TSA tips on traveling with pets through a security checkpoint at Washington Dulles International Airport

DULLES, Va. - Traveling through an airport security checkpoint with a pet can be easy when travelers know what to expect. Small pets can travel in the cabin of an aircraft with their owners after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers screen pets at the security checkpoint.

"Pets often travel with their humans and are thought of like family members," says Scott T. Johnson, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Federal Security Director for the airport. "That's why it's important that if a passenger is traveling with their pet to become familiar with the security procedures for pets and how to go through the checkpoint security screening process together quickly and easily. Key in the screening of pets is to know that they should never be screened through a checkpoint X-ray unit."

Preparing for a pet to be screened is simple when these easy steps are followed:

Pet travel restrictions vary by airline and airport, so it is important to check with the air carrier before traveling with a pet. Dulles International Airport has four pet relief areas, with two located outside the terminal (pre-security) and two located inside the concourses (post-security).

Other helpful travel tips to make a trip through security with a pet as easy as possible include: