Question
Are the quoted prices of $1,800-2,500 for moving pets from Atlanta (USA) to Malaga (SPAIN) typical for pet relocation to Spain, and do you have any advice or recommendations for this move?
Answers
These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
”We’re planning to bring our cats on the plane with us, using an airline that allows cats as carryons. As long as they fit under the seat in front of you (and you keep them hungry so they don’t potty during the flight) everything should be fine from what I’ve seen”
”How big are your dogs? Can they go on the plane with you? I moved with my dog to Malaga and it cost me $175 for the USDA Vet paperwork and a couple hundred bucks that the airlines charged to take him on the plane. He was 6 kilos, so he flew in the cabin. If they are flying in the cargo, can you fly to Madrid and then rent a car and drive to Malaga? There’s no direct nonstop flight to Malaga from Atlanta. It’s a rough trip for them being on the plane. I couldn’t even imagine what they go through in the cargo”
”We flew Iberia and our Golden went under the plane. It was simple and way cheaper”
”Just moved in October from Atlanta with 2 pets flying Cargo. Iberia does not fly from Atlanta. The health certificate rate in Atlanta is $500+ per pet and it does matter who you use because they can majorly screw up the paperwork and then the whole deal goes South. The quotes sound right to me”
”Check Air Transat. We are Canadian and we are flying directly from Montreal to Malaga Airport with our dog in the hold. It cost $250 CAD to take him. The flight is 7 hours. The crate details and measurements are on the Air Transat website. You can get a crate from Amazon. We got ours from Canadian Tire, a general type big box store.
Air Transat only take 5 pets. The hold is acclimatized like the cabin. The vet check is easy just book with your vet and download the paperwork they have to sign within 10 days of leaving. The vet will tell you where to get it. In Canada we then made an appointment within that 10 days to take his paperwork to the Food and Agriculture people ( CFIA) after your vet check.
All it took was an email to book that appointment. Your vet will tell you who to contact. Apart from that make sure your pet’s microchip is an international one accepted in the EU ( most are usually this kind nowadays) with all vaccines up to date. Your vet can scan their chip and tell you. Don’t have any gaps between vaccines. Be sure to boost them at the correct date otherwise they may go into quaranteen in Spain. It’s not very hard to do this, and it definitely isn’t worth paying thousands of dollars for (in my opinion). Rely on your vet, they know all the ins and outs of the process. Hope this helps”
”Yes, it looks reasonable if it’s door to door”
”We brought two dogs in from Panama City, Panama to Barcelona with a connection in Madrid on Iberia Airlines. Most stressful part was the vet paperwork in Panama. Yours should be pretty straightforward, coming from the US. One dog in cabin ($210) and other was in baggage ($430). Both dogs did really well. Super important that dogs be microchipped with 15 digit chip and that the digits correspond to the vet paperwork”
”My daughter and I flew direct from Atlanta to Madrid on Delta with 2 cats in the cabin. Since only 3 animals can travel in cabin per flight, I booked the tickets at the airport previously. We rented a car & drove from Madrid to Málaga”
”Yes, unfortunately that does sound like the current price. We shipped our 70 lb. dog over from the US and had her delivered to us (from Madrid Airport to Granada) for about $6000 or so”
Conclusion
In conclusion, according to Spainguru Facebook group members, moving pets from USA to Spain usually involves costs between $175 to $6000 depending on various factors like airline, pet size, and travel arrangements.
Some opt for cabin travel with pets if within airline restrictions, while others send them as cargo.
Airlines like Iberia and Air Transat were recommended for their pet policies. The process involves meticulous vet paperwork, microchipping, vaccinations, and complying with EU regulations. Driving from Madrid or arranging direct flights help ease stress for pets.
Prices quoted seem consistent with the door-to-door service for such moves. Ultimately, proper vet guidance and adherence to protocols can ensure a smoother and less expensive transition.
