Subaru Survey: 73% of Pet Owners Would Rather Drive Than Fly for the Holidays
Nearly half of pet owners have already declined a trip their animal couldn’t join, and younger drivers are the most likely to plan around their pets, according to a Subaru-commissioned poll of 2,000 U.S. drivers.
Nearly three in four American pet owners say they would rather drive than fly for a trip, specifically so the dog or cat can come along, according to a new poll commissioned by Subaru of America. The automaker released the numbers on October 13, in the middle of its annual Subaru Loves Pets month and about six weeks before Thanksgiving.
The survey, run by Talker Research among 2,000 U.S. adults who drive and own a cat or dog, found that 73% lean toward a road trip over a flight when a pet is part of the plan. Another 68% expect their pet to shape this year's holiday travel, and 45% have already turned down at least one trip because the animal couldn't join. It lands the same week Rivian's R2 pet cam made headlines, a reminder that automakers increasingly treat pets as a design input rather than cargo.
The poll also puts numbers on how pets reshape the holiday itself. Roughly one in four respondents said they might host instead of travel (10%), shorten or simplify a trip (10%), or skip a gathering outright (8%) if the pet can't come. Nearly half start planning a pet-friendly long weekend at least three weeks ahead, and 24% begin more than a month out.
Younger owners plan around the pet
The generational gap is the most striking part of the data. Among owners who have traveled with an animal, 35% of Gen Z and millennials have brought it home for the holidays, versus 22% of Gen X and boomers. Three-quarters of Gen Z respondents and 70% of millennials have taken a pet on a road trip in the past five years, compared with 58% of Gen X and 40% of boomers. Younger owners are also more likely to build trips around the pet (42% versus 27%) and, if they haven't road-tripped with one yet, more willing to try (74% versus 54%).
Asked what matters in a car when an animal is aboard, respondents ranked space between pets, people, and luggage first (32%), followed by good sightlines to the pet (29%) and easy-to-clean seats and cargo areas (27%). Cargo room for crates and beds mattered to 26% overall and to 35% of hybrid and EV drivers. Just over half (51%) said they would rather share a drive with a pet than with another person.
Why Subaru is asking
The timing is not accidental. Subaru has run its Loves Pets program since 2008, and its 2026 October push commits more than $3.2 million in shelter grants administered by the ASPCA, up from $3.1 million a year ago; the company says its cumulative animal-welfare giving will pass $75 million by the end of the month. The initiative culminates in National Make A Dog's Day on October 22, now in its seventh year, and it feeds the same owner culture as Subaru's SubieCrew owner program.
The commercial logic is just as clear. The features respondents prioritized map directly onto the brand's crossover lineup, from the 2027 Forester lineup to the Outback, and Subaru sells a full catalog of pet accessories, from padded seat protectors to harness-compatible tethers. Trevor Maki, the company's national product training manager, used the release to point owners toward "the right accessories for your vehicle and your pet."
Two caveats apply. The sample includes only pet owners who drive, so it says nothing about how many Americans skip flying for other reasons, and Subaru commissioned the work. Still, the broader trend holds up: AAA counted roughly 81.8 million Thanksgiving travelers in 2025, and at least 73 million of them went by car. Its 2026 forecast is due in November; if this poll is any guide, a fair share of those back seats will be occupied by someone with four legs.
