United Airlines eases holiday travel with United Paws program

United Airlines has a solution to your holiday travel woes.

The airline’s United Paws program is bringing hundreds of trained comfort dogs to airports across the nation to help ease stress before flights and welcome passengers to their destinations.

The program, which the airline announced last week on Twitter, began Monday and ends Wednesday.

“United Paws is a wonderful program that comes at just the right time for some holiday travelers who may be experiencing a bit of anxiety or stress,” veterinary consultant Dr. Walter Woolf said in a news release.

According to the airline, just being around a dog can boost your holiday spirit – but it can also help improve your health.

Research shows that petting a dog “decreases the levels of stress, helps us breathe easier and lowers our blood pressure,” Woolf says.

Many travelers are sharing photos of themselves with the comfort dogs on Twitter and Instagram with #UnitedPaws. For each photo shared, United Airlines has pledged to donate $1 to the continuation of the United Paws program.

The pups can be found at seven lucky airports: O’Hare International Airport; Cleveland Hopkins International Airport; Denver International Airport; George Bush Intercontinental Airport; Los Angeles International Airport; Newark Liberty International Airport; and Washington Dulles International Airport.