Southwest Airlines is quite cooperative with passengers flying with pets in the cabin or cargo. There are certain rules and laws under the pet policy of South West Airlines that you must follow for the good of your pet.
Arranging to fly with the creatures at South West Carriers? After that, you can find all the details related to Southwest Pet Policy. The cabin policy provides information on how a pet travels with a service dog, an emotional support animal, and what size dog can fly in the cabin. Yes! You can travel your dog, cat, hamster, pigs, and domestic birds domestically and internationally. Do you know pet carriers, kennel sizes, and cargo costs for dogs, cats, and birds? Here, in this article, we have presented all the details about the pet policy at Southwest Airlines. If you need more guidance on traveling with pets, refer to this article.
Southwest Airlines allows you to enjoy your trip by taking your pets with you to the cabin. Some common pet guidelines and limitations when it comes to traveling with your animals on Southwest Airlines.
South West Airlines Pets Policy
- The number of pets per cabin on Southwest Airlines is one adult dog or cat or puppy or kitten in the cabin. One passenger per ticket is eligible to carry one carrier.
- Pets must be at least eight weeks old and not older than six months.
- A limited pet carrier is approved for six pets per ride.
- For pet tickets, and animal crates, Southwest Airlines charges USD 95 per way.
- Make reservations for your pet by calling Southwest Airlines customer service at 1-800-831-1547.
- Also, pets on international flights are not acceptable in cabins.
- No health records on pets are required for Southwest Airlines.
- Luggage in a pet cabin or check-in luggage is not acceptable at Southwest Airlines.
Know about South West Airlines’ cancellation and refund policy, in case you need to make some changes to your flight or even make a cancellation to your previous ticket. Knowing the cancellation policy would be of much help lately.
Points to remember before traveling with pets
- Be sure you have to bear proper documents and vaccination certificates for your pets.
- Make sure you have a strong base container to hold the pets which is suitable and comfortable for pets with the proper ventilation.
- Trained your pet and make it familiar with the container so that your pet feels comfortable during the journey.
- This is much recommendable that you check-in your flight with the help desk rather than the self-service channel.
- Check and verify that your pet is allowed to travel at the destination or not. Because some countries don’t give permission to enter their borders.
- Before check-in, you should check the eligibility of your pet that airlines allow for travel with you in the same flight in-cabin or travel separately with the cargo.
- If you booked your ticket already and make a plan to travel with the pet then you should inform the Airlines booking department or you can contact directly with the helpline number or chat online 24hours prior to the flight departure.
Southwest Airlines Pet Rentals:
US $ 95 is chargeable as a Southwest pet fee for each carrier and the pet fare is refundable.
Pet’s size and weight limit allowed for traveling in the Cabin:
As we all know, a standard carry-on and an individual item are acceptable. Whereas, if you bring your pet to the cabin, it will count towards your carry-on provisions. The important point to note
- In the cabin, cats and dogs can travel. But not a bird.
- To keep in mind the safety and comfortability of other passengers, so the weight limit is 9 kilograms for pets.
- A carrier measuring 18.5 x 8.5 x 13.5 inches or 47 x 22 x 34 centers is available or a Southwest Airlines pet carrier is also available. Southwest pet’s carrier size rules are the same it is either dogs or cats
- The carrier may have a hard side or a soft side with leaky material and proper ventilation.
- Pets must be at the airport and in a carrier onboard for the entire journey. Any pet that does not follow this regulation may not be able to travel.
Southwest Airlines Pet Guidelines:
- During the screening, customers may have to take pets and walk.
- There are pet relief areas at every location that Southwest Airlines serves. You can also contact a Southwest airline employee to help with pets.
- Pets count towards carrying on bags. However, pet strollers can be checked for free in addition to baggage allowances.
- The charge received on the journey of the pet is refundable if your pet is not flying or in the event of a flight cancellation. Ask the reservation desk at the airport for this.
Necessary documents related to the health of the pet during the journey:
Ensure that passengers receive the following items before traveling.
