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Your pet’s safe trip to or from
Hawaii starts here

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Hawaii

W e ' r e   D i f f e r e n t

Pets, not packages - expect more

We’re proud to be a U.S.-based international pet shipping company trusted by pet owners around the world.
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Decades of experience

Trust our expert team of coordinators, with the most collective industry experience (and all the 5-star reviews to prove it!).
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Technology

Industry-leading Pet Travel Portal to make things simple & clear. 
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Pet Protection Plan

Coverage for every dog or cat ensuring your peace of mind throughout their journey.
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Stay in touch

The only US-based company to partner with CareTags Travel Sense to provide automated updates throughout your pet’s move via email & text. 
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S t a r w o o d   F a c t o r

What sets us apart

Read stories traveling to and from united-states Hawaii

Testimonials

61 days ago

BEST DECISSION I EVER MADE!!! Tip-to-toe I trust them like family. I had many reservations at first but they happened to be the HIGHEST RATED AND TRUSTED when I asked Chat GPT and Google what I should...

Joshua Thorpe
✈️ United StatesHawaii
🐱 Putty's Trip to Hawaii
Putty's Trip to Hawaii's pet

93 days ago

Starwood was wonderful from pickup to drop off. Ryan navigated the move and calmed our nerves. Lenny was fantastic with the dogs and kept them overnight when their flight was delayed. Ryan and team ha...

Kathy Lynch
✈️ United StatesHawaii
🐱 Ellie and Cali's Trip to Hawaii
Ellie and Cali's Trip to Hawaii's pet

188 days ago

Recently relocated my 3 dogs and 1 cat from PNW to Hawaii. Starwood was beyond amazing. From start to finish they were transparent, organized and professional. I had support with all necessary paperwo...

Sarah Hartman
✈️ United StatesHawaii
🐱 Annie, Clover, Rascal, & Francis' Trip to Hawaii
Annie, Clover, Rascal, & Francis' Trip to Hawaii's pet

249 days ago

Starwood Pet Travel is the BEST! They helped us move our 2 dogs from Las Vegas to Hawaii. They planned everything from car transportation to LAX, getting them settled in at a doggy resort and checking...

Taylor Mukai
✈️ United StatesHawaii
🐱 Junior & Haley's Move to Hawaii
Junior & Haley's Move to Hawaii's pet

250 days ago

The experience was fantastic. I was informed about everything for my baby trip and I received a lot of guidance. Ryan was amazing and with us all the way.

Isamar Rodriguez
✈️ United StatesHawaii
🐱 Ragnar's Trip to Hawaii
Ragnar's Trip to Hawaii's pet

251 days ago

Starwood was AMAZING every step of the way for my move from the east coast to Hawaii. I have two dogs and knew there were restrictions in Hawaii that I was not familiar with so I reached out to Starwo...

Sarah Marshburn
✈️ United StatesHawaii
🐱 Milo & Olie's Trip to Hawaii
Milo & Olie's Trip to Hawaii's pet

312 days ago

Starwood made moving our puppy Finn from California to O'ahu a breeze. Their portal was super helpful, and even our vet loved their pre-filled forms. When a paperwork hiccup arose upon landing in Hawa...

Nate Perry-Thistle
✈️ United StatesHawaii
🐱 Terrier to Hawaii
Terrier to Hawaii's pet

481 days ago

When you move long distances, with pets, you may chose to do things the easy way or the hard way. The latter involves you having to do everything on your own, running the risk of missing a step or doi...

✈️ United StatesHawaii
🐱 Karie and Jasmine
Karie and Jasmine's pet

Stories

Junior & Harley's Hawaiian Adventure

✈️ LAX-HNL

Three years ago, Junior and Harley’s lives changed forever when they were rescued into a loving home. Junior, a spirited Malinois mix with boundless energy, can be a little shy at first and startles e...

Read full story →
Junior and Harley's pet

Moving to Hawaii

2026 Pet Travel Guide to Hawaii

Planning a move to Hawaii with your pet? With its breathtaking beaches, lush landscapes, and aloha spirit, Hawaii is paradise—for both humans and animals. But because Hawaii is the only U.S. state free of rabies, the import process for dogs and cats is more complex than domestic travel. Fortunately, with proper planning, your pet can skip quarantine entirely through the Direct Airport Release (DAR) program.

