Labor Day vaca plans? Check with your pet first.

Nearly 40 percent of pet owners plan to travel with their pet, and searches for pet-friendly hotels are up 30 percent on Orbitz.com.

Labor Day, the final hurrah of summer travel season, is just five (okay, four if we’re being honest) days away. But before you start packing your bags for the long weekend getaway, you might want to check with one VIP member of your family first: your pet.

Earlier this summer, Orbitz teamed up with Rover.com, the nation’s largest network of pet sitters and dog walkers, to research pet travel trends and ways to help customers plan the perfect vacation with their four-legged friends. Turns out the family pet has more influence on our travel decisions than we may think. More than 60 percent of millennials say that they’ve skipped a trip because they couldn’t find a pet sitter and 40 percent of respondents said they would travel more often if they had affordable, convenient access to pet care.

As the dog days of summer come to a close, here’s some of our top pet travel stats to help you have the perfect Labor Day vacation — with or without your best friend.

Pet Travel: It’s Possible

• Nearly 40 percent of pet owners indicated they travel with their pet, overwhelmingly by car compared with plane or bus.
• But keeping a pet pampered on-the-go comes at a cost. Travelers spend an average of $103 extra dollars when they bring their dog along.

• Pet-friendly hotels remain the most popular lodging option for pet owners on the go. Forty percent of pet parents prefer hotels to staying with friends and family or at a vacation rental.
• Perhaps that’s why searches for pet-friendly properties and hotels are up 30 percent on Orbitz.com.

America’s Most Pet-Friendly Vacation Destinations

Based on pet-friendly hotel inventory and availability of pet care providers, Orbitz and Rover released their top 10 list of America’s most pet-friendly vacation destinations in 2018.

1. Los Angeles, California
2. Washington D.C.
3. Chicago, Illinois
4. New York, New York
5. Houston, Texas
6. Phoenix, Arizona
7. Atlanta, Georgia
8. Denver, Colorado
9. San Diego, California
10. Dallas, Texas

Additionally, Orbitz found that its top pet-friendly hotel chains include:

1. Wyndham Worldwide
2. Choice Hotels
3. Accor Hotels
4. Marriott
5. IHG

The Power of Pets

• The average pet parent planned to take three trips this summer travel season.
• However, almost one-third say they’ve skipped a trip to stay home with their pet, and sixty percent of millennials have missed a trip because they couldn’t find a good sitter for their dog.

Separation Anxiety

• Forty percent of Orbitz respondents said they would travel more often if they had easy access to convenient and affordable pet sitting options.
• Even with great pet care options, pet parents still miss their animal friends. Forty percent of dog owners said it would be more difficult to leave their dog for a week than their significant other.
• 70 percent of dog owners have brought back a souvenir for their pet after traveling without them.

Check out Orbitz.com/petfriendly for more pet travel tips and a list of top VIP hotel properties where your pooch can stay better than you.