- Southwest Airlines requires pets to travel based on animal health certificates, pet vaccinations, and documentation routes.
- Besides, you are responsible for obtaining an animal health certificate from the vet treating your animal before the travel date.
- We encourage you to contact our reservation department at Southwest.com to provide 48 hours’ advance notice of your intention to travel with your pet.
Travel with emotional support animals and psychiatric service animals on Southwest Airlines:
Southwest Airlines Service Dog Policy Guidelines are:-
- Only one service animal per passenger is acceptable. There is no additional charge for ESA at Southwest Airlines.
- Your service animal must remain on the floor and can never occupy a seat.
- If your animal is small enough to be on your lap without touching the seat or any part of the surrounding customers, this can happen.
- Whereas if the ESA is large that cannot occupy a footprint space, you need to book an additional seat for your service animal. Or you may have to wait until the crew member finds an empty seat (perhaps on another flight) as an alternate for you.
- You are required to notify the reservation desk after more than 48 hours and submit the documents as required.
- You will avoid the lie-flat operation in our Mint seat to fit your animal on the surface.
- If your animal is small enough to fit perfectly on your lap without touching any part of the seat, a lie-flat feature can be used.
- Service animals can also occupy any seat except in exit rows.
- If your animals are of a size that prevents an adjacent customer from using the facilities of their seat, the customer traveling with the animals may need to be re-adjusted to another seat.
South-west welcomes all psychotherapy service animals and animal dogs with emotional support to the cabin for free. To accommodate the special needs of your trip, the air route suggests that you book your tickets as soon as possible. And when booking, add a special service request when you have a plan to fly your special service friend.
Documents required for service animals:
The Southwest Pet Policy must submit emotional support documents. They are:-
- Medical / Mental health professional form.
- Veterinary Health Form.
- Customer assurance of the behavior of the animal.
With all,
- Puerto Rico and the American Virgin Islands require vaccination documentation for the animal.
- Foreign locations include vaccine standards and paperwork requirements.
For further clarification call Southwest Airlines or visit the official page.
Restricted breeds in Southwest Airlines
There are, of course, some breeds that may not feel safe to fly. Animals banned on Southwest Airlines:-
- Improperly cleaned animals and/or with a foul odor
- Hedgehogs
- Animals that appear in poor health
- Ferrets
- Animals that exhibit aggression
- Tusks with animals
- Worms
- Rodents
- Snake
- Spiders
- Sugar Glider
- Reptiles
As service animals, only cats, rats, and miniature horses are accepted. At the same time, under service training, no animal can accompany a service animal. They have to travel like normal pets.
When booking online at 1-800-831-1547, please include your animal in your reservation with Southwest Airlines or notify Southwest Airlines customer service. For more information, visit the website.
Sum It Up!!
We hope that you and your pet will have an easy journey with Southwest Airlines. For further clarification about Southwest Airlines’ Pet Travel Policy, contact the Customer Service Center or visit the Southwest website. Information on Southwest Airlines’ cats, pet carrier measurements, and freight shipping prices are given in the aforementioned papers.
Frequently Asked Question
Ques 1:- How much does it cost to fly a pet on Southwest Airlines?
Answer:- Pet charges are $95 per pet carrier each way.
Ques 2:- Does South West Airlines’ emotional support charge for animals?
Answer:- Flights operated by Southwest Airlines allow certified service and emotional support animals that are subject to certain protection and paperwork standards.
Ques 3:- What weight should be allowed for dogs can fly in the cabin?
Answer:- The weight of the carrier may not exceed 20 pounds or 9 kilograms.
Ques 4:- Are pets allowed as checked baggage in Southwest?
Answer:- The answer is a big ‘NO’. Southwest doesn’t allow any animals as checked baggage.
Ques 5:- Will I also stop by security if I travel with my pets?
Answer:- Yes. security staff may be asked to walk with pets into the screening devices. This is only for security reasons.
