I have not personally flown my pets in cargo but I do agility training with handlers that have flown their pets all over the country (and some the world)

They all actually have specially designed air plane travel crates that have food and water bowls built into them. Not one has complained, but they all started with short flights first and built them up to longer ones.

I will note though, that I do not know anybody that has flown a puppy, you have to be at least a year to start agility at our training site, and our Trainer would strongly advise against flying a puppy anywhere.

However, I feel if you alternative is boarding your dog a few hours on a plane might be easier then a few days in a kennel. (Keep in mind kennels are noisy, and they only get runs hopefully with some play time.)

That's a very hard choice, any chance of having your family come to you?

I have flown with a cat, once, in cargo. I can't speak for dogs but my kitty was fine...I actually saw them on the tarmac, he rode in (inside his airplane-safe carrier that I bought) on his own trailer, and the handlers lifted him into the plane. He wasn't with the luggage (I had nightmares of seeing him on that ramp with a bunch of suitcases hehe), and he arrived unruffled and had pretty much settled in after about 2 hrs at his new home.

The flight was AFTER a long train ride to boot, (of course I was with him for the train part) and he handled it all brilliantly! I can't speak for all pets, though - or even all cats, my kitty is a pretty laid-back guy and very trusting. If the puppy is quite young I can imagine that it might be more traumatic for him. Cats are also pretty good about "waiting to go", and mine had no problem waiting for a proper litterbox (good to be sure they go beforehand of course)...puppies, not so sure how that would be?

As I was told, most animals actually are lulled to sleep in cargo by the sound of the plane - not sure if that's true or if they say that to lull us into not worrying!

Another important thing is also to be sure the carrier you buy is compliant with the airline's regulations so that he is safe and comfortable and that you don't run into any unexpected delays on the date of travel.

Thanks for posting this question!
I've wondered how my 12 lb. dog would do on a plane. I have scary visions of her in cargo freezing and being deafened by engine noise. I know its common for pet owners to get sedatives from the vet but I'm not sure about drugging my dog either.

I'm reluctant to have my dog ride in cargo, but he's only 13 lbs so I've always taken him in the cabin with me. Northwest sounds like they handle the dogs very well and as along as your puppy is exercised before the flight, he/she will be sleeping the whole way I would imagine. Since you have no layovers, I'd say cargo is fine.

i have flown max in cargo from Houston to Boston..which is a four hour flight. i made sure it was a direct flight..

he wasn't thrilled about it. but we've done it a few times. once or twice, he had a buddy with him (someone else had also flown their pet)..other than that, yes you can hang out with him until the flight boards...when you get on the flight, ask the flight attendant to tell you when your dog has boarded the flight, they will come back and tell you..

also, i have to say the pet attendants are amazing. yes, they don't give a crap about your luggage and they will throw it around, but they are GREAT with animals. so be happy knowing they are well cared for.

good luck!

oh also there are special crates that are airline approved for flights that you have to use. you can't give your dog water or food in the crate, but they let you put ice chips in there for him..

the pets are the last to get on the flight, so definitely ask the flight attendant to tell you when they got on, and also to let them know that you have your pet in cargo. its good that they know this information..just incase something happens.

Vets actually don't hand out sedatives much anymore for pets that will be flying, because it inhibits their ability to adjust to altitude (think of when we have to swallow on a flight to pop our ears).

I have wondered about flying with my dog, and didn't know the cargo areas were temperature controlled...that's good to know!

I've never flown with B-Bop in Cargo, but he did fly in the cabin with me and HATED it. I hope to never do that again. it really just depends on your dog I think. He cried and when we transfered to the small (noisy) place he was really freaked by the loud engines. I don't know what they allow, but maybe giving your puppy some comfort toys, leave a shirt of yours in his crate or things like that might help.

I just wanted to second Sugasuga's comments. You can't sedate your animals anymore. I think most airlines have policies against it. Its just too dangerous.

But I'm really glad this question was posted! I have been fretting over the same issue.

I have never because I am paranoid. I was on a NW flight a few months back with animals on it and imo they weren't overly gentle with the crates. But maybe I am too gentle. I would be leery about your pooch being so young also. Have any friend willing to house/pet sit? Or have your pooch go live with them for the holidays? What about driving? I am leery of boarding too. LOL

I've heard that the dog may get stressed out and that level of cargo can get cold. if your dog gets stressed easily or cold...it may not be the best idea. perhaps a special travel crate would be best? Hope this helps

I dont think I'd fly Rozy like that.....my hubby would have a caniption about it too. He used to work at the airlines and saw whhat can happen to animals who dont react very well to it. Or the temperatures drop too low, animals go into shock, etc. Its too risky.

