Recognized by pet owners and commercial shippers for our industry-leading level of service, Northwest Cargo® provides safe transportation of unaccompanied pets and other live animals throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Asia and Europe.
The two (2) Cargo service options provided for this type of transportation are VIP - Same Day Live Animal Shipping and General Cargo.
VIP - Same Day Live Animal Shipping: This is the standard product for transporting pets and commercial shipments of other small, warm-blooded animals and is the fastest total journey time - from origin to final destination. This includes Service animals.
Acceptance Location: Service is available at all airports served by Northwest Airlines in the 50 U.S.
Drop-off/Pick-up Times:
Airport Ticket Counter: Common pets can be tendered at the airport ticket counter in as little as one (1) hour prior to flight departure and available for pickup at the Northwest Luggage Service Office within one (1) hour after arrival.
Common pets are categorized as dogs, cats, household birds, guinea pigs, rabbits hamsters and gerbils.
Northwest Cargo Office: VIP allows for most other animals to be tendered at the local Northwest Cargo office only two (2) hours prior to departure and available for pickup at the local NWA Cargo facility within 1-2 hours after arrival.
Size: Shipments of up to 100 pounds (45 kg) - pet and kennel combined and kennels with a size of 120 linear inches (305 cm) - Length + Width + Height.
Payment: VIP shipments must be prepaid by cash, check, credit card or Northwest Cargo account. Collect and cash-on-delivery (COD) shipments are not accepted.
General Cargo: This is an economical way to transport the largest array of kennel and container sizes and the widest variety of animal species. This includes Service animals.
Acceptance Location: All animal species are accepted at Northwest Cargo facilities (where available) and at select Northwest Ticket Counters. Certain restrictions apply.
Size: General Cargo is ideal for large animals and for multi-animal bulk shipments. Maximum weight and size is based on local handling capabilities and aircraft capacity. Northwest's fleet of 747 freigher aircraft and 747, DC-10, and A330 passenger aircraft are uniquely equipped to handle large animal shipments.
Payment: Collect shipments are accepted within the 48 contiguous U.S. and Alaska. All other shipments must be prepaid by cash, check, credit card or Northwest Cargo account. COD shipments are not accepted.
Connection: Interline connections are available between Northwest and select carriers.
Advance arrangement isrequired for all live animal shipments
VIP: Contact Northwest Cargo at 1-800-NWCARGO (1-800-692-2746) at least five (5) hours prior to departure.
General Cargo: Contact Northwest Cargo at 1-800-NWCARGO (1-800-692-2746) according the schedule indicated in the table below.
DESTINATION
Arrangement Time Prior To Departure
Domestic
At least 24 hours, with a maximum of 10 days
International
U.K.
3-30 days
Other
3-10 days
Flight schedules: Use Cargo Portal Service (CPS) to view Northwest flight schedules. Please note that faster transit times may be available via the VIP - Same Day Live Animal Shipping service.
VIP: The pricing for our VIP service is based on the combined weight of the animal (or your pet) and its kennel.
Weight
(pounds)
Within 48
Continguous U.S.
Alaska to Lower 48
Hawaii to
Mainland
Alaska to
Hawaii
1-50
$252
$316
$356
$356
51-70
$332
$436
$476
$476
71-100
$480
$516
$556
$516
Note: All rates shown are in U.S. dollars and do not include applicable taxes and surcharges. Rates are subject to change without notice.
General Cargo: The pricing for shipping live animal vary based on the origin and destination, as well as the size and weight of the animal's kennel/container. View domestic rates and cities served.
For more information, contact your local Northwest Cargo Sales Office or within the U.S. and Canada, contact Northwest Cargo Service Center 1-800-NWCARGO (1-800-692-2746). You can get details on schedules, rates and how to establish a Northwest Cargo Account.
U.S. and international regulations require that all warm-blooded animals shipped as VIP or General Cargo be accompanied by a health certificate. The health certificate must be issued by a veterinarian licensed in the country of origin within 10 days prior to travel.
For animals traveling roundtrip within the U.S., the original health certificate may be used for the return journey provided the return occurs within 10 days from the date the certificate was first issued. If the return journey is past 10 days from the date the certificate was first issued, a new health certificate will be required for the return journey. Please note that in order to expedite the clearance and handling of your animals, Northwest is unable to accept health certificates and other documents that have been altered in any manner, including those with crossed-out or obliterated information.
It is the shipper's responsibility to determine and comply with all applicable local, state and national entry requirements. In addition to the mandatory health certificate, many states and foreign countries have more stringent requirements. Information on these regulations can be found on the web sites listed below.
Note: When traveling internationally, failure to comply with all requirements may result in your pet being refused entry, placed into quarantine or returned to the origin at your expense. For the most up-to-date information, contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate General office for each country on your itinerary at least four (4) weeks prior to departure.
All kennel need to adhere to the requirements mandated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). You may use your own kennel or purchase an approved kennel at most pet supply shops.
Northwest Cargo accepts all species of live animals for transportation. To ensure a comfortable environment for the animals, U.S. and international regulators mandate certain restrictions be enforced. View additional information on these restrictions.
Careful planning is essential to ensure a safe and comfortable journey for your animal. To prepare your animals for travel, download Checklist for Cargo Shipments. You will need Adobe Acrobat to view this checklist.
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