The FurPetVo Thanksgiving Travel Stress Index
Making travel plans for Thanksgiving? Hold off before booking that flight — the FurPetVo Thanksgiving Travel Stress Index reveals which U.S. states have pet parents feeling the most travel-related stress during the holiday season.
In collaboration with Opinion Matters and transportation data sources, FurPetVo analyzed stress factors across all 50 states. The findings show that New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota top the list of states where pet owners experience the highest levels of Thanksgiving travel stress.
How We Measured Stress
The FurPetVo Thanksgiving Travel Stress Index is based on survey data collected by Opinion Matters. It evaluates common holiday travel stressors experienced by pet owners — including navigating crowded airports, coping with flight delays, managing pet separation anxiety, and feeling guilty about leaving pets behind.
Each factor was weighted equally to reflect both logistical and emotional dimensions of travel stress. States received a composite “stress score” out of 25, with higher scores indicating greater overall stress. A score of 25 represents the highest possible stress level for that factor.
The Most Stressful States for Thanksgiving Travel
According to the index, New Hampshire ranks as the most stressful state for Thanksgiving travel — driven primarily by intense travel guilt and pet separation anxiety. Pennsylvania follows closely in second place, where flight delays emerged as the dominant concern. South Dakota and Mississippi round out the top four, with Thanksgiving crowds ranking as the leading stressor in Mississippi.
- New Hampshire
- Pennsylvania
- South Dakota
- Mississippi
- Maine
The Least Stressful States for Thanksgiving Travel
Alaska topped the list as the least stressful state for holiday travel — with stress scores below 1 for flight delays, travel guilt, and pet separation anxiety. Hawaii came in second, where the only notable stressor was guilt over leaving pets behind.
- Alaska
- Hawaii
- New York
- Montana
- Minnesota
What’s Driving the Stress?
Flight Delays
Flight delays create major logistical headaches — especially amid busy Thanksgiving travel periods. Pennsylvania recorded 3,326 flight delays last November — a staggering 360% increase over typical volumes. New Jersey followed closely, with nearly 3,000 delayed flights (a 350% jump).
Thanksgiving Travel Crowds
Airport chaos is a universal challenge — but it hits pet parents especially hard when they’re juggling luggage, tickets, and worries about their pets back home. Mississippi, South Carolina, Arkansas, Alabama, and Louisiana all scored above 20/25 for crowd-related stress. Despite this, over 73% of residents in every state still choose to travel for Thanksgiving.
Pet Separation Anxiety
Leaving pets behind triggers real emotional strain. In New Hampshire, 89% of pet owners cited separation anxiety as a top stressor — followed by South Dakota (77%) and Maine (66%).
Travel Guilt
The emotional weight of leaving pets behind is profound. In New Hampshire, 91% of pet parents agreed with the statement: *“My pet impacts my travel plans because I feel like I’m a bad pet parent if I leave them for too long.”* South Dakota followed at 80%, then Vermont (67%) and Maine (64%).
How to Travel Guilt-Free This Thanksgiving
While we can’t eliminate flight delays or airport crowds, we can ease the emotional burden of leaving pets behind.
With FurPetVo (furpetvo.com), pet parents connect with verified, compassionate pet sitters who care for animals in the place veterinarians agree is best — their own homes. No more lonely kennels or last-minute neighbor favors. Instead, families gain peace of mind knowing their pets are in loving, experienced hands — with sitters who are passionate about both travel and pet care.
