BargainAirTicket is an independent travel agency, we are not Alaska Airlines and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by Alaska Airlines. Pet rules are set by Alaska and can change; you can add your pet to your booking yourself at alaskaair.com at no cost. If you'd rather we confirm your pet is accepted and lock in the booking, our agents assist for a service fee, quoted before you're charged.

Flying with a pet on Alaska

Alaska's route map is unusual for a US carrier: a Seattle hub feeding the whole West Coast, dozens of communities served within the state of Alaska itself, flights to Hawaii, to Mexico, and international routes beyond. A pet flying with you can mean something different depending on which of those you're booking, a short hop to Fairbanks isn't the same trip as Seattle to Honolulu. Here's exactly what fits in the cabin, where the cargo hold takes over, and where Alaska won't carry a pet at all.

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    First question: does your pet, kennel included, fit under the seat in front of you?

    Small dog or cat, soft-sided carrier, cabin

    Max 17 x 11 x 9.5 in, at least 8 weeks old. This is Alaska's easiest path, and domesticated rabbits and small household birds can sometimes join them, with real Hawaii exceptions below.

    Too big for the cabin, the cargo hold on many routes

    Up to a combined 150 pounds for the pet and carrier together, but not guaranteed on every aircraft in Alaska's network, especially the smaller planes serving remote in-state communities.

    Small dogs & cats fly in the cabin in an approved soft-sided carrier Domesticated rabbits & small household birds can also fly in the cabin on many routes, with real Hawaii exceptions below No in-cabin pets to Europe, Japan, Korea or Australia, among other international destinations Rabbits are not accepted in the cabin on any flight to Hawaii Birds are not accepted in the cabin on any flight to or from Hawaii Snub-nosed breeds are excluded from the cargo hold, except on flights entirely within Hawaii Cargo hold cap is a combined 150 pounds for pet and carrier together Hawaii's own entry paperwork is strict and separate from Alaska's pet rules, get it wrong and your pet can be held at arrival Pet must be at least 8 weeks old

    150 pounds combined is the hard cliff between cabin and cargo on Alaska, and cargo isn't guaranteed on every route.

    Under the cliff, your pet has options: the cabin if it fits the 17 x 11 x 9.5 in carrier limit, or the cargo hold if it doesn't. Above it, cargo is the only path, and it isn't available on every aircraft Alaska flies, especially the smaller planes that serve communities within the state of Alaska itself. A pet that clears the weight limit for cargo on a Seattle to Anchorage jet may not have that option on the next leg to a smaller community. Confirm your exact route, not just the airline's general policy, before you count on cargo being available.
    The pet-travel timeline
    When you book

    Decide cabin or cargo, confirm your route doesn't touch a banned in-cabin destination like Europe, Japan, Korea or Australia, and if your trip is within the state of Alaska or touches Hawaii, start checking route-specific and entry rules right away.

    Well before you fly

    Measure your carrier against the 17 x 11 x 9.5 in cabin limit or the 150-pound combined cargo cap, confirm snub-nosed breed rules if you're using the hold, and gather Hawaii's entry paperwork if it applies to your trip.

    At the airport

    Bring your pet already settled into its carrier, have any Hawaii entry documents in hand if your trip requires them, and budget for the pet fee, $100 each way in the cabin or $200 each way in cargo on the mainland.

    In the cabin: what Alaska actually accepts

    Alaska's own rules, in plain English. Confirm the current details at alaskaair.com.

    Small dogs and cats:

    The core of Alaska's in-cabin pet program, travelling in a soft-sided carrier that fits fully under the seat in front of you, max 17 x 11 x 9.5 in. There's no hard-sided carrier option, and no larger-carrier fee or workaround if yours doesn't meet the limit.

    Domesticated rabbits and small household birds:

    Alaska also allows these in the cabin on many routes, alongside dogs and cats. Both come with a real exception tied to Hawaii specifically: rabbits aren't accepted in the cabin on any flight to Hawaii, and birds aren't accepted in the cabin on any flight to or from Hawaii. Confirm your exact route before assuming either is coming with you.

    Minimum age 8 weeks:

    Alaska requires an in-cabin pet be at least 8 weeks old before it can travel. Confirm your pet clears this before you book, a very young puppy or kitten simply won't be accepted.

