Flying with Delta

Yesterday I wrote about JetBlue's new PetPaws program. Today I'd like to look a little more in-depth into another major airline's pet policies, Delta.  Delta offers three options for traveling with your pets. Bringing them as Carry-On, bringing them as Checked Baggage, and Shipping them as cargo.

First we'll talk about having your pet as a carry-on: 

Delta charges a one-way fee of $150 (and I thought JetBlue was expensive) One quirk is you won't be able to keep your pet with you if you're traveling to Hawaii. Hawaii has interesting quarantine laws, so if you are planning on flying and taking your pet, Delta has a few pointers on their website about how to keep the quarantine time minimal. Delta limits the number of pets to less than 4 per flight (depending on the size of the flight), so if you are flying Delta, it is best to notify them sooner rather than later if you plan on bringing your pet.  

As for your pets traveling as Checked Baggage or shipping them as cargo: If at all possible, I would avoid this. It can be traumatic for a pet to fly, especially if there is no one with them. If you must, then I recommend you read this page. Apparently your pet cannot fly as checked luggage if it is too hot (85F) or too cold (20F), or during the summer (May-Sept). They also require a health certificate and acclimation certificate. This will set you back $275 on a domestic flight and $550 for a international flight.

The last way is to ship a pet as cargo. There are less restrictions on time and weather, and for reptiles and amphibians, this is the only way to go. Delta ships based on weight, and they have a table on their site. 

In my opinion, Delta is far less catering to the pet crowd than JetBlue. They do however, have an extensive amount of information on their site, and if you're planning on traveling, you should check it out!