People’s love for pets is reaching new heights—literally. Last year, Bark, the company behind the monthly subscription BarkBox, launched its own airline that promised to put dogs first.
After a year of about 200 fun-filled flights carrying nearly 2,000 dogs Bark recently launched Companion Concierge: a premium travel-planning service for dogs. Bark Air earned $6 million in revenue during its first year of operation offering luxury-level flights across the world. (One-way flight costs range from about $6,000 to $12,000).
The genesis of the idea was hearing from customers that Bark Air is the only place they’re getting really high-quality hospitality and services for their dog when they travel, and they wanted more, Mike Novotny, president of Bark Air, told Coins2Day.
Through Companion Concierge, Bark Air has provided services such as traveling with a dog when the owner cannot be there, planning fun and relaxing experiences for dogs during family vacations, and sending a chaperone for the dog throughout the entire trip. Concierges often come from a veterinary technician, rescue, daycare, or animal care background, Novotny said.
Novotny gave the example of a family from the East Coast who traveled to a resort in Orange County. They had one of their dog concierges stay with the dog for a week in the same hotel as the family.
The concierge would “on a daily basis develop an itinerary for that dog, take them on walks, I think they went to a little concert in the park one day, beach strolls,” Novotny said. “Just really made it fun and special for the dog and took a lot of stress off of the family who had busy afternoons and then would spend mornings and nights with the dog.”
“It made the vacation possible for the entire family,” he added.” “That’s one example of how we’re extending the Bark Air service beyond just the flights.”
The new service is an extension of the special treatment dogs get on Bark Air flights. Last July, I took an $8,000 Bark Air flight from New York to London on a six-hour flight that was filled with fun and surprises for my five-year-old golden retriever, Lulu. That included extensive planning on behalf of Bark Air ahead of my flight (no special treatment here despite being a journalist). They organized all of the documents and vet appointments she needed before the flight and ensured I had ground transportation at arrival and departure. Oh—and lots of treats, toys, and extra care along the way for Lulu.
Becoming a pet hospitality brand
The Companion Concierge service illustrates how Bark is becoming a more holistic dog hospitality brand. The service offers more than flight preparations, like curated city guides, on-the-ground logistics coordination, lists of trusted local vendors, dog travel chaperones, and more. One of the biggest requests they’ve gotten, Novotny said, is helping with paperwork and vet visits to prepare for customs for bringing a pet to another country.
But all luxury services come at a premium. An initial Bark Companion Concierge consultation is $250, Novotny said, and another $250 for a completed consultation. But more extensive services like having a chaperone on vacation or on a flight. If you choose to fly Bark Air as part of your travel plans, you’ll get that $500 back as a flight credit.
Flight chaperone services start at $1,000, and a Bark Air chaperone flies with your dog for a “smooth and stress-free trip.” Customers can also book a dog-first car service, starting at $350, that chauffeur dogs mimicking the Bark Air experience with the dog’s preferences from music to motion sickness concerns. On-property pup companions (essentially a pro puppy sitter) starts at $100 per hour, which includes personalized, hands-on care for your dog while their parents are out and about on vacation. They’ll take the pup for indoor and outdoor enrichment activities that meet their preferences.
“We’re always aiming to be a high-end service, [but] we want to understand the market boarding costs. Then, of course, the emotional cost of leaving your dog behind. We know those things add up, so we want to be competitive in that market, while also making sure that we’re able to provide a highly trained and skilled concierge who’s going to make sure that the dog is safe, healthy, and super happy.”