Among the thousand and one things we need to nail down before actually moving to California (estimated time of departure: 2 weeks away) is getting our dog out to California. When we moved to Chicago over six years ago, it was touch-and-go: American Airlines will not fly pets if either city in the trip will be below 40 degrees or above 85. That’s because the cargo compartments are not well insulated, and prolonged periods of time on the runway/tarmac can result in either very cold or very hot conditions.
One of the recommendations our relo service gave me was PetRelocation.com, a company that specializes in transporting pets. I called them to get a feel for what was involved (having already flown our dog once, I didn’t know if there was some aspect of this that I was missing, necessitating a service to cover our bases). If you don’t want to think about any of the details, PetRelocation is a good answer: they’ll pick your dog up, deliver him/her to the airport, coordinate travel, and then pick the dog up at the airport and deliver him/her to your door. That service doesn’t come cheap, though, so I opted to pass for the all-inclusive package.
But PetRelocation did tell me one interesting thing: they only fly Continental. Turns out, Continental is extraordinarily pet-friendly, and has the same air in the cabin that’s in the cargo… meaning that the pets are in a temperature-controlled environment for the duration of their trip. Continental doesn’t fly direct, so our dog will get a connection through Houston – where they will transport him in an air-conditioned van that’s specifically for transporting pets. He leaves Chicago a couple hours before us, and arrives an hour after us. (We’re flying direct… both for our own sanity as well as that of our fellow travelers. Nobody wants Becca on a connecting flight.)
The cost varies by weight, but our guy will be just over $300. For the peace of mind alone, that’s a very reasonable cost. Kudos to Continental for addressing this need so well; and thanks to PetRelocation for the recommendation.
3 responses to “Traveling with pets – fly Continental”
That is an excellent service to know, and one I never knew existed. Having read your article, I am curious what you're doing about your cars. Selling, then buying new ones? Or?
For anyone traveling with pets, I have to let you all know–DO NOT TRAVEL ON AMERICAN AIRLINES.s American Airlines LOST my puppy on a cross-country trip.s When I finally got my puppy back, she was dehydrated and extremely stressed.s I was nearly beside myself.s American Airlines offered no excuse–they simply said they'd left her kennel on the tarmac and forgotten to bring her to baggage claim.s There was no apology.s Of course I called and e-mailed Customer Service but they merely said it was too bad I didn't get my dog back “right away” (we're talking over four hours after the plane landed–not four minutes) and they could not fail their personnel for anything but they hoped I'd travel again with them.s What?!s Of course I won't travel again with them.s Many of my friends with dogs have told me similar terrible stories about American Airlines.s If you love your pet and you're traveling with a pet that is too large to go as carry-on, do not, under any circumstances, fly American Airlines.
great post..