Check compensationCheck

TUI refunds: what you are entitled to

Whether TUI owes you money back depends on who cancelled and what you booked. If TUI cancels, the law sets firm refund deadlines – seven days for a flight, fourteen for a package. If you cancel, TUI's booking terms apply and fees can be up to the full price. Here is how the rules work for flight-only and package bookings.

By the EU261 Flight Delay editorial team Last reviewed: How we write our guides

Check compensation or start a claim with AirHelp straight away

In short: TUI cancels a flight: you choose a refund (due within 7 days) or a replacement flight, under UK261/EU261 Article 8 – plus compensation if notice was under 14 days. TUI cancels a package: full refund within 14 days under the Package Travel Regulations 2018, or a replacement holiday. Delay of 5+ hours: you may abandon the trip and get the ticket refunded. You cancel: TUI's terms apply; flight-only fees "could be up to 100%" of the booking, but government taxes that do not apply to an unused flight are refundable.

Flight-only or package: which refund rules apply

TUI sells two different products, and each has its own refund rules:

Flight-only (TUI Airways)TUI package holiday
Contract withTUI Airways Ltd (or TUI UK Ltd if another airline flies)TUI UK Ltd
Main law if TUI cancelsUK261 / EU261 Article 8Package Travel Regulations 2018
Refund deadline7 days14 days
DisputesAviationADRABTA's dispute scheme

TUI's flight-only terms state that the Package Travel Regulations do not apply to a single flight booking. Its package terms state that packages are protected by them. Check your confirmation: it says which you bought.

TUI cancels your flight: refund within 7 days

When TUI Airways cancels a flight departing the UK or EU, Article 8 of UK261/EU261 gives you the choice of:

  • a refund of the full cost of the ticket for the parts not flown – and for parts already flown if the trip no longer serves any purpose – paid within seven days, plus a return flight to your starting point if you are abroad; or
  • re-routing at the earliest opportunity, or later at your convenience.

The refund must be in money (cash, bank transfer or cheque). A voucher or credit is only allowed if you sign to accept it (Article 7(3)). Taking a refund does not cancel your right to compensation if the cancellation came with less than 14 days' notice and was within TUI's control: see TUI cancelled flight compensation.

The same refund right applies if your flight is delayed by 5 hours or more and you decide not to travel. General rules: flight refund rights.

TUI cancels or changes your package: refund within 14 days

For package holidays, TUI's terms say that if it cancels, you can take a refund or a replacement holiday of a similar standard and price. If it makes a major change – for example a significant change of flight time or departure airport – you can accept the change, take an alternative, or cancel for a full refund.

  • The Package Travel Regulations 2018 require the refund "without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days" after the contract ends (regulation 14(3)).
  • TUI's package terms also list fixed compensation for major changes notified before departure, from £0 (84 days or more before) to £100 per adult (7 days or less), with reduced amounts for children. Check the current terms for when this applies.
  • If the package is cancelled because of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, you still get the full refund, but the organiser does not owe additional compensation (regulation 13).

More detail, including what happens when only the flight goes wrong: package holiday flight delays.

Check your TUI Airways flight

Two minutes, free, no sign-up.

What happened?Step 1 of 4

What happened to your flight?
Where did you fly from and to?

With a connection, enter your first departure and your final destination – compensation is based on the total distance.

How late did you arrive at your final destination?

What counts is when the aircraft doors opened at your destination – not the departure delay.

When were you told about the cancellation?
When did you arrive on the replacement flight?
Which airline operated the flight?
When was the flight?

How many passengers were on the booking?

1 passenger

Every passenger gets their own compensation, children too. Infants under 2 without their own seat do not count.

  • Free, no sign-up
  • Fee only if successful (35%)
  • AirHelp: Trustpilot 4.5/5

Rather skip the questions? Start a claim with AirHelp straight away

If you cancel: fees, taxes and exceptions

If you decide not to travel, you have no legal right to a full refund – TUI's booking terms apply. Its flight-only terms say cancellation and amendment fees follow the airline's conditions of carriage and "could be up to 100%" of the original flight-only cost. For packages, the cancellation charges in the package terms apply.

  • Taxes: TUI's flight-only terms let you claim back taxes if they are reduced or abolished; more generally, ask for government taxes and charges on an unused ticket to be returned, as many of them are only due when a passenger actually flies.
  • Travel insurance may cover cancellation for illness or bereavement – check your policy before cancelling.
  • Change instead of cancel: TUI's flight-only terms allow switching a TUI Airways flight to a TUI package with the same dates and destination without a fee.

Chasing a late TUI refund

  1. Write to TUI quoting your booking reference, the date of the cancellation and the legal deadline (7 days for a flight, 14 days for a package).
  2. If you paid by card, ask your card provider about a chargeback; payments over £100 on a UK credit card may also be protected under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.
  3. Flight refunds: escalate to AviationADR after 8 weeks or a final refusal. Package refunds: TUI's terms point to ABTA's dispute scheme. See ADR schemes.
  4. If TUI ever failed financially, ATOL (for flights with an ATOL certificate) and ABTA bonding protect package customers.

A ready-made letter: complaint letter template.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a TUI refund take?

For a flight TUI Airways cancelled, the law says 7 days from your request. For a package TUI cancelled, the Package Travel Regulations 2018 say no later than 14 days. Refunds for bookings you cancelled yourself follow TUI's booking terms.

Does TUI refund if my flight is delayed?

If the delay reaches 5 hours and you choose not to travel, yes – you can get the ticket price back under Article 8. Shorter delays do not give a refund right, but a 3-hour arrival delay may mean compensation.

Can TUI make me take a credit note?

No. For cancelled flights, Article 7(3) and Article 8 of UK261/EU261 require payment in money unless you agree in writing to a voucher. For cancelled packages, the 2018 Regulations require a full refund.

I cancelled my TUI flight. Can I get anything back?

It depends on your fare and TUI's terms; fees can be up to 100% of a flight-only booking. Ask for any unused taxes and charges, and check whether your travel insurance covers your reason for cancelling.

The TUI Airways name belongs to its owner; EU261 Flight Delay is an independent information site and is not affiliated with TUI Airways. Information only, not legal advice.

Sources

  1. TUI Airways flight-only terms and conditions – TUI UK
  2. TUI package holiday terms and conditions – TUI UK
  3. TUI booking terms and conditions (overview) – TUI UK
  4. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (UK version), Article 8 – legislation.gov.uk
  5. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (UK version), Article 7 – legislation.gov.uk
  6. Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018, regulation 13 – legislation.gov.uk
  7. Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018, regulation 14 – legislation.gov.uk

We check every rule against the sources above. Spotted an error? Tell us – see our editorial policy.