Partner section · TUI

TUI family holidays

TUI is the UK's largest tour operator and the market's dominant family brand. This section unpacks what TUI actually offers families, which of its concepts fit which trip, and how to book without paying more than you need to.

What TUI is, in plain English

TUI Group operates its own airline (TUI Airways), owns hotels under its own concepts, and runs a chain of high-street travel shops. For UK families that translates into package holidays where the flight, transfer and hotel are all bought through one company, which matters when something goes wrong and matters for the ATOL protection that comes as standard on a package booking.

First Choice is part of the same group and runs the all-inclusive-first end of the range. If you're comparing TUI and First Choice, you're comparing sibling brands rather than rivals.

The concepts, decoded

SplashWorld

Resorts built around large on-site waterparks with named slides. The best fit if you have primary-age children and want the waterpark to be the point of the holiday rather than a nice extra.

Holiday Village

Family villages with kids' clubs, sport, entertainment and food included in one price. Aimed at families that want less decision-making on the ground.

BLUE For Two

Adult-only. Not what you want if you're travelling as a family, but useful to know exists when you're filtering.

Sensatori and TUI BLUE

The four- and five-star end of the range, aimed at families with older children or couples who want a quieter atmosphere.

Where TUI flies UK families

The big five family destinations, in rough order of TUI capacity, are:

  • Balearics: Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza. Short flights, huge hotel choice, biggest family volume.
  • Canaries: Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria. Warm year-round, strong for October half term and February.
  • Turkey: Antalya region. Long-stay all-inclusives at prices the Med can't match.
  • Greece: Rhodes, Crete, Kos, Corfu. Growing waterpark inventory, quieter than Spain in July.
  • Florida: Long haul, high spend, but TUI operates direct flights from more UK airports than any competitor.

Deals worth knowing about

Booking tips

  • Prices are held for 24 hours if you drop a deposit. If you spot a free child place at a price you're happy with, hold it while you compare.
  • TUI adjusts prices dynamically. Two identical searches minutes apart can return different totals; searching in an incognito window rules out any local cache confusion.
  • Direct-flight indicators are on the search results but the return leg is not always direct even when the outbound is. Check both legs.

For the specific mechanics of TUI's kids-go-free scheme, including 2026 release dates and which board bases qualify, head to the TUI free child places guide.