JSX is betting on pet-friendly travel. The public charter carrier has announced a new partnership with Petco, rolling out a national suite of “VIP” — very important pet — amenities designed to make pets feel like passengers, not baggage.
An increase in travellers wanting their furry friends to join them on their journeys has led to the rise of private jet and specialist charter operators, who offer pet-inclusive flights designed around the animals’ comfort and their human companions’ peace of mind.
How JSX handles pets today
JSX is not an airline. Instead, it operates as a public charter carrier, selling seats on scheduled flights and using private-terminal-style facilities at many airports, which can make the experience feel more like semi-private flying.
The carrier has an accommodating pet policy, charging a separate $100 pet fee with size-based carriage requirements. JSX’s published pet policy allows dogs and cats in the cabin, up to 80 lbs, with separate rules for the carriage of smaller and larger pets.
JSX requires that all pets be “well-behaved, non-aggressive, and properly groomed with good hygiene.” Pets must not pose a threat to or cause discomfort for airport personnel, crew, or other passengers (human or animals). The public charter carrier allows up to five pets travelling in the cabin on any flight, with trained service animals excluded from this limit. JSX classifies emotional support animals as pets, not as service animals.
The carrier also has a strict policy against unruly behaviour by pet passengers. If pets are aggressive or disruptive, JSX may deny travel to both the pet and the customer.
The Petco partnership is not changing JSX’s pet policy, but it’s layering an amenity program on top of an existing pet-friendly product.
What JSX’s Petco partnership will deliver — and when
JSX says the Petco partnership will cover every stage of the journey, from terminal to cabin, with amenities rolled out in phases across its US network.
From February 2026
- Limited-edition JSX x Petco bandanas
- Curated lounge treats, including travel-themed frosted cookies
- Pet travel essentials — such as carriers and leashes from Petco-owned brands — are available for loan
- Access to Petco travel content and resources to help families prepare their pets for flying
From April 2026
- A customised in-flight snack for dogs and cats from Petco’s owned brand WholeHearted
From spring 2026
- Petco-sponsored pet relief stations with clean-up supplies are rolling out across the JSX network
JSX will also paint two Petco-branded aircraft in a special livery to mark the partnership, making pet-friendly travel a visible part of the carrier’s identity.
The partnership includes charitable initiatives like pet adoption events through Petco Love, reinforcing JSX’s brand commitment to pets.
“Pets experience the world through us, and when we bring them along on our adventures, we turn every trip into an opportunity to make their world bigger, better and more connected to ours,” said Chief Customer and Product Officer at Petco, Michael Romanko. “This partnership goes beyond convenience — it’s about inclusion, and giving pet families across the country even more ways to bond and have fun with the pets they love most.”
JSX offers loyalty points for pets
In a twist that differentiates JSX from airlines and pet-friendly travel providers, the charter service is also extending its Club JSX loyalty program to pet passengers.
Customers will be able to create sub-profiles for their dog or cat, linked to a single human account, showing how many rewards a pet has earned while flying as a companion. Travellers can share these rewards across a family pool.
“JSX has long believed that pets are family, and this partnership allows us to meaningfully extend that belief across every step of the travel journey,” said JSX Chief Commercial Officer, David Drabinsky. “By joining forces with a beloved brand such as Petco, we’re creating an elevated and intuitive experience for pets and their humans that ensures comfort, connection, and joy from curb to cabin.”
Pet air travel is escaping the cargo hold
JSX’s Petco partnership comes as the demand for pet travel is increasing. As Aerospace Global News has previously reported, a growing number of pet-focused private jet and charter services are serving owners unwilling to place animals in cargo holds or navigate rigid airline policies. Services such as SingaPaw Air, BARK Air, K9 Jets, RetrievAir and Skye Pets allow pets to fly in the cabin, with space, flexibility and personalised care.
Those services typically offer:
- Cabin-only travel, often without crates
- Fewer size or breed restrictions
- Highly trained crews focused on animal welfare
- Concierge support for paperwork and logistics
The main drawbacks of these services are cost and limited routes. Private and semi-private pet charters may be too costly for many travellers and their pets, leaving them to contend with inconsistent commercial airline pet policies.
JSX’s Petco partnership doesn’t try to replicate the private-jet pet experience, but it borrows the philosophy. By standardising pet amenities, training crews in animal handling, and embedding pets into loyalty and branding, JSX is bringing pet-centric thinking into a more affordable, scheduled operation.
JSX’s strategic bet: pet families are a real market
Flying with pets is currently limited to two extremes: either tightly constrained commercial airline policies or ultra-premium private jets. Airlines have spent years adjusting their pet rules amid safety concerns, cabin crowding and abuse of service-animal policies. Some airlines offer special accommodations for pets, while others treat pets as baggage.
JSX is joining the broader “pawprint economy” where pets shape purchasing decisions across travel, hospitality and retail. The carrier is designing a passenger experience for pet families as a brand differentiator.
The Petco partnership combines a recognised pet retail brand with a product JSX already had: in-cabin pet travel, smaller terminals, faster boarding, and crews trained to work closely with animals. It creates a mainstream alternative to expensive pet charters that also avoids some of the drawbacks of conventional airline pet policies.
If JSX’s ‘Petco’ scheduled air service works, it will undoubtedly make the carrier a more attractive form of transport for dog and cat owners. It could also set passenger expectations, prompting some airlines to rethink how they treat non-human passengers.
Featured Image: JSX
