Believe it or not, finding love while waiting for your flight is not just the plot of a rom-com, it’s a TikTok phenomenon. The airport crush is now a social trend, with airports being the newest hotspot for romantic daydreams.
With scores of people traveling through America’s airports each day, your potential match could be waiting in the check-in queue. And with lengthy waits with little to do and cramped seats that get you instantly cozy with those alongside you, there’s a surprising number of ways you could meet your lifelong partner at the airport.
Let’s face it, not every airport is created equal. While some are downright dingy, others are super sterile and clinical, making these chaotic hubs an unlikely place to foster a new romance. On the other hand, some could be considered a great place for meeting a romantic partner.
So which airports across the U.S. are the best for making a connection? To find out, we surveyed 3,000 single travelers and asked them to vote for their most loved-up American airport based on their own travel experiences.
Which American Airport Is the Most Romantic?
When it comes to airports that inspire romance, the results leaned toward those that screamed fun in the sun. With travelers perhaps projecting a more laid-back vibe after some time on the beach, one might be more inclined to dream of salty kisses with the handsome man or cute lady in the queue when standing at these destinations.
To that end, Palm Beach International was voted the number one airport for meeting a potential romantic partner, with Orlando International coming in at a close second, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International following in third.
Other summer sweet spots favored by our respondents included Tampa International in 4th place, Miami International in 15th, and Daniel K. Inouye International (Honolulu) in 17th place.
Interestingly, although perhaps not unsurprisingly, big city airports where one might be traveling for work also seemed to inspire romance. Where better than the airport to meet someone new when you have a busy schedule packed with meetings and workshops?
Some of the favorite city airports included O’Hare International in Chicago in 5th place, New Jersey’s Atlantic City International in 9th, and Washington’s Seattle-Tacoma International in 10th place.
How to Meet Someone Special at the Airport
OK, so you’re booked to fly through one of the above airports soon, and you’re eager to find a romantic partner. Catching a flight is easy enough, but what about making that romantic connection?
When asked what they would do if they were to be seated next to their airport crush, this is what our respondents said:
Strike up a conversation immediately: 35%
Wait for them to make the first move: 31%
Pretend I don’t notice them (but secretly hope they talk to me): 25%
Fake sleep and just enjoy the fantasy: 9%
We asked our survey respondents and 47% said the best scenario for meeting a potential romantic partner would be to get seated next to them on the plane. But what if you’re not that lucky? Well, you could go looking for silver linings among the clouds — 30% of survey respondents said that getting delayed together and bonding over frustration was also a great way to meet a future partner.
Furthermore, 12% said you could find yourself sitting next to a match at the boarding gate. Another 11% answered that striking up a conversation to pass the time in a security line would give you plenty of time to chat with someone special.
Making an Airport Romance Happen
But when it comes to making that first move, just how do you do it — especially if your crush has headphones in? In the survey, 27% of respondents said they would opt for the universal conversation starter of asking for a charger, while 25% would “accidentally” make a funny remark about the boarding chaos.
Another 16% said they would go for a more direct route, opting to compliment them and hope it leads somewhere. And 32% took a more cowardly approach, opting to say nothing at all, simply admiring someone from afar.
For those bold enough to chase their airport crush, how far would you go to turn a fleeting glance into a high-flying romance?
Only 31% of Americans admit to flirting with a stranger at the airport, but 59% said that they would be tempted to strike up a conversation at a coffee shop or bar with someone who tickled their fancy.
Some travelers take a more subtle approach. In our survey, 24% said they might opt to walk past their gate a few times to casually make eye contact with someone who interested them. Only 17% say they would go so far as to actually switch seats on a plane. However, unbelievably, 20% of Americans said they would change their travel plans for an airport crush.
“It’s difficult to meet people IRL these days, and the airport is as good as place as any to try,” said Amber Brooks, Editor-in-Chief at DatingAdvice.com. “In a world where meet-cutes are going extinct, it’s encouraging to see that some American singles are open to exploring connections with their fellow passengers at the airport.”
Avoiding the Airport Ick
Travel can be very unglamorous, particularly if you’re clad in your comfiest clothes and wearing a neck pillow. It just doesn’t tend to bring out the best in a person.
But it’s not necessarily what someone wears or how messed up their plane seat hair is that turns travelers off from striking up a conversation. The biggest pet peeve, or travel ick, that would turn someone off at an airport? Etiquette: 56% of our travelers said they would never go for someone who started yelling at airline staff over a delay, while 19% said they’d stay clear of anyone blasting TikToks at full volume. Another 13% also said that taking your shoes off way too soon was an instant ick, while 12% said that people who are way too eager to board when it’s not their group would also not make for great partners.
When asked what makes someone more attractive at an airport, this is what American travelers had to say:
The effortless traveler look (chic, comfy, confident): 40%
The mystery — where are they going? Who are they meeting?: 38%
The shared struggle (delays, overpriced food, long lines): 14%
The rom-com vibes of almost missing your flight together: 9%
Either way, it seems the jury is still out about finding a romance at the airport, with only 29% of respondents saying they would use an airport-specific dating app should one happen to exist. Perhaps it’s the fear of rejection, (and then having to spend a plane ride next to that person), that would put people off. Either way, the next time you’re jetting off somewhere special, take a look around because you never know who could be boarding the plane with you.
Methodology
We selected 3,000 single Americans from a geographically representative online panel of double-opt-in members. This selection was further tailored to meet the precise criteria required for each unique survey. Throughout the survey, we designed questions to carefully screen and authenticate respondents, guaranteeing the survey’s alignment with the ideal participants.
To ensure the integrity of our data collection, we employed an array of data quality methods. Alongside conventional measures such as digital fingerprinting, bot checks, geo-verification, and speeding detection, each response underwent a thorough review by a dedicated team member to ensure quality and contextual accuracy. Our commitment extended to open-ended responses, subjecting them to scrutiny for gibberish answers and plagiarism detection.
