Airlines Offer Perks for Pets

20 years ago, flying with a pet was a bit of an ordeal. There was the carrier, the whining, the worrying, and sometimes, the sedatives. Airlines have come a long way since then, finding ways to make traveling with pets easier for pets and owners alike.

If you haven’t looked into flying with your pet recently, take a look at these perks that have appeared in the last decade that make traveling with your four-legged friend much easier:

The Pet Lounge. Chicago’s O’Hare airport opened a pet lounge in May, joining Newark and Houston in creating a pet-friendly traveling environment. If your pet is too big to fly in the cabin, the PetSafe staffers will take care of your pet for you from the time you arrive at the airport until you land at your destination.

The pet lounge at O’Hare comes with 28 ventilated, comfortable, temperature-controlled enclosures and staff members who will exercise, play with, and groom your pet (upon request).

When your pet is ready to board the flight, the team will load your pet onto a temperature-controlled shuttle and deliver them to the plane, getting them safely loaded and ready to fly!

Points for Pets. Virgin Australia joined Virgin Atlantic and JetBlue in offering rewards for flying with pets this month. Virgin Atlantic offers several rewards for flying with your pet, while Virgin Australia and JetBlue both provide frequent flier miles for your pet.

When booking a domestic flight with Virgin Australia, for instance, traveling with your dog or cat will get you an extra 300 frequent flier miles. The airlines are offering themselves as family-friendly carriers, and with strides like this, they are likely succeeding!