Flying with a pet
on Southwest Airlines.

Start with the route and travel format

Southwest carries small vaccinated domestic dogs and cats in the cabin on eligible domestic journeys. Pets must be at least eight weeks old. There is no ordinary-pet checked-hold or cargo-compartment option. Unaccompanied minors cannot bring a pet. Pet policy

International flights, and itineraries containing an international flight, do not accept ordinary pets. Mainland–Hawaii travel is also excluded. Flights between Hawaiian Islands can accept pets; Puerto Rico has destination-specific requirements to check separately. Airline acceptance does not replace the destination's animal-entry rules. Destination restrictions

Reserve pet space by telephone

Call Southwest to book the pet reservation; purchasing a passenger ticket does not reserve the animal's place. The Contract of Carriage specifies telephone booking, and the help page recommends reserving in advance. No universal number of hours or days before departure was verified for ordinary-pet reservations. Southwest's published customer number is 1-800-435-9792. Contract, section 6.e · Official customer number

Each ticketed customer may bring one carrier containing no more than two small animals of the same species. Separately, Southwest's current contract reserves the right to limit a flight to six pet carriers, accepted first-come, first-served. That is a carrier allocation, not six animals or a promise that six spaces remain. The reviewed sources do not establish an aircraft-wide ban on cats and dogs traveling together. Pet policy · Contract, section 6.e

Measure the carrier and the animal

The current maximum for other pet carriers is 18 inches long × 10.5 inches wide × 10 inches high. Southwest's own carrier measures 15 × 10 × 10 inches. Use these current dimensions rather than older measurements repeated elsewhere.

The carrier must be purpose-made for pets, ventilated and leak-proof, and fit under the seat ahead. Your pet must fit completely inside and stand and move easily. Southwest recommends a soft-sided carrier because usable space varies with seat type and position, including tighter space at some aisle seats. The reviewed current page does not publish a separate pet-and-carrier weight cap or a general hard-carrier ban. Carrier requirements

Budget and check in at the counter

The published one-way charge is USD 125 per carrier for U.S. mainland travel and USD 35 per carrier between Hawaiian Islands. Prices can change. Pay at the airport ticket counter using an accepted credit card. If the reservation is canceled, the pet fare is refundable; this does not determine the refundability of your passenger ticket. Fees · Pet policy

Allow time for a counter visit before security. At screening, hold the pet while the empty carrier is X-rayed. Your carrier uses either your personal-item or carry-on allowance, so you may bring the carrier plus one of those items, rather than both. Board with your assigned group. Relief areas are available, but the airline will not hold the flight for a pet's toilet break. Airport guidance

On board and on arrival

Pets stay enclosed, including head and tail, in the gate area, while boarding and leaving the aircraft, and throughout the flight. Keep the carrier under the seat ahead. Pets cannot occupy a passenger seat, exit row or bulkhead row. Disruptive behavior can lead to refusal. The pet remains with you on arrival; this is a cabin service. Onboard rules

Trained service dogs follow a separate process

Southwest accepts dogs individually trained to perform disability-related work or tasks. Up to two qualifying service dogs per passenger travel without a service-animal charge. Emotional-support and therapy animals, and animals in training, do not qualify under the general service-dog process; some may qualify under pet rules. Its contract has a separate Canine Companions training exception, which should be discussed directly with the airline rather than treated as a general exemption.

Bring a completed digital or paper DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form, dated on or after ticket purchase, to the counter or gate on travel day. A vest or registration certificate is not a substitute. You can flag service-dog travel through Manage Reservation. For a disability-related specific seat request, call after booking and no later than 24 hours before the original departure. Destination rules remain separate. Service-dog guidance · Contract, section 6.d

Before committing

Ask Southwest to confirm pet space, the carrier's suitability for the assigned seat, the charge for your exact itinerary, and any destination documents. No blanket breed prohibition or weight ceiling was verified in the current ordinary-pet pages; that does not guarantee an individual animal is fit to fly or will be accepted. Keep vaccination and destination paperwork available and ask your veterinarian about fitness for travel.

Related planning

Related reading: Airline pet travel guides · Carrier fit and preparation.

Official sources and scope

• Pet policy
• Destination restrictions
• Contract, section 6.e
• Official customer number
• Carrier requirements
• Fees
• Airport guidance
• Onboard rules
• Service-dog guidance

Official airline sources checked October 14, 2026. The current Contract of Carriage and help pages support the distinct carrier allocation, passenger allowance and route restrictions above. No universal advance-hours deadline, weight cap or certificate waiver is inferred.