    No exit row, no bulkhead:

    Travelling with a pet in the cabin rules out an exit row or bulkhead seat, since neither offers the under-seat space a carrier needs. If we book your trip, we'll pick a compatible seat from the start rather than leaving you to sort it out at check-in.

    In the cargo hold: the 150-pound cliff

    Not every aircraft in Alaska's network carries cargo pets, confirm yours does before you count on it.

    150 pounds combined, pet and carrier:

    On many routes, larger pets can travel in Alaska's cargo hold, but the combined weight of the pet and its carrier together cannot exceed 150 pounds. This cap is firm, there's no upgrade path around it.

    Snub-nosed breeds excluded, except within Hawaii:

    Brachycephalic breeds, bulldogs, pugs and similar snub-nosed dogs and cats, are excluded from Alaska's cargo hold everywhere, with one exception: flights that stay entirely within Hawaii. If your snub-nosed dog needs to travel beyond that, cargo on Alaska isn't an option for it.

    Route and aircraft dependent, always confirm:

    Cargo pet service isn't offered on every Alaska flight, and it's the aircraft flying your specific route, not the airline as a whole, that decides. This matters most on the smaller planes serving communities within the state of Alaska, some may not carry cargo pets at all. Confirm your exact flight, not just the general policy.

    Moving a pet within the state of Alaska

    A trip type most other US airlines simply don't fly. Alaska does, extensively.

    A lot of Alaska's own network is inside the state of Alaska itself, Anchorage to Fairbanks, Anchorage to Juneau, and smaller communities that have no road connection at all and depend on air travel for everything, including moving a family pet. If that's your trip, two things work in your favor and one works against you. In your favor: the cargo fee within the state of Alaska is $100 each way, lower than the $200 mainland cargo fee, and the cabin option is the same small dog or cat carrier rule as anywhere else in Alaska's system. Working against you: many of these routes fly smaller aircraft, and cargo pet capacity isn't guaranteed the way it might be on a mainline jet between Seattle and Anchorage. If you're relocating a pet to or from a smaller Alaska community, call ahead and confirm the specific flight can carry it before you build your moving timeline around it.

    From the West Coast to Hawaii

    A different kind of trip, with a different set of rules layered on top.

    Alaska's Seattle hub, along with Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles and other West Coast cities, connects directly to Honolulu, Maui, Kona and Alaska's other Hawaii destinations. The airline's own carrier and weight rules above still apply, but Hawaii adds a separate layer entirely: the state is rabies-free and enforces some of the strictest animal entry rules in the country, on top of whatever Alaska requires as the airline. Getting a step wrong in that paperwork can mean your pet is held in quarantine on arrival instead of coming home with you. If Hawaii is anywhere on your itinerary, start researching entry requirements as soon as you know you're flying, not the week before, and note that once you're island-hopping within Hawaii, the in-cabin fee drops to $35 each way.

    Where Alaska won't fly an in-cabin pet at all

    A short list, but it catches people planning international trips off guard.

    Alaska bans in-cabin pets on flights to a number of international destinations, including all of Europe, Japan, Korea and Australia, among others. If any leg of your itinerary touches one of these, whether you're booking through Alaska's own international routes or a partner airline under an Alaska confirmation, the honest answer is that your pet may simply not be able to fly with you on that route, cabin or otherwise. We'd rather tell you that plainly before you book than let you find out at the check-in counter. Tell us your full routing and we'll flag it early if a leg is a problem.

    The pet fees

    A few of the numbers Alaska puts in writing. Confirm they haven't changed before you book.

    Alaska's in-cabin pet fee is $100 each way per kennel. If your entire itinerary stays within Hawaii, inter-island only, that fee drops to $35 each way.

    For the cargo hold, Alaska's fee is $200 each way on the mainland. Two lower fees apply on shorter routes: $100 each way within the state of Alaska, and $60 each way within Hawaii. Fees like this change, so treat these figures as a starting point, confirm the current amounts at alaskaair.com, or call us and we'll verify before anything is booked.

    Service animals are different

    Don't assume the pet rules above apply.

    Trained service animals follow a separate policy from pets on Alaska, with different carrier requirements, different documentation and no pet fee. We haven't independently verified Alaska's current service-animal specifics closely enough to state them here, so we won't guess. Check Alaska's own accessibility information at alaskaair.com, or call us and tell us your situation, we'll route it correctly rather than treating a service animal like an ordinary pet.

