I've flown with my Yorkie (4 lbs) many, many times, both pre- and post- 9/11. He's small enough that if he gets whiney, I can sneak him on my lap under a blanket and no one really notices, but for shorter flights, he's done fine. A lot of it depends on the temperament of your dog -- I have friends who give their dogs a vet-approved mild sedative when getting on the plane to ease their dog's anxiety. Be sure, too, to walk your dog as last-minute as possible before going through security, and ASAP when you get off the plane. You will have to take the dog out of the carrier while going through security (it doesn't go through the XRay machine!) so the dog has to be comfortable being in your arms through that portion of things as well.

Good luck! It's gotten harder to travel with the dog since we've had the kids, but we do love having him with us when we can.

And if you can't bring the dog, consider a dog walker in lieu of boarding for an older dog. THey will come to your house 3x a day or so, exercise your dog, etc., but the dog gets to sleep in its normal spot, etc. We do that when possible if we can't bring Tucker with us.

Hope this helps!