If you've ever found yourself bickering over boarding times, long queues or last-minute duty-free shopping, you're not alone. Airports have a way of turning even the most compatible couples into a chaos-filled sitcom.
But a new trend sweeping social media may be the antidote to travel tension. It's called the airport divorce, and it's changing how couples travel together.
A Playful 'Breakup' Before Take-Off
Contrary to what its name suggests, an airport divorce has nothing to do with ending relationships. It's a light-hearted, temporary separation designed to make travel smoother.
The idea is simple: once the serious business of check-in and security is done, couples intentionally part ways inside the terminal. One may head to browse skincare in duty-free while the other hunts for snacks or lounges near the gate. They reunite later - calmer, happier, and ready to fly.
'Airport Divorce' Becomes A Trend
The term airport divorce was first coined by travel writer Huw Oliver in The Sunday Times earlier this year. Oliver described it as a "relationship-saving manoeuvre" that helps partners avoid mid-air meltdowns before the plane even leaves the runway.
Since then, the concept has taken off online, particularly among Gen Z and millennial travellers who are big on emotional self-awareness and independence.
Instagram users have flooded the platform with confessions tagged #AirportDivorce, often joking that it's the secret to a drama-free holiday.
Even celebrity couples are embracing the idea. Television hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos recently shared on their show that they, too, practise a version of airport divorce-he prefers to arrive early, she likes to cut it close.
Their solution? Spend the pre-flight period apart and reunite at boarding.
Ultimately, airport divorce isn't a sign of distance. It acknowledges that airports bring out our quirks, and that love sometimes thrives best when given a little breathing room.
So next time you're travelling as a couple, consider trying it. You might just discover that a short separation before take-off leads to a smoother journey.
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