Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier Review

Mallory Crusta / Cats.com

The Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier is a mobile pet bed, in-cabin airplane carrier and car seat all in one. This versatile pet carrier is our top pick because it does everything well.

Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier is designed for air travel and intended to accommodate the under seat dimensions of most airlines. This is the only carrier that has been crash tested and approved by the Center for Pet Safety.

At around , the Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier may be the best way to travel with your cat. But is it worth the high cost when comparing it to other pet carriers on the market?

After testing the Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier out, we have the details on its versatility and my personal experience using it with my two cats.

We independently purchased this item and subjected it to in-depth testing, monitoring how our cats used it and if they preferred it over other pet carriers.

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Mallory Crusta, our Head of Content, tested the Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier and compared it to its competitors. Check out Mallory’s in-depth video review of the Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier on the Cats.com YouTube channel.

Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier Overview

Sleepypod Air In-cabin Pet Carrier is intended to accommodate the under seat dimensions of various airlines and is going to be an acceptable choice on almost any airline. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com

The Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier offers a unique design that is adjustable in size to fit in the space below most airline seats during the restricted times of takeoff and landing. Once in the air the Sleepypod Air Carrier can be expanded to allow your cat the largest possible space below the airline seat.

This Sleepypod Carrier can accommodate both dogs and cats when traveling, and holds up to 18 pounds safely. The carrier measures 22.83″L x 11.42″W x 3.94″H but can compress down to 16” L x 10-½”W x 8”H. It is made from luggage grade, waterproof nylon on the outside and ultra plush polyester inside. The inside plush liner can be easily removed for washing.

You can choose from several vibrant colors such as: Dark Chocolate, Jet Black, Glacier Silver, Orange Dream, Robin Egg Blue and Strawberry Red. It has a removable privacy panel to give your cat a view and both the top and sides open for easy access when getting your cat in and out. It also has large zipper pockets on both sides for storing your kitty’s needs and the top panel rolls back to leave the “door” open.

This carrier also has a top handle strap to carry like a suitcase or you can use the padded, detachable shoulder strap. It also has a pass through on the pocket to attach to your suitcase as well as a strap to secure a seatbelt around.

Is The Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier Safe?

Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier is the only carriers on the market that has been crash tested and approved by the center for pet safety. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com

Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier has been rigorously tested to include the same dynamic crash tests used to test child safety restraints. It is the only of its kind to earn safety certification and a five star rating from the Center for Pet Safety.

It does offer a zip away panel on top exposing mesh to offer sufficient ventilation for your cat. The top and side entries have zip closure and a safety tether to prevent your cat from escaping. The side passthrough pocket fits perfectly on the telescope handle of suitcases making it easy to transport your pet.

The shoulder strap is removable and has a padded comfort strap. It also has two side seatbelt straps to help secure the carrier in the car.

How Much Does The Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier Cost?

The Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier costs around on Amazon currently. You can buy it from other online pet retailers and big box stores for less but colors may vary.

You can also purchase an electric warmer pad kit for inside the carrier separately on Amazon or the Sleepypod website for about $78.

How Do You Clean The Sleepypod Air In-cabin Pet Carrier?

Sleepypod Air In-cabin Pet Carrier is a sleek elegant carrier that has a lot of features that make it a great choice for various types of travel. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com

The Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier is fairly easy to clean. You can wipe the outside, water repellent cover of the carrier and the foam panel with a damp cloth.

The ultra plush liner can be washed in a washing machine and air dried. The carrier does come with an instruction card with directions on how to wash and maintain it.

Did My Cats Like The Sleepypod Air In-cabin Pet Carrier?

The entire top of the carrier kind of unzips and you can lift it up in order to give your cat an easy way to access the carrier. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com

The Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier gave my 14 pound cat Wessie plenty of comfortable space. He seemed content and liked that he could lay inside with the front rolled up for easy viewing.

However, don’t just take our word for it, there are tons of positive reviews and thousands of cats and their owners that really love this pet carrier.

What Do Customers Think Of the Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier?

Sleepypod Air In-cabin Pet Carrier is equipped with a nice big side pocket for storing any items that your cat might need when they’re traveling. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com

Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier has almost all positive reviews on Amazon as well as all over the internet. Generally speaking, customers like the quality and how easy it is to carry around when traveling. The few negative reviews are complaints about the strange smell their carrier arrived with.

That being said, every customer’s experience is exclusive. Keep reading to see a positive and negative customer review for the Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier.

