It is one of the most cited reasons for flying private, and with good cause: on a private flight the animal travels in the cabin, with you, no hold and no separation.
That settles the part people worry about most. But it is not what decides whether the trip is possible.
What does decide: the destination paperwork
Every country in the region has its own entry requirements for animals: veterinary certificate, vaccinations within set timeframes, and in some cases prior authorisation.
Those timeframes run in weeks, not days, and they do not speed up by paying more. A private flight takes you to the destination; it does not exempt you from the entry requirements.
Some vaccinations must be given a minimum time in advance and still be within a validity period: it is a window with two ends, not just a minimum lead time. Doing it late and doing it too early fail in the same way.
If your itinerary crosses a border, the general flight formalities apply as well. Departure and entry formalities vary by country and need lead time; we coordinate them with every passenger’s details.
Start with your vet and the destination country's consulate, not with us. It is the same order we recommend for park permits: the paperwork first, the flight afterwards.
What decides in the aircraft
We accept dogs and other animals in the cabin, subject to the destination country’s health requirements: tell us species, size and whether it travels in a carrier.
What does depend on the aircraft and we can tell you in advance:
The carrier takes up volume. Like surfboards, it constrains by geometry more than by weight. A large dog's carrier changes the category needed just as an equivalent piece of baggage would. The specific aircraft is assigned on confirmation, based on passenger count, baggage and the destination field.
And the animal's weight counts against payload. Not much, but in a small aircraft on a hot day everything adds up, because heat reduces what the aircraft can carry.
So when quoting we ask species, size and whether it travels in a carrier, exactly as we ask about baggage.
What gets underestimated
The transfer at destination. Many lodges accept animals, but the transfers — boat, minibus, 4x4 — do not always, and are often run by a third party with its own rules. Confirm with the lodge before us. Ground transfer is not included in the fare: your accommodation or a local operator arranges it.
And the destination itself. Several areas in the catalogue are protected areas or national parks where companion animals cannot enter. Flying to Drake Bay with a dog is possible; entering Corcovado with it is not.
Worth checking before choosing a destination: if the park is the point of the trip, bringing the animal means somebody stays outside with it.
When private flying genuinely changes things
When the animal is large, when the alternative journey is long, or when the stress of transport is the problem being avoided. On scheduled service a large animal travels in the hold; here there is no hold to avoid.
On a 33.4-nautical-mile leg to Quepos, the difference between flying and driving with a dog is hours. On a 97.1-mile one to Tamarindo, it is half a day.
Frequently asked questions
Does the pet travel in the cabin?
On a private flight yes, with you, no hold and no separation. It is the format's clearest advantage.
What has to be settled first?
The country's entry requirements: veterinary certificate, vaccinations within set timeframes, sometimes prior authorisation.
Do those timeframes speed up?
No. They run in weeks and do not depend on the flight. Start with your vet and the consulate.
How does it affect the aircraft?
The carrier takes up volume and can change the category, just as an equivalent piece of baggage would. The specific aircraft is assigned on confirmation, based on passenger count, baggage and the destination field.
Which destinations restrict animals?
National parks and protected areas, where companion animals cannot enter even though the flight there is possible.
What gets underestimated?
The destination transfer, which does not always accept animals, and national parks, where they cannot enter at all.
What should we be told when quoting?
Species, size and whether it travels in a carrier, exactly as with baggage.
Enquire
We accept dogs and other animals in the cabin, subject to the destination country’s health requirements: tell us species, size and whether it travels in a carrier.