You know that feeling when you’re on a dinner date, and you keep checking your phone, desperately waiting for the check to arrive. Now, imagine that date is actually a multi-day vacation.
A recent Booking.com survey found that 37% of people were willing to test their compatibility with a vacation. Known as a “turbulence test,” travelers are increasingly looking to fast-track their relationships like it’s the TSA Precheck line.
For some, this could be a few hours’ trip to a lakeside cabin for the weekend, where things like driving, starting a campfire and cooking could factor into the long-term viability of the relationship. For other, slightly more daring couples, they may embark on an international trip to Europe or Asia for a weeks-long marathon of getting to know everything about the other person, and seeing if they can stomach spending 24 hours a day with them.
I met my partner on the latter kind of trip that would unintentionally turn into a “turbulence test.” He and I were in the same tour group on a three-week journey around Southeast Asia. We spent those three weeks getting to know everything about each other, and at the end, we went back to our separate lives in New York City and Melbourne, Australia. Despite my mother’s concerns that it was just a holiday romance, that extended period of time together helped us build a strong foundation. Twelve years later, we’re still traveling the world together.
After all, if things aren’t working out under the relaxed, adventurous bliss of a vacation, then they certainly won’t when you’re trudging through your 9-to-5, dealing with the stresses of everyday life.
Relationship expert and chief divorce Educator at PartWise, Kimberly Miller, says, “Travel introduces unpredictability, like delays, unfamiliar locations, following directions, day-to-day expenditures, and more. These things can quickly reveal conflict resolution challenges and communication differences.”
Hotels are taking notice of the travel trend and even offering incentives for burgeoning couples. At The Loutrel hotel in Charleston, South Carolina, guests who book a “turbulence test” stay get a $100 credit to the hotel’s cocktail bar, Veranda Lounge, along with a deck of conversation cards to help break the ice and deepen the connection.
If the couple is still dating one year later, they get 27% off their 2027 stay. And if they’re engaged after a year, the Loutrel will throw them a free elopement experience on the hotel’s rooftop terrace, with bubbles and a wedding cake.
“We wanted to lean into couples’ curiosity about their connection in a way that felt both playful and intentional, offering guests not just a relaxing stay, but an experience that could deepen their bond or help them gain clarity,” says Karl von Ramm, general manager of The Loutrel. “At the same time, Charleston provides a romantic and dynamic backdrop with rich culture, incredible dining, walkable streets, and just enough unpredictability to create those “turbulence” moments.”
Latifah Al-Hazza, a freelance journalist, takes her partners on a trip within the first month of dating. “I want to get it over with, to be honest. I don’t want to fall for someone and travel with them six months in and realize they are prejudiced towards other cultures, they’re rude to certain ethnicities, they can’t handle mishaps in travel plans, or they get frustrated easily,” she says. “I would rather find all of this out immediately before my feelings get in the way, or as they say, before the possibility of seeing things through rose-colored glasses.”
During a trip to Zanzibar, she learned her date was kind to strangers and loved learning about other countries’ cultures and traditions. She found he was open to trying new things and excited to meet people. But Al-Hazza also discovered that he wasn’t a big planner and didn’t like taking the lead when it came to decision-making.
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