Airline codes
BY · TOM
IATA · ICAO · callsign “TOMJET”
TUI Airways’ IATA code is BY, its ICAO code is TOM, and the radio callsign is TOMJET. Type BY and your flight number into a status search to follow a TUI Airways flight.
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TUI Airways (BY) Guide
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Airline
Seasonal London Gatwick to Phuket Dreamliner flights and holiday routes from across the UK: fleet, Premium seats, luggage, check-in and tips for TUI Airways. Ask a question
In short
TUI Airways is the British holiday airline of TUI Group, headquartered in Luton and flying from UK and Irish airports including London Gatwick. Boeing 737s and 787s serve the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands, the Caribbean, Thailand and the USA, often as part of package holidays. It has no alliance. Hand luggage is one 10 kg bag; standard hold is 20 kg and Premium 25 kg.
TUI Airways is the UK holiday airline of TUI Group, formerly known as Thomson Airways and Britannia Airways.
Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with TUI Airways. Routes, schedules and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.
What to expect
TUI Airways is the British holiday airline of TUI Group. It is headquartered in Luton and flies from more than twenty UK and Irish airports, with London Gatwick and Manchester among the busiest bases.
From Euravia and Britannia to TUI
Its history runs back to Euravia in the early 1960s, which became Britannia Airways, then Thomsonfly and Thomson Airways, before the airline took the TUI name in October 2017. Orion Airways was merged into Britannia in 1989, Britannia became Thomsonfly in May 2005, and Thomsonfly absorbed First Choice Airways on 1 November 2008. The legal name changed from Thomson Airways to TUI Airways on 2 October 2017. Most TUI seats are sold as part of package holidays, though flight-only fares are offered on many routes. TUI was the first UK airline to take delivery of the Boeing 787, in May 2013, and flew its first Dreamliner passenger service, Gatwick to Menorca, on 21 June 2013. Long-haul flights such as Phuket use the 787, while the Boeing 737 fleet handles the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands and other shorter runs.
When does TUI fly to Thailand?
TUI flies to Thailand in the British winter only, on a seasonal London Gatwick to Phuket route timed for the Andaman coast's dry season. For winter 2026/27 it added an extra weekly Phuket flight from Gatwick in response to demand, and it sells Phuket and Khao Lak beach holidays alongside new multi-centre trips that combine the coast with Bangkok and Koh Samui. Outside the winter months there is no TUI flight to Thailand. Compare dates on our London to Phuket flights and Phuket to London flights pages.
TUI Airways has no Bangladesh service. From Dhaka, Phuket is reached by flying Dhaka to Bangkok and taking a Bangkok to Phuket flight; for the UK itself, see Dhaka to London flights.
Traffic and fleet changes
TUI Airways carried 12.0 million passengers on 64,200 flights in 2024, with a load factor of 91.1%, according to UK Civil Aviation Authority figures. It retired its last Boeing 767 in November 2023 and in December 2024 ordered 14 more 737 MAX 8s, leased from BOC Aviation. TUI Ireland moves to a partner-airline model from summer 2026, and a seasonal charter to Sihanoukville in Cambodia is scheduled from 19 December 2026.
Fact-checked by the bookingMentor Travel Desk
Reviewed · Updated when rules or prices change
Checked against trusted sources:
TUI Airways official website
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Good to know
- AllianceNone (TUI Group)
- Founded1962
- Online check-inYes
Everything you should know
At a glance
TUI Airways (IATA: BY, ICAO: TOM) is the British leisure airline of TUI Group, headquartered in Luton and flying from UK and Irish airports including London Gatwick. Its Boeing 737 and 787 fleet serves holiday destinations, with a seasonal winter route from Gatwick to Phuket.
| Headquarters | Luton, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Fleet types | Boeing 737-800 (33), 737 MAX 8 (27), 787-8 (8), 787-9 (5), as of August 2025; 737 MAX 8 and MAX 10 on order |
| Official website | tui.co.uk |
Flight routes
Destinations and routes
TUI plans its programme season by season, and long-haul routes such as Phuket run in winter only. Confirm the current schedule when you search.
Search flights
Thailand
London (LGW) departures2 destinations
FromTo LGW HKT LondonPhuket (seasonal, winter) Available airlines1 airline- TUI Airways
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Phuket (HKT, seasonal)
Caribbean
London (LGW) departures1 destination
FromTo LGW MBJ LondonMontego Bay Available airlines1 airline- TUI Airways
Fleet and aircraft
Boeing 737 jets for shorter holiday flights and 787 Dreamliners for long haul.
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Boeing 737-800 Narrow-body Short and medium holiday flights, 189 seats
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Boeing 737 MAX 8 Narrow-body Newer jets on Mediterranean and Canary Islands routes
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Boeing 787-8 Wide-body Long-haul holiday routes with Premium seats
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Boeing 787-9 Wide-body Longer and busier long-haul routes, up to 345 seats
Cabin classes
Economy throughout, Premium on long-haul Dreamliners.
