The ultimate guide to flying with pets

Call me crazy: I moved my cat from North America to Asia to Europe. Seriously, do it. I might agree given how much these moves cost in terms of time, money and stress. But as many pet owners will understand, I didn't have much choice: I had job offers in foreign countries, and I wasn't going to let my cat end up in an adoption center.

But I had to fly blind through a whole process of vet appointments and paperwork. And then going through airports, I always feared I had pet quarantine—or worse, deportation—looming over my head. I learned a lot from my experiences, so here, let me help you:

Let your vet be your spirit animal: My vet was full of useful information (more than most online articles I'd found!), as she had already worked with other owners to move their Fidos and Spikes overseas. Also, because she'd had so much experience, she was able to calm me down when I was freaking out.

Plan as far ahead as possible: Flying with a pet starts months before you've even booked an airline ticket. Depending on the country you're traveling to, your pet could need a microchip, vaccinations, and sometimes what's called a blood titer test to prove that the vaccinations have worked. All of this takes some pretty serious time. EU countries, for example, require the pet's blood sample to be shipped to a European vet clinic for analysis up to three months before your arrival! If your pet does not have documentation of all the vaccinations and tests complete, he could end up in quarantine.

Avoid cargo, if you can: Bringing your pet into the cabin is the best way to go. Your presence can be a big comfort on the scary journey, and also being packed into the luggage compartment just seems terrifying. The cabin is also cheaper and safer. That being said, some airlines don't allow pets in the cabin. I've transported my cat both ways, and he was definitely more jumpy and withdrawn after traveling in cargo. But sometimes you've got to do what you've got to do.

Choose the right airline: There are pros and cons to different carriers. Virgin Atlantic, for example, will let you transport your pet alone in cargo, which can be a big help if you don't finish your paperwork on time and need to have a friend send your pet later. Most airlines also only allow one pet per person, which sometimes leads to tough decisions. Southwest, however, allows up to two pets in appropriately-sized carriers. But some airlines offer extra reward points for pets! Check out our guide to airlines' pet policies for more.

Book with the airline over the phone: Getting tickets for you and your pet is a two-step process, and the latter can only be done on call with an agent. And if you misunderstand any part of an airline's pet policy and book later, you can cause yourself a lot more work in the long run.

Know all the rules: Transporting pets isn't something that airline staff do every day, and often times they don't know their own rules. They may ask you a lot of questions, some which seem unnecessary, and the best you can do is be over-prepared in your answers. In addition to your pet's paperwork, also print out the airline's pet policy and the legal requirements for the country you're traveling to.

I nearly blacked out in Vancouver airport when the check-in desk asked me if I had proper paperwork for Japan, a country in which I had a three-hour layover on the way to Thailand. I had assumed that since I wouldn't be leaving the airport, I didn't need to fulfill the local legal requirements, but staff was worried and said I may have to leave my cat behind. I didn't know anyone in Vancouver and was beside myself. Eventually, they let my cat on the plane and no one in Japan blinked an eye at my little friend. But if I could've saved myself that stress, I would've just prepared that extra paperwork right from the get-go.

Flying with a pet, especially over borders, isn't easy. But I learned it is possible. A few years later, my cat has officially retired from world traveling, and is as healthy and happy as ever.