Products
Folding dog crates and travel carriers: a buyer's guide to wire, soft, and airline travel
Folding wire crates for housetraining, soft collapsible crates for travel, hard IATA-compliant kennels for cargo, and in-cabin carriers for flying. How to size a crate correctly, why 'airline approved' is not a guarantee, and which type fits your situation.
In 30 seconds
There is no single best crate, there are four different products for four different jobs. A folding wire crate is for housetraining and home use. A soft collapsible crate is for trips and temporary setups. A hard plastic kennel is for airline cargo or a dog that needs real containment. A soft in-cabin carrier is for a small dog flying under the seat. Buy for the job you actually have. Two rules cut across all of them: size by your dog's standing and turning room, not by breed label, and never trust the words "airline approved" without checking your specific airline's current policy.
Match the crate to the job
Folding wire crate (housetraining and home)
The everyday default. Collapses flat, has a removable tray for cleaning, and usually a divider so the crate can grow with a puppy. Best ventilation and visibility. Not escape-proof for a determined chewer or a strong breed that works the latches.
Soft collapsible crate (travel and temporary)
Lightweight fabric over a frame, folds down small, easy to carry. Great for car trips, camping, hotels, and calm dogs. The trade-off is durability: a dog that chews or digs will get out of a soft crate, so it is for supervised or trusted dogs only.
Hard plastic kennel (cargo travel and containment)
The sturdy plastic kennel with a metal door. This is the type used for airline cargo travel and for dogs that need genuine containment. Heavier and not collapsible, but the most secure of the common options.
Soft in-cabin carrier (flying with a small dog)
A padded bag sized to slide under an airline seat, for small dogs within the airline's weight and dimension limits. The right tool only if your dog is small enough to fly in the cabin.
Sizing: the mistake everyone makes
Size by the dog, not the breed name on the box.
The crate should be just big enough for the dog to stand up without ducking, turn around comfortably, and lie down stretched out, and no bigger. An oversized crate undermines housetraining, because the dog can soil one end and sleep in the other. For a growing puppy, buy the adult size and use the divider to shrink it for now.
| Dog weight | Common crate length |
|---|---|
| Up to 25 lb | 24 in |
| 26-40 lb | 30 in |
| 41-70 lb | 36 in |
| 71-90 lb | 42 in |
| 91+ lb | 48 in |
Measure your dog from nose to tail base and add a few inches; use weight as a cross-check, not the only guide.
A word on "airline approved"
This matters, because the phrase is on a lot of packaging and means less than buyers think.
- For cargo travel, the standard is the IATA Live Animals Regulations: a hard kennel with proper ventilation, a leak-proof bottom, secure door, and (increasingly) metal hardware rather than plastic clips. A kennel can meet IATA and still be refused if it does not meet your specific airline's rules.
- For in-cabin travel, "guaranteed on board" is a manufacturer program, not an airline promise. Your dog still has to fit that airline's under-seat dimensions and weight limit, and you still book the pet spot.
Always confirm the current policy with your airline before you fly, and many cargo travelers add metal bolts to a plastic kennel to satisfy stricter carriers.
US recommendations
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Note: every crate size is a separate listing, so confirm you are buying the size that matches your dog before you order.
Amazon Basics Folding Metal Wire Crate ($35-60): best everyday value
The straightforward folding wire crate: double door, divider panel, removable tray, folds flat, carry handle. It is the workhorse for housetraining and home use, and the best value in the category.
Best for: housetraining, everyday home crating, growing puppies (use the divider).
Check the Amazon Basics folding wire crate on Amazon →
If you want the brand most pros name, the MidWest iCrate is the other dominant folding wire crate, with the same feature set at a small premium. Either way, this style is for housetraining and home use, not for a dog that escapes.
EliteField 3-Door Folding Soft Crate ($55-110): best for travel
A soft-sided crate on a steel frame, with three mesh doors, a washable fleece pad, a carry bag, and a fold-flat design. Light and packable for car trips and hotels. As with any soft crate, it is for calm or supervised dogs: a determined chewer will get out.
Best for: travel, camping, hotels, calm adult dogs.
Check the EliteField soft crate on Amazon →
Petmate Sky Kennel ($60-140): best for cargo travel and containment
The hard plastic kennel US flyers buy for cargo travel. It is built to meet IATA live-animal requirements, with 360-degree ventilation, tie-down holes, a secure door, and the required LIVE ANIMAL stickers and water cup. It is also the most secure everyday containment option here. Confirm your airline's exact rules before flying, and consider replacing the plastic clips with metal hardware for stricter carriers.
Best for: airline cargo travel, dogs that need real containment.
Check the Petmate Sky Kennel on Amazon →
Sherpa Original Deluxe Carrier ($45-75): best in-cabin carrier for small dogs
A padded soft carrier sized to fit under an airline seat, with a spring-wire frame that flexes to the space, top and side entry, locking zippers, and a washable liner. The right choice for a small dog flying in the cabin, within your airline's size and weight limit.
Best for: small dogs flying in-cabin, day trips, vet visits.
Check the Sherpa Original Deluxe carrier on Amazon →
Premium options to know about
If budget is not the constraint, the Diggs Revol is the premium collapsible crate, with a one-handed collapse, a garage-style side door, and an anti-pinch frame, and the Sleepypod Air is a crash-tested premium in-cabin carrier. Both are well regarded; availability and color options move around, so check the current listing.
Common errors
- Buying too big. An oversized crate undermines housetraining. Size to stand, turn, and lie down, no more.
- Using a soft crate for an escape artist. Fabric will not hold a determined chewer or digger.
- Trusting "airline approved" blindly. Confirm your specific airline's current cargo or in-cabin policy.
- Forgetting the divider. For a puppy, buy adult size and shrink it with the divider.
- Treating a crate as punishment. A crate should be a safe den, introduced positively, never used to punish.
What to check
- Whether the type matches the job (wire/soft/hard/in-cabin).
- Whether the size lets your dog stand, turn, and lie down, and no bigger.
- Whether it has a divider if you have a growing puppy.
- For travel: whether it genuinely meets your airline's current policy, not just the box claim.
- Whether the door latches are secure enough for your dog's strength.
- Whether the tray or floor is leak-proof and easy to clean.