Does trade routes affect relations?

Does trade routes with other civs make them like me more?

I don't know for a fact, so this is just my opinion. They do not make them like you more, no, but they may make the AI hesitate before declaring war on you. I believe the AI gets the same "warning" message before declaring war that we get, ie, "You have X amount of trade routes, they're allied with X amount of CS". I've definitely noticed that when I have a good number of CS allies and trade routes out, the AI is less likely to war me.

In my opinion yes they do. Nearly always after you send a trade route they ask for a DOF. Try it.

Aheadatime said:

I don't know for a fact, so this is just my opinion. They do not make them like you more, no, but they may make the AI hesitate before declaring war on you. I believe the AI gets the same "warning" message before declaring war that we get, ie, "You have X amount of trade routes, they're allied with X amount of CS". I've definitely noticed that when I have a good number of CS allies and trade routes out, the AI is less likely to war me.

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This one has mixed affects.
The AI is also aware that it will auto-pillage your routes sent to it (getting your gold which it likes) and that you'd auto-pillage the routes it sent to you (which it doesn't like).

In addition there is a feedback loop here. If you have better relations the AI is more likely to be sending trade routes your way, while if the AI is getting ready to DOW you, it will recall all its trade routes for you as they expire.