets in carriers under 7 to 8 kg total including the carrier, fitting under the seat) or as cargo (larger pets in IATA-approved crates). Korean Air, Asiana, and most major airlines allow in-cabin pets. Costs range from 100,000 to 300,000 won for in-cabin and 300,000 to 1,500,000 won for cargo depending on weight and route.

From Korea outbound. Get an export health certificate from APQA at Incheon Airport (free or low cost), make sure your pet has a microchip per international rules, and confirm destination country requirements early (some countries like the UK, Australia, and Japan have quarantine or extra titer tests).

Into Korea inbound. Most pets enter without quarantine if documentation is complete. Snub-nosed dogs (Bulldogs, Pugs) face airline restrictions during hot months and may need cargo only.

Process tip. Use a pet relocation service like PetMove Korea or IPATA-certified agencies for complex routes. They handle documentation, crate sourcing, and airport logistics for 500,000 to 2,000,000 won depending on destination.