Southwest Airlines Service Dog Policy & Form (2026)

Southwest Service Dogs — The DOT form, seating and behavior.

Under the southwest airlines service dog policy, trained service dogs fly free in the cabin. The air carrier access act and the disabilities act frame the rule: service dogs are service animals individually trained to do a task for a disability. Southwest charges no pet fee for service dogs and requires the dot form. Southwest no longer accepts emotional support animals as service animals. Here is how southwest service dogs travel.

Does Southwest allow service dogs?

Yes. Southwest airlines accepted trained service dogs on every flight to all locations. Because service animals are not a pet, southwest charges no fee, and each dog sits on the floor at your feet, not in a seat. Southwest permits up to two service dogs per customer. A trained service animal may not sit in an emergency exit seat or the first row bulkhead where it blocks a path.

The DOT service animal form Southwest requires

Southwest requires the dot service animal air transportation form, which you complete and present in advance. The form attests your trained service animal is healthy and will behave. Bring the form to the ticket counter or add it to your ticket online ahead of the flight. A psychiatric service dog for a psychiatric disability uses the same form; southwest treats it like any other trained service dog.

Check in and the questions Southwest employees may ask

At check in, southwest employees and gate agents may ask the two fact finding questions: is the dog a service animal required for a disability, and what task does it perform? They cannot demand an id card or a service animal vest, though many handlers carry both. Arrive ahead of boarding so flight attendants can seat you with enough leg room for the dog.

Seating, leg room, and behavior for Southwest service dogs

Southwest has open seating, so board early to pick a row with more leg room. The dog must sit on the floor and stay off the seat. Southwest can refuse a dog whose behavior or disruptive behavior — barking, lunging, not housebroken — makes it unsafe. A large dog must still fit in your feet area; crews follow acceptance laws and standard procedures for a safe plane and a calm landing.

Service dogs Emotional support / therapy
Fly free on Southwest Yes No
DOT form Required N/A
Task trained Yes No
Documentation demanded No (two questions only) Treated as a pet

Emotional support and therapy animals on Southwest

Since 2021, southwest treats emotional support animals and therapy animals as pets, not service animals. An emotional support dog can travel only as a paid pet in a carrier. Only individually trained service dogs fly free. Most people who were researching the airline industry rules find the change made the group of accepted animals smaller but clearer.

Southwest service animal vest and ID card

A service animal vest and an id card are optional. Southwest cannot require either, though many handlers use them to cut down on fact finding questions. A trained service animal is defined by its work, not its gear, so even bare, service dogs keep their access on every southwest flight.

Southwest service dog rules vs therapy animals

Southwest separates service dogs from therapy animals and comfort pets. A trained service animal performs a task; a therapy animals visit or comfort role does not qualify. The airline industry adopted these acceptance laws after 2021, and southwest employees apply them with the two fact finding questions, nothing more.

Boarding Southwest with a service dog

Because southwest uses open seating, a service dogs handler may board during pre-boarding to claim a row with more leg room. Flight attendants will help you settle the dog on the floor at your feet, clear of the first row bulkhead and any emergency exit seat, following standard safety procedures through landing.

Summary — what to remember

Common questions about southwest airlines service dog

Does Southwest allow service dogs to fly free?

Yes. Trained service dogs fly free in the Southwest cabin with the DOT form. They sit on the floor at your feet and pay no pet fee.

What form does Southwest require for a service dog?

The DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form. Complete it in advance and present it at the ticket counter or upload it before your flight.

Can Southwest employees ask for papers for my service dog?

No. They may only ask the two fact-finding questions. They cannot require an ID card, a service animal vest, or proof of your disability.

Does Southwest still accept emotional support animals?

No. Emotional support animals and therapy animals are now treated as pets. Only trained service dogs fly free as service animals.

How many service dogs can I bring on Southwest?

Up to two per customer, as long as both fit in your own floor and feet area and do not block an emergency exit seat.

Where does my service dog sit on Southwest?

On the floor at your feet. Board early with open seating to choose a row with more leg room; the dog may not use a seat.

Sources

Written by USAR Editorial Team · Last reviewed:

USAR follows a strict editorial process: every guide is fact-checked against primary federal statutes and reviewed quarterly. We have no financial relationships with letter providers, training schools, or registries.