The safety and comfort of our guests and employees are our highest priority. To support our guests with disabilities, Hawaiian Airlines’ service animal policy aligns with the U.S. Department of Transportation's Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) regulations.
WHAT IS A SERVICE ANIMAL?
Service Animals
A service animal is a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability. Hawaiian Airlines complies with the US Department of Transportation Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), in accordance with 14 CFR Part 382.
Emotional Support, Comfort, Therapy, Companionship, or In-Training Animals
In alignment with the US DOT, Hawaiian Airlines does not recognize these types of animals as service animals for the purpose of air travel. They will be considered pets and can travel one of two ways: either in the cabin, in accordance with our pet policies or as checked baggage.
Service animals in training are also considered pets and are subject to the same two travel options: either in the cabin, in accordance with our pet policies or as checked baggage.
COMPLIANCE with COUNTRY, STATE or TERRITORY LAWS
All Travel Into Hawaii
Hawaii is the only rabies-free state in the US. To maintain this, the State of Hawaii has strict regulations, restrictions and several requirements that must be completed prior to travel. We encourage you to contact the State of Hawaii Animal Industry Division – Department of Agriculture Animal Quarantine Department for information regarding requirements, travel arrangements and fees to enter the State of Hawaii.
Any guest who fails to disclose their animal prior to boarding a flight or does not comply with Hawaii’s animal entry requirements may be restricted from all future transport on Hawaiian Airlines.
Non-Stop Flights Into HNL
HNL is the only airport in Hawaii with an on-site Hawaii Department of Agriculture Animal Quarantine Facility (AQF). Hours of operation are 8:30AM to 4:30 PM HST, but may change at the AQF’s discretion. Non-stop flights from the US Mainland to HNL do not require a Neighbor Island Inspection Permit (NIIP).
- Upon arrival into HNL, you must identify yourself to the Hawaiian Airlines agent at the gate during deplaning. The State of Hawaii requires Hawaiian Airlines personnel to escort you and your pet to the AQF immediately upon landing. You may not leave the gate without a Hawaiian Airlines agent, and must be accompanied by airline personnel until entering AQF.
- For arrivals into HNL before 8:30 AM, you and your animal will need to remain in the terminal with a Hawaiian Airlines escort AQF opens. Please take this into consideration when booking flights to HNL.
- For arrivals into HNL after 4:30 PM, your service animal may not be released on the same day and may need to remain in the HNL AQF overnight. This is based on the discretion of AQF personnel. Please take this into consideration when booking flights to HNL.
- If you are arriving from an international location, a Hawaiian Airlines agent will accompany you and your animal through Customs before proceeding to the AQF.
Non-Stop Flights Into LIH, OGG or KOA
Lihue, Kahului, and Kona airports do not have an on-site Hawaii Department of Agriculture Animal Quarantine Facility. For direct flights from the US Mainland to LIH, OGG, or KOA, a valid Neighbor Island Inspection Permit (NIIP) from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture is required for travel.
- NIIP must be issued for the FIRST city of entry into Hawaii, regardless of any subsequent connecting flights to other islands.
- You must print the NIIP and give a hardcopy to the Hawaiian Airlines agent at check-in.
- You may not enter Hawaii via another city unless another NIIP for that location is acquired. EXCEPTION: Non-stop flights to HNL do not require a NIIP.
- Upon arrival into LIH, OGG or KOA, you must identify yourself to the Hawaiian Airlines agent at the gate during deplaning. The State of Hawaii requires Hawaiian Airlines personnel to escort you and your service animal to the designated area where the Authorized Inspector (shown on your NIIP) will inspect your animal for clearance. You may not leave the gate without a Hawaiian Airlines agent, and must be accompanied by airline personnel until your pet is cleared by the Inspector.
- NOTE: The inspectors do not reside on airport property. If your flight is rebooked, delayed or canceled, you are responsible for contacting the Inspector and making a new airport inspection appointment. Animals must remain with a Hawaiian Airlines escort until they have been cleared.
International Flights
- Please note that not all countries accept animals, and certain countries require animals to obtain permits to enter or exit.
- You are responsible for any documents and requirements necessary to travel with your animal to/from other countries.
ADVANCE NOTICE REQUIREMENTS
- For tickets purchased 48 hours or more prior to initial departure: You must provide advance notice at least 48 hours prior to initial departure. To provide advance notice, submit your completed U.S. Department of Transportation Service Animal Air Transportation Form electronically to our Reservations department
- For tickets purchased less than 48 hours prior to initial departure: Advance notice to Reservations in not required. Instead, you must submit the required DOT Service Animal form(s) to a Hawaiian Airlines agent on day of initial departure, prior to boarding at the origin airport.
US DOT SERVICE ANIMAL REQUIRED FORM(S)
In compliance with the ACAA, Hawaiian Airlines requires all guests traveling with a service animal to submit the applicable US DOT Service Animal form(s). These forms must only be submitted once per reservation.
- The U.S. Department of Transportation Service Animal Air Transportation Form is required for all guests traveling with a service animal.
