The Best Pet-Friendly Airport Lounges and Kennels in the World
A very common question we get is “how will my pets be treated when they are away from me?” The anxiety is often especially high when a pet is on a layover or waiting to be picked up for their drive home.
Luckily, PetRelocation partners with some amazing airlines and airports that have fantastic pet lounges and kennels. PetRelocation’s four-legged clientele are given the five-star treatment at any of these facilities. Let’s take a closer look at some of our favorites around the world!
LAX, Kennel Club LAX (Los Angeles, USA)
When we route our clients through Los Angeles, we love booking their pets’ layover stays at Kennel Club LAX. Situated directly next to LAX airport, Kennel Club is the perfect combination of comfort and convenience. While most pets transiting LAX only require one night of boarding, they are always quick to accommodate anytime the unexpected happens (which is common when it comes to international travel!).
We love working with Kennel Club! Team Australia’s senior relocation coordinator, Nina, says, “I love that Kennel Club LAX has someone at their facility 24 hours a day. That way, if a flight is arriving after their normal business hours, I am still able to get an update to pass onto the owner with how their pup or cat is doing after their flight. It really is a clean, well-run facility, with a staff that does all they can to make sure pets are feeling loved and ready for the next part of their journey.”
Another great perk of staying with Kennel Club LAX is that, unlike most airport pet hotels, Kennel Club will make sure to send PetRelocation adorable pet pictures for us to share with our clients.
Foxy and Gracie enjoyed their time at Kennel Club LAX
AMS, Air France-KLM Animal Hotel
The KLM Cargo Animal Hotel, sometimes called “a home away from home,” is located at the Amsterdam International Airport Schiphol, and serves as the perfect entry and jumping-off point for shipping pets by air to the Netherlands and other destinations worldwide. Upon arrival at the Amsterdam airport, pets are immediately transferred to the Animal Hotel via climate-controlled, pet-friendly vehicles. There, the Animal Attendant staff is able to provide dogs with their unique KLM cargo dog-walking service!
“All animals can eat, drink, exercise and rest to break up a long journey,” says Robert van Voorthuysen, International Sales Manager for the Variation Live department at AF-KL Cargo. “Dogs and cats deserve the comfort and attention we give to our passengers.”
In addition to being clean, a veterinarian is on call at all times to assist with pets who might have become ill during transport. The Animal Hotel, which is fully operational twenty-four hours a day, also has its own quarantine station.
If you're headed to the Netherlands or beyond, KLM Cargo's Animal Hotel is a great layover option for your pet.
DXB, Dubai Kennels and Cattery (Dubai, UAE)
If your journey is taking you to the east, it’s possible that your pets may end up spending some time transiting through DXB, or Dubai International Airport. This city is an exciting spot for anyone who loves luxury, and your pets will not miss out on that experience.
Dubai Kennel and Cattery, or DKC, is the official pet hotel and handler for Emirates Airlines.
We know that when our client’s pets stay with DKC they are well looked after due to the highly trained staff and the robust relationships that they foster with all the UAE Ministry of Veterinarians. If anything should come up during their stay—lost paperwork or sudden change in plans—we trust this team of top-notch pet professionals to come up with a great solution as quickly as possible!
Blanky had the pleasure of visiting DKC in 2016 while passing through to Abu Dabi. Dog dad Daniel says, “Blanky arrived in Dubai and stayed with a pet company (Dubai Kennel and Cattery) that collaborates with PetRelocation. They were outstanding!”
Along with their dozens of great reviews, their website and blog displays over 30 years of pet travel knowledge.
FRA, Frankfurt Animal Lounge (Frankfurt, Germany)
The Frankfurt Animal Lounge, run and operated by Lufthansa Airlines, has over 40,000 square feet dedicated 100% to pets and other animals passing through the Frankfurt Airport in Germany. This space sees more pets transiting through than any other animal lounge in Europe!
And it’s not just the size of the facility that is impressive, but it’s the service provided by their fully trained staff that has earned the Frankfurt Animal Lounge the acclaim they have received. PetRelocation loves working with them because there is always someone available to answer questions and provide pet updates for our clients. In fact, when PetRelocation has a pet traveling through Frankfurt, pet parents can pay a small extra fee to receive an update with a picture or two of their pet lounging at the Frankfurt Animal Lounge!
“My pets were very well taken care of,” says Matt. We moved his cat and dog to India last year with a layover at the Frankfurt Animal Lounge. “I even got a photo of them on their layover in Germany. That was such a relief to see them healthy and in good spirits on their long journey.”
Frisco at his layover at the Frankfurt Animal Lounge
JFK, The ARK (New York, USA)
John F Kennedy airport in Queens, New York is poised perfectly for pets transiting to flights overseas. This often results in short or overnight stays. Luckily for those pets, they’ll spend that time being looked after very well by the ARK at JFK. Their boarding facility, The Oasis, truly is a state-of-the-art hotel for all animals, big and small. The ARK is the only airport owned and operated animal reception center in the United States and they are working hard to set a standard in this country.
Their mission statement reads, “The ARK at JFK is committed to the safe and humane treatment of all animals traveling by air and setting the gold standard of animal transportation.” Many are in agreement, with one source even dubbing them “the world’s first luxury animal terminal”.
ARK employee, Christopher, and guest. (Source: ARK at JFK)
Their team has animal-loving attendants on staff around the clock who offer so much more than boarding. Their list of services is impressive and surpasses many other airport pet hotels. While they offer care and attention for your pet, the ARK at JFK even offers health certificates issued by accredited veterinarians and USDA endorsements when needed (with advanced notice). Their veterinarians are and handlers are trained under a process that was developed at Cornell University. Wow!
LHR, London Heathrow Animal Reception Center (London, UK)
Certain countries will require your pets to arrive as manifest cargo, which is PetRelocation’s preferred method of travel for pets. One of those countries is the United Kingdom. So, if you and your pets are taking a trip to the UK, then plan for them to fly unaccompanied. However, we know that when they arrive into the London Heathrow Animal Reception Center (HARC) they will be treated with extreme care.
Duece and Bobby enjoyed a short stay with HARC
This 5-star facility is run and operated by the city of London. London Heathrow is the busiest airport in Europe. But unlike our friends at Frankfurt Airport, London is most often the final destination and not a layover for your furry friend. This often results in a longer wait for your pet to clear customs before they can start their British adventure. So, to keep you comfortable while you wait, HARC has a fully stocked waiting area for people to snack, watch TV and sit back while their pets are prepared to enter their new home country.
That doesn’t mean the pets aren’t the top priority. While at their stay at HARC all pets are immediately checked by a veterinarian on staff, just to make sure they fared well on the trip.
And our team loves working with HARC, too! UK relocation specialist Natalie says, “The staff at HARC are wonderful! They’re typically very busy, but the care of the animals is always their top priority.” Another great quality of this animal lounge is that you’re almost never going to run into problems with import paperwork that can arise at other destinations. “Starting in 2019, HARC began to require that import paperwork be emailed to them at least 72 hours before arrival,” Natalie continued. “So, any mistakes have plenty of time to be corrected. One last thing to worry about!”
As you can see, if your pet is traveling to or through any of these destinations, there’s no doubt they’ll receive the pampering they deserve. Traveling somewhere else? That’s great, too! PetRelocation has 16 years of experience working with the best agents all over the world. We can find your pet accommodations to make their entire journey a breeze. Get started today!