How to Travel With a Dog Without Flying (From the US)

Not every dog should fly, and not every owner can make peace with the cargo hold. If you've got a big dog who can't ride in the cabin, or you just can't stomach the idea of the hold, the good news is you have real options that don't involve a plane at all. From the US, here's how people actually move a dog by road, by rail, and across the ocean by sea.

Mochi is small enough to fly in the cabin, so I'm usually up front with him under the seat. But I've spent a lot of time around owners of bigger dogs who've built their whole travel life around staying off planes, and these are the routes that work.

By road: the one with the most control

Driving is the calmest option there is, and it's why so many people choose it for a cross-country move or a long relocation. You control the temperature, the breaks, the food, and your dog is never out of your sight. Within North America — the US, Canada, and Mexico — you can get almost anywhere by road.

There are two ways people do it. Some rent a car or drive their own and string together pet-friendly hotels along the way. Others go full vanlife, living out of a van or RV so the dog is simply always along for the ride, no transitions at all. And if you need the dog moved but can't make the drive yourself, professional ground transporters will drive your dog door to door over three to five days — a real service that exists precisely for this. For the road-trip version, a simple kit of water, a collapsible bowl, and a leash for every rest stop covers most of it; we bundle that gear in the pet travel set.

By rail: Amtrak at home, then trains abroad

Inside the US, Amtrak takes small dogs — generally under 20 pounds including the carrier — on most routes for a small fee, with a reservation made ahead. It won't help you with a big dog, and it won't cross an ocean, but for getting a small dog around the country without flying, it's an easy, low-stress option.

Once you're across the Atlantic, trains become one of the best ways to move a dog. Europe is laced with dog-friendly rail, and you can even cross between the UK and the continent on the train through the Channel Tunnel. I get into the European side of this in traveling the world with a dog.

By sea: the real way across the Atlantic

This is the one most people don't know exists. Cunard's Queen Mary 2 runs transatlantic crossings between New York and Southampton (and sometimes Hamburg), and it's the only practical way to take a dog across the Atlantic without flying. The ship has 24 dedicated kennels and a full-time Kennel Master who cares for the animals, plus an outdoor deck exercise area — complete with a lamp post and a fire hydrant — and scheduled visiting hours through the day.

A few things to know going in: pets stay in the kennels for the whole crossing rather than in your cabin, space is extremely limited and sailings run around 90% full, so you book as early as you can. In 2026 the kennels run about $1,300 for an upper and $1,500 for a lower, there are size limits per kennel, and some breeds are excluded. Your dog still needs to meet US, UK, and EU entry rules, which I cover in the requirements post. You can see the current setup on Cunard's official kennels page. It's not cheap and it's slow, but for the right dog and the right move, a few days at sea beats the hold every time.

In-cabin charters: flying, but on your dog's terms

If your objection is the hold rather than flying itself, charters let a bigger dog ride in the cabin. Bark Air runs dog-first flights out of the US where the dog travels in the cabin with you, and JSX, a semi-private service, allows larger dogs in the cabin on select routes. Some owners with big dogs split the cost of a private charter with others in the same boat. All of it is expensive, but the dog rides up front, calm, next to you.

Pet transporters: when the route is genuinely hard

For a complicated international move, a professional pet transporter is worth considering. They plan the route around your dog's breed, the available carriers, and the destination country's import laws, and they handle the paperwork and logistics that otherwise eat weeks of your life. For a hard route, they take a lot of the risk and stress off your plate.

Pick the one that fits your dog and your route

For a small dog, road and rail at home plus the occasional cabin flight cover almost everything. For a big dog, the sea crossing and charters are how people who refuse the hold actually do it — they're not fringe, they're just less advertised. Start from your dog and your route, weigh the cost and the time, and there's almost always a way to get there together without the cargo hold. The full picture of flying internationally with a dog, for when you do choose to fly, is in the main guide.