Dogs and Cats must stay in their carriers in most airports. Airports are increasingly becoming Pet Friendly Dogs can get relief at with Pet pee stations, day care and grass exercise areas, baths, swimming pools, kennels and grooming sites. Here are 15 Airports with great places for your Dog or Cat to Go:
1. Denver International Airport
Denver International Airport is well known for its variety of pet-friendly amenities. It offers:
- Three private indoor pet relief stations that offer artificial grass flooring, a drainage system, bags for waste disposal, a handwashing station, and a mural of Colorado’s outdoor scenes to enhance the ambiance
- One outdoor pet relief and exercise area
- Check out the 25,000 square foot “Paradise 4 Paws”, an on-site pet boarding facility and resort, including private kennels, a swimming pool, adventure jungle for cats and 24/7 care with day and overnight pet-boarding suite. Some suites for both dogs and cats offer TVs with Pet friendly programming and webcams for owners to check in on them, each animal also has access to a large indoor play area and lots of enrichment to keep them occupied while their owner is away.
2. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Despite being the busiest airport in the United States, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has put careful thought into ensuring the comfort of its fuzzier guests, offering:
- Seven private indoor Service Animal Relief Areas (SARAs) with artificial grass flooring, a handwashing station, and floor-level water fountains to provide fresh drinking water for pets
- Poochie Park, a 1000 square foot fenced-in dog park with biodegradable waste bags, benches, a dog sculpture made out of plane parts, and a water fountain
- Pet Paradise, a 24-hour boarding facility that also offers veterinary, grooming, and 24/7 pickup and drop off services.
See Also Companion Pet Travel: Flying with Pets
3. John F. Kennedy International Airport
Few airports even come close to being as pet friendly as JFK, which offers:
- Open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., The Wooftop is a 4000 square foot outdoor garden patio. It contains a large terrace with natural grass, and seating for up to 50 people
- The ARK is a 24-hour animal care and veterinary center not only for dogs and cats, but also for horses, birds, livestock, and exotic animals. For overnight stays, it also has private pet suites with pet-friendly TV programming, webcams for owners, massage therapy, pedicures, and pre-flight microchipping so that owners can track their pets
A variety of private indoor pet relief stations with artificial grass flooring, fire hydrants, and handwashing stations.
4. Reno-Tahoe International Airport
Reno-Tahoe International Airport takes great pride in its pet-friendly amenities and services, which include:
- An indoor enclosed pet relief station with artificial grass flooring, which is also perfect for cats
- Two Gate K-9 Bark Parks, one 1000 square feet and the other 700. These outdoor dog parks offer running water, “mutt mitts” for waste disposal, a fire hydrant, and a canopy to shade from poor weather. To find the one located north of Baggage Claim, just follow the paw prints on the floor!
- The Paws for Passengers program, which consists of 25 teams of service dogs that welcome and send off passengers to reduce stress and anxiety.
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5. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
The Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, located in the 3rd most pet-friendly city in the U.S. boasts a variety of pet-friendly areas, including:
- A trifecta of pet relief areas: The Pet Patch (490 square feet), The Paw Pad (2200 square feet), and The Bone Yard (2700 square feet). These outdoor pet parks allow dogs to stretch their legs, drink fresh water, and relieve themselves, with cleanup mitts provided
- A number of additional indoor pet relief areas
- Two more designated pet relief and exercise areas located near Sky Harbor stations: The East Economy Park & Bark and The Park ‘n Play.
6. Los Angeles International Airport
With the highest number of pet relief stations out of anywhere on this list, at LAX you’re never too far from a pet-friendly area. It offers:
- 8 indoor pet relief stations with fake grass, fire hydrants, cleanup stations, and fresh drinking water
- 3 outdoor animal relief stations
- The LAX Pet Unstressing Passengers (PUP) program, which consists of 30 trained dogs in red “Pet Me” vests who interact with passengers in the various terminals so as to reduce anxiety and stress
- Farmer’s Market in Terminal 5 and Ashland Hill in Terminal 7, where dog treats and toys can be purchased.
Can I Buy an Extra Seat on a Plane for My Dog or Cat in Cabin?
Often, Pets will not have much relief while flying but, they certainly will pee a soon as they are reunited with you. Bring along some pee pads in case they do not make to the relief area or outside. You can attach extra to their carrier or in your carry-on. I carry these with me everywhere.
7. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
Although non-service animals must be kenneled while inside of airport facilities, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport still offers a variety of services and pet-friendly spaces for comfort and convenience:
- Two indoor pet relief areas which include artificial grass flooring, a fake fire hydrant, and a handwashing station
- Two outdoor pet relief areas for dogs to stretch their legs
- Now Boarding, an affiliate of the Animal Humane Society, offers boarding, training, massage, nail trimming, swim therapy, and grooming services. They also offer a free shuttle service that will pick you up from Baggage Claim and bring you to your pet and vehicle for free. These services are also available to non-passengers.
