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India’s pet-first travel trend is gaining momentum as Air India and Uber expand pet-friendly services, making end-to-end journeys more seamless for pet parents across aviation.
From flights to first mile: How Air India and Uber are powering pet-first travel in India
India’s travel and mobility ecosystem is beginning to respond to a structural shift in consumer behaviour: the rise of pet-first travel planning. Urban pet ownership has grown steadily over the past few years, and with it, expectations around seamless mobility. For a segment of high-intent urban consumers, travel decisions are increasingly contingent on whether their pets can be accommodated across the journey, end to end.
Recognising this shift, both Air India and Uber are expanding their pet-friendly capabilities.
Within aviation, pet travel has historically been fragmented, with varying policies, limited clarity, and operational constraints. Air India is addressing this by offering structured options for pet travel, including carriage in-cabin or as checked baggage, subject to defined weight limits, documentation, and carrier norms.
Air India states that with 80+ domestic and international routes, its pet travel policy enables passengers to travel with their pets with greater ease and comfort. The airline accommodates pets weighing up to 10 kg (including the carrier) in the cabin in Economy Class.
The policy also streamlines documentation through a step-by-step guide, along with online submission and verification, making the process more seamless. Booking timelines for pets have been reduced from 72 hours to 48 hours before departure. Additionally, pet-travelling passengers are offered priority check-in and boarding, while a 24×7 helpline is available for support.
Under its ‘Paws on Board’ initiative, Air India aims to simplify processes and enhance the airport experience for pet parents across its network. The airline transported over 8,000 pets in FY 2026, signalling growing demand for such services.
On the ground, first- and last-mile connectivity has remained a key gap in the pet travel journey. Ride refusals and a lack of pet-friendly options have traditionally limited mobility for pet owners.
Uber’s expansion of Uber Pet to Delhi and Mumbai, following its launch in Bengaluru, directly addresses this gap. The service allows riders to book pet-friendly trips both on demand and via a Reserve option, introducing flexibility and reliability into the experience.
Uber notes a clear shift in how people travel with their pets, with animals increasingly being considered part of the family, reshaping everyday mobility choices. Riders are seeking more reliable and flexible options that allow them to travel comfortably with their pets, whether for daily errands or longer journeys.
Through services like Uber Pet, the platform is working to make first- and last-mile travel more inclusive and convenient for pet owners, while also creating additional earning opportunities for drivers who opt in. This reflects a broader evolution in urban mobility, one that is becoming more responsive to changing lifestyles and the expectation that travel accommodates every member of the family.
Notably, Uber Pet supports travel for a range of animals, including dogs and cats, across use cases such as veterinary visits, grooming appointments, and leisure outings.
To strengthen the ecosystem, Uber has partnered with Heads Up for Tails, integrating mobility with retail and services. The collaboration offers targeted incentives, including ride discounts to HUFT locations and in-store benefits for Uber Pet users, signalling early moves towards an interconnected pet-care value chain.
What was once considered a niche requirement is now evolving into a scalable category. Pet parents, particularly in metros are demonstrating a higher willingness to engage with and pay for services that enable inclusive travel.
As travel demand continues to recover and diversify, pet-first planning is expected to gain further traction. The next phase of growth is likely to be defined by deeper integration across touchpoints, booking, transport, and destination services, creating a more cohesive experience for pet-owning travellers.
April 11, 2026, 11:26 IST
