The Hawaiian Airlines pet policy 2024 includes options for flying with dogs or cats in the cabin, but only on interisland flights in Hawaii or to North America. Larger cats and dogs can fly in the hold as checked baggage, while other animals can travel as cargo. For puppies and kittens to fly in the cabin with Hawaiian Airlines, they must be at least 8 weeks old. Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are no longer accepted under the Hawaiian Airlines ESA pet policy 2024 due to changes in US laws. However, trained and registered Assistance & Service Dogs may fly in the cabin free of charge. If you’re importing a dog to the USA, your dog’s age and vaccine requirements depend on the risk of rabies where your trip starts. Dogs arriving from high-risk countries need to be at least 16 weeks old and have their rabies shots before travelling into the US. At the moment, there’s a 1 year travel ban in place for dogs being imported to the US from high risk rabies countries. Check out reviews by other pet travellers to hear about the Hawaiian Airlines pet policy in practice.
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Table of contents
| Dogs & Cats in the Cabin of the Plane | ✅ |
| Dogs & Cats flying as Checked In Baggage | ✅ |
| Pets flying as Cargo | ✅ |
| Assistance Dogs in Cabin | ✅ |
| Psychiatric Service Dogs in Cabin | ✅ |
| Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) in Cabin | ❌ |
Does Hawaiian Airlines allow dogs and cats in the cabin?
The Hawaiian Airlines pet travel policy accepts dogs and cats to fly in the cabin within their travel bag. Pets are only permitted to travel in the cabin on Hawaiian Airlines interisland flights, as well as to North America, excluding routes to or from New York (JFK), Boston (BOS), Orlando (MCO) and Austin (AUS).
Cats and dogs aren’t allowed in the Hawaiian Airlines First Class cabin.
The travel bag or kennel must meet the Hawaiian Airlines specifications outlined in their pet travel policy. Your cat or dog can’t weigh more than 25lbs (11.33kg) while in their travel carrier. The dimensions of the travel carrier for your Hawaiian Airlines pet in cabin flight must not exceed L 16” x W 10” X H 9.5”.
Each passenger is permitted one pet travel kennel, and only one adult cat or dog can occupy each carrier. Two puppies or kittens from the same litter, between the ages of 8 weeks and 6 months, are accepted in one pet flight bag.
On the pet friendly flight, the travel bag will be stowed underneath the seat in front of you, you can’t remove your cat or dog during the flight for safety reasons. In addition, the following rules apply when flying your pet in the cabin with Hawaiian Airlines:
- Pets must be able to stand and sit up, turn around normally and lie down in a natural position in their kennel, without touching any side or the top of their travel bag.
- Carriers must be soft-sided, and leak proof.
Cost of flying a pet in cabin with Hawaiian Airlines
The following fees apply for your cat or dog to fly in the cabin with Hawaiian Airlines:
- Interisland Flights within the State of Hawaii: $35.00
- Travel between Hawaii and North America $125.00
Pets can only fly to North America, or on interisland flights in Hawaii. No animals, except Assistance & Service dogs can travel in the cabin on other Hawaiian Airlines routes.
For Hawaiian Airlines interisland flights, you don’t need a Health Certificate for your cat or dog.
Does Hawaiian Airlines allow pets in the hold as Checked Baggage?
Hawaiian Airlines welcomes pet cats, dogs and birds to fly as checked baggage in the hold.
However, pets aren’t allowed on Hawaiian Airlines flights to and from:
- New York (JFK)
- Boston (BOS)
- Austin (AUS)
- Orlando (MCO)
- All International Destinations
- Pago Pago
During yearly embargo periods from 15 April to 15 October, Hawaiian Airlines can’t accept pets as checked baggage to and from the following US cities:
- San Jose, California (SJC)
- Sacramento, California (SMF)
- Las Vegas, Nevada (LAS)
- Phoenix, Arizona (PHX)
When flying your cat or dog as checked baggage with Hawaiian Airlines, the maximum weight of your pet in their travel kennel is 70lbs (31.75kg). Kennel dimensions can’t exceed L 36″ x W 25″ x H 27″. However, larger dogs can fly as cargo.
Unlike most other airlines, Hawaiian Airlines doesn’t have a ban on brachycephalic (snub-nosed) cat and dog breeds flying in the hold. However, it’s strongly recommended that you don’t fly with a snub-nosed breed in the hold, due to breathing difficulties they can encounter. In some cases, this can be fatal, so please don’t fly a snub-nosed pet in the hold of any airline.
Note that you don’t need a pet Health Certificate when flying on Hawaiian Airlines interisland flights.
Cost of Flying a Pet as Checked Baggage
To fly your cat, dog or bird as checked baggage with Hawaiian Airlines, the fees are:
- Interisland flights within the State of Hawaii: $60.00
- Travel between Hawaii & North America: $225.00
Hawaiian Airlines Pet Cargo
If your pet is too large to fly in the cabin, they may travel as cargo with Hawaiian Air Cargo. Pets can also fly as cargo on international routes, or if you’re travelling on a different flight from your pet. Prices vary, and a personalised quotation will be provided by Hawaiian Air Cargo on request.
Hawaiian Airlines Assistance & Service Dog and Emotional Support Animal (ESAs) Policy
As of 11 January 2021, the Hawaiian Airlines pet policy no longer recognises Emotional Support Animals (ESAs), therefore no new ESA reservations will be accepted. Emotional Support Animals are now subject to the standard Hawaiian Airlines pet travel policy.
Only professionally trained Assistance & Service Dogs can fly in the cabin free of charge in a Hawaiian Airlines cabin if they meet the requirements. A service animal is defined as a dog that’s individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability, including but not limited to:
- Visual impairments
- Hearing impairments
- Seizures
- Mobility impairments
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
Trained and registered Psychiatric Service Dogs are therefore permitted to travel with Hawaiian Airlines.
Remember to always protect your pet against vector borne diseases when travelling to a foreign country. And leave a review for Hawaiian Airlines if you fly your pet with them!
