I don’t fly on Alaska or Horizon, so I was thrilled when a Dog Jaunt reader took the time to measure not only the spaces around her (she’d been upgraded to First Class) but also the under-seat spaces in Coach Class. She was traveling on an Alaska 737 (800 series) between Puerto Vallarta and San Francisco. Here’s what she reported:

In First Class, there is room for a pet carrier in the open space between the two seats (she spoke with a flight attendant, who told her that that space is available). The space under the seats is taken up, in large part, by hard plastic panels (protecting electronics, probably, or a life preserver). A carrier up to 11” H x 17-18” W x 18-20” L will fit in the area between the seats.

In Coach Class, the middle seat is the way to go for anyone with dog carrier. The aisle seat has the least width, and the window seat space is “okay, but you have trouble getting out.” She recommends a carrier that is up to 10-10.5” H (maybe 11 inches, she said “if really squishy top“) x 18” W x 18-20” L. There is less vertical room for a carrier in Coach Class because a life preserver is hanging in a soft container under the seat.

This post is part of an ongoing series recording under-seat measurements of the various planes we fly on. Keep in mind that most domestic and international airlines have rules about the maximum size of in-cabin pet carriers they allow on board (see Dog Jaunt’s handy charts under the “Taking your pet on a plane” tab above).