r/etihad

I recently traveled with my dog from Kuwait to Dubai and wanted to share my experience because I found the process a little confusing at first. There is paperwork from both countries, veterinary requirements, airline approval, and a few logistical things to plan ahead for.

This is what I did and what I wish I had known beforehand.

1. Start with Your Dog's Requirements Early

I first made sure my dog was microchipped and had a proper vaccination book.

One important detail: make sure the microchip date is recorded BEFORE the rabies vaccination date. I had the veterinarian write the microchip date directly into the vaccination book and stamp it. Make sure this is clearly documented before you leave the vet.

She received all her required vaccinations, including rabies. In our case, she had the first rabies shot, we waited 21 days, and then she received the second shot. After the second rabies vaccination, we had to wait another three months before she could fly.

We also did a rabies antibody/titer test, although I was told this isn't required for travel from Kuwait to the UAE.

2. Kuwait Veterinary Documents and Paperwork

For the Kuwait side, we used IVH, who helped us prepare and complete the paperwork.

They required:

- My passport

- My Civil ID

- My dog's vaccination book with all vaccinations and microchip information

- Rabies vaccination certificate

- Internal and external parasite treatment

- Parasite treatment certificate

- Health certificate from the vet

One thing to keep in mind is that the documents when issued have different validity periods. This means you don't necessarily want to get everything months in advance. The paperwork needs to be timed around your travel date so that everything is still valid when you need it.

I submitted everything through the IVH representative.

I also had to go to PAAF in person to apply for the permit to travel with my dog.

3. UAE Requirements and Customs

For the UAE side, we used Desert Paws, who helped us with the Dubai paperwork.

I also needed to register for UAE Pass, which Desert Paws helped me with. They handled the customs paperwork and obtained the UAE permit as well.

Note that IVH will only help you with documents required in kuwait they are unable to finish amy other document outside of kuwait which is why I reached out to Desert Paws.

4. Booking the Flight

I contacted Etihad Airways' pet team by email while we were working on the paperwork.

Not every Etihad flight accepts pets in the cabin, so their pet team told us which scheduled flights were available. We then planned our trip around those flights.

I booked my own seat first before issuing any paper work for my dog, as they needed that deadline to prepare the documents for. and only four days before the flight, we reserved a seat for my dog.

The dog's seat wasn't immediately paid for, though. Etihad required 72 hours to review the submitted documents. Once everything was approved, they sent us a payment link by email, and we paid for and finalized the dog's seat two days before the flight.

I booked an extra seat for my dog, so I had my seat and she had her own seat.

The cabin setup depends on the airline's requirements and the size of the carrier, so check Etihads website.

5. The 8 kg Weight Limit

My dog and her soft carrier together had to weigh no more than 8 kg.

Because she was close to the limit, I had to put her on a strict diet beforehand. The carrier counts toward the total weight, so make sure you account for both, I also removed everything extra from the carrier and started shaving off grams just to make sure.

I also had to walk her early morning to get her to use the toilet so the scale looks lighter during check-in.

they are very strict with the weight you cannot go above 8kg.

6. Flying into Abu Dhabi Instead of Dubai

For the route I took, Dubai did not accept pets arriving in the cabin, so I flew into Abu Dhabi and drove to Dubai, which took about an hour.

Regular taxis didn't accept dogs, so my husband rented a car and drove us.

One thing worth mentioning: my dog barked during check-in and the manager expressed some concern. I explained that she mainly barks when she can't see me. She settled down, but it made me wonder whether a constantly barking dog could potentially be refused. I don't know Etihad's policy, so I wouldn't want to speculate. If your dog is a constant barker, check with the airline beforehand.

During security check point my dog had to come out of the carrier, they scand her bag and made us walk through the metal detector and did a swab on the dog my hand and the bag, this was in T4, the staff were very sweet towards my dog but again they were not used to it.

I also had her fast for about 8 hours and only gave her small amounts of her regular dry food as treats, mainly to avoid an accident during the journey and to ease her frustrations.

there were no pet friendly places at T4 we had to use the disabled bathroom stall and I put a potty pad for her and let her breath before letting her go back in to the carrier.

when boarding the plane I requested to board first to sort my dog out and communicate with flight attendants

note: once I landed i couldn't find any pet relief area and we had to use the disabled bathroom again.

also make sure you train your dog very well to go in and out of the carrier on command, this is very important.

7. The Total Cost

The whole process cost me approximately 800 KWD, including:

- My flight

- My dog's seat

- In-cabin pet fee

- Vaccinations

- Certificates/vet paperwork

- Rabies titer test

- IVH

- Desert Paws

- Other related costs

The exact cost will vary, but this gives you a rough idea.