Here’s everything you need to know to move your pet to the Aloha State.

For more detailed information on life in Hawaii with your pet, please refer to our comprehensive Hawaii guide.

Moving from Hawaii

Moving from Hawaii

Transporting your pet from Hawaii to the mainland or internationally requires careful planning due to the state’s strict animal import/export regulations and rabies-free status. Our team ensures every detail is handled seamlessly so your pet can travel safely and compliantly.

Our services from Hawaii include:

  • Door-to-door pet transport, both domestic (mainland U.S.) and international
  • Guidance on Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) requirements and documentation
  • Assistance with health certificates, import permits, and vaccination compliance
  • Coordination of neighbor island inspections and quarantine requirements (if applicable)
  • Airline-approved flight kennels provided with personalized labels, identification, and emergency instructions
  • Flight booking and routing support from Honolulu (HNL) and other island airports
  • Customs clearance and delivery to your final destination
  • Local pet taxi service to and from your home, veterinarian, airport, or inspection facility
  • Travel consultation and timeline management to meet strict entry requirements

We will provide your pet’s full itinerary ahead of travel and keep you updated every step of the journey.

P r i c i n g

Starting cost for moving your pet to Hawaii

Pet Transport Cost Estimator

Number of pets Starting cost*
1 $3,136
2 $3,856
3 $5,220
4 $6,520
5 $6,995
6+ Contact Us

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F A Q

Questions,
answered

Is pet travel safe?

Yes, pet travel is safe with the proper preparation and precautions. Thousands of pets fly every year without issue. You can read more about pet travel safety here.

Should I sedate my pet?

NO. It is not recommended to sedate or tranquilize any pet that is flying on an airplane. This can negatively affect their breathing and respiration when they are up in the air at high altitudes. This can be even more dangerous for pets with pre-existing conditions or snub-nosed (brachycephalic) pets. Starwood will NOT transport any pet that has been sedated or tranquilized. Additionally, if the airline believes that your pet has been sedated, then they can refuse your pet for travel. You can learn more about sedation and air travel in our blog post.

Where do pets travel on the plane?

Starwood only transports pets who are traveling as manifest cargo. This means that they travel on commercial flights underneath the passenger cabin in a space that is temperature controlled, pressurized, and oxygenated. Live animals travel beneath the pilot and the pilot must sign off on a manifest so they are aware of any pets onboard. Your pet’s travel kennel will be held into place by a thin netting that acts like a seatbelt to keep them safe and secure during takeoff and landing. Learn more about where pets travel on a plane.

Will my pet eat or drink?

You should definitely ensure your pet is provided plenty of water prior to and on the day of their big adventure. Our team will also make sure that their water bowls are topped off once we check them in for the flight. Once pets are in the care of the airline after check-in, the airline staff will be sure to top off water as well. However, it is NOT recommended for pets to eat right before takeoff or during the flight. This can cause an upset stomach, which we of course want to avoid. Our team will not provide food for the flight and we do not recommend feeding them less than 4 hours prior to flight departure. If your pet has a layover, they will be provided more water and some food (depending on the length of the layover). Water will also be provided once they have landed as they are clearing through customs. If your pet will be boarding or spending time in quarantine throughout their trip, they will be provided food and water regularly. You can read more about whether you should feed pets who are flying in our blog.

How will my pet go to the bathroom?

If you have a dog that is traveling, our team will provide them with a nice walk and potty break prior to check-in at the airport. Once your pet is checked in, they must remain inside their travel kennel until they arrive at the destination. We do not let cats out of the travel kennel after we pick them up since you know they can be sneaky escape artists. Upon arrival to the destination, dogs will be provided with a walk and potty break before they head home to you. Again, cats will need to remain inside their travel kennels unless there is a safe and secure room to let them out. Litter boxes are not permitted to be inside the travel kennel so please be aware that sometimes your pet may go to the bathroom inside the kennel. As they say, if you gotta go, you gotta go. If your pet has soiled their travel kennel and there is a safe place to let them out of the kennel then we do try our best to clean the kennel when possible prior to delivery. Learn more here.

We partner with the best in the industry:

qantas qatar american-airlines lufthansa air new zeland british airways klm