Premium Long haul only
Paid upgrade on the 787
38 in seat pitch25 kg hold + 10 kg hand luggagePriority boarding and fast-track securityUK airport lounge access
Economy All flights
Standard holiday seating
About 32 in pitch on long haul10 kg hand luggage plus under-seat item20 kg standard hold allowance
Frequent flyer programme
Details of the TUI Airways loyalty programme are being added
TUI Airways is a member of None (TUI Group), so you may earn miles with its partner programmes.
Baggage allowance
Your allowance depends on your holiday type, your seat type and any extras you buy. The exact amount is printed on your booking.
Hand luggage
1 bag, 10 kg
Hand luggage size
55 x 40 x 20 cm
Standard hold
20 kg
Premium hold
25 kg
Hand luggage is one 10 kg bag (55 x 40 x 20 cm) plus a small under-seat item. Standard hold luggage is 20 kg; Premium includes 25 kg.
Pro tip: check your booking confirmation, as some holiday types include 25 kg rather than 20 kg.
Travel day
Online Check-in
The four steps below take you from your TUI Airways booking to the gate, whether you depart from LGW or another airport on its network.
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Step 1
Check in online
Use tui.co.uk or app to check in for eligible flights. Have your TUI Airways booking reference or e-ticket number and your surname ready.
Booking ref + surname -
Step 2
Prepare your documents
Pack your passport plus any visa, residence permit or entry papers your destination asks for.
Passport · visa · ID -
Step 3
Arrive early
Each airport has its own TUI Airways check-in and bag-drop deadline, listed in your booking. Allow extra time for busy terminals and international BY departures.
Well before departure -
Step 4
Drop your bags
TUI Airways desks and bag-drop points take your hold luggage. Keep the bag-tag receipt with your boarding pass until the bags come off at the end of your BY trip.
TUI check-in desk
Ready to check in?
Check in and manage your booking on the official TUI Airways website.
Save money
Cheap tickets
Ways to get more from a TUI holiday flight to Thailand.
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01
Book the winter window early
Phuket flights run only in the cooler, drier months, and school holiday departures go first. Fix dates as soon as the winter programme opens.
Nov to Apr -
02
Price Premium for the long haul
On a long overnight flight to Phuket, the extra legroom, 25 kg hold allowance and lounge access can be worth more than on a short European hop.
38 in pitch -
03
Use a soft hand luggage bag
TUI's 10 kg allowance is generous, but the size limit is strict at the gate. A soft bag squeezes into the frame more easily.
55 x 40 x 20 cm -
04
Starting outside the UK?
TUI flights start at UK and Irish airports. Travellers based elsewhere usually reach Phuket faster through Bangkok.
UK and Ireland only -
Ready to compare fares?
Search TUI Airways alongside every other airline on your route, with flexible dates.
Search TUI Airways flights
Reviews and questions
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Visitors are asking
Luton, with London Gatwick as its Phuket departure point.
BY.
Yes, it runs in the winter season.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Everything travellers ask before flying TUI Airways.
Answers checked against TUI Airways’ official sources and public aviation references, and reviewed each season.
General
No. TUI flies London Gatwick to Phuket in the winter season only, roughly from November to April. In the summer months the Dreamliners move to other holiday routes.
Each passenger, apart from infants, may bring one 10 kg bag measuring no more than 55 x 40 x 20 cm. A small personal item up to 40 x 30 x 20 cm can go under the seat as well.
Premium seats on the 787 Dreamliner have 38 inches of seat pitch, against about 32 inches in long-haul economy. Premium passengers also get 25 kg of hold luggage, 10 kg of hand luggage, priority boarding, fast-track security and lounge access at UK airports.
TUI uses its Boeing 787 Dreamliners on long-haul holiday routes. The airline has both 787-8 and the larger 787-9 versions, and the exact type is shown on your booking.
No. TUI Airways does not run an airline miles scheme, so fares do not earn points the way they would with British Airways or a Gulf carrier. Holiday offers and Premium upgrades are sold directly instead.
Yes. The airline flew as Thomson Airways from 2009, after Thomsonfly and First Choice merged their flying, and was renamed TUI Airways in 2017. The ICAO code TOM is a reminder of the Thomson years.
They belong to the same group but are separate airlines. TUI fly Deutschland flies holidaymakers from Germany, while TUI Airways serves the UK and Ireland.
TUI Airways is headquartered in Luton, United Kingdom. Its main hub is Gatwick Airport.
Getting there
London Gatwick. For winter 2026/27 the airline added one more weekly Phuket departure from Gatwick, so there is more choice of days than before. Our London to Phuket flights page compares TUI with one-stop options.
Yes. TUI sells flight-only seats on many routes as well as package holidays. Availability on long-haul routes such as Phuket depends on how many seats are left after holiday bookings.
23 airports in the UK and Ireland, to over 80 destinations.
Yes, TUI offers online check-in through its website and app before departure. You still drop hold luggage at the TUI desk at Gatwick and show your passport there.
TUI Airways uses the IATA code BY and the ICAO code TOM. Its radio callsign is TOMJET.
What's included
The standard allowance is 20 kg per person, and some holiday types include 25 kg. Your booking confirmation and Manage My Booking show the figure that applies to you.
Timing & weather
TUI's season matches the dry months on the Andaman coast, from about November to April. School holiday weeks tend to fill first, so book early if your dates are fixed.