Traveling with pets can be an exciting and rewarding experience. However, budget travel with a four-legged friend in tow can be a bit hard to come by. With airline boarding fees, the cost of supplies while on the go and the expense of pet friendly hotels, many of us get discouraged when we consider and start planning for a trip with our pets.
At the end of the day, while most of us would love to take our beloved pet along on vacation, many of us find the expense and hassle of pet travel prohibitive.
If you’re looking for ways to include your pet on your next trip, here are a few ways you can save on traveling expenses with your pets (and avoid breaking the bank to take your pal along).
Do Your Research
Think your new vacation hotel won’t allow pets? Think again. Many hotels now allow pets to stay and play for a small fee. Bringing your pet along will ultimately save you money by foregoing expensive pet boarding and kennel fees. In addition, hotels and resorts that allow pets often have information on local dog parks, sightseeing tours and pet friendly activities, saving you time and money. Many campgrounds, bed and breakfasts, resorts and lodges allow dogs and cats to stay on the premises, giving the owners the peace of mind of knowing that their pet is safe and cared for.
Choose Your Airline Carefully
When traveling with your pet, it’s important to read the fine print regarding pet travel. While smaller pets can ride in the cabin of many airlines, they may be subject to fees and restrictions. These fees can add up quickly and cost you more than you bargained for. Larger pets may be subject to riding in the cargo hold of the plane, which can also be costly. Plan ahead with your airline and find out their policies on pet travel. Book your travel in the off season or on weekdays to save even more on your flight. If you don’t mind flying separately from your pet, consider booking a trip on Pet Airways, an airline devoted entirely to budget pet travel. Pet Airways offers low cost flights that can be booked near your own travel date.
Pack a Lunch
Many people overlook the cost of purchasing pet food while traveling. Even though your hotel or resort may allow pets, finding food for your four legged friend may pose an obstacle. Ship a supply of food to your destination before you travel or scout out the best pet food locations ahead of time. Many airports are introducing pet friendly options for travelers, but these perks come at a premium. Don’t forget to pack extra kibbles in your carry on bag to avoid paying for overpriced pet food in the airport.
Ask for a Discount
Many airlines, hotels and resorts have discounts at their disposal that are not advertised to the public. Simply asking if there are any deals or discounts available can open a world of budget possibilites to you. Unpublished discounts such as cheaper room rental rates, free baggage check fees and free or low cost ground transportation.
Traveling with your pet does not have to be an expensive and tedious endeavor. With the right amount of planning and preparation, it is easy to find great deals on hotels, air travel, road travel and pet friendly activities. Budget traveling with your pets is easier than ever with the wide variety of discounts and deals available to the pet owner that wants to spend a vacation with his four legged friend.
9 Comments
Make sure you arrive nice and early if you are taking a Pet in cabin(under the seat), many airlines offer these spaces on a first come basis, if someone with a Pet beats you there, your Pet can be bumped. Also, “Animal only airlines” are very schedule restrictive, traveling on set days and with increased travel times, with many stops on turbo prop planes, these are not commercial jets. Major airline temp restrictions are also a issue depending on season. Try to find airlines that allow you to make a booking with your Pets as excess baggage, this is the cheapest way.
Thanks for sharing these tips! There are so many things to think about when planning a trip… especially when you have a pet. It can be easy to overlook some details.
Thank you for this wonderful information, I’m always wanting to take my pup with me when I travel but it just scares me (what happens if my pup gets scared and runs off!). I will be moving cross country soon and these tips will help me a lot during my long drive!
Kelly Austin i was wondering if this can also work with iguanas becase i have a
iguanas as pets
……Its easy to fly with your cat, small dog, bird or other small pet in the cabin of an airplane. Restrictions can vary however depending on the airline that youre hoping to fly.
Thanks for the tips! I always have to end up paying a huge pet fee and usually just end up with Marriott or Sheraton, knowing that they accept pets. What is the price range for flying a pet with you on an airplane?
Thanks for the info, though the cargo hold thing, hmm, not too sure i like that. Maybe we’ll stick to not flying, especially with a big dog.
I have heard so many horror stories about flying with a bigger dog, I’m planning a road trip for the beginning of September and I read another good travel blog about it – http://www.foundanimals.org/blog/road-trip-with-your-dog, Red roof inns also accept pets and they are cheap! Stayed there when I moved cross country with my dog! Thanks for all the great info!
This is some great information though you should always be a little wary of cheap organizations. You always have to wonder what corners they might have cut to reach such prices. Of course, there are a lot of unnecessary expenses out there that your dog could happily live without that are simply luxuries. Simply put, do your research before you decide on the cheapest option possible.
Also as you say, asking for a discount never hurts either!