Why Pet Owners Are Choosing Road Trips Over Flights

Seventy-three percent of Americans say they would rather drive than fly if it meant keeping their dogs or cats close. The finding comes from an online survey of 2,000 U.S. adults who drive and own cats or dogs, commissioned by Subaru of America and conducted by Talker Research.

Space leads the list of concerns. Thirty-two percent said they need room for pets, passengers and luggage; 29 percent want visibility so they can watch their animals; 27 percent look for easy-to-clean seats and cargo areas; and 26 percent want storage for crates, carriers and pet beds.

The preference for ground travel has a practical cause. Airlines keep restricting pets in the cabin and raising fees, so families that once flew with dogs now find a road trip the cheaper, more predictable option. A 2025 Department of Transportation report noted that complaints about airline pet handling rose sharply over the previous year.

Subaru’s redesigned 2026 Outback illustrates how manufacturers are responding. Its multifunctional cargo cover doubles as a pet barrier and helps shield the rear bumper from claws and scratches. Other makers are adding similar solutions, such as washable cargo liners and rear-seat pet gates, as they try to win over buyers who treat their animals as regular passengers.

The effect reaches beyond the car itself. Sixty-eight percent of respondents said their pets would shape holiday travel plans, and 45 percent had declined trips that could not accommodate their animals. Younger drivers were more likely than older ones to have taken their pets on road trips over the past five years.

The data do show that automakers are racing to make vehicles more pet-friendly. But the survey measures what drivers want and what they say they would do; it does not prove that pet needs alone determine which car someone buys.