Love Connection? Atlantic City, South Florida Airports Ranked ‘Most Romantic’ in USA

Atlantic City International Airport. (Credit: South Jersey Transportation Authority)

Much of the traffic that Shore residents are used to during the busy summer season shifts to South Florida this time of year. New Jersey license plates abound in Palm Beach County, debates over the best pizza can be heard, and bars in both locations are gearing up for big crowds as the Philadelphia Eagles get ready for their impending Super Bowl appearance.

The connection between the two regions is unquestionable, but for those looking for a “winter fling” in either location, they may not need to look much farther than the very airport they’re departing to find love.

The nation’s “Most Romantic Runways” were ranked this week by DatingAdvice.com, a website that covers dating culture and offers expert takes on relationships. Atlantic City International Airport ranked the ninth-best airport as a dating hot spot, with a number of South Florida airports ranking even higher on the top ten list, which includes:

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• 1. Palm Beach International, West Palm Beach
• 3. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International, Fort Lauderdale
• 4. Tampa International, Tampa
• 9. Atlantic City International Airport, Pomona, N.J.

“Atlantic City International has a roll-the-dice charm,” the authors wrote. “Picture meeting someone while chatting about the boardwalk or planning a night of casino adventures. Romance here is as thrilling as a jackpot on the slots.”

The rankings were based on a survey of 3,000 single travelers to rank the best and worst airports for “sparking a potential love story.”

ACY’s bigger cousin, Newark Liberty International Airport in northern New Jersey, ranked number 85 in the study. In South Florida, the most major airport – Miami International – ranked number 15.

DatingAdvice also asked some further questions about airport crushes, and found that if there were a dating app which only matched people at airports, nearly a third of singles, 29 percent, would use it. A similar number, 31 percent, have already flirted with a stranger at the airport. And 20 percent of respondents said they would go so far as to change their travel plans for an airport crush.

When asked what makes someone more attractive at an airport, 40 percent said it was the ‘effortless traveler’ look — someone well  or comfortably dressed, and who oozes confidence. Another 38 percent were attracted to “the mystery — where is their crush going?” For the cynics among us, 14 percent said it was the shared struggle of air travel – delays, overpriced food, long lines – that helps spice things up when misery meets company.

According to the survey, the best airport scenario for meeting someone special is, unsurprisingly, being seated next to them on the plane; 47 percent acknowledge that there is “nowhere to run and hide in that case, and you’re almost forced to talk to each other.” Nearly a third said that getting delayed together meant you could bond over the utter pain of that situation, while 12 percent would be happy to be seated next to a potential partner at the boarding gate, making it easy to talk. A further 11 percent wouldn’t mind being stuck in a long security line behind them, as that would also make it easy to strike up a conversation.

As for how far people would go for an airport crush, a straight-talking 59 percent would simply strike up a conversation at a coffee shop or bar. A sneakier 24 percent would walk past their gate a few times to make eye contact. A few, 17 percent, would switch their seat to be closer to them.

“Airports can be heady places for romance,” acknowledged Amber Brooks, senior editor at DatingAdvice. “There’s an endless stream of people coming and going, hopefully off on an adventure, and the potential for talking to someone new is high. So next time you spot someone you like the look of, just start by saying a simple hello — you never know what could happen.”