Hawaiian Airlines Pet Policy

Even though Hawaiian Airlines’ rules for traveling with pets are reasonable, the Aloha State has strict rules for letting animals in, which can include quarantines that last up to 120 days.

Even if you take steps to get your dog or cat a shorter or even no-quarantine period, there’s no guarantee that they’ll be eligible. So it might not be a good idea to bring your pet on a normal one- or two-week trip.

But if you are staying in Hawaii for a long time or have an emergency and can’t leave your dog or cat at home, it may be worth going through some trouble to bring your pet with you.

Hawaiian Airlines has a pretty unique market, so its fees for checked bags and rules for carry-ons are also different. The Hawaiian Airlines baggage policy also has a number of ways to bring luggage without having to pay extra.

Hawaiian Airlines Pet Policy

Hawaiian Airlines has flexible pet policies that can change based on where you are going or where you are leaving from. Animals coming into Hawaii, in particular, have to meet a lot of rules. Hawaii is a rabies-free state, which means that when dogs and cats enter the state, they can be put in quarantine.

For other pets, you also need to get special permits. Pets living in Hawaii can be put in quarantine for up to 120 days if they don’t finish the “5-day-or-less Program.”

To bring an animal in without going through quarantine, you may need to plan for months. Since this is a state rule and not one that Hawaiian Airlines has to follow, passengers should talk to the Animal Industry Division about travel plans and fees to get into the state.

If the animal doesn’t meet the state’s requirements, it might not be able to board the plane or get into the state. In either case, the person traveling with the animal is responsible for all costs and fees related to boarding the animal or finding another way to get it to its destination.

Hawaiian Airlines’ Pet Carrier Specifications

Your pet must be in a flexible, leak-proof carrier that fits under the seat in front of you in order to fly in the cabin. The carrier must allow the animal to stand, sit, and turn around. Together, your pet and carrier must weigh less than 25 pounds.

Check the Department of Agriculture’s Animal Welfare Act requirements for carriers, as they must also be met by the carrier.

How to Book Your Pet on Hawaiian Airlines?

Call Hawaiian Airlines Reservations to reserve a flight for your pet when you book your flight.

Give Hawaiian a heads up that you’ll be traveling with your pet by calling or sending a message through its Ask a Question page. The airline must have space available.

Hawaiian Airlines Animals Service

There is no fee for qualified, trained service dogs to fly in the cabin outside of a carrier. If the dog is small enough, it must fit comfortably on the floor in front of your seat or in your lap.

Passengers with service animals are restricted from exit rows, bulkhead rows, and first class cabins. In addition, your service animal must be well-mannered and not disruptive.

Additionally, there are steps you must take prior to flying. At least 48 hours prior to your flight, you must submit a Department of Transportation (DOT) Service Animal Air Transportation Form. Additionally, if your flight is eight hours or longer, you are required to submit a DOT Service Animal Relief Attestation Form.

The good news is that service animals may be exempt from state quarantines if they meet the prerequisites prior to travel.

Note that animals used for emotional support do not qualify as service animals.

Hawaiian Airlines Pet Charges

If you want to travel with your dog as checked baggage on a Hawaiian Airlines flight, you should contact the airline’s Reservations Department at least 48 hours before your scheduled departure time. Because only three crates are permitted in the cargo area on each flight, you should book your flight as soon as possible to ensure a spot.

When flying with a dog as checked baggage, the following fees apply:

• Flights within Hawaii start at $60.
• Flights from Hawaii to North America (and vice versa): $225 – $850

When flying with a dog on Hawaiian Airlines, web, kiosk, and mobile check-in are not permitted. This allows the airline’s staff to inspect your dog, pet carrier, and any relevant documentation to ensure that your pet can fly safely.

How Hawaiian Airlines Pet Cargo Works?

On some domestic flights, Hawaiian Airlines lets dogs, cats, and birds travel as checked baggage in a pressurized, temperature-controlled cargo compartment. On international flights with Hawaiian Airlines, you can’t check your pet as luggage.

