You may have heard of a new airline program which claims that pets are guaranteed boarding or you get your money back. Sounds great, but there are some things to be aware of.

Yes, your dog is your best friend, but he can’t always join you on your travels.

So what’s the next best thing?

How about “borrowing” Spot or Fido, for a hike or some snowshoeing?

If you’re a pet owner, you know pets are an important part of the family. And while the airlines don’t make it easy to travel with animals, some airports are a different story.

Think you’re a savvy traveler? Then you’re probably wise to backdoor shenanigans like crooked money changers, unscrupulous cabbies and “good Samaritans.”

But in India and South Africa, a new breed of swindlers are fleecing both shrewd and naïve tourists alike. Keep reading to find out how you can avoid getting hustled …

Federal officials have arrested a man who tried to pass through customs at Los Angeles International Airport armed to the teeth—with 15 live lizards.

U.S. Customs agents detained the cold-blooded reptile runner and found two geckos, two monitor lizards and 11 skinks strapped to his chest. The 40-year-old California man was returning from Australia.

If you’ve got a serious animal allergy, you may run into problems flying on a plane where pets are onboard. So what are your options?

Eight U.S. airlines have announced the Guaranteed On-Board Program (GOB), which guarantees members full reimbursement of the ticket price and the pet travel fee if they are denied boarding due to pet carrier restrictions.

American Airlines, Midwest Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Alaska Airlines partnered with pet-carrier manufacturer The Sherpa Pet Group to develop the program.

But will the new program really help travelers with pets?

Whether it’s new airline startups or the radical changes in older airlines, PeterGreenberg.com has the air news you can use.

A new startup airline called Jet America has announced plans to offer flights for as low as $9 each way when it launches in July.

The low-cost Clearwater, Florida-based carrier will initially serve cities in the upper Midwest such as Toledo, Ohio; Lansing, Michigan; South Bend, Indiana; and Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, with expansion plans to include Charleston, West Virginia, and other smaller regional airports which it feels are underserved.