Tinder’s Passport feature got me a great date and tour of Milan

Tinder’s Passport feature isn’t the newest, but it’s beneficial for getting dates in other countries.

Tinder set me up with its Platinum subscription, which includes features like Passport Mode. This mode allows you to search for dates in a specific city, see who likes you, prioritize likes, and control who can see you on the app. For total transparency, Tinder also gave me some date money to buy a drink or two on my dates—journalists don’t make much money.

I used the feature before heading to Milan earlier this year, and I had a pretty solid date when I got to the Italian city.

The pictures included in this article are from my couple of dates in Milan. 

Here’s how I used it:

In July, I had two tech events in Europe, one in Paris and the other in Milan. So, a month before my trip, I switched my Tinder to these locations. Because Tinder only recognizes one area at a time, I would switch back and forth between the cities to collect matches. Tinder Platinum is a cheat code because you don’t need to swipe at all; place yourself at these locations, log on to Tinder and see who likes you. Swiping through people who already liked you is a better use of time than swiping people you don’t have a chance with. Further, swiping people who’ve already liked me doesn’t mess with my sense of rejection. Anywho, I went through these guys, and I spoke with my matches.

I know French, so I had no issues speaking with guys from Paris; however, I decided to include “EN/FR only” as I couldn’t talk with some Italian guys. All these options made it much easier than talking to guys on Grindr, which has a translation feature but also makes for awkward situations when you go on a date and neither speak the same language. After including my language preferences, I matched with many English-speaking users. I also included the dates I’d be in each country, but I still got my share of confused matches: “Why are you swiping in Italy if you live in Canada?” and “How are you swiping in Europe if you’re in North America?”

Despite some confused matches and others who didn’t want to speak with me because I wasn’t in their country, I got to know some of my matches before heading to Europe. And once in Paris, talking to guys in Milan (despite not being in the country) was a lot easier because we were in the same time zone. So, while I didn’t go out on any dates in Paris, conversing with guys in Milan became a lot easier.

The vibe was vibing during our conversations with one of my Milan matches, so I decided to meet him on one of my first nights there. Because I could speak to him for a while before the date, I felt more comfortable, and his English was excellent—which he mentioned during our Tinder chats. We had multiple dates during the week, resulting in a free tour of Milan from a local. I learned which areas I shouldn’t walk around at night; I got the tea about specific events, saw many monuments and historical places, and learned about them. It was a great experience, and speaking for a week or two before actually getting to Italy created a more comfortable dynamic, even though I was on a continent far from home.

It’s Tinder, so it’s not guaranteed you’ll get any matches or conversations that lead anywhere. However, instead of swiping when away, do all the swiping beforehand so you’re not wasting time on business trips or when you’re on vacation. I went to Berlin in September and had my Tinder location near my hotel for about a week before my trip. I didn’t match with anyone I wanted to go on a date with, and when I got to the city, I barely used Tinder because I already saw my options ahead of time. Of course, I would check for new likes throughout my trip, but I didn’t get stuck mindlessly swiping for an extended period.

It’s also kind of fun just swiping in places you know you’re heading to, and it’s something I’ll probably do until I’ve found a partner or my one-year subscription runs out. Suppose everything in my life goes as planned. In that case, I’ll be swiping in Miami, Calgary, Las Vegas, London, Barcelona, and Tokyo ahead of work trips to those destinations in the next several months; if you’re in one of these cities, keep an eye out for me, and let’s grab some drinks. 😉

I’m also heading to Maui for work in a couple of weeks, and my Tinder Passport is currently set to that location, so wish me luck.

Since this journey, I’ve been far more receptive to people swiping from far away using Tinder Passport when I’m home in Toronto. I even planned a date with someone coming to Toronto in November, as I’d been talking to them before they moved to Canada. Toronto is not the easiest place to go out on dates, and when you’re travelling, it can feel strange going out on dates with someone you matched with hours before (take my word for it), but using Tinder Platinum and the Passport feature, dating is a little easier.

While Tinder gave me the Platinum version of the app, it’s worth noting that Passport Mode is available with Tinder Plus and up. However, if you want the cheat code of only matching with people who’ve already liked you, you’ll need Tinder Gold or higher.

In Canada, a Tinder subscription varies based on the plan and how long you sign up for:

• Tinder Plus – One Week = $9.99
• Tinder Gold – One Week = $14.99
• Tinder Platinum – One Week = $19.99

Of course, the price will increase if you purchase a monthly or yearly subscription, but some savings will also be included.

You can change your location with Passport by tapping your profile icon, opening the “Settings” tab, scrolling down, tapping “location,” and then adding a new location.

While Tinder Passport is an excellent feature for those travelling or if you’re moving to another city, Tinder has another recently launched feature called Matchmaker. Matchmaker lets your friends swipe on potential matches. I’m also trying to use this functionality to get dates in GTA, and I’ll follow up with how this experience goes in the next month or two.

Header image credit: Tinder