Airline guide

Hawaiian Airlines pet policy

Hawaiian Airlines is now part of the same group as Alaska Airlines, and its pet rules are the same as Alaska's. Here is what that means for pets in the cabin, in the hold and as cargo, and the few limits that still depend on the aircraft.

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What changed after the merger

Hawaiian Airlines no longer has a pet policy of its own. Its old pet page now leads to a shared page, "Traveling With Pets: Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines", and Hawaiian's cabin and checked pet pages read word for word like Alaska's.

Cargo changed too. Hawaiian Air Cargo now runs through Alaska Air Cargo, with one booking system for both airlines since January 2026. A pet flying on its own on a Hawaiian aircraft travels under Alaska Air Cargo's Pet Connect rules.

If you read an older Hawaiian pet policy elsewhere, with different carrier sizes, fees or kennel limits, it no longer appears on the airline's own pages. Go by the shared rules below.

Quick facts

Cabin fee: $100 each way, $35 within Hawaii
Checked fee: $200 each way, $60 within Hawaii
Cabin carrier: Soft-sided, 17 x 11 x 9.5 inches
Business Class: No pet carriers on the A330 or 787
Within Hawaii: No kennels over 28 inches high
Cargo: Through Alaska Air Cargo
Snub-nosed: Not in the hold since October 1, 2026

Pets in the cabin on Hawaiian

Fee: $100 each way per carrier, or $35 on flights wholly within Hawaii.
Which pets: small dogs, house cats, domesticated rabbits and small household birds. To Hawaii: dogs, cats and rabbits only (rabbits to Honolulu only, no birds).
Age: dogs, cats and rabbits at least 8 weeks old, weaned and eating solid food for at least 5 days.
Carrier: soft-sided, up to 17 x 11 x 9.5 inches (43 x 28 x 24 cm). No hard-sided kennels in the cabin.
Carry-on: the carrier counts as your carry-on or personal item, except on flights within Hawaii.
Business Class: no pet carriers in Business Class on the A330 or 787, the wide-body aircraft Hawaiian flies.
Seats: no pets in exit or bulkhead rows. The passenger must be 18 or older, or travel with someone who is.
Space: limited and first come, first served. Add your pet to your reservation before the day of travel.

Pets as checked baggage on Hawaiian

Fee: $200 each way per kennel, or $60 on flights wholly within Hawaii.
Which pets: only dogs and cats to or from Hawaii.
Weight: pet and kennel together up to 150 lb (68 kg). Heavier pets travel as cargo.
Kennel: hard-sided, series 100 to 500, with a metal door, top and bottom held with nuts and bolts, and wheels removed. Within Hawaii, kennels over 28 inches high are not allowed, and the 717 used between the islands takes up to a 400.
Check-in: no more than 2 hours before departure, with a cut-off 90 minutes before.
Snub-nosed breeds: not accepted in the baggage compartment.

Full details, including the kennel rules and the snub-nosed list for checked pets, are in the Alaska Airlines pet policy, which is the same policy.

Flying a pet to Hawaii

Health certificate

Every pet flying between Hawaii and the mainland needs a health certificate dated no more than 14 days before arrival, in the cabin too. For the return to the mainland on the same reservation, 30 days. For flights wholly within Hawaii, none is needed by the airline.

Arrival times in Honolulu

The airline does not let dogs, cats or rabbits arrive in Honolulu before 8:00 am or after 10:00 pm. Hawaii's state inspection is stricter: pets flying into Honolulu should land by 3:30 pm so the inspection can be done the same day.

Hawaii's entry rules

Hawaii is rabies free. Dogs and cats need a microchip, two rabies vaccinations, a passing rabies blood test, a 30-day wait and documents sent to the state ahead of time, or they go into quarantine. Flying straight to Kona or Maui needs a Neighbor Island Inspection Permit, arranged 30 days or more before arrival. Plan at least 2 to 4 months ahead. The blood test result alone can take weeks, and arriving before the waiting period ends means quarantine.

Read our full guide to moving pets to Hawaii before you book anything.

Pets flying on their own on Hawaiian

A pet flying without its owner on a Hawaiian aircraft travels as cargo through Alaska Air Cargo. The same rules apply as on Alaska: a health certificate for every pet (within 14 days for dogs and cats going to Hawaii), the between 45°F and 85°F temperature rule, kennels up to the 500 series and 150 lb with the pet, hand-in no more than 4 hours before the flight, and pickup within 4 hours of landing.

Hawaiian Air Cargo only accepts live animals that start their trip on Hawaiian or Alaska flights, and the airlines do not transfer pets to other airlines. Which kennel sizes fit the A330 and 787 is not published, so we check the aircraft and the crate size for your flight. Full guide: Alaska Airlines pet cargo.

Snub-nosed breeds on Hawaiian

Since October 1, 2026, snub-nosed dog and cat breeds and their mixes are not accepted in the cargo hold of Hawaiian aircraft, the same as on Alaska and Horizon. Hawaiian once allowed them on its own flights to and from Hawaii. That exception is gone. They can still fly in the cabin if they meet the cabin rules. See snub-nosed breeds and flying.

Hawaiian Airlines pets: questions

What is the Hawaiian Airlines pet policy now?

Since the merger, Hawaiian no longer has a pet policy of its own. Its pet pages lead to a shared page for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, and the cabin and checked pet rules are word for word the same as Alaska's. A few limits still depend on the aircraft, listed on this page.

How much does Hawaiian Airlines charge for pets?

$100 each way for a pet in the cabin, or $35 on flights wholly within Hawaii. $200 each way for a pet as checked baggage, or $60 wholly within Hawaii. These are the airline's published passenger fees, per carrier or kennel.

What pet carrier size does Hawaiian Airlines allow in the cabin?

The same as Alaska: a soft-sided carrier up to 17 x 11 x 9.5 inches (43 x 28 x 24 cm). Hard-sided kennels are not allowed in the cabin. There are no pet carriers in Business Class on the A330 or 787.

Can my dog fly to Hawaii as cargo?

Yes. Cargo on Hawaiian aircraft is sold through Alaska Air Cargo, under the same Pet Connect rules as Alaska. Dogs and cats flying to Hawaii as cargo need a health certificate issued within 14 days, and they must meet Hawaii's entry rules. See moving pets to Hawaii.

Can snub-nosed breeds fly on Hawaiian Airlines?

Not in the hold. Since October 1, 2026, snub-nosed dog and cat breeds and their mixes are not accepted in the cargo hold of Hawaiian aircraft, the same as on Alaska and Horizon. An older exception for Hawaiian flights is gone. They can still fly in the cabin if they fit the carrier. See snub-nosed breeds and flying.

Can I fly my pet between the Hawaiian islands?

Yes. On flights wholly within Hawaii, the cabin fee is $35 and the checked fee is $60, the cabin carrier does not count as your carry-on, and no health certificate is needed. Kennels over 28 inches high are not allowed, so a 500 series kennel cannot fly between the islands.

Last checked against the official pages on October 6, 2026.

Airlines and states change their rules. Always check the official page before you book.

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