Certain pets may travel with you in the cabin for a one-way fee of $100 USD ($100 CAD). See important restrictions below. .

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Service Animals

Animals escorting passengers with disabilities and certified animals traveling with trainers for law enforcement or search and rescue are welcome on board all Northwest and Northwest Airlink flights (subject to government restrictions). There is no cost for service animals traveling with you in the passenger cabin.

To take your service animal in the passenger cabin, you must adhere to the following:

When making your reservations, advise Northwest or your travel professional that a service animal will need to accompany you on board. When booking online at nwa.com, contact Northwest Reservations after purchasing your ticket to make arrangements for your service animal. Your service animal must be with you and properly harnessed during check in. Service animals may travel in the passenger cabin without a kennel (except monkeys), provided they are properly harnessed and do not occupy a seat. Our reservations agent can assist you with seating arrangements and information regarding required documentation for your service animal.

For additional requirements, see Service Animals.

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Travel Documents

Northwest Airlines does not require a health certificate for carry-on pets. However, it is your responsibility to comply with all local, state and national entry requirements which may apply.

Many states and foreign countries require that pets be accompanied by a health certificate. Additional requirements may also apply. More information on these regulations can be found on the web sites listed below.

• > State Regulations (excluding Hawaii)
• > Hawaii Regulations
• > Foreign Regulations

Note: When traveling internationally, failure to comply with all requirements may result in your pet being refused entry, placed into quarantine or returned to origin at your expense. For the most up-to-date information, contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate General office for each country on your itinerary at least four (4) weeks prior to departure.

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Kennel Requirements

For the safety and comfort of your pet, please make sure your pet can fit comfortably inside your carry-on kennel. The kennel must be large enough to allow your pet to move about. No part of your pet may extend outside of the kennel. This includes long tails on some birds.

• Two (2) small pets of the same species may share a kennel if they are between 3 months and 6 months and of comparable size not weighing over 20 lbs total including kennel.
• The maximum kennel size permitted is 17Lx12Wx8H inches (43Lx32Wx20H cm).
• The combined weight of your pet(s) and kennel may not exceed 20 pounds (9.1kg).
• Pets in excess of these limits are not permitted in the cabin, but may accompany you and travel with your baggage or as cargo.
• Carry-on kennels must be leak proof and be ventilated on two (2) or more sides. The hard-sided Cabin Kennel and soft-sided Sherpa pet containers (available at most pet supply stores) meet these requirements.

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Limitations and Restrictions

To ensure a comfortable environment for all our passengers, the following limitation and restrictions will be enforced.

• Accomodation: Your pet must always remain in its carry-on under your seat for the duration of the flight. Northwest limits each flight to six (6) carry-on kennels; two (2) in First Class or BusinessElite and four (4) in Economy. On Northwest Airlink flights operated by Mesaba and Pinnacle Airlines, there is a limit of four (4) carry-on kennels: two (2) in First Class and two (2) in Economy.
• Pets: Carry-on pets are limited to small dogs, cats, and household birds (birds are allowed only within the 48 contiguous U.S. and Alaska). All other pets, including ferrets and reptiles, must travel as cargo.
• Aircraft: Carry-on pets are not permitted in BusinessElite on Northwest A330 aircraft, due to the lack of sufficient under seat storage space. This restriction does not apply to service animals, nor does it apply to BusinessElite on our 747 aircraft or Economy Class on any of our aircraft.
• Class of Service: You and your pet must travel together on the same flight and in the same class of service
• Age of Pets: Pets less than eight (8) weeks old are not permitted.
• Local Authority: Due to local government or handling restrictions, Northwest does not permit carry-on pets to several destinations, including Hawaii, Hong Kong, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Oman, Singapore, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Depending upon your final destination, your pet may accompany you and travel with your baggage or as cargo.
• U.K. Exceptions: United Kingdom (U.K.) regulations do not permit carry-on pets or accompanied pets traveling with passenger baggage. All animals, including service animals, must be transported using the cargo service. Read more information.
• Pet must remain in kennel at all times during flight.
• Pets not allowed in BusinessElite on A330 due to seat configuration.

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Helpful Tips

• Avoid unnecessary fees: Northwest Airlines reserves the right to assess an additional $20.00 gate processing fee for carry-on pets not disclosed prior to boarding. To avoid this fee, you must inform us of your carry-on pet request when making your reservations or at the ticket counter at least one (1) hour prior to departure for domestic flights or two (2) hours for international flights.

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Checklist for Carry-on Pets

Careful planning is essential to ensure a safe and comfortable journey for your pet. To prepare your pet for travel, download our Checklist for Carry-on Pets. You will need Adobe Acrobat to view this checklist.

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