Southwest Florida Airport Service Animal Policies
Assistance animals are welcome to travel with passengers who have disabilities. Certain exemptions are provided to these animals, but some rules and restrictions still apply. To determine if your dog qualifies to be certified as a Psychiatric Service Dog and can be accepted as such for air travel, you can visit Pettable’s PSD service.
Southwest Florida Airport Pet Relief Areas
The Southwest Florida Airport offers passengers a choice between four pet relief areas. All areas are outside and pre-security, meaning pet owners will need to exit the airport and re-enter through security while utilizing the facilities. Pet relief stations are on both ends of the terminal building on the lower level—near the gazebo and the loading dock. The other stations are across the street from baggage claim on the lower level—on either side of the parking garage. The RSW pet policy requires that all pet owners clean up after their animals.
…HAVE EVERYTHING?
RSW Pet Cargo Locations and Protocol
If your pet is too large to fly with you in the airplane cabin, you will need to choose between flying him as checked baggage or as cargo. The checked baggage option requires you to drop him off at the flight check-in desk upon departing and pick him up at excess baggage when you arrive. Choosing cargo means that your dog will be on a separate plane and flight schedule. The Fort Myers airport pet policy requires that you drop off and collect your animal from an airline-specific facility—not the flight check-in desk.
The Southwest Florida Airport cargo campus is very easy to navigate—nearly all passenger cargo facilities are within a single building at the corner of Perimeter Road and Regional Lane. Though not connected to the passenger terminal, this building remains on the airport campus. There is no shuttle service to or from this building, but there is plenty of parking available for private transportation. Below, we have listed essential cargo information.
Delta Airlines Cargo
11850 Regional Lane
Fort Myers, FL 33913
800-352-2746
United Airlines Cargo
11850 Regional Lane
Fort Myers, FL 33913
239-768-3200
jetBlue Airways Cargo
11850 Regional Lane
Fort Myers FL 33913
239-768-3200
Southwest Airlines Cargo
11850 Regional Lane
Fort Myers, FL 33913
239-225-2797
American Airlines Cargo
11850 Regional Lane
Fort Myers, FL 33913
239-561-6205
More RSW Airport Pet Policies
As with most American airports, the Southwest Florida International pet policy requires that all animals be kept in airline approved kennels or containers while inside the terminal building. Exceptions only exist for service or law enforcement animals. All animal relief areas are outside the terminal building, meaning your dog should not be outside of his crate once past security. To that end, the RSW pet policy suggests that animal owners use the relief areas before going through the security screening checkpoints. All animals must be leashed while on airport property.
Florida is a hot place—it’s why many of us travel there. However, this heat may pose a threat to your pet’s ability to travel, especially if he is traveling as checked baggage or cargo. If temperatures rise above 85 degrees, your airline may determine the conditions too dangerous for pet travel. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and, if you can help it, refrain from traveling in the hot summer months—otherwise, you may have to reschedule your dog’s flight.
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