This post is my personal account of flying with cats on Azul Airlines from Portugal to Brazil, with two cats in-cabin. Your experience may differ — but if you’re planning a similar trip, buckle up. It’s going to be a bumpy ride (literally).

Why Azul Airlines Was My Only Option for Flying with Cats

If you’ve ever tried to book a long-haul international flight with cats, you already know that weight limits are the first thing that crush your hopes. Most airlines cap the combined weight of your pet and carrier at 8 kg. My cats, bless their fluffy souls, have never been “8 kg kind of cats” — they’re healthy, slightly chunky, and blissfully unaware that the aviation industry would like them to be pocket-sized. Azul Airlines’ pet policy allows up to 10 kg in-cabin, carrier included.

That extra 2 kg makes all the difference: your pet travels comfortably at your feet, instead of feeling “squashed like laundry in a too-small suitcase.” And no, I was not about to starve my cats just to make them fit an arbitrary number on a pet policy PDF.

Would I have chosen Azul Airlines if there had been other airlines with the same allowance? Probably. But this time, they were the only option standing between my cats and the dreaded cargo hold. And I will never — not in this lifetime — put them there. That’s non-negotiable.

If you’re in the same boat (or plane), do yourself a favor: invest in a good carrier that fits under the seat without needing to be folded into some kind of furry origami project. I used one that gave them room to turn around — and yes, I have a favorite carrier I’d recommend if you’re looking.

Booking the Trip: Confusion from Day One

Azul Airlines website FAQ with no mention of extra bags

The very first bump in the road came before I’d even left home. There was no clear information on whether we could bring both a carry-on and a pet in the cabin. Some airlines consider your pet your “personal item”. Others are more generous. Azul Airlines’s written pet policy wasn’t crystal clear, so I called them. Twice.

I got two different reps, both confirming we could take a carry-on plus the cats. That still didn’t stop me from triple-checking on forums online, because if you’ve ever traveled with pets — and especially if you’re flying with cats on Azul Airlines — you know that rules sometimes change midair just for the drama.

On the day, the check-in staff even offered to check our carry-ons for free, which I happily accepted. Fewer things to drag through airports = more energy to drag myself through airports.

Pre-Flight Logistics: The Great Lisbon Detour

One of the fun quirks of flying Azul Airlines from Portugal, at the time, is that there were no direct Porto–São Paulo flight. That meant loading up five 23 kg checked bags, two carry-ons, and two cats, and driving 4–5 hours to Lisbon the day before.

I booked a pet-friendly Airbnb near the airport, because in my head, a night of rest would make the next day easier. In reality, it gave me time to watch the cats stretch, eat, and give me the silent treatment for uprooting their lives.

This part actually worked out well. I can’t recommend enough giving pets (and yourself) that buffer time before a big trip. They had space to eat properly, use the litter box, and recover from the car ride before being shoved under an airplane seat for half a day. And I had space to repack my hand luggage three times because I could already feel I’d forgotten something.

* Azul Airlines resumed flights from Sá Carneiro Porto to Viracopos São Paulo, and add a new route from Sá Carneiro Porto, to Guararapés Recife, on June 2025.

The Seat Change Saga

Here’s where my gut told me to check the booking — and my gut was right. Less than 24 hours before the flight, I logged in to see that our premium economy seats had been switched to standard economy. No email, no text, not even a little post-it on the fridge from the airline saying, “Hey, by the way, your knees are about to suffer.”

Cue three calls to customer service. The first rep was so unhelpful she could have been reading the script for “How Not to Care.” She refused to escalate the call, insisted I’d only booked premium on the connection (false), and when I pointed out I had screenshots and email receipts, she didn’t budge.

Eventually, I got someone more competent, who explained the original aircraft had a mechanical issue and had been replaced with one that didn’t have premium economy seats. Translation: “We swapped so we could pack more people in like luggage.” He was polite, even tried to get us on a different flight, but the only alternative was a minimal “discount” on business class that still cost more than my sanity.

