Alaska Airlines Pet Policy

Table of Contents

Alaska Airlines is a well-known American airline with its main office located in SeaTac, Washington, which is part of the greater Seattle area. According to the number of scheduled passengers it carries, it is the fifth-biggest airline in North America. Alaska Airlines offers flights to over a hundred locations around the contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Costa Rica, and Mexico.

Alaska Airlines Pet Policy —In-Cabin Pets

Subject to onboard space availability, small pets are welcome to travel in the passenger cabin for a cost of $100 USD/CAD1 each way.

1. Animals permitted to board passenger cabin flights include:

• House cats
• Domesticated rabbits
• Household birds

2. Only dogs and cats are allowed in the cabin on flights to Hawaii and other international destinations.

3. For additional information, please visit our service animal policy page if you are traveling with a service animal.

4. As soon as your trip arrangements are confirmed, give Alaska Air reservations a call at 1-800-252-7522 or send a message to reserve a seat for your pet.

Suggested Kennel Size for Pets

There are regulations set forth by the USDA and IATA. Pets need to be small enough to fit in the carrier beneath the seat and remain there comfortably. The cabin is suitable for the following carrier sizes:

Alaska Airlines Policy for Transporting Animals in the Cargo

Pets may travel in the cabin or in the checked baggage area, depending on space availability. Breed limitations, travel period embargoes, and fleet restrictions apply to pets traveling in the luggage compartment.

4 If you have plans to fly on a different airline, please get in touch with the partner airline directly to make reservations, find out prices, and get more details. Pets that are transported in the luggage held by Alaska Airlines cannot be transferred to another airline. Pets have to be checked in again and claimed to the connecting carrier.

Alaska Airlines Cargo Pet Policy

The total weight of the pet and carrier might be 150 lbs. If the weight of the pet and carrier combined exceeds 151 pounds, please visit alaskacargo.com to learn more about our Pet ConnectTM service.

Pets that are allowed include dogs, cats, ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, pot-bellied pigs, tropical fish, housebirds, and non-poisonous reptiles.

Only dogs and cats are allowed to go to Hawaii and other international destinations in the cargo cabin.

As soon as your travel arrangements are finalized, give Alaska Air reservations a call at +1(888) 748-0704 or initiate a chat with reservations to secure a space for your pet. Pets are only permitted in the luggage compartment in limited quantities, and reservations are filled in order of arrival.

Alaska Airlines Pet Fees

The cost of flying with a pet is $100 in the cabin and $150 in the luggage area. $100 per pet, per trip inside the state of Alaska; this price only applies to active duty military personnel and their dependents who are on official business. 

Pet travel costs range from $100 to $150 in USD or CAD. Prices shown are one way, pet carrier/kennel, and only apply to flights on Alaska Airlines. The cost for the other airline may be imposed if your schedule contains flights on another airline. For more details, contact the other airline. 

Alaska Airlines Pet Policy —Pets as Checked Baggage

To travel in the cabin with a pet, you must be eighteen years of age or older. You are not permitted to sit in the bulkhead or emergency exit rows when flying with a pet. Your allowance for carry-on luggage includes your pet. Either a pet carrier and a regular size carry-on bag or a pet carrier plus a personal item may be brought on board.

• There is a maximum of three pet carriers allowed in the First-Class cabin and eight pet carriers allowed in the Main Cabin per flight.
• Only if you buy a second ticket with an adjacent seat may you bring a maximum of two pet carriers in the main cabin.
• Both cats and dogs must be at least eight weeks old, completely weaned, and acclimated to eating solid food, having gone at least five days without nursing.
• Throughout the boarding process, the Alaska Lounge, and the flight itself, the pet must remain in its carrier—including the head and tail—with the door or flap fastened at all times.
• During the taxi, takeoff, and landing, the pet must be kept in its container and hidden behind the seat.
• As long as no body parts protrude from the carrier and the animals are not in distress, up to two pets of the same species and size may travel in the same carrier.

