Macau to Netherlands: What KLM's Own Aircraft Rules Out
Planning a pet relocation from Macau to Netherlands is easier when you work backwards from your travel date. Set aside roughly 18-24 weeks for this route and keep a close eye on the sequencing. Pets …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Macau to Netherlands
typically takes around 18-24 weeks.
There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets.
A rabies titre test is required, which adds a fixed waiting period, so start early.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step
The Macau to Netherlands import process
01
Early, ideally before any vaccination booster is due.
Confirm the ISO microchip is implanted and scannable.
Responsible: Vet in Macau.
02
At least 21 days before travel, and at least 30 days before the titre blood draw.
Confirm the rabies vaccination is current.
Responsible: IAM-recognised veterinarian.
03
At least 30 days post-vaccination, at an EU-approved laboratory.
Draw blood for the rabies antibody titre test.
Responsible: Vet and an approved laboratory.
04
Runs in parallel with transfer and cargo booking.
Wait out the 90-day period from the blood draw date.
Responsible: Owner.
05
2-4 weeks before travel, given KLM's own direct service can't take a hold pet.
Arrange the Macau-to-Hong Kong transfer and book Cathay Pacific cargo space to Amsterdam.
Responsible: Owner or agent.
06
Within 10 days of travel.
Obtain the EU Animal Health Certificate from an IAM-recognised vet.
Responsible: Vet in Macau.
07
On arrival.
Land at Amsterdam Schiphol and clear the designated Traveller's Point of Entry document check.
Responsible: Owner or agent; Dutch veterinary control officer.
Requirements
Netherlands entry requirements
Every item below must be in place before your pet can enter. We verify and track each one.
Microchip
ISO 11784/11785 compliant microchip required, implanted before or on the same day as the first rabies vaccination.
Rabies vaccination
Required, minimum age 12 weeks. A 21-day wait applies from the date of first vaccination before the pet can travel.
Rabies titre test
Required. Macau does not appear on the EU's list of rabies-risk-exempt territories, the same gap already documented for Germany on this site. Blood drawn at least 30 days after vaccination at an EU-approved laboratory, minimum result 0.5 IU/mL, then a 90-day wait from the blood draw date before entry. Source: European Commission, Food Safety, 'Bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU country', food.ec.europa.eu, and the exempt-territory list continued under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131, in force since 22 April 2026.
Quarantine
No routine quarantine for a pet arriving with complete, compliant documentation through a designated Traveller's Point of Entry. Non-compliant animals may be refused entry, quarantined at the owner's expense, or in the worst case euthanised.
Import permit
No formal import permit, but the pet must land at a designated Traveller's Point of Entry with on-site veterinary control. Amsterdam Schiphol is the main one used by Dutch arrivals.
Health certificate
EU non-commercial movement Animal Health Certificate, completed by an official veterinarian, issued within 10 days of travel and valid for onward EU travel for 4 months.
Leaving Macau
Export requirements
Export permit
No separate export permit for a personal pet dog or cat leaving Macau, beyond the standard health certificate process handled by IAM.
Health certificate
Official veterinary Health Certificate of Animal, issued by an IAM-recognised veterinarian shortly before travel, recording microchip number, rabies vaccination date and titre test result, reformatted to meet the EU's non-commercial movement certificate for an unlisted third country. Source: Instituto para os Assuntos Municipais (IAM), iam.gov.mo and gov.mo.
Costs
What this route typically costs
Health certificate and IAM paperwork in Macau: MOP 400-900.
Rabies titre test and laboratory fee: MOP 1,200-2,000.
Cross-border transfer, Macau to Hong Kong (bridge coach or ferry, including crate handling): EUR 90-280.
Cargo fee, Hong Kong to Amsterdam: EUR 1,500-2,800 depending on crate size and season.
IATA-compliant travel crate: EUR 130-380.
Total typical range: EUR 2,200-4,200 over 4-6 months.
Critical points
KLM's own Amsterdam-Hong Kong flight, KL887, uses a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and KLM excludes that aircraft type from carrying pets in the hold. A dog too big for the cabin cannot travel on KLM's direct city-pair service; book Cathay Pacific's freighter capacity instead.
Macau isn't on the EU's list of rabies-risk-exempt territories, unlike Hong Kong. The full titre test and 90-day wait apply regardless of how short the ferry ride from Macau to Hong Kong is.
There is no direct flight from Macau to the Netherlands. Every pet makes a Hong Kong transfer first, with its own booking and crate handling.
Airlines
Approved carriers on this route
Airline
Notes
Type
Cathay Pacific Cargo
Pets transfer overland from Macau to Hong Kong International Airport, roughly an hour across the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge or by ferry, then fly Cathay Pacific into Amsterdam. Cathay flies the HKG-AMS passenger sector daily and also operates dedicated Boeing 747-8 freighter cargo services on the route, the more practical booking for a dog too large for a cabin.
Cargo Only
KLM Cargo
KLM's own Amsterdam-Hong Kong service, flight KL887, runs around four times a week on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. KLM's published pet policy excludes Boeing 787-9 and 787-10 aircraft from carrying pets in the hold, so this specific direct KLM service is not an option for a dog travelling as cargo; Cathay Pacific's freighter capacity is the more workable route for KLM's own home city pair.
Cargo Only
Emirates SkyCargo
A longer routing via Dubai (DXB) into Amsterdam, useful backup capacity if direct Hong Kong-Amsterdam cargo space is tight around peak season.
Cargo Only
Netherlands import rules, explained
Netherlands has a detailed set of import rules, and each one needs to be satisfied before travel. None of it is unusual, but the order and timing are what catch people out.
Practical tips for this move
Book the titre test laboratory well ahead. Approved labs have limited slots and the sample takes time to process, so this is not something to leave to the final weeks.
Microchip before you vaccinate. The microchip must be in place before the rabies shot for the vaccination to count, and getting this order wrong is the most common and costly mistake.
Use an official, government-authorised vet for the health certificate, not just your usual clinic. Many destinations only accept certificates signed by an approved vet.
If this is your first international move, consider an IPATA-registered pet transport agent. They handle the documents, airline booking and crate sizing, and can troubleshoot problems.
FAQ
Common questions about this route
Not in the hold. KLM’s Amsterdam-Hong Kong service, flight KL887, is flown on a Boeing 787, and KLM’s own policy excludes that aircraft type from carrying pets as cargo. Cathay Pacific’s passenger and freighter capacity on the same route is the practical alternative.
Yes. Macau isn’t on the EU’s list of rabies-risk-exempt territories, unlike Hong Kong. A titre test, blood drawn at least 30 days after vaccination with a result of 0.5 IU/mL or higher, followed by a 90-day wait from the draw date, is required.
No. Every pet transfers overland from Macau to Hong Kong first, roughly an hour by bridge coach or ferry, then flies cargo, most commonly with Cathay Pacific, into Amsterdam.
At a designated Traveller’s Point of Entry with on-site veterinary control. Amsterdam Schiphol is the main one for Dutch-bound arrivals, and a pet with complete, compliant paperwork clears the same day with no further quarantine.
Airline guides
Cathay Pacific Cargo
KLM Cargo
Emirates SkyCargo
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.