25 Long Distance Relationship Benefits

If you’re in a long distance relationship, you’re probably sick of hearing all the negative comments about this type of relationship. Well, as someone who survived a multi-year international long distance relationship, I’m here to share a different perspective: all the amazing long distance relationship benefits!

Let’s get to it!

Are There Really Long Distance Relationship Benefits?

“They never work out. They’re not real relationships. Someone will cheat.“

Whether it’s the latest Netflix show or your Great Aunt Wilma, everyone has an opinion on long distance relationships and they’re almost always bad.

Trust me, I know that constantly hearing the negative stereotypes of LDRs can get exhausting. That’s exactly why I decided to write this article on the advantages of long distance relationships.

My long distance relationship taught me important life lessons, gave me time to develop independently, and gave us strength to handle any obstacle going forward.

So yes, I genuinely believe there are benefits of a long distance relationship. Below, I’m sharing my top 25 benefits of being in a long distance relationship, based on my personal experience in a successful LDR and years of observing others’ LDRs.

25 Long Distance Relationship Benefits

1. You’ll strengthen your connection with each other.

If you let it, a long distance relationship can really strengthen your connection with your partner. In some ways, more than being together in person!

When you’re in a long distance relationship, every call or text is an effort that says “I choose you.” There are no more casual interactions. Instead, each interaction is more thoughtful and deeper.

Over time, by handling the challenges of a long distance relationship together, you are only going to strengthen your bond.

2. When you’re together, you value the mundane things.

When Dan and I would visit each other during our long distance relationship, the smallest things excited me: our books stacked together on the bedside table, walking the aisles of a grocery store hand-in-hand, putting my hand on his leg while I’m driving.

Now that we are back together in person, that thrill in the mundane still hasn’t worn off. I get waves of love and appreciation at the most “normal” things, that couples who’ve been together in person would not think twice about.

I think that this is one of the biggest benefits of a long distance relationship. You learn to appreciate small, regular moments… which is what life is made up of, after all.

3. You build lasting trust.

Trust is the foundation of all long distance relationships.

At a certain point, you’ll need to let go of control and jealousy and have faith in your partner. The result is that the confidence and trust you build will continue on in your relationship forever.

In-person relationships just don’t build the same level of trust, as quickly, as a long distance relationship demands.

4. Your communication skills will improve.

One of the biggest benefits of a long distance relationship is that you will develop amazing communication skills.

When you can’t show your love in physical ways, you need to use your words instead.

And that can be difficult.

There were definitely times, especially early in our long distance relationship, that Dan and I struggled with communication. Talking on the phone – without any body language or physical touch – can feel unnatural.

You need to be willing to go deep and be vulnerable in your conversations; if you stick to the same “how was your day” topics things will get real boring, real fast.

Most in-person relationships don’t require this same level of communication.

My long distance relationship taught me how to express myself with words in a much more skilled way. I’ve noticed those benefits not just in my romantic relationship, but in all my other relationships and my professional life as well.

5. You get to travel more.

Travel is an essential part of any long distance relationship. After all, you have to visit each other!

I’m forever grateful for all the travel experiences I’ve had thanks to our long distance relationship. Even if you’re just driving to another town it can still be exciting!

The anticipation of planning your reunion trip can also be fun for weeks leading up to your visit.

6. You’ll be exposed to new cultures.

Carrying on from the above, another benefit of a long distance relationship is that you get exposed to new cultures, and become a more globally aware person.

Dan has learned so much about American culture over the years of visiting my hometown in Michigan and spending time with my family and friends – as well as listening to me rant about politics.

Likewise, I always loved England but by dating Dan, I have such a deeper insight into his country (although I will never understand why they put washing machines next to ovens).

Even if you’re not in an international long distance relationship, there are still lots of regional differences that you can learn about. Maybe you experience city life for the first time when visiting your partner. Or maybe they introduce you to their favorite regional cuisines.

7. Your financial management will improve.

Look, between all that travel, long distance relationships can be expensive AF. But let’s look on the bright side (that’s what this article is about, right?).

Spending large amounts of money just to see your partner means that are prioritizing your relationship – not just emotionally, but financially as well.

The required expenses of an LDR make you re-evaluate what is important in your life.

For us, we learned that we value each other more than money in the bank; we value travel and life experiences; and that money will eventually come back.

