Sami sleeps through most of our flights. He curls up in his carrier bag, puts his head on his froggy pillow, and checks out within the first 20 minutes. We’re lucky — I know that. Not every dog is like this, and if yours isn’t, that doesn’t mean you can’t fly together. It just means you need a strategy.
After 20+ flights with Sami and a lot of conversations with other dog owners who fly with their pets, here’s what actually works for keeping a dog calm during a flight — and what doesn’t.
The Most Important Thing Happens Before the Flight
If there’s one takeaway from this entire article, it’s this: a calm dog on the plane is made at home, not at the airport.
Everything starts with carrier training. A dog that’s been gradually introduced to their carrier over 2+ weeks, who has eaten meals in it, napped in it, and spent hours in it before the flight — that dog will treat the carrier as a safe space. When you slide it under the seat on the plane, they’re essentially going to sleep in their own bed. A dog that’s shoved into a carrier for the first time at the airport is going to panic.
If you haven’t done carrier training yet and your flight is more than two weeks away, start now. If your flight is sooner, do what you can — even a few days of positive association helps.
Tire Them Out
On flight day, exhaust your dog. I mean it. This is the second most effective thing you can do.
We take Sami for a long walk before heading to the airport. Sometimes I run with him. I play fetch. I let him do zoomies. The goal is for him to be physically spent by the time we arrive. Then at the airport, we spend another 30-40 minutes walking around outside the terminal, letting him sniff everything, burn off whatever energy he has left.
By the time we board, Sami is tired. A tired dog doesn’t fight the carrier. A tired dog sleeps. This is also why we intentionally book flights during Sami’s natural downtime — either late morning (when he normally naps) or evening flights. Matching the flight to your dog’s sleep schedule makes everything easier.
Make the Carrier Cozy
The carrier shouldn’t just be a bag. It should feel like a little den — warm, familiar, and safe.
Here’s what goes into Sami’s carrier for every flight: his favorite blanket (the one he sleeps on at home), his froggy pillow toy, and sometimes a t-shirt I’ve worn recently. The blanket smells like home. The t-shirt smells like me. When he’s under the seat and can’t see us, those scents keep him calm.
If you haven’t done this before, start putting your dog’s favorite items in the carrier during training so they associate those smells with the carrier itself. By flight day, the carrier will already feel like their space.
Treats — The Right Way
Bring high-value treats. Not regular kibble. Something special — dried liver, chicken pieces, whatever makes your dog light up. These serve two purposes.
First, you can give them during boarding and takeoff. The chewing motion actually helps with ear pressure changes (yes, dogs feel the altitude change in their ears, just like we do). Give your dog something to chew on during takeoff and landing — a treat, a chew stick, a dental strip — and they’ll be more comfortable.
Second, treats distract from anxiety. If your dog starts getting restless during the flight, slip a treat through the carrier’s mesh panel. You can also hide small treats in the blanket at the bottom of the carrier so your dog can “search” for them. It shifts their focus from “what is happening?” to “where’s the chicken?”
A Kong stuffed with peanut butter or a similar puzzle toy is brilliant for longer flights. It gives your dog something to work on, and the mental effort tires them out further.
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Natural Calming Supplements
Our vet recommended CBD oil for dogs who get anxious during travel. I actually tried it with Sami once on our last flight, but I didn’t notice a difference — probably because he’s already calm. For anxious dogs, though, it can take the edge off without sedating them.
The important rules here: always ask your vet first, because every dog has their own health issues. And do a trial run at home, at least a week before the flight. Never try anything new for the first time on travel day. If your dog has a bad reaction to a supplement, you want to discover that at home, not at 35,000 feet.
Other natural options include calming chews, adaptil sprays (pheromone-based calming sprays you can spray on the carrier blanket), and even dog earmuffs that block noise. The earmuffs sound silly, but for dogs that are noise-sensitive, blocking the engine sounds can make a real difference. Like everything else though — introduce them at home first.
What About Sedation?
Never sedate your dog before a flight. I cannot say this strongly enough. Sedatives create real respiratory and cardiovascular risks at high altitudes, and many airlines explicitly prohibit it. We have a full article on sedation that goes deeper into this, but the short answer is: don’t do it. Natural calming supplements, yes. Tranquilizers, no.
During the Flight
Once you’re in the air and the seatbelt sign is off, here’s how to manage things.
Open the carrier slightly. I usually unzip the front mesh panel partway so Sami can see me and get more air. Most flight attendants won’t say anything as long as your dog stays inside the carrier. Be discreet about it.
Reach down and touch them. Slide your hand through the mesh or the top zipper opening and let your dog smell you. Sometimes just feeling your hand is enough to settle a nervous dog.
Talk to them calmly. If your dog whines during takeoff (the noise and pressure change can be unsettling), speak to them in a low, calm voice. Not baby talk, not frantic shushing — just quiet, steady reassurance. “You’re okay. Good dog.” They respond to your tone more than your words.
Don’t react to whining with panic. If your dog whines, the other passengers understand. Most of them don’t care. The ones who have dogs are sympathizing. The ones who don’t aren’t judging you as much as you think. Handle it calmly, and the whining usually stops within the first 15 minutes of flight.
What If Nothing Works?
Some dogs are genuinely anxious flyers, and that’s okay. If your dog remains stressed despite all the preparation, talk to your vet about a proper anxiety management plan that’s safe for air travel. There are prescription calming medications that are different from sedatives — they reduce anxiety without suppressing respiratory function. Your vet can prescribe something appropriate for your dog’s specific needs.
And honestly, some dogs just need more flights to get used to it. Sami was calm from his first flight, but I’ve talked to owners whose dogs were anxious on flight one, better on flight two, and sleeping by flight three. Exposure helps — as long as you’re building positive associations each time.
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A calm flight starts weeks before you board. Train the carrier. Tire the dog. Pack the comfort items. Skip the sedatives. And if things aren’t perfect on the first flight, that’s normal — they get better every time.
