The current rules for flying and staying with your animal — and where your Minnesota letter still counts.
Travel is where ESA rules surprise people most. For Minnesota residents, here’s exactly what changed — and what still works in your favor.
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International is the Upper Midwest’s hub.
The DOT’s 2021 rule change ended mandatory ESA accommodation in the air. Practically, that means pet fees, an under-seat carrier for small animals, and cargo rules for big ones — with details varying by carrier, so confirm before flying out of Minnesota.
A psychiatric service dog still flies in the cabin free of charge. Carriers can require the DOT Service Animal Transportation Form — an attestation of training and behavior, usually due 48 hours before departure — and the dog must stay within your foot space, under control.
On the ground, the ADA governs — and it covers task-trained service animals, not ESAs, so hotels and carriers may apply pet policies. Where the letter keeps its force is lodging that counts as housing: leases, sublets, and many longer rentals at your destination beyond Minnesota.
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Task-trained psychiatric service dogs still fly free in the cabin. Airlines may require the U.S. DOT Service Animal Transportation Form, typically submitted 48 hours before departure.
Hotels are public accommodations under the ADA, which covers service animals — not ESAs — so pet policies and fees can apply. Many Minnesota hotels are pet-friendly; confirm before booking.
For the flight itself, no legal right — but for where you stay it matters: leases, sublets, and many short-term rentals at your destination still fall under the Fair Housing Act.
Yes, but narrowly: incomplete DOT paperwork, disruptive behavior, or space constraints are the recognized grounds.
They do; the DOT framework is domestic, so international trips add the arrival country’s import and vaccination requirements.
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