10 Types of Travelers You’ll Meet on Tinder

We all work hard to curate our “personal brand” (kill me), but some of us are more adept than others at the art of (photo) manipulation. Hint: If the pic of them at the Taj Mahal looks more like a ransom note than a photograph, you can bet they’re hanging out in a basement and not jet-setting around the world. But is it a trompe-l’œil, or does this bachelor/ette really promise a future filled with exotic adventures?

Date Idea: Go on a hike together somewhere like Griffith Park. You can gear up for your trip to Machu Picchu!

VERDICT: Swipe right to see whether or not they get winded on their way up to the observatory.

The use of arrows between airport codes is commonly found in the Tinder-wild; it tells you all the places your prospective lover has moved to, or it indicates a lack of more defining personality traits. The question is: what are they running from? Are they a travel junky? Army brat? Convict? Just someone with commitment issues?

Date Idea: An Escape Room. You’ll learn a lot about each other while trying to crack codes and solve puzzles, and they won’t be able to ditch you midway through the date.

VERDICT: Swipe right on a chance.

There are not enough emojis on the current iOs to fully express one’s love of travel, but these are some of the most common we’ve found in a Tinder bio: a plane, the earth, sunshine, umbrella, beer! dog… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.  This person loves life’s simple pleasures: beaches, recreational drinking, and fun.

Date Idea: Road trip to a beach town like Ogunquit in Maine, or any of our favorites.

VERDICT: Beach bums swipe right.

With the use of this Drake lyric (another common bio—c’mon, you think you’re the only person to think of using that line?!), this potential match may just be passing through town (read: not looking for anything too serious). Intriguing!

Date Idea: Put the drinks on their tab at the hotel they’re staying at in town, like The Little Nell in Aspen, or any of these places with awesome minibars.

VERDICT: Banish fantasies of adopting a dog together, or swipe left.

Most Tinderites swipe through potential matches so quickly it nearly induces carpal tunnel, so you only have a fraction of a second to make an impression. Point being, better quality photos get better matches. Let’s think about this long-term: if you both like to travel, you’ll want a companion who can capture you and the skyline in the distance in a perfect composition that will make your Instagram followers jealous. On the other hand, this person’s technological challenges might leave room for more romance.

Date Idea: Hit up a state fair and they won’t even expect a selfie together on the Ferris wheel.

VERDICT: Swipe right if you like living in the moment.

The alter-ego of Tinder-traveler #5, this person knows their angles and how to make their breakfast look so good you’ll start to question your mere existence. The best part? Someone may be bankrolling their trips around the world.

Date idea: Get whisked away on an all-expenses-paid vacation to somewhere like the Fairmont Mayakoba in Riviera Maya.

Verdict: Swipe left unless you’re prepared for your date to spend more time on their phone than getting to know you; you might just become their photo assistant rather than their S.O.

A paid plan on Tinder comes with its perks: these suitors can swipe all around the world and plan future trysts in foreign places. The upside: they think ahead and clearly have some expendable income.

Date Idea: After a Skype sesh or two in advance of their trip, ask them to meet you at a dance club, and bring your friends for backup.

VERDICT: Swipe left; it’ll be a headache to track them down during their whirlwind visit, and they might be better online than in person.

Your opening line can be something really cute like ‘Ha, whoa, hope you’re not flying right now!’ or ‘Friends don’t let friends swipe and fly,’ (you can have those for free).

Date Idea: Compare your frequent flyer miles and see if you can take a little weekend trip to somewhere like … San Antonio?

VERDICT: Stable job, loves to travel; swipe right!

Can you say, ‘Ahoy, sailor’? The potential for romance with this seafarer is boundless like the ocean, unless their life, their love and their lady (or man) is the sea.

Date Idea: Enjoy some oysters at Grand Banks, a wooden schooner docked at Manhattan’s east side with views of the Hudson River. They’ll feel right at home!

VERDICT: Swipe right and shack up with this sea dog before they set sail on their next adventure.

A frequent traveler comes in many forms, but one particular type spends most of their time outdoors. The future of your relationship hinges on a mutual love for Burning Man, and (we imply zero sarcasm when we say) that could be a beautiful thing.

Date Idea: A music festival, of course. If Burning Man is not your thing, check out Trans-Pecos Festival of Music + Love in Marfa, Texas, at the ruggedly chic El Cosmico (Beyonce Knowles has stayed here). (I’ve also stayed here but I can’t imagine that would be a draw for you.)

VERDICT: Swipe right and hop in that refurbished Volkswagen.