Hobby Airport requires all pets and emotional support animals to be crated at all times inside the terminal. The only place a non-service cat may come out of its carrier is inside a SARA — the SARAs are shared with service dogs. Plan to keep your cat in the carrier the entire walk to/from the relief area.
Hobby has two Service Animal Relief Areas (SARAs): a pre-security outdoor area at Level 1 curbside near Ground Transportation Zone 4/Red Garage, and a post-security indoor SARA on Level 2 near Gate 20/21 that was renovated in recent years. The airport's own page explicitly requires all pets and emotional support animals to be crated at all times in the terminal, with the SARAs being the only place they may come out.
Serves all gates on the Hobby concourse (one airside concourse; airlines include Southwest, Delta, JetBlue). Confirmed by Hobby's own pets page and accessibility page as a SARA available to pets and ESAs that are crated to/from the room. Construction details (door type, ceiling, dimensions) are not documented on the airport's official page — field verification recommended. A 2025 airport accessibility note flagged a temporary closure of this SARA; verify status before relying on it.
Outdoor curbside area at arrivals. High escape risk for a cat — carrier must stay closed while in motion; only open it at the relief spot. Confirmed by Hobby's official 'Travel With Pets & Service Animals' page.
Level 2 (concourse level), post-security, near Gate 20/21 (airport's own page says 'Near Gate 21'; a Hobby Facebook post and third-party guides describe a renovated SARA near Gate 20 — likely the same room). · Serves all gates on the Hobby concourse (one airside concourse; airlines include Southwest, Delta, JetBlue). Confirmed by Hobby's own pets page and accessibility page as a SARA available to pets and ESAs that are crated to/from the room. Construction details (door type, ceiling, dimensions) are not documented on the airport's official page — field verification recommended. A 2025 airport accessibility note flagged a temporary closure of this SARA; verify status before relying on it.
Level 1 curbside SARA
Given this airport's policy, use the pre-security area or relieve at home/hotel before arrival.