SEA to IAH
Seattle to Houston Pet Relocation
Dogs and cats fly with us from Seattle to Houston, from your door to the new one. We arrange the pickup, provide an airline crate when needed, take care of the forms and the cargo booking, and arrange the drop-off at your new home.
Moving your pet to Houston
No other option gets a pet from Seattle to Houston faster than a flight: about 4.5 hours airborne rather than days of driving. Pets ride as airline cargo inside an approved crate.
Houston is humid from late spring to early fall, and the airport limits pets from June 1 to September 15, so summer moves are checked with the airline before anything is booked. The cargo office keeps weekday hours. Houston is two hours ahead of Seattle.
We look for the flight and time of day that put the least strain on your pet, and we work out the timing with you so a person is waiting at both ends. Airline space, weather and breed rules affect every booking, so nothing is final until the airline confirms the flight.
Quick facts
- Airports
- Seattle SEA to Houston IAH
- Flight time
- About 4.5 hours (scheduled)
- Hand-in
- At SEA airport cargo, no more than 4 hours before the flight
- Pickup
- Usually about 1 hour after landing, within 4 hours
- Health certificate
- Needed, within 10 days of the flight
- Summer
- Not on days over 85°F
Your price
What your Seattle to Houston price includes
Three things set the price: your pet's size and weight (the airline bills for pet and crate weighed together), the two addresses, and any add-ons. For most dates, the form shows the price on screen along with what it covers.
Included
- Home pickup in the Seattle area and SEA cargo check-in
- The cargo booking, airline charges included
- Pickup at IAH cargo and delivery to your new home
- Paperwork, labels, flight tracking and updates along the way
Want to take care of one end on your own? Just untick it on the form.
Extras
- A correctly sized airline crate, set up for the flight
- A trip to your vet for the health certificate (the vet bills you directly)
- Two or more pets: one crate per pet, unless two young ones qualify to share
Step by step
How it works on this route
- 1
See your price
Enter your pet's size and your travel dates. Most dates show a price straight away.
- 2
Crate and paperwork
We settle on the crate size and can provide the crate. The vet must sign the health certificate within 10 days of departure, and we can arrange the trip to the clinic.
- 3
Space reserved
Once cargo space is secured, you receive the flight details plus the air waybill number.
- 4
Pickup and check-in
On moving day your pet leaves home for SEA cargo and is handed in at most 4 hours ahead of departure.
- 5
Landing in Houston
After landing, your pet is picked up at IAH cargo and taken to the new home.
Airline rules that matter on this route
- Health certificate: any pet in the cargo hold must have one, signed by a licensed vet within 10 days of departure. Details on our vet health certificate for flying page.
- Temperature: as a rule, pets go in the cargo hold only when every airport on the trip has a forecast of between 45°F and 85°F. The dates are in summer heat rules.
- Breeds: the cargo hold is closed to snub-nosed breeds, such as every bulldog, boxer, pug and mastiff, plus Persian and Himalayan cats. The full list is in snub-nosed breeds and flying.
- Size: a limit of 150 lb for pet and crate combined, and crates no bigger than the 500 series. Larger pets get a custom quote. Sizes are on airline pet crates.
- Pickup on time: the airline gives 4 hours after landing for collection, so we plan the pickup before booking.
Still have questions? Try the FAQ or our guide to Alaska Airlines pet cargo.
Entry rules for Texas
Two sets of rules apply: the airline's, and those of the state your pet is moving to. For any pet flying in the cargo hold, the airline needs a health certificate from a vet within 10 days of the flight (14 days for Hawaii). Ask for it from a USDA accredited vet, on an official state form or an electronic certificate, with the rabies vaccine details on it. That one certificate meets the state rules below in almost every case.
- Texas does not ask for a health certificate for dogs and cats.
- Dogs and cats 12 weeks and older need a rabies vaccine, and the signed rabies certificate must travel with your pet.
- If the first rabies vaccine was given less than 30 days before arrival, keep your pet at home until 30 days have passed.
Rules for every state on our routes: pet entry rules by state.
Last checked against the official pages on October 6, 2026.
Airline and state rules can change, so check the official page before booking.
Pickup areas in Seattle
We arrange pickup anywhere in Seattle, including Downtown, Capitol Hill, Ballard, Fremont, Queen Anne, West Seattle, and across the region: Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Renton, Kent, Federal Way, Tacoma, Burien, Tukwila, SeaTac, Des Moines and more. Enter your address on the form to see what it costs.
Arriving in Houston
Your pet lands at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). We arrange delivery in Houston and nearby areas, including The Woodlands, Sugar Land, Katy, Pearland, Spring.
Check the pet license rules for your new home on the official city website.
Settling in Houston
- See a local vet within the first few weeks, records in hand.
- Put your new address on file with the microchip registry.
- For week one, stick with the usual food, bedding and daily schedule.
Seattle to Houston: questions
What does it cost to fly a pet from Seattle to Houston?
How long is the flight from Seattle to Houston?
Can you deliver my pet to my door in Houston?
Is a health certificate required to fly to Houston?
Can pets fly to Houston in summer?
Do I have to be on the same flight as my pet?
Get your Seattle to Houston price
Your pet's size, your Seattle address and the address in Houston. Most dates show the price on screen.