I have never flown a dog, so I can't share any experiences. I think that the only time I would do it is if I absolutely had to (like, if I was moving across the country).
However, I do travel all of the time for work and I kennel my dog. He used to have severe separation anxiety, so I was concerned, but by now he is a pro. He doesn't even whine on the car ride or even really seem to care anymore. The kennel has never reported any problems with him...he even gets baths there before I take him home (usually he acts up when I do it, but they say he is fine). It may be better for your pet, since he is young, to have some companionship (human and other dogs) and socialization. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Our dog can't handle being kenneled and the only way I would put him on a plane would be if I was moving overseas or something like that. Some dogs are obviously more chill and could handle these things better. Puppies are usually pretty high strung, though, so I would be nervous about flying a puppy. We're flying out of town for Christmas and leaving our pets at home. A pet sitter will come over 2x a day and let the dog out and feed and play with all of them. It's going to cost a fortune but I feel good about it. It will be the least stressful option for the animals.

I have never flown with a dog, but do they let you take them out to potty right before they get on the plane? I would be worried that a 5 month old puppy might not be able to hold it if they have to stay in the crate for too long. That would be so awful if they couldn't hold it and were stuck sitting in their own pee or poo in the crate on the plane. Depends on the individual dog and where you are at with her in terms of potty training I guess. I don't know if this is possible for you, but it might be helpful if you took a long car trip with her first.

I've done it with my cats. If they allow the pets to fly during winter, airlines have a special temperature controlled area. Some airlines only allow pets during certain temperatures as it can get too hot or cold. They also ask that you not sedate your pet, one reason I was given for this was in case your pet vomits from the sedation, if they are sleeping, they could aspirate on the vomit. I would invest in a pooch pad or some other absorbent pad in case of delays, especially for a young puppy (even crate trained, he can't hold it indefinitely). My cat wound up peeing in his carrier because there was a delay and he was stuck in the crate for 8 hours. They wouldn't let me take him out, and I was glad he at least had some bedding in there to soak up the pee so he didn't have it sloshing around on his feet. It also took longer to check in with the animals, and there was an additional fee (just as an FYI). I would do it again if I had to, but unless i was going to be gone a LONG time (like several weeks) I would rather board my dog at the local animal hospital where they take great care of her, or at the kennel where she did her obedience school.

I know it's not quite the same, but I thought I'd share my experience anyway. I flew my rabbit in cargo when I moved from Upstate New York to Hawaii 2 years ago. Flying into Hawaii, you aren't allowed to have any live animals in the cabin because of quarantine issues and disease spread. They have to be ushered directly from the plane to the animal inspection area.

Anyway, I paid $100 extra for him to be handled with care and in a heated compartment. I put some of those pet training pads in his crate with him, along with a blanket and toys. On every leg of the flight, a flight attendant would find me and let me know that he arrived on the plane safely. When I finally reunited with him after 9+ hours, he was a little shaken up but fine.

Flying a rabbit halfway across the world definitely isn't something I preferred to do, but in the end, I'm so glad we did. He's a part of our family and I could never leave him behind!

I'm glad this question is being posted because it's important to hear other's experiences to help put your mind at ease. I had this exact same problem last Christmas- I flew my 6 month old Basset Hound from LA to NY in cargo. He has a touch of separation anxiety so I was really worried about him. Like most said, most vets will advise against sedation because it can affect pets differently at different altitudes, but our vet did encourage a Benadryl before flying to ensure that he would sleep. The only problem we had was that we could hear him barking before take off- but he always barks when he's alone. When he got off the plane he hopped right off to pee (he held it the whole 6 hour flight- we were so proud!) and then snuggled on my lap the entire car ride home. I think he was a little scared, but he bounced back so quickly when he saw us. I used United last year, but flying back with them from JFK was a nightmare (they made us wait 2 hours to check the dog in and we very nearly missed our flight), so I'll be using Delta/Northwest this year. It sounds like they really know what they're doing.

I did a lot of research and as long as it's a direct flight, I'm confident that your pooch will be just fine. I advise to freeze a water bowl beforehand so he doesn't drink it all right away and that way it doesn't spill when they're loading him into the plane. Also, we flew during the day because I've heard that at night during the winter the cargo can get cold. We stuck some towels, a fluffy blanket, and a t-shirt I wore the day before in with Brando to make sure he was comfy. Also a frozen peanut butter kong to keep him occupied. I think your pup will be just fine.

