Something shifted in 2026: pet parents aren’t flying as much—they’re hitting the road. Road trips now make up 34% of pet travel, and social feeds are full of car seat setups, pet-friendly stop guides, and route-planning tips. But road trips come with a different kind of prep, especially when you cross state lines or head into Canada. Here’s what to pack, what documents to have ready, and how to travel with your dog or cat confidently.

National Pet ID Week is the perfect reminder to go beyond a tag and build a Pet ID you can actually use. With PadsPass, you can create a free digital Pet ID for up to 5 pets, store microchip numbers and vet records, and keep everything accessible from your phone. So when you’re traveling, at a new vet, or dealing with an emergency, the information that matters is ready—no searching through emails or paper folders.

TSA lines are stretching 2–3 hours at major U.S. airports, and flying with a pet adds extra document checks at check-in. Avoid pet paperwork panic with a simple pet travel checklist: rabies certificate, vaccine records, microchip number, vet contact info, and airline pet forms. Organize your pet’s health documents on your phone before you leave so you can move faster through the airport.