Flying with your dog

Flying with your dog on Southwest

Here's exactly how to fly with a trained service dog on Southwest Airlines— the forms, the timing, where to submit, and what happens at the gate. It's the same process Danny and his service dog Copper have used on every flight, written plainly so you're not guessing at the counter.

The two DOT forms every airline requires

Two official U.S. Department of Transportation forms do the heavy lifting — the same ones for every U.S. airline, Southwest included:

• DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form— your dog's health, vaccination, training, and behavior in public. Required for a service animal in the cabin.
• DOT Relief Attestation— your plan for your dog's relief needs. Only required for flights of 8 hours or more.

These are not a certification — no U.S. registry certifies service animals, and none is required by law. The forms simply document that your dog is trained for a specific task and behaves appropriately. Paws on Board gives you editable versions with every field pre-explained.

Step by step: flying with your dog on Southwest

1. Confirm the basics. Your dog is trained to do a specific task related to a disability and behaves calmly in public. Make sure their microchip and rabies vaccination are current — you'll reference them on the forms. (There is no government registry or official certification for service animals in the U.S., and none is required by law.)
2. Fill out the two DOT forms. The DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form covers your dog's health, vaccination, training, and behavior — every major U.S. airline requires it. The DOT Relief Attestation is only required for flights of 8 hours or more. Paws on Board pre-explains every field.
3. Submit to Southwest. Southwest asks for at check-in. Bring your completed forms to the ticket counter on travel day. No advance online portal — bring forms to ticket counter on travel day. Flag during booking under "Special Assistance" or call 1-800-435-9792.
4. At the gate. Under the Air Carrier Access Act, staff may ask only two things: (1) is the dog required for a disability, and (2) what task is it trained to perform. They can't ask about your diagnosis or demand medical paperwork. Bring copies of your forms as backup.

Copper's tip

Since Southwest handles this at the counter, get to the airport early and have your printed forms in hand. Flag "service animal" when you book so it's already on your reservation. And keep it calm and matter-of-fact at the gate — a well-behaved dog at your feet answers most questions before anyone asks.

Flying with a small dog (as a pet) on Southwest

Not every dog on a plane is a service dog — a small dog can fly in the cabin as a pet, in a carrier under the seat. No DOT forms (those are service-animal documents). Here's Southwest's current shape:

• Pet fee: $125 each way (Each way, per carrier (older sources say $95; 2026 sources corroborate $125). Domestic + near-international only.)
• Carrier: soft-sided up to 18.5" × 13.5" × 9.5"; your dog must fit and move comfortably inside. No published weight limit; pet must fit fully inside the carrier.
• Per passenger: 1 carrier per passenger; a carrier may hold 2 small dogs or cats of the same species
• Book the pet spot early: Only 6 pet carriers per flight; add the pet to the reservation as early as possible.
• Restrictions: All pets travel in-cabin only (no cargo).

Verified 2026-08-14. Fees and rules change without notice — Southwest's own pet page is always the final word.

Common questions — Southwest

Not legal advice, and not a certification of anything. Airline requirements change — always verify the current rules directly with Southwest before you fly. Policy details last updated July 26, 2026. See all airlines →