BARK Air Is a New Dog-Friendly Airline—But the Prices Are Sky High

At first glance, BARK’s latest announcement is enough to make pup parents burst into applause: The petcare brand which is iconic for their BarkBox subscription (speaking of which, happy early 4/20) has launched the first ever airline created with dog travel in mind.

BARK believes no dog should fly in a crate — in fact, their CEO climbed into a dog crate on video to personally attest to how uncomfortable a flight in one would be. It’s uncomfortable to watch, too, but it gets the point across. 

Once you click “Book Flight,” though, the excitement dims. Flights are currently available only from New York (from Westchester County Airport) to Los Angeles and London. And the price point is steep, to say the least. A one-way ticket between New York and Los Angeles costs $6,000, and a one-way ticket between New York and London costs $8,000. Basically, BARK Air won’t exactly be replacing your usual airline any time soon. As one Instagram commenter put it: “This idea is great!!! But $6000? We commoners will never be able to afford that.”

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One can dream, because BARK Air flights are truly luxurious — especially for your pup. After booking a flight, a concierge will reach out to find out everything they need to know about your dog’s personality and preferences. On the day of travel, the concierge will meet your dog at the gate and prepare them for the flight with calming pheromones and music, then will then continue keep an eye on them throughout the flight to make sure their needs are met, too.

Pups are offered noise-canceling headphones, calming treats, and calming jackets during the flight. They’re also given a beverage during take-off and landing to avoid ear discomfort (since chewing gum is a no-no). As a bonus to pet parents, check-in takes about 45 minutes, with none of the stresses of bringing your pup through TSA — and no crates needed at any point. 

While it’s a luxury experience now, BARK hopes this is just the beginning. “We plan to add more routes, more infrastructure, more equipment, more staff, and more over-the-top dog-first amenities unlike anything in the market. Over time, this will allow us to bring ticket prices down,” the BARK website says.

So, while you might not be able to hop on an idyllic flight with your dog just yet, keep your head up. The future’s looking bright. And if you have about $12,000-$16,000 to burn and a vacation planned from New York to Los Angeles or London, congratulations: Your pup’s travel day just got a lot cozier.