Pets to earn frequent-flyer miles from Midwest Airlines

MILWAUKEE - Midwest Airlines is focusing on four-footed customers in hopes of wooing more of the two-footed kind.

Midwest announced a program Monday that gives pets a free round-trip ticket for every three domestic round-trip flights they take with their owners.

By contrast, Midwest's human passengers get free round trips at 25,000 miles - a mileage requirement that frequently requires more than three domestic round trips.

"While in the past their owners have been racking up miles on free trips, all the pets have been getting is a pat on the head," Midwest CEO Tim Hoeksema said Monday.

"We decided that it was high time to throw a bone to our frequent customers - and their best friends."

The promotion follows a similar one announced last week by United Airlines, which is offering pet owners 1,200 bonus miles on up to two round-trip tickets when people fly with their pets before May 27.

Midwest, which serves 50 U.S. cities through hubs in Milwaukee and Kansas City, Mo., says it racks up about 3,000 one-way trips by dogs, cats and other pets each year. Pets fly round-trip with their owners on Midwest for $150 or one-way for $75.

The airline is promoting its new pet mileage plan at pet shows.

Analysts, though, say the pet programs probably won't make the airlines enough money to help cope with the industrywide problem of soaring fuel prices.

"It's more a fun story than a financial story," said Craig Kennison, who covers Midwest for Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc.