Find cheap TUI Airways flights

TUI Airways is a British airline specialising in package holidays, operating flights from over 20 UK airports to more than 100 destinations across Europe, Africa and long-haul locations including Thailand and Costa Rica.

It’s now the fourth-largest UK airline by passengers carried and the world’s tenth-largest by route pairings served. TUI flights make it easy to book all-in-one holidays that bundle your flight, hotel stay and often food packages at your destination.

Why should you consider TUI Airways?

TUI Airways’ biggest advantage is accessibility. Unlike most UK airlines that only fly from major hubs, TUI operates from over 20 airports across the UK, from London Heathrow and Gatwick to regional airports like Leeds Bradford and Exeter. This extensive network means travellers who live away from London can use their local airport.

It’s easy for customers to create a package holiday around a TUI Airways flight directly on their website. Beach holidays come to mind for most when you think of package deals, but TUI also offers city breaks, activity-focused holidays and trips to lakes and mountains. I’ve used TUI packages to book a trip to Rhodes, and it was a really easy process.

Destinations

TUI Airways’ route network covers multiple continents to suit different holiday styles. Long-haul routes include Thailand, Costa Rica and Kenya, all direct from the UK. European options range from popular spots like France, Spain, and Italy to more distinctive destinations like North Macedonia and Croatia.

I’ve flown TUI to the Greek islands of Kos and Rhodes, Bourgas in Bulgaria, Iceland and Portugal for both flight-only and package holidays. I love that TUI Airways is really family friendly with the extra space seats, which is a unique feature. The ‘kids fly free’ policy for selected package holiday destinations is a great way to save money, too.

Standard economy and TUI Premium

TUI Airways offers Premium seating on 787 Dreamliner long-haul return flights for package holidays or cruises. The upgrade includes:

• 25kg hold luggage, separate check-in line and priority boarding, fast-track security

• Airport lounge access on outbound flights from the UK and Ireland, 38-inch seat pitch

• Noise-reducing headphones and free premium drinks

• Four-course meal plus a lighter second meal before landing

• Rituals® amenity kit

Standard economy offers solid comfort too. The seats are padded, which I find makes them much more comfortable than competitor airlines. For the taller amongst us, there are also extra legroom seats available to book for a small extra fee. These seats offer an extra two inches of legroom versus standard seats.

TUI also offers extra space seats, which are particularly useful for families with small children. These are positioned close to or next to emergency exits, behind bulkheads or dividing walls. Note that certain seats are marked as unsuitable for passengers flying with children on their lap, so check carefully when selecting.

Food and drink in economy

TUI Airways operates a buy-on-board model for short and mid-haul flights (under seven hours). The onboard TUI Café offers hot and cold snacks and drinks for purchase, and on flights longer than 3.5 hours on eligible routes, you can also pre-order a hot meal with menu options including toasties, chips, muffins and crisps.

Meal deals bundle a sandwich, crisps or chocolate, and a drink. If you’re feeling fancy, you can even pre-order champagne and chocolates (just make sure you contact TUI at least 80 hours before your departure.)

Long-haul flights include complimentary meals. You’ll get a main meal with wine or juice, followed by tea or coffee, and breakfast or a light bite before landing depending on timing. If you have special meal requirements, contact TUI to arrange these in advance.

In-flight entertainment and Wi-Fi

Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which TUI uses for longer-haul routes, come with in-seat screens offering over 400 hours of free movies, TV shows and audio content. This helps pass the time on extended flights without needing to rely on your own devices.

For shorter flights, you’ll need to check your aircraft type before departure. Streaming to personal devices via the TUI Wi-Fi Network is being rolled out on selected Boeing 737 aircraft, including the 737-8. Not all 737s have this capability, so it’s worth confirming in advance if connectivity matters to you.

Baggage policy and fees

Every TUI Airways ticket includes a 55x40x20cm cabin bag weighing up to 10kg, plus a small personal item such as a backpack, laptop bag, or handbag to fit under the seat in front.

Package holiday bookings also include 20kg of checked luggage per person, but flight-only passengers can add one 15kg bag for a fee, with extra per-kilo charges that differ between short/mid-haul and long-haul flights.

I like the different weight options as it’s offered me the chance to save money checking in luggage for a short city break when I have packed less versus taking advantage of that maximum 25kg allowance for holidays that have been for ten days or more. Most UK airlines cap checked luggage at 23kg, so those extra couple of kilos from TUI Airways are appreciated for longer breaks.

Changes and cancellation

You can change the name of any non-lead passenger for £50 per person after you’ve made the initial booking. Don’t worry though, TUI makes genuine spelling corrections for free. For online or app bookings, changes can be made through your Customer Account or Manage My Booking, while store bookings can be handled by the store. You can also upgrade your flight seats, add luggage or add any airport extras like parking or a hotel for the relevant fee.

This flexibility around passenger names is really useful, even with the fee. I was a lead passenger for a group booking to Greece. One of my friends had a family matter that meant she couldn’t come away, so I changed the name on the booking to someone else who could make it. This isn’t an option for every airline, so this is a big win for those whose plans may change.

Day-before bag drop

TUI Airways offers day-before bag drop at selected UK airports for eligible flights departing before midday, including Birmingham, London Gatwick, Manchester, Bristol, Newcastle, Glasgow, and East Midlands. This means you can check in your bags the evening prior and walk straight to security on the day of your flight. This can help avoid long bag drop queues and means you can have an extra hour or so in bed, too.

Lounge access

When travelling Premium on a TUI Airways flight, you’ll get lounge access for up to three hours before your outbound flight at selected airports. These include the North Terminal at London Gatwick, Manchester Terminal 2, Glasgow, Birmingham, Newcastle International, East Midlands, London Stansted, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Bristol, and Belfast. Outside of the UK, there’s lounge access available at Melbourne Orlando International Airport in Florida.

My flights with TUI Airways

I’ve been flying TUI Airways for years, starting with my first plane journey to Kos with my family. Since then, I’ve used the airline for both package holidays and flight-only trips to destinations including Rhodes, Bulgaria, Iceland and Portugal.

Most recently, I booked a five-day break to Reykjavik using TUI for flights only, and the fare was very competitive. My husband and I opted for extra legroom seats on both flights. The plane wasn’t full, but all extra legroom seats were occupied, so it’s a good idea to book these seats as far ahead as possible if more legroom is a non-negotiable for you. As someone who’s 5ft 11in tall, I am someone who comes under this category!