Skip to content
Seattle Pet Valet

SEA to MSP

Seattle to Minneapolis Pet Relocation

Dogs and cats fly with us from Seattle to Minneapolis, 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.

The Minneapolis skyline

Moving your pet to Minneapolis

No other option gets a pet from Seattle to Minneapolis faster than a flight: about 3.5 hours airborne rather than days of driving. Pets ride as airline cargo inside an approved crate.

Minneapolis has the coldest winters on our routes outside Alaska. The airport is below 45°F for much of the year, so a vet acclimation letter is part of most moves from October to April. The cargo office keeps weekday hours, and Minnesota asks for a health certificate from a USDA accredited vet.

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 Minneapolis MSP
Flight time
About 3.5 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 Minneapolis 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.

Get your price

Included

  • Home pickup in the Seattle area and SEA cargo check-in
  • The cargo booking, airline charges included
  • Pickup at MSP 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. 1

    See your price

    Enter your pet's size and your travel dates. Most dates show a price straight away.

  2. 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. 3

    Space reserved

    Once cargo space is secured, you receive the flight details plus the air waybill number.

  4. 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. 5

    Landing in Minneapolis

    After landing, your pet is picked up at MSP 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 Minnesota

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.

  • Dogs, cats and ferrets need a health certificate from a USDA accredited vet, after an exam within 30 days of travel.
  • Pets 3 months and older need a current rabies vaccine. The vaccine name and date go on the health certificate.

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 Minneapolis

Your pet lands at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP). We arrange delivery in Minneapolis and nearby areas, including Saint Paul, Bloomington, Edina, Plymouth, Minnetonka.

Check the pet license rules for your new home on the official city website.

A dog relaxing in a new home between moving boxes

Settling in Minneapolis

  • 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.

How to help your pet settle in

Seattle to Minneapolis: questions

What does it cost to fly a pet from Seattle to Minneapolis?
Size and weight matter most, since the airline bills for your pet and the crate weighed together. How far each home is from its airport, whether you buy a crate from us, and the season also play a part. For most dates, the form puts a price on your screen. Read what affects the cost for more.
How long is the flight from Seattle to Minneapolis?
Scheduled time in the air: about 3.5 hours. Add the cargo hand-in, at most 4 hours ahead of departure, and the wait after landing, normally around 1 hour, and the trip from one door to the other takes up most of a day.
Can you deliver my pet to my door in Minneapolis?
Yes. We arrange collection at MSP airport cargo and the drive to your new home in the Minneapolis area. Would you rather have a person you choose pick your pet up at cargo? That works too. Your quote lists what is covered for your address.
Is a health certificate required to fly to Minneapolis?
Yes. Any pet in the cargo hold must have one, signed by a licensed vet within 10 days of departure. Minnesota also sets entry rules, covered further down. Our page on the vet health certificate for flying has the details.
Can pets fly to Minneapolis in summer?
Yes, with one limit: if any airport on the trip is forecast above 85°F, the airline will not put pets in the cargo hold. We pick morning flights and look at the forecast before confirming. Read summer heat rules.
Do I have to be on the same flight as my pet?
No. As airline cargo, your pet has its own booking, so your travel day is up to you. Plenty of owners go ahead, get the new place ready, and have their pet follow a day or two after.

Get your Seattle to Minneapolis price

Your pet's size, your Seattle address and the address in Minneapolis. Most dates show the price on screen.

Get your price
Get a price