The short answer
On a private charter, both the carrier and the arrival airport must be on the approved list kept by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). Your dog also needs the right document for where it is coming from, a tapeworm treatment 24 hours to 5 days before landing, and its originals with you.
Getting a dog out of the UK is the easy half. The return is where owners get caught out, because Great Britain has its own entry rules and an approved-route requirement that most people have never heard of.
The approved-route rule
GOV.UK says pets normally have to travel as cargo on a plane, unless you are flying on a chartered private plane. You may only use carriers and routes approved by APHA to bring a pet to England or Scotland, and APHA keeps a separate charter list. Each charter carrier is listed against specific UK airports, so the carrier and the arrival airport must both be on the list. There are no approved routes to Wales. See which airports in our airport guide.
The document depends on where you are coming from
- From the EU and other "Part 1" listed countries: an EU pet passport, a GB-issued Animal Health Certificate, or a GB pet health certificate
- From the USA, the UAE, Canada and other "Part 2" listed countries: a GB pet health certificate
- From "not listed" countries such as Turkey: extra steps, including a blood test
Tapeworm treatment for dogs
A vet must treat your dog 24 hours to 5 days (120 hours) before it enters Great Britain, every time. The treatment must be recorded in the document. It is not needed if the dog comes directly from Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta or Norway. Cats do not need it. Details on the entering Great Britain page.
On arrival
- The authorised carrier checks your dog's microchip and documents
- Customs clearance is separate: for pets arriving from outside the EU you can only collect the pet after customs
- The signed declaration that you will not sell or transfer the pet must travel with it
- A dog with the wrong documents can be quarantined or sent back at your cost
Real examples
We have brought dogs home on private flights from Seville to Bristol and Tallinn to Biggin Hill. In both cases the arrival airport and the vet timing were planned before the flight.
Planning a return? Tell us the route and we confirm the airport, the document and the dates. The APHA Pet Travel helpline is 03000 200 301 (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm).
Rules change. Everything here was checked against official sources on 20 October 2026. Always confirm the current rules for your route; we do it for you when you enquire.
Quick questions
Can my dog land at any UK airport on a private charter?
No. Both the charter carrier and the airport must be on the APHA approved list, which changes often. We check it for your flight.
Do I need a tapeworm treatment for a cat?
No. The tapeworm treatment applies to dogs only.