I flew my dog Lily in cargo. The people at the airlines are really good with them. If your dog can be crated for a time then it shouldn't have a problem!

Thanks everyone! It has really helped me to hear from those of you who have flown with a pet. I've looked high and low for advice on this topic, but all I came across were the lawsuits people filed against the airlines for something horrible happening to their dog. It's nice to know some of you have had a good experience.

I know there are no guarantees that your pets are safe while flying in cargo, but it does seem to me that airlines have come a long way in ensuring their comfort and safety as best they can. That said, careless mistakes do happen - especially when flying during the holiday season.

Our pup has a really nice temperament. From what I can tell, she doesn't spook easily, loves her crate, and can hold her potty for 5+ hours. I don't have my mind made up yet, but I really do appreciate hearing from petsugar readers on this big decision!

Thanks again for all the great advice and tips. I'll definitely make sure puppy is prepared and crate is ready with all the necessities if she does make the trek with us. And I absolutely won't sedate her! The airlines and our vets really caution against it.

I do have one caution to add to this post- I went to book my pooch's flight again for this Christmas and the airlines have had a 250% increase in their prices to fly pets as cargo from last year at this time. I about died when they told me that it cost more to fly him roundtrip than it does to fly us. Looks like poor Brando will be stuck in Doggie Day Camp this Christmas.

I would only fly the dog as cargo as a last resort. My parents mistakenly did this to our family dog, when she was actually small enough to carry on...and they heard her barking and crying throughout the flight. It was heartbreaking. Too many things could go wrong just to have the puppy with you for a few days. I think it's much safer and practical to board her. I've brought my own dog as carry-on and the fees are enormous, and I imagine they are even more to bring a dog on as cargo.

lexx- thanks for your input. was your parents dog ok? i would hate to hear our puppy crying (and i'm sure other passengers would too) but its more important to me that she is safe than temporarily unhappy.

i've heard from a few people who have flown with dogs that the airlines are pretty lax about carrying a pet into the cabin. our puppy is on the cusp of the weight limit with northwest. from what i've heard, as long as your pet can fit into an airline approved doggie carrier with room to stand up and turn around, they never actually weigh your pet at check-in. any feedback on this? i'm not trying to get around the airline regulations, but if they don't mind an extra pound or two, I certainly would love to just bring Callie on board with us!

I carry my pet on all the time (once a month usually) and they have never weighed him. He only weighs 4 lbs though so they might be able to tell by looking at him that theres no way he's over 15 lbs.

I carry my pet on all the time (once a month usually) and they have never weighed him. He only weighs 4 lbs though so they might be able to tell by looking at him that theres no way he's over 15 lbs.

I couldnt do it. I think those 4 hours would be more traumatizing than a weekend at my moms house. I know it would freak my dog out, it would be really loud and she isnt used to being along somewhere besides her house.

Where is everyone else boarding their dogs such that they are kenneled all day? We use a combination day care/boarding service, so during the day they are all out in a big yard playing together.

we fly with our dog in the cabin all the time....and pp's were right...it is NOT recommended to drug the dogs....i don't think i'd be comfortable having him in the cargo hold though....we're not going to be able to travel as much with him since the airlines raised the prices for pet fees now

I once fly my 5 month old puppy in cargo to the east coast(from California) and they LOST HIM! It was probably one of the most traumatizing things that has ever happened to me. Hours and hours later, he finally arrived at the airport on another random flight (through god knows where). When I realized he was not coming in, the airline printed me out a receipt that said "I'm sorry for your lost luggage." Please research the airline carefully before you fly your dog, and definitely don't use American. Also, if you are flying somewhere cold, you will sometimes need a vet's note saying that your dog is healthy enough to be in cold weather (even if the airplane is acclimated, the dogs are often outside in their crates before and after the flight) Sorry for the rambling - I just had to share my experience. My dog is 4 now and I am just now potentially thinking about flying with him again...maybe...

I think this is too traumatic on puppy for such a short trip. Leave her at a kennel, and skip the stress!

My puppy flew to me (I bought him from Edmonton) it was a four hour direct flight, when he was 8 weeks old. When I got him he was a little shaken up and for the most part just happy to see someone that would hold him. Other than that he seemed ok, it took him about an hour to really calm down and I think he handled it fine. I'm flying with him again in 2 weeks (he's 4 months old now) but hes 5 lbs so I'll be able to take him on the plane, I do worry about how he'll handle it (might freak out and cause so much noise the other ppl on board will hate me) or just sleep through the whole thing. I think its something you should try, there's a first for everything.