A couple flew their dogs to New York on an £8,000 private jet complete with personalised toys and treats because it was cheaper than putting them in cargo. Maddie Young, 31, wanted to make sure her 12-year-old pug, Violet, and one-year-old Golden retriever, Olive, could move to New York with her and her husband, Stephen Whitworth, 32.
The couple moved to America in January 2023 for Stephen's work. Maddie started researching how they could travel the 3,470-mile distance from London and was shocked at the cost.
She said she was quoted £12,000 - £6,000 per dog – by an airline for them to travel in cargo. The PR freelancer started looking into other ways she could do it and came across a Facebook group arranging private charter jets for dogs.
Maddie and Stephen, who runs a tech-start up, paid £10,000 for themselves and their two hounds Violet and Olive to travel in style – and were refunded £2,000 as the plane was filled, so the costs were split further. Maddie said the experience was “smooth” and the dogs were even treated to personalised toys and dog cookies on board.
Maddie, from Balham, London, said: “The quotes were crazily expensive. We were limited, as airlines don’t like to fly flat-face breeds as they can be more prone to breathing issues – although this is not the case with Violet.
“I Googled lots of stuff and found old news articles of people looking at different ways to travel and found a UK to US Facebook group from there. It was full of people organising flights and splitting the costs.
“We paid £10,000 including seats for us. But it was £8,000 in the end as we were refunded for filling the plane. It was the cheaper option. It was a no brainer.”
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Maddie moved to the Big Apple in January 2023 for Stephen’s work and the pair were desperate to fly their dogs over to join them. She struggled to find many options for them as the cargo flights were expensive and ships had a two-year wait.
Maddie said: “With Violet being older, it would have been a worry her being in cargo.”
Having never flown privately before Maddie was surprised a private charter flight she found on a Facebook group was £4,000 cheaper than taking a standard flight with the dogs. Maddie said it was “a no brainer” to go for it.
The couple had to arrive just half an hour before the flight at Biggin Hill Airfield, Bromley, and said the pooches were given toys and cookies before the long journey. Maddie and the other dog owners bought blankets to put down and protect the seats.
She said: “I was nervous beforehand. I’d never flown private before. The experience was so smooth. There were eight dogs and 10 humans.
“All of the dogs were given personalised toys and a bag of dog cookies, which was quite sweet. All the dogs were super well-behaved. They mostly slept, chilled and chewed bones.”
The plane had to refuel in Canada due to strong headwinds and it meant the dogs could relieve themselves after the eight-and-a-half-hour journey. Maddie did “anything to keep them calm” and tried not to feed the dogs too much so they didn’t need to go to the toilet.
The airline provided puppy pads if they needed to relieve themselves. Violet and Olive arrived safely and stylishly in New York in April and are now settling into their new home.
Maddie said: “It was a great experience - once-in-a-lifetime. If we go back, we will do it again. There’s no shame for people who put them in cargo. That’s fine if it works for you.
“But with a nervous young dog, an old one and it being cheaper it was a no brainer. They are both acclimatising well.”
