Checked 26 October 2026

TUI flight delay and cancellation compensation: how to claim

If a TUI Airways flight reached its destination three hours or more late, or was cancelled with less than 14 days' notice, and the cause was not an extraordinary circumstance, TUI owes you £220, £350 or £520 per passenger. TUI has an online claim form for flights numbered TOM, BY or BLX. If TUI refuses, the free next step is AviationADR.

Which TUI flights are covered

TUI Airways is a UK airline, so every flight it operates to or from the UK is covered. UK261 applies to flights leaving a UK airport and to flights arriving in the UK. EU261 applies when the flight leaves an EU airport.

TUI Airways operates the flights on TUI and First Choice package holidays. If you booked a package, you claim from the airline, and not from the holiday company.

TUI's form is for flights with a number starting TOM, BY or BLX. Check the prefix on your boarding pass or booking confirmation before you start.

How much TUI pays

The amount depends on the distance of the flight. It is paid per passenger, including children with a paid seat.

Band	Compensation	Example on TUI
Up to 1,500 km	£220	Any TUI flight up to 1,500 km
1,500 to 3,500 km	£350	Manchester to Palma, Birmingham to Paphos
Over 3,500 km	£520	Gatwick to Cancun

On a flight over 3,500 km the amount is £260 instead of £520 if you arrived less than 4 hours late, or if you were re-routed and arrived less than 4 hours after your original arrival time. For EU261 flights the amounts are €250, €400 and €600.

How to claim from TUI

Check the flight number. It must start with TOM, BY or BLX. Have your booking reference, date, boarding passes and any reason TUI gave.
Wait 72 hours after a cancellation. TUI says to wait this long before you submit.
Use TUI's form. Go to TUI's flight delays claim form. TUI also has an information page on flight delays.
Group your passengers. One claim can include up to 20 passengers. Larger groups need more than one claim.
Leave out free kids' places. TUI's statement is that children on a free kids' place are not claimable.

You have 6 years from the date of the flight to claim in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or 5 years in Scotland. Meals, a hotel and transport are owed whatever the cause, so keep receipts.

If TUI says no

TUI must prove that an extraordinary circumstance caused the problem, and that it took all reasonable measures. Circumstances usually accepted include severe weather, air traffic control restrictions, airport closures, security risks, bird strikes and a medical emergency on that flight.

These are not accepted as extraordinary:

Technical faults that arise from the normal operation of an aircraft (Huzar v Jet2.com [2014] EWCA Civ 791; van der Lans, 2015).
Crew sickness, including the captain (Lipton v BA CityFlyer [2024] UKSC 24).
The airline's own staff striking (Krüsemann, 2018).
Crew out of hours, crew shortages and rostering, and knock-on delay from the airline's own earlier problem.
"Operational reasons" with no further explanation.

If TUI refuses or does not reply, go to AviationADR (aviationadr.org.uk), the approved dispute body TUI Airways uses. You must have complained to TUI first. You can go to AviationADR if TUI has not replied within 8 weeks, or within 12 months of TUI's final reply.

AviationADR is free to you, and the CAA says decisions typically arrive within three months. If you accept a decision it binds TUI. If you reject it, you can still go to court.

The court route in England and Wales is Money Claim Online, on the small claims track for claims up to £10,000. The fee is £35 for a claim up to £300 and £115 for a claim of £1,500.01 to £3,000, with bands in between. You can claim the fee back if you win. In Scotland you use the Simple Procedure.

Not sure whether your flight qualifies?

Check your flight

Free to check. If a claim company takes the case it keeps 35% of the payout, VAT included, and nothing if the claim fails. You can also claim it yourself for free.

Claiming yourself or using a company

Claiming yourself is free. The step-by-step guide to claiming yourself covers the evidence, the wording and the time limits.

A claim company is paid out of your compensation. The comparison of claim companies shows each company's published fee, so you can see what you would keep.

TUI questions

My flight number starts with BY. Is that TUI?

Yes. TUI's claim form covers flight numbers starting TOM, BY or BLX. If your number starts with anything else, check which airline operated the flight and claim from that airline.

Can I claim for my child on a free kids' place?

TUI's statement is that children on a free kids' place are not claimable. The regulation also excludes passengers travelling free. A child with a paid seat is covered.

I flew with TUI but booked with another company. Who do I claim from?

Claim from the airline that operated the flight. If TUI Airways operated it, use TUI's form with your booking reference, even if you bought through someone else.

I booked a package holiday. Do I claim from the holiday company?

No. TUI Airways operates the flights on TUI and First Choice packages, and the airline owes flight compensation.

My flight was cancelled yesterday. Can I submit now?

TUI says to wait 72 hours after a cancellation before submitting. Use the time to collect your booking details and any receipts for meals or a hotel.