Suspect Cheating? Check With the Travel Agent

The real clue may lie with your significant other's travel agent.

By
GENEVIEVE SHAW BROWN
June 14, 2013, 7:19 AM ET
2 min read

June 14, 2013— -- Do you suspect your significant other is cheating? Secret phone calls, late-night "meetings," a renewed interest in working out? Sure, these may all be classic signs of a cheater but the real clue may lie with your significant other's travel agent.

AshleyMadison.com, the dating website for people who are already married, said more than 61 percent of their members surveyed – nearly 50,000 cheaters – are planning an extra-marital excursion this summer. The unscientific survey was conducted via email.

In case you were wondering, AshleyMadison.com.com has more than 18 million members in 26 countries.

"There's no better time to pursue a discreet affair than when you're hundreds or even thousands of miles away from home," said AshleyMadison.com founder Noel Biderman. "Our members have stated that the distance not only lessens their fear of getting caught, but also alleviates feelings of guilt."

Of those planning a vacation with their mister or mistress, the majority – almost 40 percent – are planning a trip of three to four days. Only four percent will take a trip of seven or more days. The longer the trip, the more likely it is to arouse suspicion, it seems.

And how on earth do these cheaters pay for these rendezvous without getting caught? Turns out more than half pay for it through a business trip, either directly on a corporate card or through a rewards program (no paper trail!) or by adding days onto a business trip.

So where are these louses headed? The No. 1 destination probably won't come as a big surprise. There's a reason they call it Sin City, after all.

#1 Las Vegas

#2 Miami

#3 Bahamas: Paradise Island

#4 New York

#5 Turks & Caicos

#6 Los Angeles

#7 Napa Valley

#8 Martha's Vineyard

#9 Hamptons

#10 Mexico

Another interesting survey tidbit: Cheaters have airline preferences. The preferred airline, somewhat ironically, is Virgin. And as for joining the mile-high club . . . well, it's not as common as you might think. Only 7 percent cop to joining.