At BARK, we believe dogs are family and deserve better than being stuffed in a duffle bag or relegated to flying in cargo. Traveling long distances with a dog is a challenge many dog parents face—especially for those whose dogs can’t fit under the seat in front of them. Too often, dogs are denied travel or subjected to stressful, less-than-ideal arrangements.
Recognizing these challenges and the growing demand for a more humane option, we launched BARK Air—the world’s first air travel experience designed specifically for dogs and their humans. BARK Air sets a new standard by prioritizing dogs’ comfort and well-being. With stress-free check-ins, calming in-flight environments, and premium amenities like soothing pheromones, relaxing music, tasty treats, and spa-like touches, BARK Air ensures that dogs travel in style and comfort.
Our goal in launching BARK Air was not just to provide a better alternative for dogs and their humans but also to spotlight the challenges dogs face when flying. By positioning BARK as the leader in dog-first innovation, we aimed to create a snowball effect of earned media coverage and social buzz—building anticipation before the first flight, generating excitement around the inaugural event, and maintaining a steady drumbeat of coverage long after takeoff.
Bringing BARK Air to life was all about flipping the script on air travel—seeing it from a dog’s perspective and fixing what’s long been broken.
Our goal was to create a first-class, dog-first travel experience that would make flying comfortable and humane for dogs and their people. We started by designing every step of the experience through a dog-first lens. This included stress-free booking through a BARK Air concierge who understands each dog’s personality, pre-flight meet-and-greets to get those all-important butt sniffs out of the way, and thoughtful touches like rolling out turf carpet onto the plane and serving shoes on silver platters as in-flight snacks.
We knew a visual approach would be critical in conveying what a “dog-first white paw experience” looks like. We created a hero video that captured the essence of BARK Air—a first-of-its-kind airline designed entirely for dogs. To emphasize the WHY behind BARK Air, we tackled the biggest challenge head-on: showing the harsh reality of dogs flying in cargo. Our CEO, Matt Meeker, personally flew in a crate from Florida to New York City, experiencing what many dogs endure. We captured this as video content, which became a key element in our storytelling.
On announcement day (April 11), we shared the video across our channels, racking up 3.3 million views on TikTok. We pitched the news under embargo, securing an exclusive with The Washington Post, and later expanded our media outreach using the hero video, images, and the CEO flying in cargo as a hook. Before the inaugural flight (May 23), we invited media and influencers to preview the airplane and meet our CEO and concierge team. We offered an exclusive review of the inaugural flight to The New Yorker, which resulted in an in-depth story When Yorkie Poos Fly. Creator Melanie Demi also documented her journey on social media, generating over 108,000 likes and thousands of comments, amplifying awareness of BARK Air.
One of our biggest challenges was convincing the public why a dog-first airline was necessary. While dog parents understand the stress of traditional travel, not all consumers grasped the need for a new option. By combining authentic storytelling with creative content—especially the cargo flight video—we overcame skepticism and made the case for why BARK Air is a more humane alternative.
BARK Air took off—literally and figuratively. Our goal was to change how dogs travel, and we did just that by launching the world’s first airline designed entirely around their needs. No cramped carriers, no stressful cargo holds—just a premium, stress-free experience where dogs come first.
Since announcing BARK Air in April 2024, we’ve seen overwhelming results, with over 4,100 media stories and a staggering 16.7 billion earned media impressions across national and international outlets. Google searches for “Airline For Dogs” rose 90%, while “BARK” searches jumped 310% within two months of the announcement. That’s the kind of cultural impact we set out to achieve.
Social media embraced the movement as well. Our CEO’s viral TikTok, where he literally flies in a cargo crate like a dog, racked up 3.3 million views, while BarkBox’s TikTok follower growth surged 7.4x the average rate. The BARK Air Instagram account quickly grew to 169K+ followers.
But the real success lies in the reactions from dog parents. As one Instagram comment summed it up: “I would never put my dog in a crate... If I want to purchase a seat for my dog, I should be able to. My dog is cleaner and better behaved than most people!” That’s why we consider BARK Air a success—we didn’t just launch an airline; we sparked a movement to make travel better for dogs and their humans.
