Paws before takeoff: What to know before traveling with a canine companion

It’s International Dog Day, the perfect time to celebrate the four-legged companions who make every adventure better. From dogs small enough to settle in beneath the seat, to medium and large breeds heading to a new destination through Alaska Air Cargo’s Pet Connect™ service, Alaska and Hawaiian offer several ways to get pets where they need to go with care. Planning ahead can make all the difference, so here are some tips and tricks for flying with a canine companion, from check-in to touchdown. Ways to fly with a dog on Alaska and Hawaiian Recently recognized as the most pet-friendly U.S. carrier, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines offer three ways for VIPs (very important pets) to travel: In the cabin Small dogs can travel in the cabin for a fee of $100 per carrier (or $35 if the travel is wholly in the state of Hawai ʻ i) each way . All dogs traveling in the cabin must fit within a soft-sided carrier no larger than 17”x11”x9.5”. See the pet travel requirements page for pets in cabin for a full list of details. In the baggage compartment on your flight Dogs and carriers weighing up to a combined 150 pounds can travel in Alaska and Hawaiian’s temperature-controlled baggage compartment while their owners fly in the cabin . The fee i s $200 each way per kennel . Di scount ed rates are a vailab le for travel within Alaska or Hawai’i , as well as for active-duty U.S. m ilitary or U.S. m ilitary dependents on travel orders . Via Pet Connect™ Alaska and Hawaiian’s cargo division provides owners with the ability to send their pets to another city in the baggage compartment without being onboard the same flight. Check out Alaska’s pet shipping guide here , and you can find tips from pet shipping experts on our Alaska Air Cargo Blog here .  Please be aware that these details are not exhaustive and all guests traveling with pets should consult the relevant Alaskaair.com pages for further details. This is especially true for international travel, which may include different or additional requirements than what is detailed in this post.  Five tips for stress-free travel with dogs 1. Understand breed and geographical travel restrictions Just as not all dogs are the right size to travel in the cabin, breed and destinations can add additional rules determining when and where your pet can fly . Be sure to thoroughly review Alaska and Hawaiian ‘s detailed pet policies prior to flying , especially for dogs traveling to Hawai ’ i or internationally . For dogs flying via Pet Connect™, a full list of travel embargoes can be found here .   2. Ensure the dog’s carrier or kennel is the right size Beyond size parameters for carriers in the cabin, there are specific carrier requirements for pets travel ing in the baggage compartment. Some of these apply to all dogs traveling in the cargo hold, such as carriers needing to be large enough for your dog to turn around, lie down freely, and fully stand up without their ears touching the top, while others are destination- specific , such as kennels over 28” not being permitted on flights between the Haw aiian Islands. 3. Remember to reserve space   Once guests have reviewed policies for pet travel and booked a passenger ticket , they can contact Gue st Ca re to reserve pet space . If the plan is to ship a pet via Pet Connect™ , contact the Alaska Air Cargo Call Center . Space is subject to availability and if plans include travel on another airline, be sure to contact the partner airline directly to reserve space, determine fees and obtain any additional information .   4. Check weather conditions and flight status before taking your pet to the airport   Before a flight, check for weather-related restrictions on pet travel . Pets often can’t fly in the cargo compartment when temperatures are hotter than 85 degrees or cooler than 45 degrees in departure or destination cities .   A dditionally , guests are encouraged to check the status of their canine companion’s flight before heading to the cargo station or the airport . If a flight is canceled, rebook their travel via 1-800-252-7522 when traveling with your pet or 1-800-225-2752 when using Pet Connect .   5. Prep pup s for success on their travel day   Guests are encouraged to give pets a pre- airport workout such as a long walk , make sure to have them go to the bathroom ahead of time, and avoid overwatering or overfeeding before a trip . W hen dropping pet s off, don’t forget to bring pet identification and allow extra time in the lobby .     View Alaska Airlines' pet policies View Hawaiian Airlines' pet policies Related news & stories Guest Experience Flying Neighbor Island next month? Learn about upcoming Honolulu-Kahului 737 flights, new check-in times and Honolulu lobby changes Sep 18 — Company newsroom — sourced from Alaska Airlines. Matter furnished by the company. Not a Notice Nearby paid placement. This page reprints matter furnished by the company from its official newsroom. Notice Nearby did not write this release. Read the original: https://news.alaskaair.com/company/what-to-know-before-traveling-with-a-canine-companion