Who let the dogs out?

Recently, Midwest Airlines Midwest Miles and United Airlines Mileage Plus announced promotions for traveling pets. Now through May 27, Mileage Plus members will earn 1,200 bonus miles for traveling with a pet (that hamster in your pocket won’t count).

The promotion may have been prompted by the fact that United was recently named the official airline of the American Kennel Club, but United has transported everything from beluga whales to silverback gorillas, so now your beloved cat or dog can share space with Magilla and Flipper, all while earning you miles.

Midwest Airlines has put a different spin on its pet promotion. Midwest Miles members will earn a free roundtrip for their pet after the animal flies on three paid roundtrip flights or six one-way flights. Members can also earn a roundtrip for their pet by redeeming 15,000 miles. Now you can finally take Killer to meet the in-laws.

These aren’t the first pet-friendly programs, however. Japan Airlines claims that distinction for its March 2004 rollout of the JAL Pet Club, which simplified fees for hauling pets on domestic flights, and allows consumers to earn and exchange points for in-flight cage rentals, pet airfares and pet presents. Additionally, Continental OnePass members have been able to earn one mile for every dollar spent when transporting a pet for some time now; Virgin Atlantic has a “Pet Miles” section of its flying club with so-called “Bone-us Miles” for dogs and “Frequent Feline Miles” for cats; and El Al offers 20 points for every flight pet and owner fly together.