Pet-Friendly Hotels and Airlines: Complete Travel Guide
Travelling with a dog or cat in 2026 - what four hotel chains publish about pets, how to check any other property, where airline rules live, the EU and US paperwork, and what to pack.
AI illustration Among hotel chains, Kimpton has the most open published pet policy - no charge and no size limit - and Motel 6 and Red Roof let a pet stay free with conditions. Beyond those, a hotel’s pet rules are set property by property, and an airline’s are set route by route, so the working method is the same for both: read the policy on the company’s own site, then confirm it with the specific hotel or flight before you book.
This guide covers hotels, the paperwork for travelling abroad, what to pack, and car travel. Airline detail is in Flying With Your Pet.
Before booking anything: See your vet a few weeks ahead to talk through the trip - fitness to travel, vaccines, and any certificate the airline or destination wants. Snub-nosed breeds such as Bulldogs, French Bulldogs and Persian cats need that conversation most: they cope poorly with heat and stress, and many airlines restrict them in the hold.
Hotel Chains: What They Publish
Read on the chains’ own sites on 9 October 2026. A chain policy is a starting point; individual hotels can differ.
| Chain | Pet fee | Limits it states |
|---|---|---|
| Kimpton | None | No size or weight limit, no limit on the number of pets |
| Motel 6 | None | Up to two pets per room, 150 lb combined |
| Red Roof | First pet free; $15 a night for a second | Up to 80 lb per pet; one pet as standard, two at Red Roof Inn and PLUS+ locations |
| La Quinta | May be charged: $25 a night, up to $75 a stay | Up to two pets; some locations set a weight limit |
Kimpton
Kimpton’s pet page puts it simply: if your pet fits through the door, it is welcome, whatever its size, weight or breed, at no extra charge and with no deposit. It also lists loaner pet beds, bowls and mats in the room, and a concierge list of nearby pet-friendly places.
Motel 6
Motel 6 says pets stay free, with up to two dogs or cats per room and a combined weight limit of 150 pounds. It is the low-cost choice for a road trip.
Red Roof
Red Roof’s pet policy welcomes one well-behaved pet per room at no charge. Red Roof Inn and Red Roof PLUS+ locations take two domestic pets of up to 80 pounds each, with $15 a night for the second.
La Quinta
La Quinta is often described as free for pets. Its current policy says no more than two domestic pets per room, that a pet fee of $25 a night (to a maximum of $75 per stay) may be charged at check-in, and that some locations have a weight limit. Call the hotel when you book.
Every other chain
Marriott, Hilton, Best Western, Loews, Drury and the rest all have pet-friendly properties, but the fee, the weight limit and the number of pets are set hotel by hotel. Use the chain’s pet-friendly search filter, then phone the property and ask four questions: the fee and whether it is per night or per stay, the weight limit, how many pets, and whether a pet may be left alone in the room.
Booking sites
Other places to look: BringFido, which lists pet-friendly lodging, and Airbnb’s “pets allowed” filter - message the host with your pet’s size and breed before booking.
Airlines
The short version: a pet that fits in a carrier under the seat flies in the cabin for a fee; a bigger dog goes in the hold on airlines that offer it; and every number - fee, carrier size, limit per flight - is the airline’s own and changes. Flying With Your Pet explains how to check, and has the details on carriers and crates.
Two rules apply across airlines. Emotional support animals are no longer treated as service animals under US Department of Transportation rules in force since 2021, so they travel as pets. And the airlines’ own body, IATA, endorses recommendations not to sedate or tranquilize pets in transit.
Travelling Abroad
Start with USDA APHIS, which advises contacting a USDA-accredited veterinarian as soon as you decide to travel, because meeting a country’s requirements takes time.
