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Flying with Fido or Fluffy may not be worth the trouble and expense anymore.

Spirit Airlines recently raised its fee for carrying pets to $100 each way, from $85 previously. American Airlines ($150) and Delta Air Lines ($150-$275 for domestic flights) made even steeper increases last year.

The round-trip costs of traveling with a pet now are almost as much as some low-fare tickets. In an economic recession, the expense is tough for most pet owners to justify, said George Hobica, founder of the airfare deal Web site airfarewatchdog.com.

Low-cost airlines, such as Spirit and JetBlue, say charging fees for pet travel helps keep passenger fares lower. Pets require labor-intensive care and extra handling to ensure safety, Spirit spokesman Misty Pinson said, noting those costs are recovered by charging customers a fee.

FEE HIKES

JetBlue raised its pet travel fee to $100 each way last summer, a $50 increase round-trip, said company spokeswoman Alison Croyle. In December, the airline launched its JetPaws program to educate fliers about pet etiquette. Under the program, passengers flying with pets get reward points that can be applied toward free flights. The New York-based carrier now sells a $45 pet carrier, as well as a pet travel kit ($25), collar ($9.99), hoodie ($15) and polo shirts ($18) on its Web site.

PETS BANNED

Some airlines make no bones about their policy: They discourage pets on their flights. Frontier Airlines quietly changed its policy in May 2007 to ban pets from flying alongside passengers and charge as much as $400 to fly them round-trip in the cargo area. Southwest Airlines for years has not allowed pets to fly unless they accompany disabled travelers.

POLICIES

Owners who plan to fly with pets can search each carrier's Web site and compare cabin and cargo price variations

Some types of animals are prohibited on aircraft. The restrictions can vary by destination. There also are limits on pet age and weight, as well as kennel size and design. Occasionally, pets must meet health and medical criteria to fly, and airlines require proof of veterinary visits in advance of the travel date.

These rules vary greatly from one airline to another, although as a general practice, airlines limit the total number of pets allowed on their aircraft and allow a passenger to take only one pet per flight.

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