8. Would I Do It Again?

If it's just for a vacation, probably not. Not because anything went badly, but because it's a lot of preparation and expense for a short trip.

For relocation or a longer stay, I'd say it's much more worth it. Once everything was organized, the actual travel was fine.

The Etihad crew were very sweet and helpful. They seemed a little unfamiliar with pets in the cabin, but everyone was kind and there were no real issues.

Last week I had the opportunity to spend 18hrs in Etihads A380 between two legs on a trip from CDG-NRT. There are a lot of competitive products in 2026, so I hope this review can inform some decisions for perspective flyers.

Ground Experience (CDG): Etihad operates a standard outpost at CDG. Check in and security were efficient and anti climactic, with fast track expediting security and customs formalities. Etihad uses the Extime lounge in CDG and awards first class passengers a private section with premium F&B offerings. The star of this lounge was the champange offering, with Henri Giraud 90-21 (€200) flowing freely. Boarding proceeded on time with First class and Etihad's highest status tier being invited to board first.

Soft Product: The crew were all lovely as expected. Although experiencing some delays departing AUH, the crew consistently came back around for individual updates and to refill champange. The amenity kit was presented in a large Armani folder, and adopted a make your own situation as the vanity area of the seat had high quality Espa products that you could take at your will. Although this is nice for sustainability, I thought the products were similar to business class and not on par to that of competitors. Long gone are the days of Aqua Di Parma in Etihad F, as well as the Le Labo shower amenities which I miss dearly. Despite this, the highlight was the Armani pajamas which were soft and smelt great. The bed was comfortable with a thicker mattress topper than my last experience in August 2024. I believe this was a common complaint but since then mitigated. Another new inclusion is the snack basket. I would find that if I ate something from this selection, the crew would replenish it whilst I was absent from my suite. The soft product was genuinely quite impressive and anticipatory, with my champange never running empty without the friendly cabin crew there to offer a refill. However, I do wish the amenity kits offered more premium goods.

Hard Product: Etihad remains realms above competitors with their Apartments considering the sheer size. The main seat is comfortable and has plenty of adjustability. The dining position is comfortable, with a table that allows entry and exit while folded out. Additionally, there is a buddy dining set up. The seat includes a lighted vanity, and mini fridge, although most of the time the fridge didn't work. The lavatory situation is adequate, with two forward lavs. The shower worked well, although it is located in the smaller of the two lavs, making it quite tight compared to the Emirates spa. Another issue with the seat is a normal size carry on suitcase is too large for the stowage compartment, creating a tripping hazard as the compartment has to remain open. Overall the seat is more than spacious, all the features/ife were functional, and the bed was spacious.

Food & Beverage: The highlight of the F&B aspect for Etihad F was the champange offering. Currently, onboard they serve 2015 Perrier Jouët Belle Epoque (€210) which I particularly like. They also offer 2018 Veuve Clicquot Le Grand Dame off menu onboard, as well as in the AUH lounge. The food was plated nicely and flavorful. Notably, on my longer leg (AUH-NRT) an onboard cook was present and made an effort to introduce himself, whilst on the shorter red-eye (CDG-AUH) there was none. The cook was able to present me a perfectly medium rare filet, a complete rarity in the sky, and plated it wonderfully. The caviar service was good, with a 20g portion. Aside from the champange, the wine list had some interesting producers, but nothing extremely exciting or valuable, lacking behind some other carriers.

Ground Experience (AUH): As I had a 15h layover, I booked a day hotel in the city. This allowed me to experience the AUH check in process upon my re-entry to the airport. First class and business class have their own designated curbside location, with a porter greeting you and offering luggage assistance. The check in area for first class is discreet and comfortable, with security only taking a matter of seconds as I was the only passenger. The Etihad F lounge, while not massive, has plenty of seating and is rarely busy. 4 hours before my flight I used 14000 guest miles and booked one of the private suites. These suites are normally reserved for residence passengers, although they can be bookable to F passengers if available. It had a smart TV with Netflix, and an attentive server assisted with food and drink orders. He even set up a whiskey tasting for me, which was much appreciated.

Overall Thoughts: Theres really nothing critical I can say about Etihad and their apartments. At the end of the day sure there are some minor flaws, but these are quickly disregarded as the service is genuinely impressive, and the hard product is surely one of the best in the sky. If you have an opportunity to experience the Etihad apartments at least once; grasp it.

I didn’t need it so here you are - for this you get the 9,99$ wifi voucher for the whole flight :) hope somebody will have use for it

My wife, my 5year old son, and I are traveling with Etihad, and I booked 3 seats next to each other. The airline just sent an update about a 5minute delay with a note about seat transfers. Does this mean we will lose our seats, even though it’s the same flight?