We did at least get a refund for the seat upgrade — but only because I caught the change and called. I’m convinced that if I hadn’t checked, they would have happily let us discover on the plane, mid-panic.

Boarding at Lisbon: Chaos Without Priority for Pets

The boarding gate was a scene. Too many passengers, not enough chairs, everyone spread out on the floor like it was a low cost airline for teens on summer break. The chaos was amplified by the fact that Azul Airlines offers priority boarding to business class and passengers with babies — but not to those flying with cats on Azul Airlines or other live animals. This surprised me, as Azul Airlines call themselves a pet-friendly company. I assumed there would be small changes to accommodate people and their pets.

That meant standing in line with two cats, holding the carriers up while people tried to jam heavy roller bags into overhead bins dangerously close to my cats’ heads. When you’re wedged in an aisle trying to protect a nervous animal from someone’s flying bag, you start mentally rewriting airline policy yourself.

Onboard Reality Check

One bright spot: a kind passenger nearby offered to swap seats so my mother and I (both with cats) could sit together. Technically, Azul Airlines doesn’t allow two pets in the same row, but the crew looked at us, looked at the cats, and decided common sense was the better rule. I appreciated that more than I can say.

From there, though… My seat’s entertainment screen was dead. My mother’s tray table was broken, which meant every meal was eaten off her lap. A strong smell of smoke hung in the air for much of the flight — we were seated just behind the wing, so maybe it was engine-related, but it wasn’t exactly comforting.

It was an 11-hour stretch of fidgeting, trying not to think about how far away the ground was, and reminding myself to breathe while the cats dozed or shifted around below. The flight was full, so moving wasn’t an option even if I’d wanted to.

Cat Emergencies at 30,000 Feet

One hour before landing in São Paulo, my cat got restless. Then I smelled it. He’d had an accident in his carrier. I opened it slightly to comfort him, only to find that he wasn’t done. A few minutes later, he vomited. On my hand. On the carrier. On the seat.

My mother and I cleaned what we could with the limited supplies we had. Tip for you: never fly without pet-safe wipes, gloves, and extra absorbent pads. Trust me — here’s the pet travel kit I’d pack every time from my other guide. The crew let her dash to the bathroom with the mess despite us technically being in final descent.

I landed with a cat who smelled like defeat and hands that smelled like regret. We all survived. But barely.

The Positives of Flying with Cats on Azul Airlines

To be fair, Azul Airlines’s designated pet seats do have more under-seat space, so you can fit a slightly larger carrier without squashing your pet. And the flight attendants, especially on the international leg, were genuinely friendly and tried to work around policy when they saw it made sense.

Our one-hour domestic connection from São Paulo to Rio was actually a great flight — premium seats, newer plane, everything working, space to breathe. The irony wasn’t lost on me that the nicest part of the journey was the shortest.

Would I Fly Azul Airlines with Cats Again?

If another airline allowed 10 kg pets in-cabin, I’d try them first. But Azul Airlines still gets credit for making that allowance at all. The trade-off is that you need to be prepared for last-minute changes, varying aircraft conditions, and a policy that doesn’t prioritize boarding for those with pets.

Would I do it again? If it meant avoiding the cargo hold, yes. But I’d board with eyes wide open and expectations appropriately low.

Key Tips for Flying with Cats on Azul Airlines

• Book early and reserve pet space right away.
• Call twice to confirm baggage and pet policy — preferably a week before and again the day before.
• Document everything: seat maps, upgrade receipts, call reference numbers.
• Pack a pet emergency kit for the cabin.
• Expect last-minute surprises (and have a backup plan).

If you’ve flown long-haul with pets, I’d love to hear your story in the comments — especially if your cat handled it better than mine did. And if you’re still in planning mode, check out my Best Pet Friendly Airlines That Allow Cats to Fly In-Cabin (2025 Guide) for a full breakdown before you book.