See also, Where Do Dogs Pee on an Airplane?
8. Washington Dulles International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport was one of the first airports to do away with disposable pee pads and concrete floors in order to switch to artificial grass, drainage systems, and fake fire hydrants. While not much has changed since then, it remains one of the most pet-friendly airports in the U.S., offering:
- 5 separate pet relief areas: two private indoor rooms, and three enclosed outdoor spaces for animals to stretch their legs
- Indoor private pet relief areas with waste bags, artificial grass flooring, and decorative fire hydrants
See Also, 4 Best In-Cabin Pet Carriers for Airlines 2022
9. Philadelphia International Airport has Limited Space for Dogs
Like the other entries on this list, Philadelphia International Airport offers a wide array of pet-friendly spaces so as to provide for all of their four-legged passengers with
Seven indoor pet relief areas, also known as “Pet Ports”, that range from 250 to 600 total square feet in size. These private spaces include artificial grass flooring and fire hydrants
And, fenced-in outdoor relief areas with mulch surfaces and benched seating
10. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has a variety of places that your pet can stretch their legs and do their business, including:
- A landscaped and lit Dog Walk, which includes a pet drinking fountain, waste bags, and trash cans for waste disposal
- An additional pet-friendly outdoor patio
- A quarterly therapy dog event where visitors are able to interact with and pet therapy dogs
- Bark and Zoom, a pet hotel and valet service that offers outdoor play yards, a dog only swimming pool, and 24-hour pickup and drop off services
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11. Dallas Love Field Airport is Great for Pets
While Dallas Love Field Airport does not offer some of the same amenities as other airports, it still provides a fantastic space for pets and their owners. To ensure the comfort of its pet-owning passengers and their companions, it offers:
- The Pet Park, a large outdoor area that is large enough for dogs to de-stress, run around, play with each other and their owners, and relieve themselves
- Two smaller private pet relief areas with artificial grass flooring and a fire hydrant
Here are the Pet Carriers I Use and are Great for Flying with Pets: 4 Best In-Cabin Pet Carriers for Airlines 2022
12. George Bush Intercontinental Airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport offers a number of pet-friendly amenities and services much like the other entries on this list, including:
- Four assigned pet relief areas throughout the airport
- The only onsite kennel that is managed by an airline in the United States. It is approximately 1100 square feet in size, and offers exercise and run pens, both day and overnight kenneling, and grooming services
13. Dallas-Ft. Worth International Airport
While Dallas-Ft. Worth International Airport requires that pets be kept on leashes at all times, it remains one of the most pet-friendly airports in the United States and has a number of facilities to cater to passengers and their animals:
- Four designated indoor pet relief areas with artificial grass flooring and fake fire hydrants
- A number of outdoor pet relief areas. However, your I.D. and boarding pass will be required for re-entry into the terminals
- Paradise 4 Paws, a pet resort and kenneling service for both cats and dogs, which also offers 24-hour pickup and drop off services
14. Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, while it does not have any particularly unique amenities, still offers a variety of services to help pet owners keep stress induced from traveling with their animals to a minimum:
- Two outdoor, off-leash play areas for pets to run around and relieve themselves. Both of these spaces are 400 square feet in size and are completely gated. These spaces also include benches for seating, complementary mitts for waste disposal, trash cans, and fake fire hydrants
- Three private indoor pet relief areas, each 100 square feet in size, which include tubs lined with artificial grass, fake fire hydrants, and handwashing stations
15. San Francisco International Airport
The final entry on this list, much like the other entries seen above, San Francisco International Airport has a number of resources and amenities for passengers and their pets:
- Two fenced and landscaped pet relief areas, which have ready-to-use bowls, fresh drinking water, and mitts for waste disposal. Both of these pet relief areas are open 24-hours a day
- However, all animals must be appropriately kenneled while in the airport. While in pet-friendly areas, such as the indoor relief spaces, pets are allowed outside of their kennels but must remain on a secure leash
- 5 private indoor pet relief areas
Where Do Dogs Go for Relief at the Airport?
Pet Relief Areas at Airports include simple faux grass pee relief stations, to luxury spas with pools, kennels and grooming. Some airport have only the grass area outside the terminals where Dogs can Go and Exercise. Most airports have pet relief areas in every terminal before and after TSA inspection
This is a great list of domesitc airports with pet relief areas. Do you have a list of international airports with pet relief areas? They appear to be harder to find while traveling abroad.
Thank you. No, I do not but I will get to work on one. There is a great resource for travelers with Pets, Animal Travelers on Facebook you may like. I’ll see what everyone has found and make a new post.
Hi
This list of domesitc airports wtih pet relief areas is very helpful – do you have a list of international airports with pet relief areas? I have found a few at airports in Mexico but am traveling to Asia soon and it is proving challenging to find pet relief areas on airport sites and maps. Any leads are greatly appreciated, Thank you!!