Air-Born Pets: Tips for Flying with Your Four-Legged Friend
Hitting the open skies with your pet? We've got you covered with everything you need to know from the best airlines to keeping your pet calm.
I wrote an article not long ago about best practices when moving with your pet. But I didn’t dive too deeply into what air travel would look like. Flying with a pet can be, at the very least, obnoxious and, at the very worst, ulcer-inducing.
So to help take some pressure off and answer your questions, here are some tips for air travel with a pet as well as some super pet-friendly airlines that make it just a little bit easier to do so.
In This Article
The Sky Pup
My partner’s family lives across the country, and I’d be lying if I said that flying with our dog for the first time wasn’t a huge stressor for me. I was worried about everything from missing our flight to making our flight to Fern, our puppy, barking the whole time.
It turned out just fine.
Now, I know not everyone’s pet is the same. Our Fern is small and remarkably well-behaved. That said, there were still things that we had to look out for when flying with our furry friend.
Airline Regulations
One of the first things we did was research the pet policies of both the airports we were flying in and out of, as well as the airline. We ended up having to buy a new crate and pay a special fee, but luckily, Fern fit all the criteria to fly with us at our seats. Of course, this will not be the case for all dogs, and you have to weigh the options and decide for yourself, and your pet whether flying with them to begin with is worth their journey in the cargo hold (which is temperature-controlled and perfectly safe!) We were lucky and got to travel with Fern by our side…well, not actually. She was in a crate under the seat. But she slept the whole way.
Airport Potty Breaks
Unless you’ve traveled with a pet before, you probably haven’t noticed the pet relief areas in airports. These are lifesavers! Discreetly scattered throughout all major airports, pet relief areas are literally rooms with potty mats, a sink, and sometimes even hoses and washing supplies for emergency baths. Unfortunately, your pet doesn’t have the privilege of relieving themselves during the flight, so doing so right before you take off and right after you land is good for everybody involved.
Airlines
Now on to which airlines make it easier for you to do all of the above! Don’t forget — no matter what, you’ll have to do your due diligence. Planning way ahead is essential to ensuring that everyone has a smooth travel experience. Make sure you triple-check everything, get written proof of all of the things the airlines ask from you, and always read the fine print! Do that, and you’re golden.
Air Canada
Max weight 22 lbs.
Travel fee of $50-59 within Canada & USA
Crate Size: Soft: 27x40x55, Hard: 23x40x55
Southwest Airlines
Max weight is not specified; however, all animals must fit under the seat.
Travel fee of $95 each way.
Crate Size: Soft/Hard: 43x34x21
Alaska Air
Max weight 20 lbs.
Travel fee of $100 each way.
Crate Size: Soft: 43x28x24, Hard: 43x28x19
Jet Blue
Max weight 20 lbs.
Travel fee of $125 each way.
Crate Size: Soft/Hard: 17×12.5×8.5
American Airlines
Max weight 20 lbs.
Travel fee of $125 each way.
Crate Size: Flight Specific. See website.