These days, pets have it pretty good. Pet owners cook homemade food for their four-legged friends, buy them clothes and even take them out to special play dates. With pets becoming more like members of the family, or even children, it's only logical that the next area they would soon become a part of is travel.

According to the Travel Industry Association, a nonprofit trade organization, over the past three years 14% of people have traveled with their pets on a trip of over 50 miles from home.

Hotels and airlines nationwide are beginning to capitalize on this trend, allowing guests to bring along their pets.

"We did some of our own research and we saw cultural changes happening in our society. The role of the American family has changed because people are getting married later and instead of having kids right away they're getting pets," said Emily Goldfischer, a spokeswoman for Loews Hotels. "People started spending more money on their pets and then shortly after we launched our program there was really a big boom in the luxury pet products."

Loews began allowing all pets including cats and dogs in late 2000 and since then the company has had positive feedback. For an upfront fee of $25, pets can stay in a room at any Loews hotel, and they're provided with a bed, treats, and a list of pet friendly places in town.

Kimpton Hotels has allowed pets since the hotel chain's start in the early 1980s and Steve Pinetti, senior vice president of sales and marketing, said the company is committed to making pets feel as comfortable as the hotel's human guests.

"We don't have any size restrictions, we don't charge a pet deposit, we don't limit the number of pets per room. We provide amenities and services and we give each guest a list of pet friendly things to do around town," he said.

The trend of bringing pets along on the family vacation has been around for a few years. Nicholas Sveslosky, the editor-in-chief and chief executive of Fido Friendly, a pet travel and lifestyle magazine, said he started the magazine eight years ago when he noticed that more businesses were allowing dogs. He said he's beginning to even see business travelers bringing along the family pet.

"I think mainly it is leisure travel thing, but there's a growing business sect that travels with pets," Sveslosky said. "As long as the hotels are offering it and are trying to appeal to pet lovers, we'll probably see more of it."

Some of the pet-friendly hotels offer room service with special pet entrees, and will loan beds, bowls, treats and leashes to owners when they arrive. Kimpton and Loews both provide a list of pet friendly activities and locations to owners and offer a special 'do not disturb' door hanger so that the pet isn't bothered when left alone in the room. Several of the Kimpton hotels even have a house pet who lives at the hotel to welcome other pet visitors when they arrive.

But it's not just the hotels. Airlines like Midwest, Continental and Delta will also accommodate pet owners. A number of airlines have long allowed small pets to fly in the cabin with their owners, but are increasingly sensitive to the need to go out of their way to accommodate bigger dogs who fly as checked baggage. 

"Some of the airlines do a very good job of taking care of the dog," Sveslosky said. "If there's a delay, they'll let you come down and sit with your dog, if it's snowing outside they'll put a blanket on the crate. They understand that it's like your child and they're putting them in the belly of the beast."

Car rental companies like Budget and Avis don't charge fees for travel with pets provided the pet doesn't do any damage to the vehicle.

The hotels that accommodate pets said it helps set them apart from the other hotel chains that are just now starting to catch up. It’s unclear, however, if it will become standard practice in most hotels. After all, many people suffer from allergies and it is expensive for hotels to specially clean rooms after a pet has stayed. 

Nevertheless, Pinetti, of Kimpton Hotels is optimistic about the future of pet travel. He said it's not something his hotels will be phasing out anytime soon.

"It costs us a little more because we need to deep clean the room when someone with a pet checks out," Pinetti said. "But to us, it's just been worth it so we could accommodate our guests as much as possible."