Our pets are extra than simply pets — they’re our household. So, it stands to purpose chances are you’ll have to take your furry members of the family on a flight every now and then. While it’s undoubtedly attainable to fly along with your pet, every airline has completely different guidelines about what sort of pets can fly and the way a lot it prices.
In this put up, we’ll go over Southwest Airlines’ pet coverage so you already know precisely what it’s worthwhile to do to make sure the one you love pet has an important flight.
Southwest Airlines Pet Policy
Southwest Airlines permits small vaccinated cats and dogs who’re no less than 8 weeks old to fly within the cabin beneath a seat on home itineraries. Of course, it’s not fairly that easy as there are different laws to observe and even a couple of exceptions to the foundations.
Most Southwest flights will enable as much as 6 pet carriers within the cabin, nonetheless, some circumstances could cut back and even enhance this quantity. Each buyer is allowed 1 pet provider (with a most of two pets of the identical species) per flight. Pet reservations are on a primary come, first served foundation.
If you’re touring with a pet, you’ll have to verify them in on the airport ticket counter earlier than your flight.
Pets which can be too massive to suit beneath the seat gained’t have the ability to fly on Southwest Airlines, as pets can’t journey as checked baggage.
Before flying, ensure your pet is snug in its provider. Pets exhibiting disruptive habits might be denied boarding. According to Southwest Airlines, this contains:
- Biting
- Excessive barking
- Excessive whining
- Growling
- Lunging
- Scratching
- Urinating or defecating within the cabin or gate space
Additionally, pets are required to stay of their carriers for all the flight and will have the ability to get up and transfer round freely contained in the provider. If you’re touring with a pet, you gained’t be allowed to sit down in an exit row or the bulkhead. Lastly, unaccompanied minors usually are not allowed to journey with a pet provider.
Bottom Line: Southwest Airlines permits passengers to deliver a cat or canine on home flights as a carry-on merchandise. The pet have to be vaccinated, no less than 8 weeks old, and it should slot in a pet provider that goes beneath the seat. Pets can’t journey as checked baggage.
Pet Carrier Requirements
You’ll want an authorised pet provider to deliver your furry associates on a Southwest Airlines flight. Each provider can comprise as much as 2 pets of the identical species and every ticketed passenger is allowed to journey with 1 pet provider.
Your pet provider should conform to those specs:
- The most dimension the pet provider might be is 18.5 inches lengthy x 8.5 inches excessive x 13.5 inches huge in order that it matches beneath a seat
- Carriers might be both soft-sided or hard-sided
- The provider have to be leakproof
- The provider will need to have air flow
Your pet have to be in a provider within the gate space, throughout boarding and deplaning, and for all the period of the flight. It should additionally have the ability to get up and transfer freely within the provider.
The pet provider counts towards your carry-on baggage allowance as both a private merchandise or carry-on bag. Refer to Southwest Airlines’ baggage necessities for specifics.
Hot Tip: Learn extra about the most effective journey canine crates and carriers in our detailed information, or try Southwest’s branded pet carrier (proven above).
Hawaii Pet Regulations
Passengers can’t deliver pets to or from Hawaii on a Southwest Airlines flight. Passengers touring between Hawaiian Islands are permitted to deliver a cat or canine so long as all of Southwest’s pet insurance policies are adopted.
Puerto Rico Pet Regulations
There are extra laws concerning bringing animals into Puerto Rico. You might have to produce an official interstate well being certificates from a USDA-approved veterinarian out of your home state earlier than entry is allowed. Pets touring to Puerto Rico may be topic to additional regulations.
Cremated Pet Remains
Cremated pet stays are allowed as a carry-on merchandise so long as they’re in a container that may be screened by TSA. It’s advisable that they be carried in a plastic or cardboard container versus an urn or opaque container. If the container can’t be screened by x-ray, it won’t be permitted by the TSA safety checkpoints. Any urns or containers that may’t be screened won’t be opened for a bodily inspection. An authorised momentary container will normally be supplied by the crematorium.
Cremated pet stays can’t be transported in your checked baggage.
Trained Service Animals
Trained service animals aren’t thought-about pets and subsequently aren’t certain by Southwest’s pet coverage.
To journey with a skilled service canine, you’ll want to supply a accomplished U.S. Department of Transportation Service Animal Air Transportation Form on the ticket counter or gate on the day of journey. Trained service animals have to be leashed or harnessed always and have to be well-behaved. Any skilled service animals that exhibit disruptive habits (growling, biting, extreme barking, and so forth.) could also be denied boarding.
Therapy animals, together with emotional assist pets, or different animals that don’t meet the necessities of a skilled service animal can fly as a pet.
Onboard the plane, service animals can’t occupy exit rows and may’t sit in a seat or within the aisle.
A buyer touring with a service animal could deliver an extra animal as a pet, however an extra seat have to be bought if the service animal is “larger than a child under the age of 2,” based on Southwest, and the pet must journey beneath the seat in entrance of the additional seat.
Bottom Line: Trained service animals aren’t thought-about pets and aren’t topic to the pet insurance policies on Southwest Airlines.
Southwest Airlines Pet Fees
There’s a payment of $95 one-way for every pet provider on Southwest Airlines. The excellent news is that pet fares are refundable, so in case your plans change or your flight is canceled you’ll get your money again.
You’ll have to pay the pet payment with a bank card as you possibly can’t use a Southwest present card, flight credit score, or LUV Voucher as cost for a pet payment.
To make a reservation on your pet on Southwest Airlines, name 800-I-FLY-SWA (800-435-9792).
Bottom Line: Each pet provider introduced on to a Southwest Airlines flight can comprise as much as 2 dogs or 2 cats. There is a $95 payment every approach per pet provider.
Final Thoughts
Traveling with a pet can add further stress to a journey day. If you’re touring on Southwest Airlines along with your cat or canine, you’ll wish to make sure the animal matches comfortably in a pet provider that may simply slide beneath a seat on the airplane.
Make certain your pet is properly fed and has had access to a pet reduction space because it might want to keep within the provider for all the flight.
Don’t overlook to name Southwest to make a reservation on your pet because the variety of pets allowed on every flight is restricted. You’ll have to pay a $95 pet payment, which is fortunately refundable in case your plans change.
Hopefully, the trouble of touring along with your pet can be value it once you get to have your furry good friend with you at your vacation spot.
