How Long Should You Date Someone Before Traveling Together?

Nothing compares to a romantic getaway with your partner, especially when you have a solid foundation. Vacations are great for new and long-established relationships alike, but timing is everything. So, how long should you date someone before traveling together?

It’s typically recommended to date someone for between 3 and 7 months before traveling together. A survey conducted by U.S. Travel shows that 76% of respondents say that traveling together is a great way to spark adventure. However, a bleak survey in the U.K. from 2019 shows 1/5 of respondents who traveled together after dating fewer than 7 months regretted it.

Traveling early in a relationship is a great way to build trust, understand each other’s priorities, and establish key memories. The worst-case scenario is that you’ll see you may be incompatible romantically, and that’s okay if it means you must move on. Follow along as we explore how long you should date someone before traveling together.

How Soon Should You Travel With Someone You’re Dating?

There is no set timeline for traveling with a partner but waiting at least 3-7 months is a great idea. Traveling early in a relationship can be risky if you haven’t spent much time alone together. According to a survey from 2019, 1/5 of the respondents who traveled together after dating for under 7 months broke up.

Sadly, 1/3rd of the respondents claimed to have had a horrible vacation with their partner whether it ended the relationship or not. That said, this survey didn’t account for personal factors such as how they met, how well they communicated, and where they went.

Key factors such as compatibility, interests, financial responsibility, and romantic connection ultimately determine how the experience will go. A strong couple could easily travel as early as 3 months whereas a couple with poor communication may fight the whole time even after 8 months of dating. It’s up to you and your partner to decide if your relationship is strong enough for a fun adventure.

Traveling Early In a Relationship

Traveling early in a relationship is a great way to test your compatibility, but it’s not for everyone. Every couple should spend some time away together, but only once there is a certain level of trust. Let’s look at the key advantages of traveling early in a relationship.

Get To Know Each Other Quickly

Getting to know each other early on in a relationship is foundational to your future together. Some couples spend a long time getting to know each other before taking a trip. However, traveling with someone you’re dating can speed things up because you have little time away from each other.

Of course, you want to make sure you know each other well enough to understand each other’s boundaries before your trip. Let things play out organically and communicate naturally about your likes, dislikes, and passions in life.

Build Trust

Traveling with a partner requires trust, no matter how far you are into the relationship. You must trust that your partner will respect your space and what you want out of the trip. Conversely, you must also give them space, communicate well, and find out what they want out of the experience so they will trust you.

You should already have established trust before traveling with someone, but the trip is a great way to reinforce it. Whether you met on an awesome dating app or at a local bar, traveling with a partner is a great way to take things to the next level and show that you trust each other.

Test Compatibility

Compatibility is everything in a relationship, and traveling together brings this to light. You will often be in close quarters together and you won’t have other people or downtime to act as a buffer. This will quickly show you how compatible you are in several key categories: communication, patience, intimacy, and budgeting.

For example, your partner may be more frivolous with money on the trip, and it may be off-putting. You can use this opportunity to better communicate the budget you want to stay on, or it could become an argument. Communication in a relationship is critical, and taking a trip is a great chance to see how well you can communicate early on.

Your trip could either build a strong base and confirm your compatibility or highlight things you need to work on. The worst-case scenario is that you will see that you lack compatibility, but it’s better to find out sooner than later!

Embrace Vulnerability

It’s hard to find neutral ground early in a relationship. You will typically either go to places your partner is comfortable with or vice versa. Traveling with a partner often entails visiting a place neither of you has been before which provides neutral ground.

This may make you both feel vulnerable, but that’s a good thing. The vulnerability means that you will have to lean on each other for comfort as you take in new experiences as a couple. This can help fortify your relationship or show you that maybe you’re not meant to be. It’s important to embrace either outcome so you don’t waste each other’s time.

Adventure Brings You Closer Together

Shared experiences are important at any stage of a relationship. According to a U.S. Travel survey, 76% of non-married respondents said that the promise of adventure is a key reason to travel together. Nearly 80% of the same respondents said having new experiences together is a reason to take trips as a couple.

Throughout your relationship, you will always remember the fun adventures you experienced together. The bonding experience of going to an unknown place and experiencing things together for the first time is romantic. How you and your partner react to these experiences can tell you a lot about one another.

So, How Soon Is Too Soon To Travel Together?

It’s typically considered too soon to travel together if you’ve dated for less than 3 months. A British survey suggests that traveling after dating for under 7 months can spell disaster. Another survey suggests that 63% of respondents say vacations are important for sparking romance.

Whether you wait 3 or 7 months before traveling ultimately depends on how strong your relationship is. If you put one another first, say yes to adventure, respect, and trust your partner, there’s no reason the trip won’t strengthen your relationship.