Domestic Air Travel with Small Pets

Angie

We have travelled internationally with our Yorkies a few times, but never domestically in the US.

Has anyone travelled with their small dogs in the cabin of the plane within the US? If so, do you have any tips to share? Like which airlines are best for doggies? Which carriers are best? And anything else you think might be helpful. I'm all ears.

7 years ago

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30 replies

Latest reply was from Maneera

carter

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What a great topic! Izzy is marking this as a favorite:-)

7 years ago

JAileen

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My friend got her puppy (a terrier, I should add) in Florida and flew it back. It was very small and fit in a soft carrier under the seat. I don't know if they gave it any drugs (sedatives). I talked to a woman at baggage claim a few months ago, and her vet prescribed drugs to give to her small dog. She gave it only half the amount. But same as my friend's dog, it fit in a small soft carrier under the seat in front. You should see what your vet recommends.

7 years ago

Suz

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I haven't travelled with a dog, just a cat. And not in the US, but in Canada. So I can offer no practical assistance except to say that our flight with cat in carrier was a lot better than I had feared. Sid was a Siamese, and as you know, they can be noisy. We did not sedate him and he did growl at first, but once we got going he seemed to settle and managed the trip without incident. He also had to endure a ferry ride a few days later and in some ways that was harder for him. He was very glad to be on real land again when we finally settled. What I liked about the process was that he was with us at all times; I just felt more secure knowing that. And I was glad not to have to medicate him.

The advantage with cats of course is that they do actually feel more secure in small enclosed spaces.

Excited to think you might be planning a trip!

7 years ago

catgirl

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My vet friend recommends a small dose of Benadryl (for the pup - but perhaps you too!).

7 years ago

Aziraphale

Veteran

No advice about specific airlines, but we never had a problem when we traveled back and forth from California to Vancouver with our dog -- and I think we used several different airlines. They are all very safe. Our vet would give us a mild sedative to calm her down, but it only semi-worked. She'd still bark in outrage the whole time. But at least we could tell she was still alive!

Wait -- I just read your question again -- are you allowed to keep the dog in the cabin with you? We've only ever been allowed to keep the dog below, in cargo.

7 years ago

Adelfa

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Elisabeth, there is a pretty stringent weight limit for keeping a dog in the cabin. I remember when I brought my 12-week old puppy home, he was already past the limit. Poor baby had to travel in cargo. To me one of the outstanding advantages of having a very small dog would be the ability to fly with him or her.

7 years ago

Aziraphale

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Ah, I see! I didn't know that. I assumed all animals had to travel cargo. Our dog was smallish (a spaniel/poodle cross) but not a lap dog. I wonder, then, if cats can travel in the cabin?

7 years ago

Angie

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Carter, I LAUGHED when I read your comment. Cuddles to Izzy.

JAileen, I will absolutely speak with our wonderful Vet first.

Suz, nice to know your experience with Sid was good. Dogs actually love small enclosed spaces too. We hope he travels as well as Sid.

HAH, Una. Good idea.

Elisabeth, YES. We want to take Sam in the cabin with us because he is small enough. 5.5 pounds.

Adelfa, I think the weight limit is 12 to 15 pounds depending on the airline. Sam is well within that limit. He's smaller than most cats.

7 years ago

texstyle

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I've seen people travel with their small dogs quite often in the cabin. I assume they may give them a slight sedative as I never really remember hearing any kind of barking or noise from them. I'd be afraid their ears would hurt (since mine always do!).

How would they use the bathroom if it was a long flight though?

7 years ago

Anonymous

My SIL and some of our friends travel with cabin pets and their advice is to do what you are doing and start when the pup or kitty is still young. It used to be that some airlines limited the number of cabin pets, but I see so many travel cuties these days that I'm guessing that has been relaxed.

