Animals are increasingly becoming as well-traveled as humans, with the rate of pet travel increasing by 19 percent in the last decade, according to a 2023 study. Meanwhile, in the U.S., two million domestic animals board commercial flights every year.
But how safe is air travel for our pets? Veterinarians say that while there’s not one aspect of flight that is necessarily more dangerous or harmful than another, it depends on how prepared pet owners are — and the animal itself.
Are Airplanes Safe for Pets?
Planes may not be an environment your typical dog or cat is used to, but that doesn’t necessarily mean flying will cause their bodies to go haywire.
“You’ve been on planes as well. It’s something where you’re in a little bit of tight quarters, but your body doesn’t really work in a different way,” says veterinarian Elizabeth Rozanski, who also teaches at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in Tufts University.
