Jessica Simpson and Ex Nick Lachey Ended Up on Same Flight to Hawaii: What Really Happened (Exclusive Source)

Rachel DeSantis, Liz McNeilTue, April 7, 2026 at 11:45 PM UTC

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Jessica Simpson; Nick Lachey and Vanessa and LacheyCredit: Amy Sussman/Getty; Marleen Moise/Getty -

Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey had a cordial conversation on a recent flight

The former couple were married from 2002 to 2006

Simpson is dating musician Thomas Eisenhood, while Lachey is married to Vanessa Lachey

Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey fly the friendly skies.

The former couple, who were married from 2002 to 2006, were recently on board the same flight from Los Angeles to Hawaii, and made the most of the coincidence, a source tells PEOPLE.

"They all had a nice conversation. Nick, Jessica and [Nick’s wife] Vanessa,” the source says. “It was very amicable and cordial."

TMZ was first to report the encounter.

Simpson, 45, and Lachey, 52, tied the knot in October 2002, and they eventually went their separate ways after four years of marriage and a successful MTV series, Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica.

Jessica Simpson in Mashantucket, Conn. in December 2025.Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty for JS

The 98 Degrees singer married Vanessa Lachey, 45, in 2011, and they are parents to sons Camden, 13, and Phoenix, 9, and daughter Brooklyn, 11.

Simpson, meanwhile, announced her separation from former NFL player Eric Johnson in January 2025 after 10 years of marriage. They share daughters Maxwell, 13, and Birdie, 7, and son Ace, 12.

The “Irresistible” singer chronicled her time with Lachey in her 2020 memoir Open Book, which covered everything from their first meeting to their eventual divorce.

She told PEOPLE at the time of the book’s release that Lachey was her “first love,” and she still respects him “very much.”

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“We meant a lot to each other and we always will,” she said. “I want to be very respectful because I married him for a reason and we were together for seven years for a reason. He has a family now and I would never say anything to disrespect that.”

Meanwhile, a source told PEOPLE earlier this month that Simpson has a special someone in her life more than a year after her separation from Johnson.

Jessica Simpson in Elmont, New York in September 2025.Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty

The source said the star is dating musician Thomas Eisenhood, a former member of the band Stoop Kids who lives in Nashville.

“She’s happy. She’s in a great place, excited for the future,” the source said. "She and Eric are committed to being the best possible parents they could be, having a harmonious relationship and supporting their kids.”

Another source told PEOPLE in March that Simpson and Johnson are still living together in their home in Hidden Hills, Calif. as they “figure out the best path forward” post-split.

“He's been living there, but they're working on selling the house,” the source said of the exes. “The goal has been to keep everything as stable and as friendly for the kids as possible. They still have a great relationship. The main goal is the kids, but they’re moving toward next steps.”

Simpson released a pair of EPs titled Nashville Canyon last year. She’s set to play her first concert of 2026 in Tulsa, Okla. on May 23.

The Lacheys, meanwhile, host a number of Netflix dating shows, including Love Is Blind and Perfect Match.

on People

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”