Published 23 June 2026 | Updated 4 October 2026 by Kate Acaster
When does TUI check in open? For most passengers, it’s 48 hours before your scheduled departure time. Upgrade to Premium, Extra Legroom, Extra Space or Select Your Seat, and that window extends to 14 days. Flying to Mexico or Jamaica? A separate rule applies: check-in opens 24 hours before departure. Here’s what each window means in practice, and how to use TUI Manage My Booking to check in.
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TUI check-in opens 48 hours before departure
For most TUI passengers on most routes, online check-in opens 48 hours before the scheduled departure time. If your flight leaves at 07:30, check-in opens at 07:30 two days before. The window runs from your departure time, not from midnight. You check in for your outbound and return flights separately, and each window opens on its own, based on that flight’s departure time.
TUI flights carry the flight code prefix TOM or BY. Both use the same Manage My Booking system on tui.co.uk, and TUI doesn’t charge you to check in online, on the website or the TUI app.
- Log in with your booking reference, the lead passenger’s surname and your departure date.
- If you’ve already bought Select Your Seat, that seat carries through to check-in automatically. You don’t pay again or re-select.
- Adding or changing a seat during check-in may cost extra, depending on availability.
“Check-in on TUI runs to the clock, not the calendar. Your window opens at the same clock time your flight leaves, just days earlier, and the return flight gets its own window that opens separately. Set two reminders when you book, one for each leg, timed to the minute each flight departs, and check-in will never catch you out.”Kate Acaster, Chief Editor, Flight Tribe
How to check in online with TUI
Check-in takes a few minutes. You’ll need three things to hand: your booking reference, the lead passenger’s surname and your departure date. The steps are the same on the website and the TUI app.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Go to tui.co.uk and open Manage My Booking |
| 2 | Enter your booking reference, the lead passenger’s surname and your departure date |
| 3 | Select ‘check-in’ from the options available |
| 4 | Confirm passenger details and any seat preferences |
| 5 | Download your boarding pass to your phone, or print it |
Premium and Select Your Seat: check-in opens 14 days early
Passengers who’ve added certain upgrades can check in much earlier than the standard 48-hour window. If your TUI booking includes any of the following, online check-in opens 14 days before departure.
| Seat or upgrade type | Check-in opens |
|---|---|
| Premium | 14 days before departure |
| Extra Legroom seats | 14 days before departure |
| Extra Space seats | 14 days before departure |
| Select Your Seat | 14 days before departure |
| Standard (no upgrade) | 48 hours before departure |
You can add Select Your Seat through Manage My Booking before your check-in window opens. Buying it earlier gives you a wider choice of seats and unlocks the 14-day check-in window. The 14-day window applies to TUI Airways flights, which carry TOM or BY flight numbers. If you’re flying with a TUI partner airline, separate check-in rules apply.
Mexico and Jamaica: the 24-hour rule
TUI applies a specific rule to flights to Mexico and Jamaica. Whatever your seat type or upgrade, online check-in for these destinations doesn’t open until 24 hours before your scheduled departure. The rule covers both outbound and inbound flights on those routes, and the standard 48-hour and 14-day windows don’t apply.
When does TUI check-in close?
TUI online check-in closes one hour before your scheduled departure time. If you haven’t checked in by then, you’ll need to use the airport desk instead. Lost your boarding pass after checking in? Re-download it from Manage My Booking while the check-in window is still open. Once it closes, speak to a TUI representative at the airport.
What if I can’t check in online?
TUI runs check-in desks at all UK departure airports. If online check-in isn’t available, because you’re on a partner airline booking or you’ve hit a technical problem, check in at the airport instead. Partner airline flights may have different timings and processes. The details are in TUI’s Flying with Other Airlines FAQs on tui.co.uk.
More TUI guides
- Flying with TUI: what UK passengers need to know
- TUI seat selection: options, prices and how to choose
- TUI baggage allowance: hand luggage and hold bags
- When does TUI release flights and holidays?
- When does TUI have sales?
TUI check-in FAQs
When does TUI check-in open?
TUI check-in opens 48 hours before your scheduled departure time. If you’ve added Premium, Extra Legroom seats, Extra Space seats or the Select Your Seat option to your booking, check-in opens 14 days before departure.
Can I check in 14 days before my TUI flight?
Yes, but only if your booking includes Premium, Extra Legroom seats, Extra Space seats or the Select Your Seat option. Standard passengers can check in from 48 hours before departure.
What time exactly does TUI check-in open?
The 48-hour window opens at the same clock time as your scheduled departure. If your flight leaves at 09:30, check-in opens at 09:30 two days earlier. There’s no midnight reset.
What do I need to check in online with TUI?
You need your booking reference, the surname of the lead passenger and your departure date. Log in to Manage My Booking on tui.co.uk, then select ‘check-in’.
When does TUI online check-in close?
TUI online check-in closes one hour before your scheduled departure time. After that, you must check in at the airport desk.
Do I have to check in separately for my return TUI flight?
Yes. You check in for your outbound and return flights separately, within the check-in window for each flight. The two windows open independently.
Does TUI charge to check in online?
No. TUI online check-in is free. You may be able to pay to select or change your seat during check-in, but check-in itself carries no charge.
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.
