Pet Transport from Sweden to the United States

All three Scandinavian countries follow a similar path because all three are rabies-free and sit outside the CDC’s high-risk classification. The process differences are administrative rather than scientific: the issuing authority differs (Swedish Board of Agriculture vs the Norwegian Food Safety Authority vs Denmark’s Food Administration), and the endorsed certificate format varies slightly.

Where the routes diverge in practice is airline access. SAS covers all three origins, but flight schedules and available cargo routes to specific US cities differ by departure airport. Stockholm Arlanda (ARN), Oslo Gardermoen (OSL) and Copenhagen Airport (CPH) each have their own partnership agreements and cargo handling capacity.

If you are flexible on origin, Copenhagen often offers the broadest range of US connections, including SAS codeshare options that increase available pet cargo slots. That said, for most owners the departure airport is fixed by where they live, so focus on confirming pet space availability on your specific flight rather than shopping between countries.

The health certificate for a pet travelling from Sweden to the US must be issued by a veterinarian authorised under SJVFS (Swedish Board of Agriculture regulations). This is not the same as your regular local vet unless they hold the specific SJVFS authorisation. Many private vets in Sweden do hold this authorisation, but it is worth confirming before booking.

The certificate must be dated no more than 10 days before your pet arrives in the US. That date is arrival, not departure. If your flight from Stockholm takes roughly 10 hours, your window from certificate signing to US arrival is tight. Book the vet appointment for the day before or morning of travel to give yourself room.

The CDC Dog Import Form is a separate document completed by the owner online, not the vet. You fill it in at www.cdc.gov and print or save a digital copy to present at US customs. It covers basic information about the dog, the owner, and the vaccination history. It is quick to complete but cannot be done at the airport, so prepare it in advance.

Cats travelling from Sweden to the US face no federal requirements at all. No health certificate is required by US customs (though your airline may require their own documentation for the cabin or cargo hold). Check airline-specific rules for cats separately.

SAS is the most direct option for pets from Sweden to the US, with non-stop routes from ARN to JFK, IAD (Washington Dulles), ORD (Chicago) and LAX. Small pets under 8 kg (including carrier) may travel in the cabin. Larger dogs travel in the climate-controlled hold or as cargo, and must be booked as excess baggage or freight depending on size.

Norwegian Air Shuttle operates transatlantic routes from ARN but does not accept in-cabin pets on long-haul flights. Pets travel as cargo only. Lufthansa is a strong option if you want more routing flexibility, connecting through Frankfurt. The downside is that a two-leg journey requires careful handling transfer coordination at FRA.

On arrival at a US airport, customs officers will ask to see the health certificate and CDC Dog Import Form. The inspection is typically brief if the paperwork is in order. Your pet is not taken away for quarantine. Inspection happens at the port of entry while you are present.

Budget USD 800-1,800 for air cargo (depending on your dog’s size and the specific route), plus SEK 1,500-3,500 for the health certificate. Total landed cost for a medium-sized dog, including all documentation, typically runs USD 1,200-2,500. Using a professional pet relocation agent adds USD 400-900 but removes the administrative burden, which many owners find worthwhile on a first international move.