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San Diego International Airport (SAN) is known for its pet-friendly policies. The airport has several pet relief areas, both indoor and outdoor, for arriving and departing passengers. Assistance animals are also allowed to travel with passengers who have disabilities, and the airport even has a program that brings dogs into the airport to comfort nervous fliers and provide stress relief. While there are some rules and restrictions, San Diego International Airport is generally accommodating to dogs, especially service animals.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Pet relief areas | 7 in total, 6 outside the terminals, 1 post-security in Terminal 2 |
| Pet relief area facilities | Fake grass, a red fire hydrant, waste bags, trash cans, and a sink |
| Pet relief area accessibility | It can take up to an hour to locate and use a pet relief station |
| Service animal policies | Assistance animals are allowed to travel with passengers with disabilities, some rules and restrictions apply |
| Transport options for pets too large to ride in-cabin | Flying as checked baggage or flying as cargo |
| Ready Pet Go program | Brings trained dogs into the terminal to comfort nervous fliers and provide stress relief |
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What You'll Learn
San Diego Airport's pet relief areas
San Diego International Airport (SAN) has several pet relief areas. There are seven dedicated locations in total, with six outside the terminals and one post-security in Terminal 2. The indoor, post-security pet relief area in Terminal 2 is located next to the human bathrooms between Gates 46 and 47. It provides just under 15 square feet of artificial grass, a fake fire hydrant, solid waste bags, a trash receptacle, and a sink. The area is cleaned twice a day, and two deodorizers are in place to keep the environment pleasant.
The outdoor pet relief areas are fenced but do not have a gate, so it is recommended to keep your dog on a leash. They are located at the curb, in relatively quiet areas. Each station includes real and artificial grass, a fake fire hydrant, bags, trash cans, and a sink for owners to clean up.
To access the first outdoor pet relief area, exit at the ground level of Terminal 2 near the Air Canada, Hawaiian Airlines, Lufthansa, and United Airlines desks. The second outdoor station can be found by exiting through the ground level of Terminal 2 near the Delta Airlines, jetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines, and Sun Country Airlines desk. The other outdoor stations are located at the eastern and western ends of the Terminal 2 Ground Transportation Island and the pedestrian entrance to Terminal 2 West (McCain) parking lot, across from passenger loading zone W.
San Diego International Airport also has a unique program called Ready Pet Go or Ready, Pet, Go, where trained dogs roam the terminals to comfort nervous fliers and provide stress relief to travellers dealing with long security checkpoint wait times.
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Flying with assistance dogs
San Diego International Airport (SAN) is a dog-friendly airport. It has six pet relief areas, five of which are outside in pre-security areas, and one is located inside Terminal 2 West in a secured area. The indoor station provides artificial grass, a fake fire hydrant, solid waste bags, a trash receptacle, and a sink. The outdoor stations also include real grass, in addition to the features of the indoor station.
The airport also has a unique program called 'Ready Pet Go', which brings trained dogs into the terminal to comfort nervous fliers and provide stress relief to travellers.
If you are travelling with an assistance dog, there are some general procedures to be aware of. Firstly, you must inform the airline, tour operator, or booking agent at least 48 hours before departure. You should also contact the airport and airline directly to ensure that everything is in place to support you and your dog. Airlines are entitled to ask for evidence that your dog is trained by a recognised training organisation. Documentation may include a training certificate, an ID book, or an animal passport.
On the day of travel, it is recommended that you arrive at the airport at least two hours before your flight. During the flight, your assistance dog may travel on the floor in front of your seat, and when the fasten seatbelt sign is on, the dog should be placed under the seat in front. It is important to note that the cabin crew will not be able to take care of your dog's needs during the flight. If you have pre-booked assistance, an airport assistant will meet you after your flight and escort you to your next mode of transportation.
If you have a connecting flight, an assistant will escort you to your next departure gate. When arriving in certain countries, such as the United Kingdom, you must remain on board the aircraft until an official meets you to inspect your dog and verify its documentation. Other countries may also have specific regulations and inspection requirements.
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Transport options for pets too large for in-cabin travel
San Diego International Airport (SAN) offers two transport options for pets that are too large for in-cabin travel. The first option is for your pet to fly as checked baggage. This process is relatively simple: you drop your pet off at the flight check-in counter and pick them up at excess baggage when you arrive.
