Pet owners, according to most American airlines, have deep pockets. How else to explain the exorbitant fees they charge so that you can substitute your one carry-on bag for a bag that contains your small dog or cat? And the oligopolistic nature of the business comes through loud and clear when you examine the variance (or lack thereof) in the in-cabin pet fees.
It was not that long ago (say a couple of years) that pet fees were $50 to $75. Now they are almost universally $125. Each way. Notable exceptions: regional airlines AirTran, Frontier and Southwest. And in-cabin pets get no frequent flier points!
Read on for pet and baggage fees (domestic flights) for the major U.S. airlines: AA, AirTran, Alaska, Continental, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, United and US Air.
