Starting June 17, Southwest Airlines will begin to allow pets to fly with their owners on vacation. If your small dog or cat fits in a hard-sided carrier that can be stowed under the seat in front of you, then you win! Think of how much more fun you’ll have with your buddy along for the ride!
Alas, if your pal is larger than snack size, Southwest can’t help you out. No pets are allowed in the cargo section of its airplanes. Not like we want to fly in cargo, but sheesh, big dogs want to go on vacation too. It’s just not fair!
Fees for pets will be $75 each way, and no more than five carriers per flight will be accepted, however Southwest may reduce that number during the evaluation period, so be sure to check with the airline when making your reservation. Currently, pet reservations cannot be made online; you need to call 800-435-9792 to reserve one of the limited spaces. Each person can have only one carrier, however if your pets are teeny, you can squeeze up to two of the same species per carrier—as long as they’re not smooshed.
For more information about the program, as well as seat dimension measurements (so you can make sure your carrier will fit), visit www.southwest.com.