The second option is for your pet to fly as cargo. This means your pet will likely fly on a separate plane and schedule. You will need to retrieve your pet from the airline-specific cargo facilities. Here are the relevant locations and contact information for these cargo offices:
- Delta Airlines Cargo: 2357 Airlane Road, San Diego, CA 92101. Phone: 619-231-7122
- Northwest Airlines Cargo: 2357 Airlane Road, San Diego, CA 92101. Phone: 619-231-7340
- United Airlines Cargo: 2375 Airlane Road, San Diego, CA 92101. Phone: 619-231-5604
- Southwest Airlines Cargo: 2361 Airlane Road, San Diego, CA 92101. Phone: 619-231-7345
It is important to note that there is no shuttle service to and from the cargo facilities, so passengers should arrange for private transportation when accessing these buildings.
Additionally, San Diego International Airport provides several pet relief areas for both arriving and departing passengers. There are seven in total: six are located outside the terminals, and one is post-security in Terminal 2 West. All stations include artificial grass, a fake fire hydrant, waste bags, trash cans, and a sink for owners to clean up before or after their flight.
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The Ready, Pet Go initiative
San Diego International Airport (SAN) has a unique programme called Ready, Pet Go, which brings trained dogs into the terminal to comfort nervous fliers and provide stress relief to travellers who have had to deal with long security checkpoint wait times and other airport experience drawbacks. The dogs and their handlers are volunteers who take two-hour shifts and simply roam the concourses interacting with passengers. The programme is a partnership between the airport, the Traveller's Aid Society of San Diego, and Therapy Dogs, Inc. The team currently has 18 dogs ranging in size from small Shih Tzus to larger Goldendoodles.
The airport also has seven pet relief areas in total, with six located outside the terminals and one post-security in Terminal 2. All stations include fake grass, a red fire hydrant, waste bags, trash cans, and a sink for pet parents to clean up before or after a flight. San Diego is home to the country's first indoor pet relief area. The airport takes its pet-friendly reputation very seriously. However, the San Diego Airport pet policy requires non-working animals to remain in their carriers unless they are in these facilities.
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.
Generally speaking, pets that are too large to ride with you in the cabin have two options for transport. The first, flying as checked baggage, is relatively simple. Drop your pet off at the flight check-in counter and pick them up at excess baggage upon arrival. The second option is to fly as cargo, which means your pet will fly on a separate plane and likely a separate schedule. The San Diego Airport pet policy requires that all pet parents retrieve their animals from airline-specific cargo facilities.
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Other dog-friendly airports in the US
San Diego International Airport (SAN) is a dog-friendly airport. The airport has six pet relief areas, five of which are outside in pre-security areas, and one is located inside Terminal 2 West in a secured area. The indoor area includes artificial grass, a fake fire hydrant, solid waste bags, a trash receptacle, and a sink. The outdoor areas are fenced but do not have a gate, so it is recommended to keep your dog on a leash.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
This airport offers several pet relief areas, including one on the arrivals level of the International Terminal and a 1,000-square-foot outdoor dog park located pre-security in the Ground Transportation area at Domestic Terminal South. The outdoor dog park is fully fenced, has benches, and provides biodegradable waste bags. Every concourse also has an indoor post-security relief area.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
This airport has nine relief areas, three of which are post-security locations. All relief areas provide space for drinking water and cleaning up pet waste. Dogs of all sizes and breeds are welcome to use the outdoor facilities.
Philadelphia International Airport
This airport has seven service animal relief areas in every terminal, as well as additional pet relief areas outside the airport near the departing flights and baggage claim areas.
New York's JFK Airport
JFK Airport has multiple outdoor spaces specifically for passengers with pets. There is also a post-security relief area inside Terminal 4.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
This airport has an indoor pet relief area.
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
This airport has multiple pet relief areas.
Washington Dulles International Airport
This airport has a pet relief area.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, San Diego International Airport has a pet relief area in a secured area inside Terminal 2 West. There are also five other pet relief areas outside the terminal. All stations include fake grass, a fake fire hydrant, waste bags, trash cans and a sink for owners to clean up before or after their flight.
If your dog is too big to travel with you in the cabin, there are two other options. The first is to have your dog fly as checked baggage, which can be picked up at excess baggage upon arrival. The second option is for your dog to fly as cargo, which means they will likely fly separately.
San Diego International Airport has a Ready Pet Go program, which brings trained dogs into the terminal to comfort nervous fliers and provide stress relief to travellers.
