Traveling with Pets: Emotional Support Animals and Airline Pet Fees

Here’s everything you should know.

Clover, also known as Clovie, is a three-year-old, 13-pound Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and has become a seasoned traveler. Since she was about six months old, she has accompanied her owner, Gillian Small, on various modes of transport including planes, trains, buses, and boats.

Small never checks Clovie but carries her on planes in an approved carrier that fits under the seat in front of her. The pair prefer to fly with JetBlue, which offers a unique pet travel program.

“They have a special program for dogs, and their JFK terminal even includes an area for dogs to go to the bathroom inside the terminal,” Small said. “That is magical for pet owners like myself that often struggle to walk through security with a big suitcase, take my laptop out of my bag, and remove my shoes, all the while holding on to a 13-pound pup whose collar and leash have been removed for the metal detector.”

For the pleasure of Clovie’s company on JetBlue flights, Small pays $100 for each one-way flight.

“The pet travel fees can get expensive,” Small remarked. “Sometimes when flying to Florida to visit my parents, her add-on fare can be more expensive than my flight. But rules are rules, and it is a small price to pay to be afforded the luxury of traveling with her by my side.”

However, Small expressed a desire for an additional carry-on allowance. “I wish I could be given an extra carry-on bag since the carrier, in addition to being an extra fee, counts as one of your two allotted carry-ons, which means no backpack, for me,” she stated.

Morgan Johnston, a spokeswoman for JetBlue, mentioned the airline’s JetPaws program, which rewards pet travelers with 300 TrueBlue points on each flight segment traveled with a pet.

Understanding Airline Pet Fees

With a pet fee of $100, JetBlue ranks in the midrange of pet fees charged by airlines. The fees for bringing a pet as carry-on on domestic flights can go up to $125 with American, Delta, and United Airlines. American and Delta charge $200 to check a pet, where rates for United vary.

Notably, Frontier and Southwest Airlines are among the most budget-friendly options for pet owners, charging $75 and $95, respectively, for carry-on pets. Both airlines do not allow pets to be checked in the cargo hold.

Alyssa Eliasen, a spokeswoman for Southwest, explained, “While we are happy to accommodate pets, there are additional considerations and costs associated with that service.”

Service Animals vs. Emotional Support Animals

Importantly, passengers bringing a certified service animal onboard incur no additional fees. A service animal is distinct from an emotional support animal, as it is “individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability,” according to the Americans with Disabilities Act National Network.

Many airlines permit both service animals and emotional support animals, provided a medical health professional fills out the necessary form.

Concerns Over Misuse of Pet Certifications

This raises a question: does this policy encourage travelers to register their pets as service animals to avoid paying extra fees? Ross Feinstein, a spokesman for American Airlines, stated that the airline is reviewing its requirements for service and support animals “with the goal of protecting our team members and our customers who have a real need for a trained service or support animal.”

“Unfortunately, untrained animals can lead to safety issues for our team, our passengers, and working dogs onboard our aircraft,” he added. “We will continue to support the rights of customers with legitimate needs, such as veterans and individuals with disabilities.”

Between 2016 and 2017, American Airlines reported a significant increase of over 40 percent in customers transporting service or support animals.

Small, the owner of Clovie, mentioned she wouldn’t consider registering her as a service animal. “No matter how well trained she is — she takes commands in two languages — she does not fit the definition of service animal. She is my pet,” Small explained.

Similarly, Laurie Richards, who frequently travels with her Mi-ki Zoey, remarked on the limitation of pets per flight. “I believe that service animal certifications should be reserved for those with true needs,” she stated, while admitting to occasionally bending rules regarding her pet’s carrier. “The rules say she is to stay in her carrier at all times. I’ll confess, I take her out at the gate area. She’s content to sit on my lap, so I don’t think it’s a problem.”