European Union
The EU’s rules for a dog, cat or ferret arriving from outside the EU:
- A microchip
- A rabies vaccination, given at 12 weeks of age or older, and then a wait of at least 21 days
- For some countries of origin, a rabies antibody test, with a three-month wait after the blood sample
- An EU animal health certificate issued not more than 10 days before arrival
- For dogs going to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway or Northern Ireland: tapeworm treatment one to five days before travel
Other destinations
The United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii each have their own rules, and the rabies-free ones are strict, with preparation measured in months. Go to the destination government’s own site and to APHIS; do not rely on a summary table, ours included.
Coming home
Since August 1, 2024 the CDC sets entry requirements for every dog entering the United States, stricter for dogs that have been in a country at high risk for dog rabies. Check them before you leave, not on the way back.
Insurance While Travelling
Whether your pet insurance pays for treatment away from home, or abroad, is in the policy. Read that section before a trip. See our pet insurance comparison.
What to Pack
Essentials
- Carrier or crate
- Leash and a collar with a current ID tag
- Water and a travel bowl
- Food for the whole trip plus a margin, so there is no sudden change of diet
- Medication, with the prescription
- Health certificate and vaccination records, printed
- A recent photo of your pet and its microchip number
- Your vet’s phone number, and the address of an emergency vet at the destination
Comfort
- Familiar bedding or a blanket
- A favorite toy
- Whatever calming aid your vet has agreed to - see our guide to calming aids
For the hotel
- Bowls
- Disposable pads and stain wipes
- A lint roller
For the car
- A restraint - see Dog Car Travel Safety
- A window shade
Car Travel
Stops. Regular breaks for water, a walk and a toilet stop.
Restraint. A harness, carrier or crate that has been independently crash-tested; the list is in Dog Car Travel Safety.
Heat. Never leave a pet in a parked car. The inside heats up fast even on a mild day, and a cracked window does not prevent it.
Motion sickness. Some dogs get carsick. There is a prescription medicine for it: maropitant (Cerenia) is approved for preventing vomiting due to motion sickness in dogs. Whether it suits your dog is your vet’s call.
Calming Aids
Options run from a pheromone spray or a pressure wrap to prescription medicine. The evidence for the over-the-counter ones is limited; our calming aids guide goes through it; for CBD and anxiety the short answer is “unproven” - the few small studies disagree.
Anything stronger is a prescription and a vet’s decision. Raise it a couple of weeks before the trip so there is time to try it at home first; nothing should be given for the first time on the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can large dogs still fly?
Some airlines carry dogs in the hold and some do not, and routes and seasons matter. Ask the airline. For many medium and large dogs, driving is the simpler answer.
What if my dog is too big for the cabin?
Drive, use the hold where the airline offers it and your vet agrees, hire a specialist pet shipper for a long move, or leave the dog with a sitter or boarding kennel you trust.
How much does flying a small dog cost?
The airline’s pet fee each way, which differs by airline and changes, plus a carrier if you need one. Read the fee on the airline’s pet page when you book.
Can I sedate my pet for travel?
IATA recommends against sedating or tranquilizing pets in transit. If your pet is very anxious, talk to your vet about alternatives well before the trip.
Do I need a health certificate for a domestic flight?
It depends on the airline and on the state you are flying to; Hawaii in particular has its own entry rules. Ask the airline and your vet.
Can I travel with more than one pet?
Policies differ: some airlines allow two small animals in one carrier, some one carrier per passenger. Hotels state their own limits - two pets is common.
What if my pet gets sick during the trip?
Save your own vet’s number and the address of an emergency clinic at the destination before you leave. Our guide on when to go to the emergency vet covers what cannot wait.
Summing Up
- Drive when you can - you control the stops and the temperature.
- Confirm the hotel’s pet terms with the property itself, not only the chain’s page.
- Fly with a pet only when you need to, in the cabin if the pet fits.
- Start the paperwork early - weeks for a domestic trip, months for an international one.
- Talk to your vet about fitness to travel and about anxiety.
Related Reading
- Dog Car Travel Safety
- Calming Aids for Dogs Last updated: October 2026. Hotel policies were read on the chains’ own sites on 9 October 2026; airline and hotel policies change, so confirm before booking.