- The U.S. Department of Transportation Service Animal Relief Attestation is required for guests traveling on flights 8 hours or more in length.
- To be considered current, the form(s) must be fully completed and dated on or after the date your ticket was purchased.
- If your flight was booked more than 48 hours prior to initial departure, all applicable forms must be received by our Reservations department at least 48 hours in advance.
- See the “Advance Notice Requirements” section above for instructions on how to submit your form online.
- If your flight was booked less than 48 hours prior to initial departure, all appliable forms will be reviewed on the day of travel, and hardcopies of all applicable forms must be submitted to a Guest Service agent at the initial departure airport. You may download a PDF version of the forms using the links above. Please note that Adobe Acrobat software (which can be downloaded here) is needed to complete the forms
SERVICE ANIMAL HEALTH CERTIFICATES
The State of Hawaii requires all animals entering Hawaii to have a valid health certificate. You are responsible for obtaining a health certificate from your service animal’s treating veterinarian, prior to the date of travel, for the following routes:
- Flights solely within Hawaii: Not required.
- Flights departing Hawaii: Not required
- Flights to Hawaii: Required. The health certificate must be dated no more than14 days prior to flight arrival in Hawaii.
Can I use the original health certificate for my return flight?
If your return flight back to Hawaii is on the same roundtrip reservation (same confirmation code), you may use your original health certificate, provided it is dated no more than 30 days prior to arrival in Hawaii. This extended health certificate time is an exception provided by the State of Hawaii for service animals only.
If your return flight back to Hawaii is on a separate reservation, you are required to have a health certificate dated no more than 14 days prior to arrival in Hawaii.
SERVICE ANIMAL ACCEPTANCE and TRAVEL
The ACAA permits carriers to ask specific questions and conduct certain types of verification to confirm your service animal qualifies for air travel and can do so safely.
- In-person verification: At the airport, please notify a Hawaiian Airlines agent that you are traveling with a service animal. To obtain credible verbal assurance, our Guest Service agent will ask you, “Is the animal required to accompany you as an accommodation for a disability?” and “What work or task has your animal been trained to perform for you?”
- Animal behavior: The agent will also observe your animal to confirm that they are behaving safely and appropriately. Service animals need to be well-behaved and may not be able to travel if they become disruptive. Examples of disruptive behavior include barking or growling repeatedly, jumping on others, biting or causing injury to others, running around freely, and relieving themselves in the airport or in the cabin in an unsanitary manner.
- Control: Service animals must remain under the control of the handler at all times. They must also be leashed or harnessed at all times in the airport and on the aircraft.
- Food and water: Please note that we cannot provide food, water, pillows or blankets for animals.
- Animal relief areas: See our Animal relief areas.
Service Animals in Carriers
Hawaiian Airlines complies with the United States Department of Agriculture Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requirements.
Carriers are not required for service animals. However, if you choose to travel with your service animal in a carrier, you must comply with the standard animal carrier and seating requirements. If your carrier does not meet the requirements, the service animal still travel, but the carrier cannot be used in the cabin.
View the Hawaiian Airlines carrier compliance guide here
- All carriers are subject to measurement and inspection by Hawaiian Airlines personnel prior to being accepted for travel. Maximum allowable size is 16” long x 10” wide x 9.5” high.
- Your service animal is not required to stay in the carrier while in the terminal or onboard the aircraft, but the carrier must remain stowed beneath the seat in front of you at all times during flight.
- Service animals transported in a carrier are not permitted in bulkheads or seats that lack proper under-seat stowage. They are also prohibited from exit rows, or any location that blocks aisle access to other guests while the animal is outside of the carrier.
- If we determine your carrier does not meet our requirements, the carrier cannot be used during flight. You may opt to check-in the carrier at the counter (fees apply) or carry the empty carrier onboard as 1 of your 2 allotted items and stow it in the overhead bin.
SEATING WITH SERVICE ANIMALS
For safety purposes, service animals need to remain on the floor, fit within the foot space of your seat, and may not obstruct aisles or exit rows. EXCEPTION: Small service animals may be placed on your lap if they are smaller than a lap child.
Animals are not permitted to be placed on any seat, be harnessed to a seat, or encroach on another guests’ space.
If you are traveling with a large service animal, other members in your traveling party may consent to share the foot space between you, provided you are located in adjoining seats. We may reseat you and your animal if they obstruct an area which needs to remain unobstructed, or encroaches on a separate party’s seat space. While we are not required to provide any additional seats free of charge or complimentary upgrades to another class of service (i.e., First/Business Class and Extra Comfort), we will make our best effort to accommodate large service animal on board.
Service animals that cannot be accommodated in the cabin due to their size may be required to travel as checked baggage (see Pets Traveling as Checked Baggage for kennel requirements) or via HA Cargo (fees apply).
REFUSAL TO TRANSPORT
Hawaiian Airlines will deny transport to any animal that cannot be transported safely or fails to meet the requirements shown above.