Published 23 June 2026 | Updated 4 October 2026 by Kate Acaster
TUI charges you a percentage of the total holiday price to cancel, based on how many days before departure you tell TUI. Cancel 70 days or more ahead and you lose your deposit. Cancel 14 days or less before you go and you lose the lot. These terms cover TUI package holidays on TUI flights. Charges can be higher for some arrangements, such as coach tours or scheduled airline flights. TUI Airways flight-only, hotel-only and Marella Cruises bookings have their own conditions, and if you booked through a travel agent, the agent has to tell TUI for you.
Advertisement
TUI cancellation charges by days before departure
| Days before departure | Cancellation charge |
|---|---|
| 70 days or more | Loss of deposit |
| 69 to 63 days | 30% of the holiday price |
| 62 to 49 days | 50% of the holiday price |
| 48 to 29 days | 70% of the holiday price |
| 28 to 15 days | 90% of the holiday price |
| 14 to 0 days | 100% of the holiday price |
Your deposit isn’t refunded even if the percentage works out lower than the deposit. Added extras may not be refundable either, and TUI lists excursions, transfers, room or board upgrades, theme park tickets and airport parking among the elements that can be non-refundable. TUI adds the cost of any non-refundable extras to the cancellation charge, and if you booked with a Low Deposit Offer you pay the full deposit shown on your confirmation invoice when you cancel. TUI sends a cancellation invoice once your holiday is cancelled.
“The date that matters is the day you tell TUI, not the day you decide. Let a shaky trip drift from 70 days out to 62 and the bill jumps from your deposit to half the holiday price. If plans are wobbling, make the call early, because once you’re inside 14 days there’s nothing left to claw back.”Kate Acaster, Chief Editor, Flight Tribe
How to cancel your TUI holiday
TUI’s terms ask you to tell them as soon as possible. You’ve got two routes.
- If you booked online, cancel through your TUI Customer Account or Manage My Booking.
- Or contact TUI directly using the details on your booking confirmation.
- If you booked through a travel agent, go through the agent. TUI’s terms say the agency must tell TUI on your behalf.
- TUI says you should receive a cancellation invoice within 14 days. Keep it with your booking reference.
When you won’t pay a cancellation charge
There’s one exception to the table. If you cancel because of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances at your destination that will significantly affect the holiday or your flight there, TUI’s own terms say you won’t pay a termination fee and your deposit will be refunded. The same right sits in the Package Travel Regulations 2018. Your travel insurer is the place to go for most other reasons, such as illness, so check our guide to whether TUI travel insurance is worth it before you book.
TUI refunds: what to expect
TUI refunds what you’ve paid, minus the cancellation charge, and the law sets the deadline.
- The Package Travel Regulations 2018 say any refund must be paid without undue delay and no later than 14 days after the package is cancelled.
- If you paid by credit card, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act can give you a claim against the card provider when the cash price is more than £100 and no more than £30,000, according to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
- All TUI holidays that include a flight are ATOL protected under ATOL number 2524, and you get an ATOL Certificate when you book.
If TUI cancels or changes your holiday
If TUI cancels, you can take a refund or a replacement holiday of a similar standard and price, if TUI can offer one. TUI also counts these as major changes:
- a change of destination
- a downgrade of your accommodation by one full star rating
- a change in flight time of more than 12 hours, or more than 24 hours if TUI makes the change within 24 hours of your flight
- a change of UK departure airport
After a major change you can accept it, take a replacement holiday, or cancel for a full refund.
| When TUI tells you | Compensation per person |
|---|---|
| 84 days or more before | £0 |
| 83 to 29 days | £25 |
| 28 to 15 days | £35 |
| 14 to 8 days | £50 |
| 7 to 0 days | £100 |
Changing your TUI holiday instead of cancelling
A change can cost far less than a cancellation, as long as you make it early. TUI’s amendment fees are per person, and some changes close to departure count as a cancellation:
- Changing a name or passenger costs £25 per person at any point. Correcting a spelling error is free.
- Changing duration, the time of a TUI Airways flight or travelling earlier costs £50 per person.
- Changing accommodation or airport costs £50 per person more than 28 days out. From 28 days it’s treated as a cancellation.
- Travelling later than planned costs £50 per person only if you’re more than 70 days out. After that it’s treated as a cancellation.
- You can transfer your place to someone else with at least 7 days’ notice in writing or by email, though insurance can’t be transferred.
TUI Flex: what it covers and what it doesn’t
TUI Flex is an extra you add when you book. It’s only available on holidays with TUI Airways flights, departing more than 90 days after you book, and the fee is non-refundable. It doesn’t help if you cancel: the standard charges in the table still apply, and TUI says Flex is not a substitute for travel insurance. What it does buy, up to 28 days before you travel:
- one free change of destination or hotel
- one free change of departure date
- one free change of passenger names, lead passenger included, as long as one person from the original booking stays on it
Frequently asked questions
Can I cancel my TUI holiday without losing money?
Only in one situation. If you cancel because of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances at your destination that would significantly affect the holiday or the flight there, TUI’s terms say you won’t pay a termination fee and your deposit is refunded. Otherwise you lose at least your deposit, and cancelling 14 days or less before departure costs 100% of the holiday price.
How long does TUI take to refund a cancelled holiday?
The Package Travel Regulations 2018 say any refund due must be paid without undue delay and no later than 14 days after the package is cancelled. TUI says you should get a cancellation invoice within 14 days. Chase TUI with your booking reference if either deadline passes.
What happens if I don’t turn up for my TUI holiday?
Cancelling 14 days or less before departure already costs 100% of the holiday price under TUI’s terms, so not turning up won’t save you anything. Tell TUI as soon as you know you can’t travel, because the charge is based on when you tell them.
Can I get a refund if TUI changes my flight time?
Only if it’s a major change. TUI counts a flight time change of more than 12 hours as major, or more than 24 hours if the change is made within 24 hours of your flight. You can then accept it, take a replacement holiday or cancel for a full refund, with compensation of up to £100 per person depending on how late TUI tells you, unless the change is down to events beyond its control.
Does TUI Flex let me cancel for free?
No. TUI Flex gives you free changes up to 28 days before you travel, but if you cancel, the standard cancellation charges apply and the Flex fee isn’t refunded. TUI says Flex is not a substitute for travel insurance.
How much does TUI charge to change a name on a booking?
£25 per person, at any point before departure. Correcting a spelling error is free.
Does travel insurance cover TUI cancellation charges?
It can, if your reason for cancelling is one your policy covers. Changing your mind won’t be. Check the list of covered reasons before you cancel and tell your insurer as soon as you decide.
Kate Acaster is Chief Editor at Flight Tribe. She writes about practical travel planning, budget airlines, baggage rules, city breaks, beach holidays and good hotels that do not cost daft money.
Kate has travelled through Europe, South America and beyond, usually with a notebook, a half-formed plan and a strong opinion on airport snacks. At Flight Tribe, her work focuses on helping UK travellers understand what is included, what costs extra, and whether a trip is worth booking at the price shown.
How Kate works
Kate checks the details that can change the value of a trip, including cabin-bag rules, airline fees, hotel location, seasonality, travel dates and booking conditions. She is especially interested in offers that look useful on the surface but need a proper reader-first check before they are worth recommending.
Editorial standards
Flight Tribe covers deals and travel advice for readers first. Affiliate links do not decide whether an offer is worth writing about.
