Couple chartered £80,000 private jet to fly their dogs across the world

A US couple splurged over £80,000 to charter a private jet so they could take their dogs with them on a dream trip around Europe. Melanie Demi, 26, and her husband Albert, 27, are the loving owners of Great Dane Lucas, Golden Retriever Cooper and a Dachshund mix called Brooklyn.

The couple are from Austin in Texas, where they both have well paid jobs. Melanie works as a media marketing consultant and content creator, while Albert is an account executive. So the couple spent two years saving £36,500 to make their dream a reality. Melanie said: ‘It took three months of planning and cost $11,000 (£8,900) per person and over $100,000 (£81,000) for the whole flight. ‘We saved over two years and sold everything we had to be able to afford it.’

The couple planned their own charter trip on a private jet, from New York to Paris, by finding 10 other people also heading to Europe with their dogs.

This was because their Great Dane, Lucas, was deemed too heavy to travel in cargo on a regular plane and the only pet-friendly cruise liner didn’t accept his breed.

Their three dogs – Great Dane Lucas, two, Golden Retriever, Cooper, 15, and Dachshund mix, Brooklyn, six – have now travelled to six countries so far (France, Germany, Austria, Czechia, England and Scotland), after Melanie and Albert hired a car to drive around Europe.

They plan to keep going until November 2023 before heading home to Texas.

‘I think the dogs really enjoy it. People on social media ask why we don’t leave them at home,’ Melanie added. ‘The dogs might not know where they are, but they love exploring new places and it’s about having them with us and making memories.

‘Sitting at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and seeing them roll on the grass, or at the Christmas markets where they got a lot of pets, or running on the beach in Edinburgh, it’s all just incredible.