September 23, 2025 marked a historic date in Italian aviation, one of the first in the world to take action in this direction: for the first time, two large dogs – Moka, a 12-year-old Labrador, and Honey, a 15-kilo mixed breed – flew in cabin next to their owners on ITA Airways’ Milan-Rome flight. Without carriers, with harness and leash, comfortably settled in window seats. A small revolution that tells a much bigger story: that of how we’re rethinking our relationship with animals and, consequently, the way we live and travel more consciously.

Cultural change before regulatory

“It’s a cultural change before it’s regulatory,” declared Pierluigi Di Palma, ENAC president. And he’s right: what we’re experiencing is a real shift in how we conceive family and, consequently, lifestyle.
In Europe, approximately 299 million pets live, distributed across 139 million households (representing 49% of European families). 56% of them consider their pets full family members.
Globally, more than 50% of the population owns at least one pet, with a total estimated population of about 1 billion animals.
Italy, with nearly 65 million pets, ranks as one of the European countries with the highest pet presence, in line with the continental trend where almost half of families share their lives with a companion animal. It’s no longer just affection: it’s a new model of inhabiting the world that includes every member of the family unit.
This cultural revolution is also reflected in how we travel and choose where to stay. Sustainability, in fact, concerns not only respect for the environment, but also the wellbeing of all living beings who share our spaces, from homes to airplane cabins.

Italy pioneer of pet-friendly travel

ITA Airways didn’t stop at the large dog novelty. Already in June 2024 it had increased the permitted weight for cabin animals by 25% (from 8 to 10 kg), and now introduces larger carrier dimensions: up to 12 kg total with maximum measurements of 40x30x24 cm. It’s the same philosophy that guides sustainable furnishing: designing spaces that don’t exclude, but include all inhabitants.
The new ENAC rules provide precise protocols: animals always next to the window, never near emergency exits, advance notification to crew and passengers, possibility of creating “buffer zones” for those with allergies. It’s the equivalent of universal design in architecture: creating environments that work for everyone, without compromising safety or comfort.

The world adapts: from cabin to suite

While Italy leads the way in Europe, the global trend is unstoppable. In 2024, BARK Air was born, the world’s first airline designed entirely for dogs, with flights from London to exclusive destinations. In the United States, over 78% of pet owners travel with them, while in Europe regulations are rapidly adapting.
But the real revolution is in hospitality. Over 8 million Italians went on vacation with their pet in 2025, and 39% choose facilities with gardens and dedicated spaces. Pet-friendly hotels no longer simply “accept” animals: they create tailored experiences, with dedicated menus, spa treatments, play areas, and even dog-sitting services.

The elegance of respect (without exaggerations)

But beware: sustainability also means balance and common sense. Respect for animals cannot transform into extreme anthropomorphization that, paradoxically, harms them. As a resort director told me this summer, some requests border on absurd: poodles that must eat seated at the restaurant table, or even a Chihuahua secretly taken to bathe in the spa pool with water at 42 degrees, risking “boiling” it.
True sustainable luxury is that which respects the nature of every living being: animals need comfort and safety, not to be transformed into humans. The best pet-friendly facilities know this well: they offer spaces designed for their specific needs, not to project our desires or frustrations onto them.

The home that travels: pet-friendly design everywhere

What we’re experiencing is the extension of the concept of “sustainable home” to every environment we inhabit, even temporarily. The most innovative facilities are adopting the same principles of domestic pet-friendly interior design: natural materials easy to clean, fluid indoor-outdoor spaces, dedicated but integrated areas in the general environment.
The best pet-friendly hotels today resemble the most cutting-edge homes: porcelain stoneware or naturally treated wood floors, technical but elegant fabrics, gardens designed with non-toxic plants, ventilation systems that naturally manage odors and allergens. It’s the same holistic approach that characterizes contemporary sustainable living.

Invisible technologies for animal wellbeing

Like in the most sophisticated smart homes, the best pet-friendly facilities integrate discreet but effective technologies: air purification systems, radiant floors for thermal comfort, LED lighting that doesn’t disturb animals’ rest, apps to monitor wellbeing during the stay.

The future is inclusive (and profitable)

The numbers speak clearly: pet-friendly facilities can apply 20-30% surcharges on rates, and the average cost to host an animal is about €25 per night. But it’s not just business: it’s the evolution toward more conscious and inclusive tourism, which recognizes the value of wellbeing for all inhabitants – human and non-human – of the spaces we design and manage.
The most forward-thinking destinations have understood this: from beach clubs with separate dog areas to cities creating pet-friendly routes, from trains dedicating carriages to animals to airports installing rest areas. It’s the democratization of sustainable luxury: no longer a privilege for few, but an accessible standard for those who choose to travel responsibly without resorting to “parking” their animal in a kennel, or worse, abandonment.

An invitation to the gentle revolution

This pet-friendly revolution isn’t just a trend: it’s part of that broader movement toward a more conscious and inclusive lifestyle that’s redefining the very concept of living. Whether it’s a home, hotel, or airplane cabin, every space can be designed to welcome and respect all its inhabitants.

Applications open for excellence

If you know facilities that embody this philosophy of respect and intelligent hospitality toward animals, the time has come to make them known. The GIST Animal Travel Award 2026 seeks exactly these realities: hotels, resorts, B&Bs, and vacation homes that have managed to combine sustainability, elegance, and animal wellbeing without compromise.

Submit your deserving facility and help build a future where traveling with our life companions is not only possible, but as natural as breathing. Because the true luxury of the future will be not having to choose between comfort, sustainability, and love for those beside us – whether on two or four legs.