Between April 15 and October 15, due to bad weather, no pets can travel as checked baggage to or from:

• Sacramento, California.
• California, San Jose.
• Las Vegas.
• Phoenix.

Some short-nosed dog and cat breeds may find it hard to breathe in the baggage compartment and in Hawaii’s tropical weather. It is not a good idea to take these breeds to Hawaii.

Dogs and cats must be 8 weeks old or older. Birds must be at least two weeks old.

On Hawaiian Airlines, pets that are checked as luggage must be in a leak-proof carrier that is big enough for the animal to sit, turn around, and lie down comfortably.

The Animal Welfare Act says that the carrier must follow the rules set by the Department of Agriculture. Carriers must not be too big or too heavy for the airlines. The maximum length, width, and height are 36 inches by 25 inches by 28 inches, and the maximum weight is 7O pounds.

If your pet and its carrier add up to more than 70 pounds, Hawaiian will send them to the cargo department of the airline.

Also, you should:

Call 800-367-5320 at least 48 hours before your flight to let the airline know.

Give a health certificate from your vet that says your pet is healthy enough to travel and is dated no more than 14 days before you leave.

You must check-in for your flight in person with a real person three hours before it leaves. You can’t use a kiosk, your phone, or the Internet to check-in.

When your plane from the U.S. mainland lands in Honolulu, your pet will be taken to a quarantine facility unless you have already met the requirements for direct release.

Other Rules for Pets Traveling in the Cabin

• You must bring a health certificate from a vet that says your pet is healthy enough to travel and is dated no more than 14 days before you leave.
• Dogs and cats must be 8 weeks old or older. The cost is $125 to go to or from the U.S. mainland, or $35 to go from one island to another.
• The good news is that your pet won’t count as one of your carry-on items. But your pet has to be quiet and well-behaved, and you can’t put it in an exit row, a bulkhead row, or first class.

Animal Quarantine Rules for the State of Hawaii

Hawaii doesn’t have rabies, and the state wants to keep it that way. If you want to bring your pet there, you’ll have to follow strict quarantine rules.

Visit the Hawaii Animal Industry Division website to find out about the rules and fees for the state’s quarantine and direct release programs.

What Are the Kennel Requirements?

In addition to the size and weight limits, the USDA and Hawaiian Airlines require the following from kennels:

• Be leak and escape-proof.
• Be properly ventilated, but no part of the animal should protrude outside the container.
• Give the animal enough space to stand and turn around.
• Metal, wood, or hard plastic/composite should be used.
• Make use of absorbent material or litter.
• Have functional handles on the outside of the kennel to prevent tilting and direct contact with the animals.
• Be securely closed but not locked.
• Label the top and at least one side of the crate with the words “Live Animal” in at least 1-inch tall letters.
• Label the kennel’s correct location with upright arrows.

Fly Hawaiian With Animals

Hawaii wants to protect its rabies-free island ecosystem, so it’s not a good idea to bring Fido to the beach with you.

But if you can meet the state’s entry requirements, Hawaiian Airlines can get your pet across the Pacific in the temperature-controlled baggage compartments or, if your pet is small enough, in the cabin with you.

FAQ’s

1. What Factors Determine Whether You Can Avoid Baggage Fees on Hawaiian Airlines?

Your destination, elite status, and possession of the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard can all influence whether or not you can avoid baggage fees.

2. What Are the Size and Weight Restrictions for Carry-on Bags on Hawaiian Airlines?

Carry-on bags should not be larger than 22 by 14 by 9 inches (55.9 by 35.5 by 22.9 cm) or heavier than 25 pounds (11.34 kg).

3. How Many Checked Bags Are Allowed and What Are the Fees for Hawaiian Airlines?

The number of checked bags permitted and the fees levied are determined by the cabin class and destination. For example, the first bag in the Main Cabin (Neighbor Island) is $25, the second bag is $35, and additional bags are $50 each.

4. What is the Difference Between Basic and Economy Seats?