How to save money on your TUI holiday: top money-saving tips for families

Everyone loves a holiday. Paying for it, not so much. And while making memories is priceless, the cost of a family holiday can quickly mount up. Which is why it’s well worth seeking out tips and tricks to save money when booking your next escape so that the WHOLE family can kick back and relax. 

If you’re considering booking your next family holiday with TUI, you’re not alone. It’s one of the biggest holiday companies in the UK and is a one-stop-shop for all things family travel. From all-inclusive beach breaks and villas with resort amenities, to family city breaks and luxury escapes, there are loads of options for holidaying with kids. Thankfully, there are also loads of ways to save money when booking. 

To help budget for your next TUI holiday, we’ve put together a list of top tips as well as insights from savvy Mumsnetters to help you plan the happiest of holidays. 

Fuel shortage update: If you've booked a TUI holiday for the May half-term, rest-assured the current fuel shortages will not derail your plans - according to TUI's Managing Director Neil Swanson: "Anyone travelling over May half-term can look forward to their holiday with confidence with TUI. We have good visibility on fuel supplies and are operating our holiday programme as planned, with no flights being cancelled due to fuel shortages." Read the full statement and current advice from the Department for Transport here.

1. Cash in on a FREE kids’ place

- Mumsnet user, RandomUsernameHere

The best place to start saving when booking a family holiday is to look at TUI's free kids’ place deals. Valid across hundreds of trips, you can get £££ off the price of a package holiday by opting for a free kids’ place. The deal means that you won’t pay for flights, accommodation, food and drink and transfers for one child per booking which offers a considerable saving.  

TUI’s handy Free Kids’ Place Finder helps to narrow down the search. Just add the age of your kids and the month that you want to travel in order to see a full list of what’s available. 

Note that the deal is based on two full paying adults and that you’ll need to pay the full brochure price for other children travelling. 

2. Download the app for exclusive discounts

It’s worth downloading TUI’s app to access app-exclusive discounts and offers. You can currently save an extra £10 on package holidays just by booking via the app (valid for holidays departing until April 2026). And you’ll often find that when TUI offers site-wide sales you can save more when using the app. 

It also offers a personalised trip planner feature where you can access top tips and experiences. And you can pre-book kids’ club sessions and activities ahead of time and get live updates on flights and transfers for a smooth journey. 

3. Look out for last-minute deals

- Mumsnet user, PicturesOfLily

If you prefer to leave things late and don’t like to commit to booking a holiday months or even years in advance, you can definitely scoop up savings at the last minute. 

TUI makes it easy to track down last-minute deals that depart within six weeks of booking. It’s best to use the filters to your advantage — consider widening your search in terms of departure airport and travel dates (use the +/- 7 days to keep things flexible) and then sort by price. You can also tick the ‘Free child places available’ button to sift through available deals. 

At the time of writing we spotted savings of up to 30% on top of free kids’ places, bringing the price of a package holiday right down. A last-minute escape may feel like a risky endeavour, but it can also be an exciting one and you could end up somewhere you hadn’t initially considered travelling to! 

4. Discover discount codes 

Don’t book a holiday without first checking TUI’s discount code page as you may well be missing out on a substantial saving. The page highlights live codes that can be used when booking package deals and cruises and it’s regularly updated so it’s worth bookmarking to keep on top of the latest offers. 

Seeing all the deals together means you can work out which saving works best for you. It may be worth trying a couple of the discount codes at checkout to see which offers the better saving. 

You’ll also find TUI’s ‘Deal of the week’ here, a handpicked offer where you can typically find savings of at least £100 on package holidays in top destinations.  

5. Go all-inclusive 

-Mumsnet user, Lj8893

Yes it can be a sizable initial outlay but going all-inclusive can save you money in the long run, especially if you’re partial to a poolside cocktail or two and have kids that like to snack their way through the day. And according to a recent Which? investigation, all-inclusive packages offer better value than DIY trips in a range of shorthaul destinations.

It’s a good way of managing family finances as your upfront fee should cover everything while you’re away and you won’t have to contend with currency fluctuations that may impact the cost of food and drink.

Put in the research to determine exactly what’s included in the package price. You may have to pay extra for certain drinks or to dine in a la carte restaurants for example. Being informed means that you won’t be met with any unexpected expenses 

TUI BLUE hotels include BLUEF!T® and BLUE® EXPERIENCES as standard, so you can also enjoy free sports and activities too. 

- Mumsnet user, Pintoo 

6. Pay in instalments to manage family finances

-Mumsnet user, Meshka

Spreading the cost of a holiday can make budgeting easier and paying in instalments means you don’t have to foot the bill in one go. 

Another pricing perk that comes with booking at least six months in advance is that you can secure a holiday with a £0 deposit so you can swerve the splurge and split the cost across at least three payments via TUI’s Direct Debit scheme.  

Will the current fuel shortages affect my 2026 holiday?

Not necessarily.

According to the Department for Transport:

There is no current need for passengers to change their travel plans. UK airlines buy jet fuel in advance, and airports maintain stocks to support their resilience. The government is working closely with the aviation industry to monitor risks and minimise disruption to passengers.

"If your flight is cancelled, you have clear legal rights, including the right to a full refund or re-routing.

TUI have released the following statement:

We know you may be feeling a little uneasy after recent headlines, and we want to reassure anyone travelling over May half term that they can look forward to their holiday with confidence with TUI. We have good visibility on fuel supplies and are operating our holiday programme as planned, with no flights being cancelled due to fuel shortages.

"Our careful planning across fuel, flying and hotel capacity means we’re able to continue offering great value and stable prices – with no fuel surcharges added by TUI. The price you see is the price you pay, and all TUI package holidays are ABTA & ATOL protected, giving peace of mind from booking right through to returning home.

-Neil Swanson, Managing Director, TUI

About TUI

When it comes to booking a holiday, we know everyone likes something different - from great value all inclusive deals with TUI MAGIC LIFE where kids can go free* at selected hotels to our action packed Holiday Village options and our TUI BLUE for families hotels which cater for everyone and are handpicked just for your family.

Our holiday portfolio ticks off everything from beach holidays and city breaks through to lakes and mountains getaways. We also offer tours that let you experience exotic places like Costa Rica, South Africa and Japan in a brand new way, and multi-destination trips with over 5,000 combinations to choose from. As one of the biggest UK holiday companies, we're here whenever you need us - via our stores, website or 24/7 Holiday line. Book now for 2024 and get a £0 deposit* when you pay via Direct Debit*.

About the author

Rachel Erdos is an Editor at Mumsnet where she commissions, edits and writes content with a focus on family travel.

She has written hotel reviews, features and destination guides for top publications including the Guardian, Four Seasons Magazine, Travelzoo, Visit Britain and Visit London. She loves nothing more than researching and writing about fun things for families to do in destinations near and far, as well as trawling the Mumsnet holiday forum for inspiration for her next trip away with her husband and two kids.