Skip to main content

Delta’s $850 CarePod Is a GPS-Enabled Travel Carrier for Your Furry Friend

connor the puggle
Connor the Puggle/Dan Baker

As horrific as modern air travel might seem for us humans, pets often fare far worse in the skies. Dogs and cats carried onboard suffer the same turbulence, incessant engine noise, and surly fellow passengers as we do, except that we can’t explain to them logically that it’s all going to be OK. Animals traveling in the cargo hold experience all of the above, plus it’s often dark, cold, and lonely to boot. Now Delta is upping its travel game for our furry friends with a high-tech pet carrier unlike any other.

care pod
Fly Care Pod

CarePod is a new $850 carrier that guarantees the best possible travel experience for checked pets. Industrial-grade walls provide insulation against the harsh climate changes pets often experience in flight. Built-in “blinds” are specially angled to block out unfamiliar outside stressors. All of the materials are human-grade and guaranteed non-toxic to animals, while a special antibacterial UV coating provides additional durability and sanitary protection. There’s even a spill-proof, liter-sized water dish that automatically refills to ensure every animal has constant access to fresh water. The best feature, however, is that each pod is GPS-enabled to connect to Delta’s Cargo Control Center. Trained, dedicated experts monitor every pet’s journey 24/7, and owners can track their pet’s progress via smartphone in real-time.

Recommended Videos

Currently, CarePods are only available for dogs and cats up to 50 pounds. At roughly two feet in height, the carriers are spacious enough to allow medium-sized animals to stand up and move around a bit. The dimensions are also compliant with the International Air Transport Association’s regulations, which is one less thing for owners to worry about.

care pod
Fly Care Pod

Delta came under fire years back after several pets died en route while in checked carriers. Even though that news has largely fallen out of the public consciousness, the airline has since been hard at work to find a better way for pets to travel. It began working with the CarePod company in 2018 and officially debuted the CarePod program in November of 2019. The program is timely, especially given an industry-wide crackdown on so-called emotional support animals. New federal mandates could allow airports to deny boarding for some animals in passenger cabins. If the proposal passes, many air travelers will be forced to check their pets per the traditional rules.

CarePod is currently a limited pilot (get it?) program available at eight U.S. airports, including Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York (JFK and LaGuardia), San Francisco, and West Palm Beach. Delta is already looking to expand to other domestic destinations in 2020. Pet owners can book the exclusive pods between three and 13 days ahead of their departure date.

Mike Richard
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South…
London’s Twenty8 NoMad makes hotel dining feel cool again
This Hilton hotel restaurant might be London’s best-kept secret
Twenty8 Nomad

Hotel restaurants don’t exactly have the best rep. They’re often the place you end up, not the place you’re excited to go. Bland décor, overpriced Caesar salads, and a vibe that screams “conference break” more than “let’s make a night of it.” But every now and then, a hotel spot completely flips the script. Enter Twenty8 NoMad, the stylish restaurant tucked inside the equally chic NoMad London, a Hilton hotel nestled right across from the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden.

I was in London on vacation when I decided to check it out, and let’s just say, I wasn’t prepared for how cool this place actually is. Located in the heart of the 91-room boutique hotel, Twenty8 NoMad brings a fresh, upscale twist to classic New York cuisine, served up in a space that feels more like a trendy Manhattan loft than your average hotel dining room.

Read more
Study reveals the top celebrity-owned restaurants, and Ramsay didn’t make the cut
The best celeb-owned restaurant in North America isn’t who you’d expect
Adelina

When it comes to dining at celebrity-owned restaurants, star power doesn’t always equal stellar food. A new study by CasinoReviews.net ranked the best celebrity-owned restaurants across the U.S. and Canada, and the results may surprise you. Despite their big names, Gordon Ramsay, Sandra Bullock, and Travis Barker didn’t even crack the top 20.

The study scored restaurants based on Tripadvisor ratings, the percentage of positive reviews (4 stars or higher), average cost of a two-course meal and drink, and Instagram hashtag popularity. The goal? To spotlight which celebrity-backed spots actually deliver high-quality food and experiences, and which might be coasting on fame alone.

Read more
Discover the magic of Orcas Island: the ultimate PNW getaway
Visiting the San Juan Islands in May: How to make the most of your summer
Sarah Joseph at Orcas Island

One of the most exciting adventures that you can experience while visiting the PNW is a trip to the San Juan Islands. Famous for its lush greenery, picturesque views, and most importantly, orcas, this area holds a special place in my heart. This past May, my husband and I had the opportunity to stop by the Worldmark Deer Harbor hotel for a glorious two nights. Here's everything we did to make the most of our trip.
Getting to Orcas Island

My husband and I drove from the Seattle area up to Anacortes port, where we took a ferry up to Friday Harbor. Do yourself a favor and make sure that you get a reservation for the ferry, since there's no guarantee that you'll be able to sneak on in the stand-by line. This must be done two or three months in advance. Since we didn't have a reservation, we ended up having to wait in line an extra three hours before making it onto the ferry, so it ended up being a pretty late night for us. The ferry to Friday Harbor is a good eighty minutes or so since it made a few stops to other islands before it got to our final destination. Fortunately, the rest of the trip went without hiccups!

Read more