On a recent flight, the lady next to me said she had her pup classified as a service animal to calm her because she was afraid of flying, so she was guaranteed he'd be in the cabin and not get bumped into cargo. She also said that allowed her to remove him from his carry case during the flight if the people sitting around her agreed. (Which makes me wonder what the airlines do when people have pet allergies). Of course, this is just what she told me, I have no idea of the validity of her statements. I do know, though, that having her little guy onboard made my flight a lot more enjoyable!

I'm sure you've researched and found the perfect pet carrier, but my friends swear by a brand called Sleepypod in the airline-approved size. We got a larger size in the brand a couple of years ago to transport our kitties to and from the vet in plush comfort. They come in great colours, including a lovely robin's egg blue. http://sleepypod.com/

I look forward to seeing wee Sam's travel wardrobe!

7 years ago

ClaraT

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I love dogs, but I'm quite allergic in general (it varies--I'm so so allergic to one friend's dog and not at all to another). In any case, twice when I've flown, someone seated next to me had a small dog and asked before we settled in if I was allergic. I was very appreciative for the heads-up and easily switched seats. I would have hated to arrive for a business meeting with a runny nose and/or in a benedryl fog! So my tip is to be pro-active with fellow travelers who'd prefer not to be next to a puppy, however adorable and well-behaved.

7 years ago

marianna

Veteran

Yes! I flew from Chicago to San Jose via Southwest with Gertrude. It wasn't bad at all! I'll have to check the brand of the carrier I used but there are specific airline approved carriers/bags. The worst part is that they made me keep her on the floor and wouldn't allow me to take her out of the bag at all... that was hard. A small dose of Benadryl/sedative is a good idea to help him sleep through the flight. I remember I gave Gertrude some sort of natural sedative. When we got off the flight my first goal was to find a pet relief area. Most airports have special grassy areas. The flight was only 4 hours long so no concerns about her having an accident on the flight. Overall fairly stress free experience.

7 years ago

marianna

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Found a few pics. She was about 1 year old.

7 years ago

JAileen

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My son sent me this picture a few months ago. It was an Old English Sheepdog, recently sheared, sitting next to him on the plane. He didn't know if it was a service dog or whatever. This is pretty unbelievable, because they are such big dogs.

7 years ago

rabbit

Veteran

I have not traveled by airline with my cats yet. My vet has strongly recommended not having pets in cargo, as has the humane society. She has also said that they now don't recommend giving sedatives to pets on airlines (maybe she just meant strong sedatives where the animal needs to be monitored and is sleeping? she said the gentler sedatives that can be administered orally don't help if an animal is truly upset), so there might be different opinions from different vets and it's worth asking around. I have been on a flight with a very stressed constantly barking small dog in the cabin that ended up peeing on the seat, and felt very bad for it and the owner, who wanted to hold him to comfort him, but the attendant kept saying he had to stay in the carrier under the seat. So I would think anything one can do to acclimate your pet to the sounds of air-travel (car rides?) or a very short flight to test might be an idea.

Here's the humane societies page on air travel with pets: http://www.humanesociety.org/a.....s.html#air

7 years ago

Angie

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Fashion Stylist

Thank you all SO much, ladies.

JAileen, ADORABLE.

Marianna, your info was BRILLIANT, and Gertrude is a sweetie deluxe. She is Sam's inspiration. (I see you lifted Gertrude up to the window anyway!).

ClaraT, Yorkies are 100% hypoallergenic so no problem there. (Greg is allergic to many dogs too).

Aliona, you crack me up. Many thanks for your thoughtful words.

Rabbit, we've travelled with our Yorkies (Jasmine & Rosie) across the world and they had to travel in cargo - 13 years ago, they weren't as lenient as they are now with allowing small dogs in cabins. The cargo hold was pressurized and heated though. They have an area for livestock so it was fine.

As for sedatives, it depends entirely on the pet and the distance. We were advised not to sedate our Yorkies for long distances. Not sure what my vet will advise this time.

