There’s nothing quite like navigating the dating minefield in this day and age. Considering that dating typically happens online, whether through social media or dating apps, there are just so many more factors to take into account when trying to meet someone new. You’re honestly not really looking for chemistry anymore; you’re dodging red flags like it’s a game and trying to decide whether someone is actually looking for something serious or just trying to waste your time.
However, for millennials in particular, they’re taking a new stance with dating, and it includes embracing a dating style that’s not typically appealing. In a survey conducted by Dating.com, the leading virtual intimacy platform, responses from 2,000 millennials revealed the biggest shifts in how the generation dates, connects, and builds emotional closeness in 2026.
According to findings from the survey, long-distance relationships, especially those where you’ve met someone online, used to be something people feared. But now it seems like millennials are open to trying it out.
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An estimated 55% are open to a long-distance relationship that may never become in-person, and 7% prefer it. Thirty-seven percent would consider a fully online relationship to avoid dealing with someone’s habits, routines, or logistics, and 8% prefer that right out of the gate, while another 32% say they want online relationships because IRL interactions feel draining.
It’s honestly surprising that millennials are looking for and would be willing to accept a long-distance relationship, considering how strongly people used to avoid them. But part of the appeal comes from the fact that millennials may just be exhausted by the current dating scene and the lack of connection.
There might be something comforting about being able to connect with someone through a screen while thousands of miles away. When being on dating apps is sometimes filled with half-hearted, surface-level conversations and flaky matches, the idea of being able to form a connection from a distance might end up feeling more peaceful than anything else.
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According to a Forbes health survey, 79% of people, especially younger generations like Gen Z and millennials, said they felt “dating app burnout.” While many adults still use dating apps — 3 in 10, according to Pew Research Center — only 1 in 10 “partnered adults” met “their current significant other through a dating site or app.”
The Forbes survey found that 78% of those polled feel dating app fatigue, but it’s hitting younger generations the hardest. Eighty percent of millennials and 79% of Gen Z said they’re feeling burnt out on the apps.
Maybe that’s why millennials are turning to something that feels just a little bit more intentional than swiping on Hinge or Tinder, even if it’s considered unconventional. To a generation that’s tired of having to deal with constantly being ghosted because so many people have been conditioned with a “the grass might be greener elsewhere” mentality from dating apps, connecting in a way that allows people to get to know each other at their own pace sounds much better.
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Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
