Love is in the air – six things to consider when travelling abroad as a couple for the first time
Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us and if you’re planning something special for your special someone, it might involve jetting them off on a surprise escape.
Around 320,000 people are expected to travel from Manchester Airport between Friday 14 and Monday 17 February, and many of these will be couples enjoying some time away together.
If you’re planning your first trip abroad with your special someone, there are some things you should consider before you book. Here we run through half a dozen top tips to get your next adventure off to the right start.
Agree a budget
When you’re travelling on your own, or even with friends or family, and you book accommodation and plan excursions and activities, your plans are shaped by what you can afford – but unless you’re planning on paying for your other half as a romantic gesture, you’ll need to consider what their budget might be for the trip as well.
It might be that your partner is someone who is happy to fly at a less convenient time of day or tighten spending on accommodation in order to save extra money for nice meals out or exploring your destination – or alternatively, they might want to prioritise finding the right romantic bolthole for your trip and be less concerned if this means cutting back on tours and activities.
Making sure you’re both on the same page on budgets will avoid arguments and ensure you both have the same expectations from your trip – and will also give you a bit of insight on what your other half values in a travel companion!
Choosing where to go
A first trip abroad with your partner is an exciting experience wherever you choose to go – but you won’t be short of options when you’re making that decision if you decide to fly from Manchester Airport, with its network of over 200 destinations served by more than 50 airlines.
If your priority is sun, sea and sand, there are some incredible beach destinations on offer – from longstanding favourites like Mallorca, Tenerife and Corfu, to emerging hotspots like Montenegro, Crete, and Egypt’s Red Sea coastal resorts of Hurghada and Sharm-el-Sheikh, where luxury accommodation and high-quality restaurant meals remain very affordable.
Perhaps your other half prefers a bit of culture – and you’ll find no shortage of that in classic romantic break destinations like Paris and New York. Other favourites with direct flights from Manchester Airport include Pisa, with its iconic Leaning Tower and the surrounding rolling hills of Tuscany, and Barcelona, with dreamy architecture, tapas bars and cafes.
Alternatively, a romantic adventure might mean escaping into nature. Maybe you’re attracted by the charm of the Swiss Alps or the Italian Lakes – both within easy reach of quaint cities like Geneva and Milan, with direct flights from Manchester. Or perhaps awe-inspiring wildernesses appeal more to you – in which case, you might want to take a look at Iceland, with thermal hot springs and natural spas, stunning landscapes and the Northern Lights.
If a love if nightlife is something that you and your partner share, classic destinations like Ibiza, Prague and Budapest would all make for a great city break – but other places to consider with direct flights from Manchester might include Berlin, Riga, or even Las Vegas.
Share a car – and packing space
If you live separately, don’t drive separately to the airport if you can avoid it – you’ll save money and hassle by staying at your partner’s place the night before, or vice versa, and sharing the journey to the airport. This has the added benefit of allowing you to combine your packing – there’s no sense in paying for two half-empty hold bags when you could put everything together in one suitcase!
Plan where to eat and relax pre-flight
You can find detailed information on Manchester Airport’s website about its range of café, bar and restaurant options in each terminal, including menus. Options include local favourites like Archie’s and San Carlo, high street and fast food eateries like Burger King, Barburrito and Pret a Manger, and pubs like the Amber Alehouse by Seven Bro7hers and The Grain Loft.
If you want to add a touch of extravagance to a surprise getaway, Aether offers a private terminal experience – with complimentary food and drink from award-winning chef, Adam Reid, sweeping airfield views from the lounge, a private security screening with no queueing necessary, and a chauffeur-driven ride to your aircraft. Aether packages start from £90pp.
Couples’ travel insurance could save you money
Taking out separate travel insurance policies is likely to set you back more than chipping in to a combined couples’ policy. It’ll mean you’re both also fully across what each of you is covered for – which can make things easier to support your other half if you do find yourselves needing to use the policy.
Take lots of photos – but not for Insta!
Your first trip abroad together as a couple is the perfect time to fill your memory bank for years to come. Take lots of photos, but don’t worry too much about creating the perfect Instagram story or impressing people back home – focus on having fun and getting to know your partner better, and in years to come when you look back on the photos, those will be the memories that are the most important to you!