Positive Customer Reviews For the Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier

“I absolutely love this carrier!

Sure, it doesn’t fold out into a giant cat tent, but it’s very comfortable for my kitten, incredibly easy to clean, extremely sturdy, and most importantly, it’s safe.This is 1 of only 2 soft-sided cat carriers to be approved for car crash safety, as well as being able to go on airplanes.It has a whole suite of other perks, like looking like a simple duffle bag from the outside, multiple pockets, and a luggage handle strap, among other things.And most importantly for me, the quality of materials is absolutely top notch! My kitten much prefers to lay on top of the carrier rather than in it, but the top is only held up by the zippers, and they easily support his abuse.When he does lay in it at night, he seems quite comfortable on the enclosed padded, plush bottom.And the first few times that he was in the carrier, before he had gotten used to being in one, my kitten desperately tried to dig his way through the bottom of it, repeatedly, and didn’t even make a scratch in the material.

He would have torn any other carrier apart, but this one continues to hold strong.

I have seen reviews that say that it’s too warm inside of the carrier, but I have seen no evidence of this so far. Even when enclosed in the carrier for 4+ hours in my room, which is naturally quite warm, my kitten didn’t seem to have any problems. I would imagine that if you have this problem, it’s probably caused by having the privacy shield in, which would block off about half of the ventilation.

All in all, I have nothing but good things to say about this carrier, and I’m glad that I spent the extra money to get it. :).” – Caj

“My cat and I fly at least 3,000 miles a year. Her first Sleepypod wore out after a decade of constant traveling. The black version is easy to clean, and the color way hides almost any stain; it’s lightweight; the mesh withstands sharp claws. Convenient pocket that fits immunization records and extra packets of wet food. The open pocket slips over a suitcase trolley handle and can accommodate a car seatbelt as well. Warm in winter, cool and breathable in summer, and much more comfortable than a plastic kennel. Accommodates my cat’s size (she weighs 10-12 pounds), and the narrow width gives her a sense of security. The carrier is eye-catching too. Total strangers in airports and vets’ offices have asked me where I got it..” – Kitkat

Negative Customer Reviews For the Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier

“The Orange Sleepypod Air Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier, Orange Dream had a super strong factory smell out of the box. I aired it out for one week, and it just got worse. I then washed in bucket with detergent 3 times. Did not help remove smell. Called customer service and they acknowledged something went wrong on latest batch. I returned it to Amazon, and they sent me a new one directly from their office, but the second one arrived already chewed up by another pet. I had them ship me a third in a different color to avoid smell they claimed only affected orange. This one came with the super strong smell like the first one.

In the meantime I bought a Delta version of the Sherpa Deluxe. My cat loved it. And it was much cheaper.” – Brian

“really disappointed in this carrier. first of all, you cannot see anything that is going on inside. the black mesh, combined with the black floor on the inside makes it impossible to make anything out. secondly, when you unzip to put your cat in, you have to hold the flap open with one hand….as anyone who has a cat knows, it is sometimes very hard to get your cat in the carrier- you need BOTH YOUR HANDS—- it is extremely inconvenient to have to hold the flap open with one hand while wrestling with an unhappy cat in the other. all in all, I HAVE NO CLUE why everyone is so crazy about this carrier. it absolutely sucks in my opinion….and what pisses me off most is the insane price point— it is DEFINITELY NOT WORTH $150. don’t waste your money on this one. a carrier shouldn’t be more than fifty bucks.” – rawrrr

Would We Recommend The Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier?

The Sleepypod Air In-cabin Pet Carrier is intended to be safe for use in the car as well so it has straps on either side that allow you to attach it to the seat belt and keep your cat secure in the back seat. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com

The Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier is our top pick in this category of cat products. It is convenient, comfortable, durable, has mostly high ratings and is safety certified. In addition, they offer a folding system that allows your cat to travel in the largest space possible while the airplane is in the air, yet still allows for stowage under an airline seat when in takeoff and landing situations.

The Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier has plenty of helpful features, like the padded shoulder strap, the mesh ventilation, the removable washable liner, and the removable privacy panel. You also have many options when carrying by using the top carry handle, removable shoulder strap or attaching it to your luggage with the trolley pocket.

Once again, this carrier is also crash tested and certified by the Center for Pet Safety with straps on both sides to secure a car seat belt in place. This keeps the carrier in the seat in the event of an accident.

Our only complaints about the Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Pet Carrier is the high price tag and it could offer a little bit more window space to see your cat when inside the carrier.