DateableHow to share your travel plans with a friend before a trip
Tell one trusted friend your date's name, flight numbers and hotel address. Agree when you will check in and share your location for the trip.
Before you travel to meet your date, give one trusted friend the details: your date's name and profile screenshot, your flight numbers and where you are staying, and a time you will call when you are home. This takes ten minutes and keeps you safe if something goes wrong.
What to tell your friend
Pick someone you trust completely. Tell them everything you would tell a friend who knew your date in person: who the person is, when you are leaving, when you are coming back, and where you will be. This is not about doubting your date or creating drama. It is a standard precaution, the same one you would take if you were travelling anywhere alone and meeting someone new.
- Your date's name and a screenshot of their profile photo and bio from Dateable
- Your outbound and return flight numbers and times
- Your hotel name and address
- The dates and times you will be away
- A time you will call or message when you are home
A screenshot of the profile does two things: it gives your friend a face to recognize if they need to identify your date, and it gives you a record of who you said you were meeting. The profile matters because it is your current understanding of who this person is. If something goes wrong, your friend has what you knew at the time.
Do not feel awkward about this step. If you are meeting someone from an app, they already know they are an unknown quantity. A person worth meeting understands that you are being careful. This is part of good first-date safety.
Turn on location sharing
Share your phone's location with the same friend for the duration of the trip 1. It takes one tap and one tap to turn off when you are safely at home. If your phone has a problem or you do not check in, your friend can see where you are.
Check which apps and services offer location sharing before you travel. If you use Google Maps, you can share your location for a set time. If you use Apple, the same works through Find My. Choose whatever is easiest for you both.
Agree when to check in
Set a time and method for checking in. It can be the same as your return call, or it can be during the trip: "I will message you by 9 pm each night" or "I will call you when I land." Anything regular is better than nothing. This agreement should be written down in a message so you both have it in your phones. Agree on both the time and the method, so there is no guessing.
I will text you when I land and when I get to the hotel. I will call you when I board the return flight. I will call you when I am home safe.
If you do not check in on time, your friend knows something might be wrong. This gives you time to get help rather than waiting days for someone to notice you have gone quiet. A missed check-in does not have to mean something terrible: you might have missed a flight or decided to stay longer. Your friend will message to ask, not assume the worst. But the system is there if you need it.
Pick a code word
Choose a word or phrase that means "call me now, something is wrong." This is for if you cannot speak freely. You might be on a call with your date and sense something is unsafe, or someone is not who they said they were, or the situation feels wrong for any reason. You send a message to your friend that says the word, and they call you to give you an excuse to leave.
Our code word is 'pineapple'. If I text you that word, stop what you are doing and call me.
Do not overthink the word. It should be something you would not say by accident, and something your friend will remember. That is all. The word itself does not matter. What matters is that you have a plan for reaching out if you need to leave.
A code word works because it does not explain or argue. You do not have to lie to your date or make excuses. You can say "My friend is calling," you answer, and you can tell your friend the truth while appearing to be on an ordinary call.
When you are away
Honour the agreement you made. Send the message or make the call you promised 2. If something changes your plans, tell your friend. If you are having such a good time you want to extend the trip, tell them. They are not your parent: they are your safety net. This is about keeping yourself in the loop, not about proving anything to anyone.
If anything feels wrong, use the code word or tell your friend directly. You do not have to stay. You do not have to finish the dinner or the night. Tell your date something has come up and leave. Your friend has your location and knows to call if they do not hear from you at the agreed time. Trust your instincts: if something is off, it is off. For more guidance, read about dating safety.
Your date may seem surprised by your safety measures. A genuine person will respect that you are being careful. If they push back, ask why your safety bothers them. That is your answer.
When you get home
Make the call or send the message you promised 2. Let your friend know you are home and safe. Turn off location sharing. That is it.
This agreement costs you nothing and takes minutes to set up. It gives you space to enjoy your trip and your date without the weight of uncertainty. It also tells your date something useful: you have a life outside this meeting, you are careful about your safety, and you are not the kind of person who can be isolated. These are all things a genuine date respects. More tips on staying safe while dating are in our safety blog.
Sources
- eSafety Commissioner (2026). Online dating | How to stay safe.
- Sexual Assault Resource Centre, North Metropolitan Health Service (Government of Western Australia) (2021). Safe online dating.
