LPT: If you have a pet, and you have a place to fly to, consider "Essential" pet carriers as an alternative to the pet crates you buy at Petco/PetSmart.

As the title said. I've got a small dog and I recently flew to visit my parents. The pet carrier I bought at Petco was pretty spacious, and she loved it. However, when she lays down or stands in the middle of it, I can't close it. I ended up having to use a seatbelt to secure her to the back of the plane. I was also nervous she'd be a problem to other passengers. My dad recommended an "essential" pet carrier, and they're specifically designed for air travel. They're smaller than the pet carriers you'd buy, but they're perfectly designed to fit under the airplane seat, and she's much more comfortable than my large one. She can lay on her back or her side, or sit up and look at me. And I don't have to worry about her moving around when the plane hits turbulence. Highly recommend them to any pet owners.