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Hannah Maxson likes to joke that her and her husband’s vows of “til death do us part” doesn’t apply at the airport.
That’s because whenever they travel together, her husband will head for the TSA PreCheck and Global Entry lines, while she has to take the regular ones. He frequently travels for work, but she doesn’t find the travel programs necessary and doesn’t want the hassle of going to the appointment to get approved.
At first, the California resident said she was “a little taken aback” that her partner left her, but got over it quickly since the separation is usually just a few minutes and they meet up right after. But it’s worth it to her husband, who doesn’t like taking his shoes off or his laptop out of his bag.
“I think it’s healthy to be able to separate in these little moments, unless they’re leaving you for an hour in the line, I would be mad,” said Maxson.
Now going their separate ways has become a lighthearted race to see who gets through faster – and Maxson has actually won a few times.
They’re not the only couple who part ways at the airport because of their differing travel preferences, a practice dubbed “airport divorce” by Faye Travel Insurance. While compromise can be beneficial in a relationship, sometimes doing your own thing is too.
According to a review of hundreds of comments on a July 6 TikTok post by the travel insurance provider, over a quarter of travelers already “divorce” at the airport or support doing so, while 18% said they enjoy sticking together. Meanwhile, about 10% treat the airport as “date time.”
Here’s why some couples “divorce” at the airport to keep the peace.
Meeting your own needs
Travel can be stressful, and people have their own ways of handling those challenges. Traveling with your partner is a compatibility test in a way, but airport divorce highlights how taking the time to meet your own travel needs can also lead to a healthier relationship. When you do what works for you, you can show up better for your partner – or at least be a little less irritable.
Maybe you prefer to arrive at the airport hours in advance just in case something goes wrong while your partner is more Type B and doesn’t even know that boarding started. Perhaps you enjoy walking around the airport to get some steps in, but your partner prefers to sit in a restaurant and nurse a glass of wine.
Chicago-based Carolyn Shelby has been married to her husband for 17 years, and they travel together about five times a year. The two have a formula that works for them – and it includes splitting up at the airport and on the plane.
“I travel a lot by myself, and I have a routine and the way that I move through the airport. If he messes up my thing, it throws you off your game,” Shelby told USA TODAY. “It’s just easier if he very kindly allows me to go off and maintain my routine, and he maintains his routine, and we meet up at baggage claim and everything’s hunky-dory.”
The biggest difference between the two travelers is how uncomfortable economy is for Shelby, while her husband doesn’t mind. It first came to light on a long-haul flight in economy to Europe, when he immediately fell asleep.
“I just spent six hours fuming because he was sleeping and I wasn’t,” she said. “I knew that when we landed I was going to be exhausted and he was going to want to walk around and go see things… It was just a bad start to the trip.”
To avoid this situation, the couple books the same flights on different tickets so Shelby can be upgraded with her points into a lie-flat seat to “have any hope” of getting some rest.
Another time they split up is boarding the flight. Shelby wants to be one of the first passengers onboard because the overhead bin space stresses her out but her husband likes being last. “Why would he want to sit down early because he’s going to be sitting down for the next several hours?” she said.
She admits it may sound unromantic, but it has helped their travels together run more smoothly. When they do meet up at baggage claim or customs after their flight, they’re both ready to go.
“Then you can start fresh,” she said.