But myriad other rules cover everything from kennel size to the wording of labels. More pets are flying . . . We have a client with four dogs and a cat, and every four to six months we ship them back and forth to Florida. Though the airlines don't tally how many pets fly with their owners, several lines' employees cite a slight increase of in-cabin fur and feathers in the past few years, while the number of animals flown overall has held steady. Northwest, for example, flies about 100,000 to 120,000 animals a year.
Most experts agree.
But plenty of pet owners beg to differ. Whether your pet goes in the cabin or in the hold is just one issue. Large animals and various types of service can cost more. All seven airlines will fly additional species in the hold. Hawaii law requires that all animals flying there go in the hold.