HOW TO TRAVEL WITH A PET—AND WITHOUT THE PEEVES

Happy Friday! This is WSJ travel reporter Jacob Passy, filling in for Dawn Gilbertson who is off this week.

More airlines have joined the fray in upping bag fees. American Airlines hiked its baggage fees for the second time this year. Delta and Southwest also raised theirs.

Speaking of Delta, the carrier reported its most recent quarterly earnings this week. It predicted a big hit in the form of higher jet-fuel costs this year—even though it operates its own refinery.

United Airlines is rolling out a new fare structure that will break its cabin into additional tiers. Think a “basic economy” style of business class, as one example.

Air India’s CEO is stepping down, less than a year after the crash of one of its planes that killed 260 people.

My cuddly carry-on

Traveling with a pet isn’t for the faint of heart. Airlines have introduced stricter rules and pricier surcharges to fly with Fido. Some pet owners have faced the agony of having their fur babies land on no-fly lists.

When my husband and I first adopted our beloved Penny, an 11-pound poodle-mix we got from a rescue, we dreamed of taking her with us on our many adventures.

Over the past two years, we’ve resorted to long car rides when visiting my in-laws in Maine, which she tolerated well enough. But when we were planning a trip to Washington, D.C., for a family Easter visit, we bit the bullet and opted for the train. Our hope was that it would be less traumatic than a flight for her first long stretch in a pet carrier.

The trip was mostly a success, and we learned critical lessons that will help us for our family’s future travels.

Budget wisely. Like airlines, Amtrak charges a fee to bring a pet onboard. We paid for her trip partially in points, but forked over $49 for the return journey. (And that’s pennies compared to what airlines can charge.)Know the rules. An Amtrak red-cap employee at Washington’s Union Station was quick to remind us that Penny needed to be in a carrier when we arrived. Only true service animals are exempt from the requirement.Practice makes perfect. We’d invested in dog-training sessions when we first adopted Penny, which has helped us to teach her new commands ever since. In the lead up to our trip, we trained her to go into her carrier voluntarily and sit quietly in it. (In retrospect, we should have gotten her used to sitting in it for longer stretches than we practiced at home.)Meds may not help. Our veterinarian prescribed medication for anxiety to use for trips, but it didn’t help that much. Every pet is different.Arrive early. We got to New York’s Moynihan Station after our train had already begun boarding, meaning we had to quickly get Penny into her carrier. That stressed her out a bit, so she took a while to settle once on the train. We didn’t repeat that mistake on our return trip!Pack wisely. We made sure to have plenty of treats on hand to reward her for good behavior and a water bottle to make sure she stayed hydrated.

Do you have any suggestions for how to travel smartly with a furry companion? Shoot us an email, if so!

Notes From the Road ✈️

Airlines are warning that the jet-fuel supply crunch could last months.Travelers in the Middle East are adapting to flying through war.This corporate retreat turned into an epic disaster.Kansas City is spending millions to become a soccer hotspot.Here’s a look at America’s top aviation innovations through history.

One Good Tip 🎯

Invest in a high-quality portable charger. Airlines are limiting the number of chargers passengers can bring on board. Southwest is the latest to introduce a policy on these devices. The new rules are meant to avoid fires in cabins.

Travel Math 🧮

The percentage of Marriott Bonvoy members who said they preferred Coke to Pepsi. The hotel company has switched its beverage partnership to Coke after 34 years with Pepsi.

And We Quote 💬

One Final Shot 📷

This gorgeous photo of Earth that astronauts on the Artemis II mission got as they went around the moon will put most folks’ souvenir snapshots to shame.

About Us

Jacob Passy is a reporter who covers the travel and tourism industries for The Wall Street Journal. You can reach him at [email protected] or on X at @jepassy. Sign up to get an alert every time WSJ’s Carry On columnist Dawn Gilbertson publishes an article.

2026-04-10T12:35:39Z