Happy Tails Alerts
New LIVE Chat!
We are excited to launch our new live chat feature on our website! Have questions about our services? Wondering what the best method of transport is for your pet? Simply click the tab on the bottom right-hand side of our webpage to message us!
Responses will be received as quickly as possible during business hours (7 am - 4 pm MST Mon - Fri). After hours, the chat feature will leave us a message and we will respond the next working day.
Featured Testimonial
"After much research, I selected Happy Tails Travel for my pet ground transport needs. We needed to get our dog Zoe from Florida to North Carolina - and as soon as possible for health reasons.
From the moment that I was connected with my pet travel specialist, Samantha, she was professional, friendly, and answered all of my questions. I was promptly assigned a driver and trip plan. Our driver, Julie, immediately made both myself & Zoe feel comfortable and ready for her adventure.
During the trip, Julie stayed in regular contact and furnished wonderful photographs. I never had a moment of doubt or worry - I knew Zoe was in excellent care.
The choice to go with Happy Tails has been one of my best decisions ever. From start to finish, everything went smoothly and helped to make a difficult time much easier. Excellent communication, professional experience, and friendly service. I highly recommend Happy Tails Travels!"
Make sure to read the rest of Zoe's testimonial and our others here!
Why does my pet’s ticket cost so much?
Many times when giving quotes to our clients, they exclaim ‘My pet’s ticket costs more than mine!’. Sometimes that is the case. There are many differences between pet and people travel. One of these is how the cost of the flight is determined. There are many variables. When we research and look at flights available, our priority is: Most direct flight, then best price, and then convenience for the people. What is best for the pet is not always the most convenient for the pet owner, or the least expensive.
Each airline has their own policies for pricing for live animal travel. The price generally is based on the weight of the pet. Other times it is based on the size of the crate. Some airlines have an intricate calculation they use to determine the cost, which is usually the case for international airlines.
There also is a difference with some airlines on the number of pets. If there are multiple pets, they may have a total weight instead of individual pricing for each pet.
You can usually count on the golden rule: the bigger the pet, the more the cost of the flight. So, a kitten’s flight will be considerably less than a Great Dane! We have found too, that the bigger the pet, the more the price varies. For the total weight of 50 pound and under, the airlines are pretty in line with average/competitive pricing.
Another difference in pricing is if a pet is able to travel in the cabin with the pet owner, under the pet owner’s ticket/reservation. It is much less expensive; however a majority of pets are too big to fit under an airline seat. Also there are limitations to how many pets can travel in the cabin.
If your pet is too large for the cabin, and if the airline allows the policy of your pet traveling on the same flight as you under your ticket then that also is less money than if the pet is not under your reservation.
There are so many considerations, so many variables, so many airlines, and so many airline agents giving conflicting info when you call about getting a flight for your pet! That is why it is helpful to have a professional, such a Happy Tails Travel, do all of that ground work (pun not intended) for you so you don’t even need to pick up the phone to call around the airlines. We advise each of our pet parents the very best flight for their pet to provide the most cost effective and safest journey possible.
For more information, please visit our website at www.happytailstravel.com or give us a call at 1-800-323-1718 or 520-299-3315. We are always ready and happy to discuss how we can help you to provide a smooth move for any member of your pet family.