FAQ/Pet Policy for Hawaii Travel

• Southwest Airlines does not transport pets to or from Hawaii.

• Pets are allowed to travel with you onboard when traveling between Hawaiian Islands.
• Southwest’s pet policy and procedures must be followed when traveling with your pet between Hawaiian Islands. For more information about our pet policy and procedures, visit: https://southwest.com/html/customer-service/traveling-with-animals/pets/index-pol.html

• Only trained service dogs assisting Customers with disabilities and emotional support dogs and cats are permitted to travel with Customers from the U.S. mainland to Hawaii. No other animals are permitted on flights from the U.S. mainland to Hawaii. There are strict guidelines and specific procedures that must be completed before your service dog or emotional support dog or cat can be accepted into the state of Hawaii. Customers also must adhere to our procedures for accepting trained service dogs and emotional support dogs and cats.
• When transporting qualified animals to or from Hawaii, you (our Customer) are responsible for full compliance with Hawaii’s laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to the transportation of animals, including all documentation requirements.
• Hawaii Department of Agriculture documentation requirements for trained service dogs or emotional support dogs or cats must be verified with a Customer Service Agent prior to boarding the first flight on your itinerary.
• Hawaii Department of Agriculture documentation must be verified at both your origin station and connection city by a Customer Service Agent. The Customer Service Agent must verify:

• The date on your animal’s health certificate is within 14 days of the date of travel to Hawaii.
• Your animal’s health certificate is completed in English.
• Your animal’s health certificate includes the veterinarian contact information.
• Your animal’s health certificate includes rabies vaccination information.

If you are traveling to any destination other than Honolulu, you must also obtain a Neighbor Island Inspection Permit, which will be verified by an Employee.

• All animals must be declared on the Plants and Animals Declaration Form which must be completed onboard prior to arrival at the gate for every family onboard. These forms will be distributed and collected by Flight Attendants prior to landing in Hawaii.

For more information see the Animal Quarantine Information Page at  https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/ai/aqs/aqs-info//

• Hawaii is rabies-free. Hawaii’s quarantine law is designed to protect residents and animals from potentially serious health problems associated with the introduction and spread of rabies. All dogs and cats, regardless of age or purpose, must comply with Hawaii’s dog and cat import requirements.
• Honolulu International Airport (HNL) is the only port of entry for all animals, unless a valid Neighbor Island Inspection Permit has been issued by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. This includes trained service dogs and emotional support dogs or cats. Animals arriving without proper documentation may be quarantined for up to 120 days in Honolulu at the owner’s expense. Southwest Airlines is not responsible for any costs incurred should you arrive in Hawaii without proper health documentation.
• Upon arrival at Honolulu International Airport (HNL), a Customer Service Agent must complete a Shipmaster’s Declaration form and escort you with your trained service dog or emotional support dog or cat from the aircraft directly to the Airport Animal Quarantine Facility before allowing you and your animal into the baggage claim area to retrieve your checked bags.
• You should arrange for your trained service dog or emotional support dog or cat to arrive at the Airport Animal Quarantine Station at HNL Airport by 4:30 p.m. Normal inspection hours are between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. local Hawaii time. We suggest you allow sufficient time to complete the inspection process by arranging travel on a flight arriving by 3:30 p.m. Trained service dogs and emotional support dogs or cats not arriving at the facility during normal inspection hours noted above will not be released from the airport the same day. Owners of trained service dogs may request inspection in the terminal at HNL between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. local Hawaii time by notifying the Rabies Quarantine Branch seven (7) days or more before arrival.
• If an Unaccompanied Minor (UM) is traveling with a trained service dog or emotional support dog or cat, a person 18 years of age or older is responsible for completing the required documentation for presentation to the Airport Animal Quarantine Station upon arrival in Hawaii.

• Southwest does not charge fees for you to bring your trained service dog or emotional support dog or cat onboard with you.
• However, there are fees associate to the State of Hawaii Quarantine Program, and inspection hours and Quarantine Program Fees are subject to change at any time without notice. For more information, visit https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/ai/aqs/aqs-info/ or contact the Airport Animal Quarantine Station at (808) 837-8092 or email rabiesfree@hawaii.gov.

• In the event of a delay when travelling from U.S. mainland to Hawaii, which result in your animal not being released from quarantine until the following day, Southwest Airlines will offer to rebook you on the next available flight.
• If your flight from U.S. mainland to Hawaii is diverted to a Hawaii location other than your scheduled destination, a Southwest Airlines Customer Service Agent will meet your inbound flight and ensure your animal remains in the gate area until you have boarded the final flight to your destination.

• Honolulu International Airport (HNL) is the only point of entry for dogs and cats entering Hawaii, unless a valid Neighbor Island Inspection Permit has been issued by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. For more information regarding a Neighbor Island Inspection Permit, visit:  https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/ai/aqs/aqs-info/
• If traveling to any other Hawaiian destination, a Neighbor Island Inspection Permit, issued by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, must be shown to the Customer Service Agent and is required to fly an animal directly to an approved neighbor island airport.
• For more information, please refer to the “Checklist for Requesting Direct Airport Release” at https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/ai/aqs/aqs-info/  for flights arriving into KOA, OGG, and LIH airports.
• All procedures must be followed or the animal will be denied boarding. If you cannot provide a Neighbor Island Inspection Permit to the Customer Service Agent at your departure airport, you must be rebooked to HNL.
• Animals that are denied entry will be transported to HNL for inspection or transported out-of-state at the owner’s expense.
• An Inspection Permit is not required when transporting a permitted animal into HNL.