If you’re relocating to Europe, one of the most common questions pet owners ask is:
“Is it better to drive my pet to Europe, or should they fly?”
In summary, when moving pets to Europe, flying is often the safer and lower-stress option than driving – especially for cats, anxious pets, older animals, or long-distance relocations. While road travel can work for short journeys with confident dogs, it frequently involves many hours or days of confinement, multiple overnight stops, and unpredictable conditions. A professionally managed flight offers a shorter, more controlled journey designed around animal welfare, helping most pets arrive calmer and more settled.
Read the rest of the blog to learn more about why flying your pet by air can be safer, and how to weigh up your options between road and air.
Why “Driving Is Kinder Than Flying” Isn’t Always True for Pets
With options like the Channel Tunnel, pet passports (or EU Animal Health Certificates), and the belief that road travel feels more “hands-on” and familiar, many owners initially lean toward driving. Road transport is especially popular for moves to France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, and other European destinations.
However, road travel isn’t always the calmer or kinder option it appears to be – particularly for cats, anxious pets, flat-faced breeds, or older animals.
In many cases, flying is actually the safer, faster, and lower-stress way to move pets to Europe.
Here’s how to decide what’s truly best for your pet’s wellbeing.
1. Road Trips Can Take Hours… or Even Days
Travelling by car from the UK to Europe often means extremely long journeys:
- France: 8–12+ hours
- Spain: 18–30+ hours
- Portugal: 25–35+ hours
- Italy: 20–30+ hours
- Eastern Europe: frequently multiple days
While humans can cope with breaks, hotels, and distractions, pets experience these journeys very differently.
Why long road journeys are hard on pets:
- Constant vibration and motion can trigger nausea and anxiety
- Limited space to stretch, turn, or rest comfortably
- Fluctuating temperatures inside vehicles
- Long periods confined to carriers or harnesses
- Owners focusing on driving rather than monitoring stress signals
Cats, in particular, often find prolonged car travel extremely distressing. Many will vocalise, pant, drool, soil themselves, hide, or refuse food until the journey ends.
Air travel, by contrast, is measured in hours – not days – and offers a calm, consistent environment from departure to arrival.
2. Overnight Stops Are Often Difficult – Especially With Cats
One of the biggest challenges of driving pets across Europe is accommodation.
- Very few hotels accept cats
- Even fewer accept multiple pets
- Pet-friendly options are often limited, expensive, or poorly located
This leaves owners facing uncomfortable choices:
- Driving excessively long hours to avoid stopping
- Hiding pets in accommodation (adding stress and risk)
- Staying in unsuitable or unsafe places
For cats, repeated transitions – car → hotel → car → new country – can be far more stressful than a single, contained journey.
Flying removes this entire complication.
Your pet travels in one secure carrier, in a temperature-controlled, low-stimulus environment, and arrives the same day – with fewer disruptions and far less sensory overload.
3. Air Travel Is Fast, Controlled, and Built Around Animal Welfare
Airlines that transport pets operate under strict animal welfare protocols. Pet holds are:
- Pressurised
- Temperature-controlled
- Low-light and low-noise
For pets flying from the UK to Europe:
- Actual flight time is typically under three hours
- Pets are left undisturbed and able to rest
- Reunification with owners happens quickly after landing
Why flying often reduces stress:
- No constant braking, traffic, or road noise
- No stop-start motion
- A predictable, stable environment
- Much shorter total travel time
- Professional handlers trained in animal care
When managed properly, flying is one of the most controlled and welfare-focused ways for pets to travel internationally.
4. Not All Road Transport Services Are Equal
While some professional road transporters operate to a high standard, the market across Europe is largely unregulated.
Lower-cost services may involve:
- Multiple unfamiliar animals travelling together
- Unpredictable vehicle temperatures
- Long waits at borders
- Several nights in transit
- Limited overnight supervision
- No veterinary oversight
For owners, it can be difficult to distinguish reputable providers from risky ones.
By contrast, professionally managed pet flights follow clear regulations, approved carriers, fixed timelines, and established welfare procedures – offering greater predictability and accountability.
5. Flying Is Often Better for Cats, Anxious Pets, and Older Animals
Cats are naturally territorial and highly sensitive to:
- Vibration
- Engine noise
- Motion
- Constant new smells
- Repeated handling and unfamiliar environments
A long road journey combines all of these stressors.
Older pets – particularly cats with conditions such as arthritis, kidney disease, or hyperthyroidism – often cope far better with a short, carefully managed flight than a 1–3 day road journey.
For many animals, one contained experience is far kinder than multiple stressful transitions.
6. Road Travel Isn’t Always Cheaper Than Flying
Driving to Europe can appear more economical, but costs add up quickly:
- Fuel
- Ferry or Channel Tunnel crossings
- Pet travel fees
- Multiple hotel stays
- Food, tolls, insurance
- Time off work
In many cases, the cost difference between flying and driving narrows – or even reverses. Flying typically offers:
- One clear, upfront price
- Faster transit
- No accommodation costs
- Fewer hidden expenses
- Less time consumed by the move
For many households, air travel becomes the more efficient solution.
7. Flying Lets You Focus on Your Move – Not Managing Stress on the Road
Long road journeys divide your attention between:
- Navigation
- Accommodation logistics
- Paperwork checks
- Feeding schedules
- Monitoring anxious pets
Flying removes that pressure.
- Your pet travels safely
- You travel safely
- Everyone arrives calmer and better prepared for the move
Road vs Air: How to Decide What’s Best for Your Pet
Road travel may suit:
- Very short distances
- Dogs who genuinely enjoy car travel
- Owners seeking a bonding experience
- Short journeys within northern Europe
Air travel is usually better when:
- Travelling long distances (Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Eastern Europe)
- You’re relocating with a cat
- Your pet is anxious or motion-sensitive
- Heat could be a concern
- You’re travelling alone or with children
- You’re on a tight timeline
- You want predictable, low-stress transport
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer – the right choice is the one that best protects your pet’s health, comfort, and emotional wellbeing.
Choose the Option That Prioritises Your Pet’s Wellbeing
Relocating pets to Europe is common – but it’s still a major life change for them.
While driving feels reassuring because your pet stays physically close, it often creates longer, more complex, and more stressful journeys, particularly for cats and sensitive animals.
A short, professionally managed flight frequently results in:
- Less overall stress
- Fewer disruptions
- Faster arrival
- A smoother adjustment to their new home
Planning a move with your pet?
If you’re unsure whether flying or road travel is best, PetAir can help you assess the safest and kindest option for your pet’s age, breed, health, and temperament.
👉 If you decide to fly your pet, you can get a quick pet travel quote below!
Your pet’s wellbeing should guide every decision – and with the right support, getting it right is far easier than you think.