Oh and that bit about money coming back? Well, that only happens with good financial management skills. Needing to pay for our visits to each other was quick motivation to budget, save, and increase our earnings!

8. You have more time to invest in your own interests and goals.

One of my favorite long distance relationship benefits is that it gives you the freedom and time to invest in your own hobbies, interests, and goals.

A main reason Dan and I ever went long distance to start with was because I had to finish my college degree in the United States. Later on, we dated long distance again because we both wanted to finish our professional qualifications in our own countries.

I’ve never once felt like I had to sacrifice my personal education and career goals for my relationship – which would’ve been a recipe for resentment!

Additionally, being in a long distance relationship means you have a lot of time, that you otherwise would be spending with your partner. You can take advantage of that time by trying out new hobbies or skills.

9. You will become more independent.

One big advantage of long distance relationships is that they force you to become more independent – which is a good thing!

Of course, it’s very tough to observe loved up couples when you’re apart from your own partner. But on the other hand, you will learn that you can stand on your own.

When Dan and I were apart, I did lots of things that scared me but also showed me how independent I was.

I drove across the entire USA by myself. I paid my own bills, ran my own errands, cooked my own meals, and cleaned my own apartment. I got stranded on the side of a road with a flat tire and you know what? I dealt with it. I took myself out to the movies and on sushi dates. I even traveled to Nepal and climbed Everest Base Camp!

In short, I learned that I am a strong, independent person – separate from my relationship.

10. You’ll grow confidence in your own identity.

A long distance relationship gives you plenty of time alone to really get to know yourself.

Who hasn’t observed a friend in a relationship develop a conjoined identity? Suddenly, they do absolutely everything together and stop going out of their way to try new things. Even when they speak, they’re always a “we,” not an “I.”

And while it’s of course good to do things with your partner, I think some couples take it to an unhealthy extreme.

In a long distance relationship, you have a lot more time get to know yourself as a solo person rather than a member of a couple.

11. You have more time for other relationships.

I definitely believe that one of the bigger benefits of being in a long distance relationship is that you have more time for other relationships.

When you’re in a LDR, you spend less time with your partner than you would if you were together in person. This gives you more time to reconnect with family and friends.

Personally, I really tried to see my LDR in a positive light and invest effort into keeping my other relationships strong. I saw my LDR as my era for strengthening my friendships.

After all, these people are also part of your support network, so lean on them.

12. You will get more creative.

I’m not going to lie… being in a long distance relationship can get boring if all you are doing is texting and calling!

After a while, you will have to start getting creative.

Dan and I came up with plenty of creative long distance relationship games, and we also sent some very cute (if I say so myself) long distance relationship gifts.

This creativity will not only keep your relationship strong, but carry over to everything else you do.

13. You will learn your partner’s love language.

Have you heard of the love languages? They are basically the ways in which people prefer to receive or give love.

The five love languages include:

• Physical touch
• Quality time
• Receiving gifts
• Words of affirmation
• Acts of service

When you are in a long distance relationship, it becomes clear pretty quickly how you and your partner prefer to show and receive love. This helps you build a more fulfillinf relationship going forward.

For example, both Dan and I have quality time as a top love language, which means we are most happy when we prioritize long Facetime calls, creative long distance relationship dates, and planning fun activities during our reunions.

You can take the official love languages quiz here.

14. You’ll get clarity on how serious you are about each other.

As I said in my article about starting a long distance relationship, long distance = long term.

What do I mean by this? It is only worth it to go through the hardships of a long distance relationship if you really see yourselves together long term.

By being in a long distance relationship, you can get clarity on how serious both you and your partner are about each other.

After all, if you weren’t serious then it wouldn’t be worth being in an LDR in the first place!

15. You will feel the full spectrum of emotions.

Being in a long distance relationship forces you into the full spectrum of human emotions:

Joy when you reunite.

Devastation when you say goodbye.

Boredom on long days without each other.

Desperation, sadness, hope, excitement, you name it!

While not all of these emotions seem “good,” they are all part of the human experience, and how beautiful is it that we get to experience this?

After all, missing your partner just shows how much you love them.

16. You’ll learn to resolve conflict in a healthy way.

Like all relationships, long distance ones are not immune from conflict.

Dan and I argue just like any other relationship, but the difference is that we don’t get to cuddle up in bed at the end of the day and sort out our differences.