    Before you book, the checklist

    A few minutes now avoids a pet turned away at the gate, or held at the border.

    • Is your pet a small dog or cat that fits the cabin carrier limit? Max 17 x 11 x 9.5 in, at least 8 weeks old
    • Does it touch Europe, Japan, Korea or Australia? In-cabin pets are banned on these routes
    • Too big for the cabin? Cargo caps at 150 pounds combined, and isn't guaranteed on every aircraft, confirm your route
    • Flying within the state of Alaska? Cargo fee is lower, but confirm the specific flight can carry it
    • Does your trip touch Hawaii? Start entry paperwork now, a mistake can mean quarantine
    • Budgeted for the pet fee? $100 each way in the cabin, $200 each way in cargo on the mainland

    Confirm cargo capacity on your exact flight, not just Alaska's general policy. The 150-pound cliff between cabin and cargo is firm, but whether cargo is even offered depends on the aircraft, and that matters most on the smaller planes serving Alaska's own remote communities and least on a mainline jet between Seattle and Honolulu. And if Hawaii is anywhere on your itinerary, start the entry paperwork today, not next week. Tell us your pet, your route and your dates, and we'll confirm what's actually possible before you book anything.

    Frequently asked

    Can my dog or cat fly in the cabin with me on Alaska?+
    Yes, if it's a small dog or cat in an approved soft-sided carrier that fits under the seat, max 17 x 11 x 9.5 in. You can't select an exit row or bulkhead seat with a pet in the cabin, and your pet must be at least 8 weeks old. Tell us your pet's size and route and we'll confirm before you book.
    Can I bring a rabbit or a bird on Alaska?+
    Sometimes. Alaska allows domesticated rabbits and small household birds in the cabin on many routes, but rabbits aren't accepted on flights to Hawaii, and birds aren't accepted on flights to or from Hawaii. If your trip touches Hawaii at all, confirm which animals are actually allowed on your specific route before you book.
    What happens if my pet is too big for the cabin?+
    On many routes, it can travel in Alaska's cargo hold, up to a combined 150 pounds for the pet and its carrier together. Snub-nosed breeds are excluded from cargo everywhere except flights that stay entirely within Hawaii. Not every aircraft serving Alaska's network carries cargo pets, so confirm your specific route before you count on it.
    I need to move a pet within the state of Alaska. Is cargo guaranteed?+
    Not automatically. Many communities within the state of Alaska are served by smaller aircraft, and cargo pet space isn't guaranteed on every one of them. The in-state cargo fee is lower than the mainland fee, but availability still depends on the specific flight, so confirm before you plan around it.
    Are there places Alaska won't fly an in-cabin pet at all?+
    Yes. Alaska bans in-cabin pets on flights to Europe, Japan, Korea and Australia, among other international destinations. If your itinerary touches one of these, the honest answer can simply be no, and we'll tell you plainly rather than let you find out at the airport.
    How much does it cost to fly with a pet on Alaska?+
    Alaska's in-cabin pet fee is $100 each way per kennel, or $35 each way on flights that stay entirely within Hawaii. The cargo hold fee is $200 each way on the mainland, with lower fees within the state of Alaska and within Hawaii. Confirm the current amounts at alaskaair.com, since fees like this change.

    Contact options

    Reach Alaska directly, or let us confirm your pet and book the trip.

    Contact Alaska Airlines directly

    The airline's own official channels, free.

    Websitealaskaair.com
    Reservations1-800-252-7522
    AppAlaska app

    These are Alaska's own channels; confirm current pet rules at alaskaair.com. No separate Spanish-language reservations line is published.

    Or let a BargainAirTicket agent do it

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    BargainAirTicket is an independent travel marketplace operated by Bookmecheapest LLC, not an airline and not a representative of Alaska Airlines or any airline. "Alaska Airlines" and related marks are trademarks of their respective owners, used here only to describe the ticketing support we offer. Pet, carrier and fee rules are set by Alaska and change frequently, and Hawaii's animal entry rules are set separately by the state, always confirm current requirements at alaskaair.com. We assist with bookings on any airline for a service fee, quoted before you're charged.

    Policies last verified July 20, 2026 against Alaska Airlines' own website. Airlines change these rules often, and we confirm current terms on every call.

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