Climate-Controlled Baggage Compartment

In hot climates, there are certain weather constraints that apply during the summer. Your pet might not be allowed to travel if the temperature in the city of departure or destination on the day of travel is higher than 85 degrees Fahrenheit. For further information, please visit the Operational News and Alerts page.

When the temperature is between 45 and 85 degrees (Fahrenheit) in both the departure and arrival cities, pets are permitted to travel. If your pet has a certificate of acclimation from your veterinarian that details the temperatures to which your animal is accustomed, we can make exceptions for larger temperature fluctuations.

Policy for Service Animals

A service dog is the only kind of animal allowed aboard Alaska Airlines.

• Service canines that are trained to work or carry out tasks for the benefit of a qualified person with a disability are accepted by Alaska Airlines. Psychiatric service animals fall under this category.
• Each guest may bring up to two assistance dogs. Throughout the whole flight, the size of your assistance animal(s) must be larger than the footprint or personal space of your seat or foot area.
• In addition to Alaska Airlines' service animal requirements, you must also study and fulfill the standards of any partner airline, such as American Airlines, if your schedule calls for travel on that airline.

How to Request the Airline for Service Animals?

When making a request for these services, for the optimal travel experience: 

• Make reservations as soon as possible and include a service request while doing so online or by calling a special +1(888) 748-0704 accessible services line (dial 711 for relay services).
• Make sure you go to the airport at least two hours before your flight.
• Inform any particular needs you may have while checking in, when boarding, and during flying.
• Get Fly for All mobile app for free. It's ideal for first-time flyers, unaccompanied adolescents, and people with cognitive and developmental disabilities. 

Strictly Banned Breeds

Breeds of dogs and cats that are considered "short-nosed" or brachycephalic are not permitted to fly in the cargo hold on our aircraft. According to veterinary specialists, respiratory problems are frequently present in short-nosed pets due to anomalies. These problems may worsen due to flight-related stress.

This is applicable to the following breeds as well as their hybrids:

Dogs 

Canines Brussels Griffon, Chow Chow, Boston Terrier, Boxer (all breeds), Bulldog (all breeds), Bull Terrier, Breeds of Mastiffs: English Toy Spaniel, Japanese Spaniel/Japanese Chin, Pekingese, Staffordshire Terrier, Shih Tzu, Pit Bull (all breeds), and Pug (all breeds).

Cats 

Persian, Himalayan, Exotic Shorthair, and Burmese cats.

How to Add or Book Space for Your Pet?

As soon as your travel arrangements are confirmed, give Alaska Air reservations a call at +1(888) 748-0704 or send a message to reserve a space for your pet. It is necessary to make reservations before the day of travel.

Conclusion

Alaska Airlines offers excellent options for pet owners wishing to travel with their animals, and its pet regulations are among the finest in the industry. 

This holds true regardless of whether you intend to check them as cargo or carry them inside the cabin. It welcomes a wider variety of animals than other airlines and has some of the lowest pet travel fees.  It is important to keep in mind that there are still limitations on the kind of animals that can fly as well as specific times of the year that pet cargo cannot be transported. 

FAQ

1. How strict is the pet policy on Alaska Airlines?

Ans. As long as no body parts protrude from the carrier and the animals are not in distress, up to two pets of the same species and size may travel in the same carrier. Pets that produce a lot of noise or smell bad will need to travel in our climate-controlled luggage area.

2. What's required for pets to travel to Alaska?

Ans. To enter the state of Alaska, every animal must have a valid Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) or Health Certificate. The USDA 7001 form that can be downloaded from the internet is not accepted by the State because it lacks a distinct and traceable identifying number.

3. What regulations apply to pets while flying?

Ans. If they weigh less than 5 kg/11 lb, they are permitted to travel in the cabin. If the weight is more than 5 kg/11 lb but less than 32 kg/70 lb, they can go in the checked-in luggage hold. They have to be transported as cargo if their weight exceeds 32 kg/70 lb.

4. Can my pet roam the airport grounds?

Ans. Unless they are using a pet relieving area, dogs at the airport must remain in their carriers. You and your dog will need to exit the airport and go back through security if there are no pet rest zones.

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