Pet Travel Expert

Airports have come a long way with regards to pet friendly areas.  Here are the top 10 pet travel airports that have improved their pet features over the last year.  Have you traveled to any of these airports and visited their pet areas?  Email us a picture or post one on our Facebook page of you and your pet!

Missing from this list is John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City.  Their Pet Relief Area that we recently visited was quite spacious and even offered benches for pets and owners to stay a while.

1. Atlanta: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) The 1,000-square-foot fully-fenced Poochie Park includes flowers, grass, rocks, and benches to set the scene for dogs to sniff around, get a bit of exercise, and do their business. Being the world's busiest airport, it has seen its fair share of pets pass through and wanted to better cater to their four-legged passengers.

2. Houston: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) Not only does George Bush Intercontinental have four designated pet areas, it also offers the only onsite kennel managed by an airline (Continental Airlines) in the United States. The kennel provides 1,100 square feet of space for runs and exercise pens, day kenneling, overnight kenneling, and grooming.

3. Philadelphia: Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) The PHL has 7 (count 'em, seven) pet relief areas that include a mulch surface, a bench, and a faux fire hydrant. Each fenced-in area ranges from 250 to 600 square feet and also includes a pet waste bag dispenser and trash can.

4. Phoenix: Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) The Pet Patch, the Paw Pad, and the Bone Yard are Sky Harbor's three designated pet-friendly zones. These areas offer a place for pets to get relief, wander and sniff, as well as drink fresh water. Mitts for clean up are provided.

5. St. Louis: Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL) Fire hydrants are just one of the features at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport's two outdoor pet rest areas. Animals are allowed to play off-leash in the 400 square foot gated spaces and also include park benches, trash cans, and plastic mitts for cleanup.

6. Reno: Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RTIA) The "Bark Park" at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport was designed to make pet travel more convenient. It provides a restroom, fresh drinking water, and "Mutt Mitts" all under a canopy to protect travelers and their pets from the weather.

7. San Francisco: San Francisco International Airport (SFO) San Francisco International Airport offers two pet travel relief areas that are landscaped and fully fenced. They come equipped with drinking water, bowls, and garbage areas with "mutt mitt" dispensers. The areas are available to passengers and their pets 24 hours a day.

8. Los Angeles: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) LAX boasts two areas to make everyone's pet travel companions a bit more comfortable. The Pet Park comes equipped with a dog house, plastic bags, and a trash can. There is another pet rest area for convenience, although pets must be on a leash.

9. Honolulu: Honolulu International Airport (HNL) Travelers' beloved companions get to "paws" in paradise at Honolulu International Airport's fenced-in, grassy area under palm trees. Fresh water, plastic bags, and trash cans are available for service dogs, pets in transit, and working airport animals.

10. Denver: Denver International Airport (DIA) Denver International has opened an exercise area where pets can walk around and relieve themselves after a long flight. The space is enclosed and wheelchair accessible.

Source: TripsWithPets