Why do I have to pay a pet fee when my dog is my carry-on?

❚❚Airlines say the reason they specifically charge a pet fee is that bringing a pet onboard involves additional protocols, and more protocols mean more work for the airlines.

“Why do airlines make me pay for a pet when their carrier is my carry-on bag? I’m constantly getting this question from people when I tell them I fly with my dog. People are shocked. Also, if he’s flying, why can’t I earn points for the purchase?”

This week’s question came from By The Way Editor Amanda Finnegan, who flies with her dog often.

I’ve stopped asking why airlines charge for anything — I just expect to get nickel-and-dimed throughout the booking process.

That’s been the norm since airlines began “unbundling” their offerings in the late 2000s. Instead of selling a ticket that included everything from your passage to your checked bag and meal onboard, they began selling their flight experience a la carte, offering customers a lower base fare with the option of adding on extras like seat selection.

It’s been a profitable shift in business model; according to the Transportation Department’s annual airline baggage fee report, domestic carriers brought in nearly $5 billion in baggage fees alone in 2018.

Airlines say the reason they specifically charge a pet fee is that bringing a pet onboard involves additional protocols, and more protocols mean more work for the airlines.

“That’s always going to include additional responsibilities for our crews,” United Airlines spokesperson Charles Hobart says. “They’re going to have to ensure the animals and their carriers meet certain requirements and follow FAA regulations.”

Beyond making sure your pet is following those FAA regulations, “there is a potential for the animal to get loose — which doesn’t happen often but is always a concern,” Hobart says.

The airline may also have to reseat customers around you if they have pet allergies.

“It’s really not as simple as bringing a carry-on with me that just happens to have an animal inside,” Hobart says. “It goes a little deeper than that.”

Palo Cvik, CEO at the travel media company SmarterTravel, says charging a fee is basically a way of reserving your pet’s spot on board, because airlines limit the number of pets allowed in the cabin on each flight.

Jonathan Alder, owner of the luxury travel company Jonathan’s Travels, has flown with his cats on various airlines over the years. He thinks the reason airlines charge a fee is more straightforward.

“The real answer is because they can,” he says.

Whether or not you can accrue extra miles for flying with your furry family member depends on the airline. To most , “pets are considered luggage,” Alder says. “If you fly coach, you pay for a suitcase but they don’t give you miles for it.”

You can’t sign your dog up for most loyalty programs to earn points, even if you’re buying them their own seat instead of toting them in a carry-on bag.

Delta’s SkyMiles program rules, for example, explicitly state “tickets purchased to carry excess baggage such as musical instruments and pets or to provide extra space for the primary passenger” cannot earn miles.

But some airlines do offer some points for pets. JetBlue travelers earn 300 additional TrueBlue points on each flight segment when traveling with their pet. Virgin Atlantic has a Flying Paws scheme that lets you earn some bonus points on select routes.

Hobart says airline loyalty program points are based on fare purchases and a pet fee is not a fare.

But we know you can earn points in a million instances that have nothing to do with fares. American Airlines AAdvantage members can earn base miles by spending money with eligible partners, like Hertz, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts and Shell.