How To Add A Pet On Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines has a pet policy that is pretty straightforward: dogs and cats are allowed on flights in the cabin, but they have to be small enough to fit underneath your seat. There are certain rules you have to follow in order for your furry friend to be able to fly with you. If you’re traveling with a dog or cat on Southwest Airlines soon, here’s what you need to know:
Inform yourself about the policy.
- Make sure to read the policy carefully and pay attention to details. If you have any questions, ask the airline representative at the airport or call their customer service line.
- Check whether your pet is allowed on flights with a particular airline before booking tickets. If it is not, then you may need to check another airline’s rules instead of booking tickets right away—you don’t want to be surprised at the airport and miss your flight!
Book your trip at least 24 hours before you want to leave.
- Book your trip at least 24 hours before you want to leave. As with pretty much any airline, booking later than this will make it more difficult for you to get a seat for your pet.
- Booking simple trips can sometimes be done over the phone with an agent, but complex trips are best done online.
Pack your pet’s travel necessities.
- Make sure you have a carrier. Southwest Airlines allows pets to travel in the cabin, and they must be on the floor for the duration of the flight. Your pet’s carrier should be just large enough for him or her to stand up, turn around and sit comfortably. If your animal is under 20 pounds, use a small kennel-style carrier; if he or she weighs more than 20 pounds, use an airline-approved hard-sided crate (a plastic or metal cage) that will fit under your seat at all times.
- Bring food and water bowls — and make sure they are empty when you board! You can check these items with your luggage at no extra cost at Southwest’s early check-in counters or at curbside when dropping off your pet before boarding begins.
- Pack ID tags so that if your pooch gets lost, there’s no confusion about where he belongs! If possible (or if required by law), attach one tag with contact information and another with license number(s). It also couldn’t hurt to include info on any medical conditions that may affect his ability to fly safely — though most airlines require health certificates only within 14 days of departure date (and even then it depends on how long it takes for yours to arrive).
Keep your pet’s health in mind.
Before you travel with a pet, make sure that he or she is healthy and fit to fly. Southwest Airlines requires that pets are vaccinated for rabies at least 10 days before travel and that they have been seen by a veterinarian within 14 days of traveling.
In addition to these requirements, it’s also important that you pay attention to your pet’s overall health before boarding a flight with them. If your dog has come down with the flu or other respiratory issues recently, he or she may not be able to fly safely until they recover fully from their illness. The same goes for any other ailment: if your cat is suffering from diarrhea or vomiting due to an upset stomach (or anything else), it may be best not to bring him or her on board the plane when you fly out of town later this month–especially if another passenger could become ill as a result!
Get the necessary paperwork.
To get the necessary paperwork, you’ll need to visit your vet. You can also find pet travel documents online. The Department of Agriculture has a list of approved carriers that issue these documents, but it’s best to check with your vet or local pet store if you have questions about which carrier is right for you and your dog.
If your pet doesn’t speak English, getting their paperwork translated into another language may be necessary. This can be done through services like Yandex Translate and Google Translate as well as human translators found on Fiverr or Upwork (depending on where you live). If neither service is available in the language of your choice, it might require a phone conversation with someone who speaks both English and another language—or even hiring someone from abroad who speaks only English!
Get ready for security and boarding.
Before you go through security and board your plane, make sure that you have all the supplies necessary. This includes:
- A pet carrier
- Leash and collar
- Pet bedding (blanket, pad)
- Water bowl
You can bring a pet on Southwest Airlines, as long as you know what to do!
You can bring a pet on Southwest Airlines, as long as you know what to do!
Southwest allows pets in the cabin for an additional fee of $75 per animal. You must also book your pet at least 24 hours before departure, which is much earlier than most airlines require (American Airlines and Delta allow passengers to book their pets up to seven days before departure). The airline only allows one pet per reservation, so if you’re traveling with multiple animals, they’ll have to take separate flights.
The last piece of information you need is proof of vaccinations or health records for your pet; Southwest requires this documentation upon check-in.
Conclusion
Now you know how to add a pet to your Southwest Airlines reservation. It’s not too hard if you have all the necessary paperwork and the right mindset, so don’t let the process intimidate you! If it still seems overwhelming, consider hiring an expert travel consultant like Traveling Petters who can help guide you through every step of this process.