When you fight in a long distance relationship, you both need to make the effort to settle your arguments through either talking or giving each other space. And if you choose space, then you need to make that choice to pick up the phone again – or it’s over.

A LDR is really a whirlwind lesson in how to healthily resolve conflict. But trust me, it’s worth it. Learning how to respectfully fight – and make up – is not always easy, but it will make your relationship stronger in the long run.

17. Your relationship will go beyond the physical.

Obviously, the physical aspects of relationships are incredibly important. This is the main reason that long distance relationships are hard.

But, try to flip your perspective on this. There can also be benefits to being physically apart from your partner.

A lot of people fall back on the physical side of a relationship to cover up deeper problems in the partnership. In this way, physical touch is like a band-aid to much deeper wounds in a failing relationship.

When you take that band-aid away in a LDR, you learn who you really are to each other. Without the physical side, you can more easily determine if the relationship is right for you moving forward, and if you are really compatible emotionally, intellectually, and morally.

18. Your love is tested – in a good way.

There is no question that a long distance relationship will test your love.

But, any prize worth winning is better once you pass through the test.

Think of your long distance relationship like that. If you can survive this, you can survive anything together.

Your LDR is setting you up to succeed in the many challenges you will face together in the future.

19. There will always be something to look forward to.

So many people go through life day in and day out without a light at the end of the tunnel or anything big to look forward to.

One silver lining of long distance relationships is that you always have something to look forward to: reuniting with your partner!

Yes, being apart sucks. But every day you are getting closer to the day you see each other again. When things feel hard, just remember that you have something to be excited about and hopeful for.

20. You’ll gain time management skills.

It may sound funny, but my long distance relationship taught me better time management skills.

During our long distance relationship, Dan and I often had to schedule our phone calls or long distance dates days in advance.

Early on, things sometimes came up and I’d be late for a call or even have to cancel it. It was not so easy to reschedule because we had a five hour time difference!

I quickly learned that I needed to be on top of my time management as a sign of respect to my partner, but also so I could reap the benefits of chatting to him more!

The lessons you’ll learn about time management from your long distance relationship will carry over into work and other areas of your life, too.

21. You won’t take your partner for granted – ever.

After missing your partner so much while you’re apart, you quickly learn not to take them for granted when you are together.

I’ve noticed that when Dan and I are together, we take more photos of each other than we used to. We go on more creative dates and value experiences where we can spend time with each other.

This all stems from valuing just being in each others’ presence. If we hadn’t spent so many long months and years apart, I’m not sure we would have this deep level of appreciation!

22. You’ll become more resilient.

I know that this is supposed to be a positive article about long distance relationship benefits, but I think we can all agree on this: long distance relationships are hard AF!

The definition of resilience is being able to successfully adapt to and get through challenging life experiences.

Every day that you make your LDR work, you are becoming more and more resilient!

23. You’ll learn perseverance to meet your goals in all areas of life.

Yes, long distance relationships are tough. But they also teach you how to persevere through something difficult, because something even more valuable awaits you on the other side.

The perseverance and determination that you learn from your long distance relationship is going to benefit you in all other areas of your life.

24. Your relationship will be deeper when you reunite.

Someone once told that a long distance relationship was “not a complete relationship.” I’m sure you’ve heard similar comments if you’ve been in a LDR for a while.

And while I disagree with the implications, the statement is true to an extent. Physical touch is a huge part of any romantic relationship and it’s missing from long distance ones.

In place of being together physically, you have to develop better skills in communication, trust, emotional intelligence, and all the other benefits I mentioned earlier in this article.

And guess what? One day, when you close the distance, you’re going to get physical touch back as well.

When that time comes, you’ll find that your history in a long distance relationship has given you a deeper relationship than you otherwise would have had!

25. You’re going to have a great story!

Finally, let’s admit it. Long distance relationships are super romantic. Sometimes I feel like you could write a movie about what Dan and I have been through.

One of the very best benefits of long distance relationships is that you are going to end up with an amazing love story.

Benefits of a Long Distance Relationship: Final Thoughts

I hope that this article has shown you some long distance relationship benefits that you hadn’t thought of before!

After being in an international long distance relationship for years, I learned that I had to think positively – and that there were plenty of reasons to do so.

I truly believe that being long distance can make your love stronger in the long run.

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