Being able to take your furry friend along as you travel the world is a dream for many pet owners — but if you chose the wrong airline, the whole experience could be nothing short of a nightmare.
Safety is the utmost priority. You want to make sure your pet gets from Destination A to Destination B safe and sound, and hopefully without any smelly accidents. And if you’ve been paying attention to the news lately, you’ve seen that there’s no shortage of airlines who have failed to keep their passengers pet from harm.
Pets have gone on the wrong flights, flown to the wrong continents and in some, very tragic cases, passed away while in mid-air. According to a report by the Department of Transportation, during flights in 2017, 15 animals were injured and sadly 24 didn’t make it at all.
Even though traveling by plane is risky, many pet owners are still bringing their dogs and cats along for the adventure. A survey by American Pet Products Association found that the number of dog owners taking their pups on trips more than doubled between 2006 and 2016; jumping from only 20% to 40%.
Thankfully many airlines are noticing this disturbing trend and taking action to review and improve their pet policies. But it’s more important now than ever to make sure you do your own research and pick the best airline for you and your furry friend.
To help you out, we’ve listed the 10 best airlines to fly when traveling with pets and 10 airlines you should definitely avoid.