7 years ago

marianna

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Angie, I was scolded when I lifted the bag up to the window and was told she must remain in the bag and on the floor. That was the worst part of the experience because she was not used to being in a bag and I'm sure she was scared/confused. I'd unzip the bag a little and pet her through the bag and give her treats. Maybe a good idea is to get Sam used to the bag/carrier ahead of time so it's not a new environment for him.

7 years ago

Classically Casual

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Angie, my friend flies with her small dog up and down the West coast and a couple of times to the Midwest. No drugs for either of them, but lots of treats. She says she's bent over much of the flight petting the little guy and administering treats. He's pretty mellow temperament.
He fits in a bag that she carries onto the plane. I'm guessing the carriers are Alaska, Southwest, Jet Blue.

7 years ago

Angie

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You are wise, Marianna. And I will scold the flight attendant right back.

Thanks, Peggy. Good to know.

7 years ago

Janet

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I won't take the pugs on the plane because they are one of several brachycephalic breeds that do not handle the air pressure issues well and have died in cargo holds. I would just never even risk it.

I think those risks are much lower for other dogs and pets.

7 years ago

Adelfa

Veteran

Elisabeth, yes, cats can travel in the cabin too.

7 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

To be completely unhelpful: I thought I could maybe travel with Lilypup in the cabin, but she got too big by, like, an inch...and fat...she's like the Anne Hathaway of dogs...'the smart fat girl.' Not that she's that smart, just bookish

7 years ago

Maneera

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I wish Sam the BEST journey ever! I'm surprised to hear dogs are allowed in the cabin! I've never seen any pet in the cabin!

Sadly, India is not a very pet friendly country. We have no pet-friendly restaurants, can rarely, if ever, find good pet friendly hotels for a road trip, we can't take dogs into ANY public buildings or pools or beaches. It sucks.

We've never taken the dogs anywhere by flight. Our dogs were anyways always too big and both were unhappy travelers at best (in our own car) so we've never considered taking them anywhere we can't drive. It's the reason we rarely travel ourselves....or travel individually with one of us at home with the babies.

Emma is our first small(ish) dog. But even at 5months old she's 22 pounds! And Xena....well she is over 120 pounds so OUT OF QUESTION!

But I'm surprised.....I've never seen service dogs on flights either. I really hope Sam is allowed in the cabin and enjoys it!

7 years ago

Colette

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I've never travelled on an airplane with my dogs but I did find this blogger a few years ago that travels with her Shih Tzu all the time. She did a few videos about preparation and even how she handles being at the airport.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?.....pp=desktop

7 years ago

Neelie

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I believe it's pretty easy to have your pet classified as a "Service Animal" - http://servicedogcentral.org/content/ESA-flying

There was even a 60 Minutes (or 20/20?) episode about this a couple of years ago...

7 years ago

Mochi

Veteran

We flew with our kitty in the cabin. Actually it was my husband who did, from Boston to California. The airline was JetBlue.

7 years ago

Chris987

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Angie you might also consider how well Sam travels in cars as part of your planning.

We have two cats that we take on the 2.5 hour drive to Maine (and same back home) pretty often. They are used to being in their carriers. One of them has to be mildly sedated or he will howl for most of the trip (meaning he is stressed). We can stand it in our car but I would not want to do that to other plane travelers. The other cat needs no sedatives, he settles down quickly. I would imagine a 2.5 hour plane trip would be similar, although we have never tried flying with them.

7 years ago

Angie

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Fashion Stylist

Thanks, ladies. I much appreciate the information.

Neelie, Sam doesn't need to be vetted as a service animal - although he is VERY therapeutic. They allow dogs in domestic cabins in the US who weigh less than 15 pounds. Sam weights 5.5 pounds.

Collette, I look forward to watching those videos.

Chris, Sam is quite used to the car already. Thankfully.

Janet, I know you can't travel by air with pugs. Road trips for you!

Maneera, France, the UK, the Netherlands and Canada are THE most dog friendly countries in the world in my experience. More so than the US.

7 years ago

Adelfa

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I think the point of the extra classification might be to be allowed to take him out of the carrier.

7 years ago

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