Child-free millennials are spending their money on dog travel

Morgan Owens, a wellness, media and lifestyle entrepreneur, recently checked in herself and her seven-year-old bichon frise Ralph, for a staycation at The Lytle Park Hotel in Cincinnati, Ohio.

There, they watched Netflix and dined on room service. Owens got a massage at a spa across the street and Ralph literally touched grass in all the green spaces. 

“I’ve been so work-focused – our generation has been through Covid-19, diversity, equity and inclusion, funds were recently pulled from my business, the list goes on – so the last thing on my mind has been having a child,” she says.

The 40-year-old may be in a committed relationship, but when it comes down to choosing between solace and planning for kids, “I’m going to swing towards the luxury hotel”. Provided Ralph can come along.

Couples known as Dinkwads – double income, no kids, with a dog – are becoming a potent force in travel.

Forgoing kids because they do not want them, or still cannot afford them despite the dual income, these couples are filling that emotional space with pets to the point of treating them like children. And hotels are stepping up by providing more canine-inclusive services, from gourmet dog menus to fur baby-tailored spas. 

“The US is a quite hostile place for raising children. There are so few supports for families, from high costs of daycare to limited protection for parental leave,” says Lindsay Bryan-Podvin, a financial therapist in her late 30s. “I’m seeing more people choose to stay, or come to terms with staying, in a Dinkwad relationship.”

Some 53 per cent of Americans owned pets in 2025, with millennials making up the largest percentage, according to an American Pet Products Association report.

Pet industry expenditures are projected to reach US$165 billion (S$213.5 billion) in 2026, up from US$158 billion in 2025. Per a recent survey by investment bank Morgan Stanley, 34 per cent of respondents from age 18 to 34 intend to get a pet – and it is this group shelling out even more cash on them.

Says Bryan-Podvin: “People are saying, ‘Yeah, I cannot support a kid, but you know what I can afford? A dog and the 50 extra bucks a night to take it on vacation’.”

Shipyard Beach, a pristine stretch of South Carolina sand, was the last place I expected to spot a goldendoodle romping near the dunes when I visited in 2025.

Dudley Do-Right has been Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island’s beloved mascot ever since his owner, recreation manager Kathie Sendra, took him there as a puppy in 2025. When not keeping a close eye on the treats at check-in or greeting everyone from business executives to honeymooners, Dudley is supervising the beach toy rentals. The very good boy is a very visible – and very adorable – example of how dogs are being welcomed at the upper end of luxury.

Through the Pets Are Welcome at Sonesta (Paws) programme, four-legged guests are greeted at check-in with a welcome letter and treats. Rooms feature thoughtful essentials like a cosy pet bed, and the grounds feature designated walking and potty areas, as well as pet-friendly dining. 

Charlie Dice, 38, a Dinkwad and author of Substack newsletter Building Quiet Wealth, thinks of her dogs as her kids to the point of applying some child-rearing logic to raising her pets: “My husband and I try to have two dogs at any given time because, like with kids, we think it is good to have a sibling.”

She takes their two Bernese mountain dogs everywhere via commercial carriers. She has looked into semi-private services such as Wheels Up and VistaJet, where pets do not have to go into the hold, and dedicated companies like Bark Air, which launched with US$6,000 one-way transcontinental US flights for dogs. 

For Dice, switching up her travel plans because a hotel cannot accommodate dogs is a given. Leaving her dogs behind in a kennel is not an option.

“Getting to spend more time with them while they’re here,” she says. “That is the real luxury because they are not here as long as we are, unfortunately.”

Denver’s boutique Hotel Teatro understands just how much dogs can shape where and how long guests stay. General manager Courtney Griffith says that is a big part of why the hotel has waived fees: “Pet fees can feel a bit transactional when you are placing this fee on someone’s fur baby.” 

Sanctuary Beach Resort in Monterey, California, renovated in 2024 as a luxury experience for guests who want to embrace all that travel has to offer – especially with their dog in tow.

“I’m a Sink (single income, no kids) from New York City, and after Covid-19, I think everyone engaging in hustle culture realised how important it is to take a break,” says Kelli Sturges, director of guest experiences and programming.

“We are a place to unplug, which in Dink culture is a really big need,” she adds. “When you do not have family obligations, you have extra hours to work, so Dinks get more tech burnout.” 

The resort’s proximity to the Bay Area and dog-friendly private stretch of sand dunes made it easy to rebrand towards Dinkwads, especially with standalone cottages that allow lots of room to roam without their dog infringing on other guests’ privacy. 

“The key to travelling with your dog is to look for a property that offers things you can do together,” says Sydney Durieux, a Dinkwad in her early 50s who has a five-year-old West Highland white terrier. 

She regularly takes him from New York to Kilkea Castle in County Kildare, Ireland, where all-legged guests can meander through Mullaghreelan Woods and take in the Wolfhound Experience – to meet and interact with its enormous Irish hounds.

Dogs are also a great icebreaker if meeting people is important in your travels. Durieux says: “I think people are willing to be more open and friendly with you when you have a little dog jumping up to say hi to everyone. It is a great conversation starter.”

For Dice, it is even more fundamental: “I like seeing the world through my dog’s eyes – it is probably the same as with kids. With a new place, they get all excited.” BLOOMBERG