Hawaiian Airlines is happy to welcome your dog, cat or household bird aboard our flights. In many cases your domestic dog or cat can travel with you in the passenger cabin.
Household birds, on the other hand, will have to travel as check-in baggage in our comfortably pressurized, temperature-controlled cargo compartment. For more on transporting household birds, click here.
For information on checking in your dog or cat in our baggage compartment, click here.
And to see if your pet dog or cat can ride in the passenger cabin with you, read on.
Making Reservations
Dogs and cats are welcomed to fly with us as a carry-on in the passenger cabin provided they meet the following requirements:
- Your dog or cat must weigh less than 25 lbs.
- He/she must be able to sit, stand up and turn around comfortably in their pet carrier
- Pet carrier must fit under the seat in front of you
If you answered yes to all these questions, there’s a good chance your dog or cat qualifies to ride with you in the passenger cabin. More things you need to know about pets traveling in the cabin:
- There’s a limit of one pet per carrier, and one (1) carrier per passenger
- There’s one exception: You can have up to two (2) puppies, or two (2) kittens who are at least 8 weeks but no more than 6 months old, in one (1) kennel, as long as their total weight is no more than 25 lbs
- Carry-on pets are NOT PERMITTED on flights into the State of Hawaii, to/from New York or to/from International destinations
- Pets in the cabin are restricted by Hawaii Department of Agriculture quarantine regulations.
Qualifying service animals travel for free, in either the passenger or luggage compartment. If you’re traveling with your service animal, please see Service Animals.
How many pet spaces are available on each flight? For the comfort and safety of both human and pets, the answer depends on the type of aircraft.
| Aircraft | Class | Maximum # of Pets |
|---|---|---|
| ATR 42-500 |
Coach | 3 |
| B717 | First+Coach (Combined Total) |
5 |
| B767/A330 | First | 2 |
| B767/A330 | Coach | 5 |
If the combined weight of your pet and kennel is over 70 lbs (32 kg), your pet will need to travel via our cargo compartment. Please contact Hawaiian Air Cargo to book your reservation. For more information, visit Check-in Pets as Baggage: Dogs and Cats.
If you’re traveling to an international destination, see our International Contract of Carriage.
Pet reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Please call Hawaiian Airlines Reservations to check pet space availability and reserve space for your pet.
Finally, keep in mind that web, kiosk and mobile check-in are not available for guests traveling with pets.
Booking Restrictions
As much as we love pets, state and international laws and regulations limit where and how we can transport them.
Carry-on pets are NOT PERMITTED on flights (excluding Service Animals):
- Into the State of Hawaii
- To/from New York
- To/from International destinations
This doesn’t mean that no pet(s) can enter these destinations. If you’re flying into the State of Hawaii, pets are allowed to ride as checked baggage in our comfortably pressurized, temperature-controlled baggage compartments, as long as they comply with local quarantine restrictions.
Qualifying service animals are allowed on flights to and from New York.
While Hawaiian Airlines doesn’t allow carry-on pets on International flights, in some cases you can transport your pet as check-in baggage. You’ll find more details in our International Contract of Carriage.
Carry-On Pet Fees
Carry-on, computer bag, pet carrier—Wait! Does that pet carrier count toward your carry-on baggage allowance?
It does not. So how much will it cost for your furry friend to travel under the seat in front of you?
Hawaiian Airlines charges by kennel for each direction traveled, so a round-trip journey means you’ll pay a one-way pet check-in fee twice. If you decide to add in a stopover along the way, you’ll pay separate pet check-in fees to and from your stopover point. All fees are subject to change.
| Carry-on Fee | |
|---|---|
| Neighbor Island | $35 |
| Hawaii to North America | $175 |
| North America to Hawaii | Not Allowed |
| International | Not Allowed |
Pet Carriers: What you need to know
So what about that pet carrier? Hawaiian Airlines does not supply pet carriers. You’ll need to supply your own. In addition, you are responsible for complying with any applicable laws, customs and government regulations, requirements and restrictions of the country, state or territory where you and yet pet are headed.
Here’s what you need to know about your pet carrier:
- It must be small enough to fit comfortably in the carrier under the seat directly in front of you
- It must be leak-proof and well-ventilated
- It must be an airline-approved carrier that’s either hard-sided OR a "Sherpa" carrier, which looks like a duffle bag and has mesh lining that helps prevent leakage
- It must have a reasonable amount of room for the comfort and safety of your pet—enough to sit, stand up and turn around comfortably—and comply with all U.S. Animal Welfare Act and Department of Agriculture Requirements
- Hawaiian Airlines agents must be allowed to inspect and approve both the pet and carrier before they’re accepted for travel in the cabin
- Your pet must stay in the carrier at all times within the check-in lobby and gate terminal; be harmless, inoffensive, odor-less and require no attention during transit.
Final question: Just how big is that space under the seat in front of you? Here are maximum dimensions for your pet carrier:
| Maximum Weight | 25 lbs (11 kg) |
| Maximum Length | 16 inches (40 cm) |
| Maximum Width | 10 inches (25 cm) |
| Maximum Height | 9.5 inches (24 cm) |
If your pet weighs more than 25 lbs (11kg) and less than 70 lbs (32 kg), they’ll need to travel as check-in luggage. If your pet weighs more than 70 lbs, they’ll need to travel in our cargo compartment. Please contact Hawaiian Air Cargo to book your reservation. For more information, visit Check-in Pets as Baggage: Dogs and Cats.
Travel Documents: What you’ll need
Will your pet need travel documents? In most cases, yes. Documentation will need to be obtained in advance. To see what is required, please read on:
| Route | Health Certificate Requirements |
|---|---|
| Neighbor Island | Animal health certificate is not required for dogs or cats traveling on Neighbor Island flights. |
| Hawaii to North America | Original animal health certificate and a copy is required. Original for State quarantine, and a copy for Hawaiian Airlines. The animal’s health certificate must be dated within 10 days of date of departure signed/issued by a licensed/certified veterinarian.. For General Import Information, guests may call the Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health at phone number 970-494-7200 for details. |
| North America to Hawaii | Pet in Cabin is Not Permitted into the State of Hawaii |
| Hawaii to International | Pet in Cabin is Not Permitted on International flights |
| International to Hawaii | Pet in Cabin is Not Permitted on International flights |
Note: Animal health certificates must be signed/issued by a licensed/certified veterinarian. Health certificates are valid for 30 days after original departure date. If a return flight is more than 30 days after the original departure date, the passenger will need to obtain a new health certificate, dated within 10 days of the return for Hawaii→North America flights and 14 days of the return for North America→Hawaii flights. Service animals are also required to meet all heath certificate and quarantine clearance requirements.
Pet Check-In
Hooray! It’s the day of your flight—you have your airline-approved carrier, your pet travel documents (if needed) and your pet space reserved, your own reservation and baggage ready, too. Now what?
Remember, web, kiosk and mobile check-in are not available if you’re traveling with a pet. So please see an airport customer service agent for assistance with check in.