Airline travel with your GSD - Page 1

I have never done it so I am asking you all.

Have you traveled via plane with your pet?  Any advice when it comes to doing it? i.e. preferred airline, etc?  I am going to look up costs and everything else but wanted to hear from some other people first.  I would just be travling within the country.

if you have a small pet, american works just fine in the cabin it only costs 125 extra each way but you have to make reservations and the pet has to be small enough to fit under the seat in front of you.  otherwise the pet has to be checked as extra luggage and its 175 extra each way.

you have to make darn sure that the plane is large enough and the cargo area is preassurized before making reservations. Also you must make reservations very earl, some airports the correct flights once or twice a week. If you have a dog with upright ears, the crate ends up being huge.

if you're talking about flying into NASS, then expect to fly into the next closest airport, as with so many dogs flying in, all the openings may already be filled.

Your dog is too big to under the seat, so I would say Continental- I would not risk the other airlines as far as them riding in cargo.

Hell i see it ain't cheap.  Continental wants $330 one way.

Sitasmom and Jen make some very good points.  I have a buddy who has two GSD's.  He flies from VA to Scottsdale several times a year and always takes his dogs. One goes in a crate while the other flies on the plane with him.  He buys a second ticket and has the dog sit next to him or on the floor.    

Slamdunc, or anyone who knows,

Will they let you buy a seat and cabin fly the dog even if he is not a SAR or other serivce dog?  I thought they had to be a certified service dog. 

I have not flown anywhere in years because of this issue, so I would be so interested to see if I can do this. 

I've heard Continental has the best pet travel program.  We've used it before and plan to again next year.  Continental at IAH has an onsite kennel, which we may end up using for an overnight depending on our travel arrangements.

I'm interested in other's opinions/experiences on the different airlines, although I'm hoping this will be the last time we need to put them on a plane.

Really that much for one way? 
I brought both my girls to Alberta,Canada on Conitnental from Illinois and One cost me 198.00 IN MArch and the other was 250.00 In June..The first one was in a smaller kennel but the one in June was in a full size.

That seems extreme:(
 

the price to ship a dog depends on the total weight - dog, crate, absormant material, paperwork and extra food taped to crate.

a puppy is MUCH less expensive to ship then an 85 lb male.

I typically use Conitnental during hot weather and American for the rest of the year. Dogs brought in from overseas are shipped with Lufthansa.

Live cargo rates for shipping -
https://www.aacargo.com/shipping/rates.jhtml 
http://cargo.cocargo.com/cargo/files/pdfs/rates/petsafe.pdf

Continental in cabin info......
http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/animals/in_cabin.aspx
http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/specialneeds/disabilities/assistance_animals.aspx

American traveling with pets
http://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/specialAssistance/travelingWithPets.jsp#PetsTravelingAsCheckedBaggage
http://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/specialAssistance/travelingWithPets.jsp#PetsTravelingInTheCabin
http://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/specialAssistance/serviceAnimals.jsp 

Good info.

Slam - your friend has a small dog correct or is it a service dog?

Yeah I was quoted by Continental that from Phoenix to Baltimore one way with a 55lb dog = $320 one way.  That to me is insane and she said that it is based on total weight of the dog and crate.  I just wanted to take one dog with me for the holidays but I see that won't be the case.  Heck my roundtrip ticket will be cheaper than a dog going one way.

I see American Airlines has a flat fee of $175 one way.