SEA to KOA
Seattle to Kona Pet Relocation
Dogs and cats fly with us from Seattle to Kona, 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 Kona
No other option gets a pet from Seattle to Kona faster than a flight: about 6 hours airborne rather than days of driving, and for Hawaii it is the only practical way. Pets ride as airline cargo inside an approved crate.
Kona takes pets straight from the mainland only with a Neighbor Island Inspection Permit, arranged 30 days or more before arrival with a private vet inspector booked at the airport. The Kona side of the island is dry and sunny, and the airport is not on the summer limit list.
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 Kona KOA
- Flight time
- About 6 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 14 days of the flight
- Hawaii entry
- Rabies blood test and paperwork ahead of time
Your price
What your Seattle to Kona 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 KOA 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 14 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 Kona
After landing, your pet is picked up at KOA cargo and taken to the new home.
Hawaii
Hawaii's entry rules for dogs and cats
Hawaii is rabies free and protects that with strict entry rules. If your pet meets them on time, it can be released at the airport the day it lands instead of going into quarantine. The main steps, from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity:
- A working microchip, implanted before the rabies blood test.
- At least two rabies vaccinations in your pet's life, more than 30 days apart, with the latest one more than 30 days before arrival and still current.
- An OIE-FAVN rabies blood test at an approved lab, with a passing result, then a 30-day wait from the day the lab received the sample.
- An original health certificate in English, issued within 14 days of arrival, with the vet's statement that your pet was checked and found free of screwworm.
- A tick treatment by a vet within 14 days of arrival, written on the health certificate.
- The Dog and Cat Import Form (AQS-279) and the documents sent to the Animal Quarantine Station ahead of time, by mail or online through the state's pet owner portal: 10 days or more before arrival for Honolulu, 30 days or more for Kona, Maui and Lihue.
Flying straight to Kona or Maui needs a Neighbor Island Inspection Permit, arranged 30 days or more before arrival.
Plan at least 2 to 4 months ahead. The blood test result alone can take weeks, and arriving before the waiting period ends means quarantine.
Read the full checklist on the state's animal quarantine page, and our guide to moving pets to Hawaii.
Airline rules that matter on this route
- Health certificate: any pet in the cargo hold must have one, signed by a licensed vet within 14 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 Hawaii
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.
- Hawaii is rabies free and has its own entry program for dogs and cats of any age, puppies and kittens included. Plan at least 2 to 4 months ahead.
- The health certificate must say your pet was checked and found free of screwworm.
- Hybrid dogs and cats, such as wolf crosses, Bengals and Savannahs, cannot enter Hawaii.
- You can send the forms by mail or online through the state's pet owner portal.
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 Kona
Your pet lands at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport (KOA). We arrange delivery in Kona and nearby areas, including Kailua-Kona, Waimea, Captain Cook, Holualoa, Waikoloa.
Check the pet license rules for your new home on the official city website.
Settling in Kona
- 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 Kona: questions
What does it cost to fly a pet from Seattle to Kona?
How long is the flight from Seattle to Kona?
Can you deliver my pet to my door in Kona?
Is a health certificate required to fly to Kona?
Do I have to be on the same flight as my pet?
Get your Seattle to Kona price
Your pet's size, your Seattle address and the address in Kona. Most dates show the price on screen.