Vicuna Air has introduced a new service aimed at simplifying pet travel, addressing a growing demand among travelers who wish to bring their animals along on international journeys. The service, named Vicuna Waypoints, was unveiled on 20 August 2026 and is designed to bridge the gap between a traveler's home and Vicuna's flight network, particularly across Europe and for transatlantic connections.
Waypoints functions as a coordinated travel solution, arranging pet-friendly ground transport and overnight accommodations that align with Vicuna Air's flight schedules. The service is built around two distinct travel experiences: the Express Route and the Scenic Route. The Express Route prioritizes efficiency, combining the fastest practical sequence of pet-friendly transport, necessary stops, and hotel stays to minimize travel time while ensuring animal comfort. In contrast, the Scenic Route offers a more leisurely journey, with bespoke multi-day itineraries that include first-class rail travel, private drivers, ferry crossings, and selected hotels, all designed to showcase Europe's landscapes and cultural highlights.
Jamie Everett, founder of Vicuna Air, emphasized the strategic intent behind the launch: “Waypoints allows us to bring the Vicuna experience to people beyond the cities we fly to directly without compromising on the care and attention that define how we travel.” This statement underscores the airline's ambition to extend its premium service ethos beyond its existing route map.
Expanding reach through ground partnerships
Initially, Waypoints will extend Vicuna Air's footprint across Northern Europe, with key routes connecting Brussels to Paris, Amsterdam, and Frankfurt. Additional cities such as Hamburg, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo will also be accessible through the service, providing pet owners with new gateways to Vicuna's transatlantic flights. This approach allows the airline to serve passengers from a wider catchment area without necessarily adding new direct flight legs.
Everett elaborated on the philosophy behind the service: “We don’t have to fly directly to your city to take you all the way there. That is really what Waypoints is about.” This reflects a broader trend in the aviation industry where carriers are increasingly looking to offer seamless door-to-door experiences, particularly for niche segments like pet travel.
The launch of Waypoints comes at a time when the travel industry is seeing a surge in pet-friendly offerings. Airlines, hotels, and cruise lines are recognizing the commercial potential of accommodating travelers with pets. For instance, Cebu Pacific's air-to-air transfers at Mactan-Cebu highlight how carriers are innovating to improve connectivity, while Major Travel's integrated cruise booking on its Major Go platform demonstrates the industry's push toward more seamless booking experiences.
Vicuna Air's move also aligns with broader hospitality trends, where properties are increasingly catering to pet owners. For example, Frasers Hospitality's debut in Malaysia with a serviced residence in Putrajaya reflects the growing demand for flexible, pet-friendly accommodations. Similarly, Kempinski's E.R.A.s experiences in Munich show how luxury brands are personalizing stays, a concept that resonates with the bespoke nature of Waypoints' Scenic Route.
For travel professionals, Waypoints represents a potential new revenue stream and a way to differentiate offerings. Travel agents and tour operators can leverage the service to create tailored itineraries for clients with pets, while hotels and ground transport providers may find new partnership opportunities with Vicuna Air. The service also underscores the importance of last-mile connectivity in the aviation sector, a challenge that many carriers are addressing through innovative ground solutions.
As the travel industry continues to recover and evolve, services like Waypoints could become a template for how airlines enhance the passenger experience beyond the aircraft cabin. By focusing on the entire journey, Vicuna Air is positioning itself as a leader in pet-friendly travel, a niche that is likely to grow as more travelers consider their pets as part of the family.
