Next Time You Travel, Bring Along the Dog

Doggie resorts are starting to appear at some of the USA’s largest airports.

A growing number of airports are seeing 24-hour pet hotels being built inside or near their compounds, saving travelers the headache of scrambling to drop off their dogs or cats at neighborhood kennels.

Travelers can find pet hotels near the airports at Jacksonville, New Orleans and Portland, Ore. Pet hotel operators have plans to open facilities or are in discussions with Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Chicago O’Hare, Chicago Midway, Houston Bush Intercontinental, Houston Hobby and Minneapolis.

“Given that more people have pets, it’s just a natural progression of services that airports should offer,” says Saq Nadeem, founder of Paradise 4 Paws, which will open next month near Chicago O’Hare.

Airports are also looking to boost their non-aviation revenue. And pets are a big market: Americans spend $3 billion a year boarding and grooming their pets, says the American Pet Products Manufacturing Association.