Why travel should be shared
If the same person always flies, they end up funding the relationship. Add up all the year’s tickets and split them by your rule, no matter who boards the plane.
A worked example
Three trips a year at $650 each come to $1,950. With take-home pay of $5,000 and $3,000, the rule gives 62.5% and 37.5%: about $1,219 and $731. Whoever flew more gets the difference back in the balance.
Rules that prevent fights
- The host covers the home and everyday food; special outings are split.
- Gifts are personal.
- Calls, data and apps are each person’s own.
- Agree on a yearly travel cap you can both afford.
- If one of you moves to close the distance, the move is a shared cost.
Two currencies
If you earn in different currencies, record each expense in the currency it was paid in and convert when you settle. That way one day’s exchange rate does not distort the whole year.
With Couplesplit
Create a trip for each visit, record expenses in 100+ currencies, and Couplesplit works out the balance in your currency. Personal costs stay in Mine and shared ones in Ours.
Questions
Who should pay for flights in a long-distance relationship?
Both of you, from a shared pot split 50/50 or by income, regardless of who travels.
What if we earn in different currencies?
Compare incomes in one currency to set the percentages, and record each expense in its original currency.
How often should we settle?
After each visit or once a month, whichever is simpler for you.