BARK Air expands to Chicago's Midway Airport
CHICAGO - Luxury dog airline BARK Air expanded service to five new locations, including Chicago's Midway International Airport.
BARK Air completed its first cross-country flight from New York to Los Angeles on May 23.
BARK, the company that makes BarkBoxes, announced their latest venture in mid-April with routes catering to the New York City metro area, departing from Westchester County Airport (HPN) with destinations including the Los Angeles area via Van Nuys (VNY) and London, England via Stansted Airport (STN).
The company announced new routes this week. BARK Air now serves Paris, Chicago, San Francisco, Miami/Fort Lauderdale and Phoenix with more destinations coming soon.
BARK CEO Matt Meeker told Reuters he thought of BARK Air because he struggled to travel with his Great Dane Hugo.
"I was unable to travel with him long distances and had the idea that there should be an airline that caters to dogs," he revealed. "We cater everything to the dog, trying to lower their anxiety and their stress, so they have the most comfortable, fear-free experience on an airplane."
The "white paw experience" starts even before getting on the plane. Passengers and their furry friends are greeted with a quick check-in in a lounge filled with dog treats.
Pre-flight involves no crates, TSA checkpoints or screening. Each flight has about 10 dogs and 15 people aboard.
How much does BARK Air cost?
Regrettably, for our furry friends, this luxury comes with a hefty price tag. Owners looking to fly with their canine companions will need to dig deep into their pockets, as a round-trip ticket for one pet and owner duo could amount to as much as $16,000.
Presently, Bark Air offers two exclusive flight routes originating from Westchester County Airport: one to Van Nuys Airport at $6,000 per one-way trip for a dog and its human companion, and the other to London's Stansted Airport priced at $8,000 per one-way journey.
Upon booking, passengers are paired with a dedicated Bark concierge who gathers essential details about the four-legged travelers, ensuring a tailored and comfortable flight experience.
Fox Business contributed to this report.