Traveling by Air with Your Dog for the Holidays!

Brought to you by the AKC GoodDog! Helpline – the AKC’s 7-day-a-week training support service
By Hilarie Erb, AKC GoodDog! Helpline Trainer

The busiest travel season of the year starts with the Thanksgiving weekend! Are you thinking about bringing your dog along on your holiday flight?

Owners who want their best friends with them during the holidays should carefully consider whether traveling by air is in the pet’s best interest. If your dog is on the anxious side and does not enjoy getting out and about, he is more likely to be stressed by a plane ride and unhappy in the hustle and bustle of a holiday stay in an unfamiliar home.

What to Know Before You Go!

During heavy travel times, there is more than the usual amount of tension at airports and on crowded planes. On flights with connections, you need to plan for your dog if a flight is missed or there is a layover. Most airports have dog-relief areas for use in case of a long wait between flights or before heading to the baggage claim when you reach your destination.

The most important thing to do is to plan ahead; purchase tickets as early as possible for yourself and for your dog. Airline regulations regarding pets change often. Make airline reservations for yourself and your pet as early as possible since many airlines limit the number of pets allowed in the cabin, and necessary health certificates from your veterinarian. Do not simply show up at the airport with dog in tow! If you are thinking about getting your dog certified as a service animal so that he or she can fly at no additional charge, make sure you read up on the U.S. Department of Transportation rules on traveling by air with service animals beforehand. Airlines have specific requirements for service animals so if your dog does not meet these requirements, they must travel as pets.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) currently allows small pets through the checkpoint. You will want to double check their website before flying, but at this time, they have specific rules when passing through security, so make sure your pet can handle the expectations. TSA currently asks for you to “remove your pet from the carrying case and place the case through the X-ray machine [and then] maintain control of your pet with a leash and remember to remove the leash when carrying your pet through the metal detector. Animal carriers will undergo a visual and/or physical inspection.”

After considering the pros and cons, you have decided to fly with your dog. It can be easy for dogs small enough to ride in the passenger cabin but carry-on pets are limited to cats and dogs that meet the size, age and destination requirements. Dogs too big to ride in the passenger cabin must travel as cargo, but since early in the COVID-19 pandemic, this has not been an option because most airlines have had an embargo on pets in cargo. Only military members and U.S. State Department Foreign Service Officers can check their pets as baggage for a fee, when traveling on active transfer orders. As of now, dogs too large to go into a carrier under a seat will need to stay home, so make sure you stay up to date with TSA restrictions.

What Will Your Dog Need for the Trip?

Prepare your pet for the unknown when traveling by air! Some things to remember and pack for your pet:

• Have the right carrier: certain types and sizes that fit under the seat in front of you are required. Check your airline’s website for specifics.
• Disposable pads for the carrier in case you need to clean up an accident.
• Clean-up items such as disposable dog-safe wipes, paper towels and poo bags.
• Small bowl for offering water or ice during the trip. Folding travel bowls are very handy.
• Your dog’s medications; make sure you don’t forget your routine!
• Food: Visit TSA for rules regarding food and try to send it to your destination beforehand or put it into your checked baggage.
• Check with the airline about required veterinary health certificates. Veterinarians are very busy these days, and you will need to make an appointment well ahead of time.

If taking your best friend along is not an option, now is the time to make reservations at a boarding facility, which often book up months in advance prior to holidays. Alternatively, you might arrange for a trusted friend or pet sitter to take care of you pet at home, possibly even to stay there. You will rest easier knowing that your dog is safe and sound in the best possible place for them!

For more tips and advice on training your dog, join the AKC GoodDog! Helpline, a seven-day-a-week telephone support service staffed by experienced dog trainers: www.akcgooddoghelpline.org.