Who offers Covid cover and flexible booking? Promises of big holiday companies including TUI, Jet2 & easyJet explained
MANY families are looking to book their next UK break or holiday abroad to have something to look forward to after the lockdown.
Tour operators, holiday parks and travel companies are now offering a range of Covid covers to encourage people to book without risk.
While some companies offer Covid-specific insurance policies, others have adapted their current policies to offer customers greater flexibility with payments, holiday dates and refunds.
We've rounded up the key holiday companies to see what they offer.
TUI
's Covid Promise is a package of benefits that are part of its Holiday to Home insurance policy. It includes free changes if you contract COVID-19 before you travel and overseas medical assistance.
It applies to TUI package holidays, TUI River Cruises sailing, or flight-only or accommodation-only bookings, if:
- You’re due to depart on or before April 30, 2021.
- You have a booking made between December 26, 2020 and February 28, 2021, due to depart on or before October 31, 2021.
However, Marella Cruises aren't covered.
The travel company also works with certain healthcare partners to offer COVID-19 tests at discounted rates for TUI customers who may need to provide them for travel.
Jet2holidays
has a Holiday Refund Guarantee that promises a quick refund to customers if the company has to cancel your holiday due to coronavirus.
They've also added special Covid-cover to their travel insurance which covers you if Foreign Office travel advice changes during your trip and includes cancellation and medical cover if you become ill with COVID-19.
You're also covered if you or someone in your group fails an airport check, like a temperature reading or COVID-19 test, and for unexpected expenses, like if your accommodation has to close during your stay.
EasyJet Holidays
has a Protection Promise with loads of benefits, including the flexibility to make changes to your holiday plans later.
If they have to cancel your holiday, you'll be offered a full refund. They'll also give you a full refund on a booked holiday if you simply change your mind about going, up to 28 days before you’re due to travel.
You can keep your deposit as a credit on your easyJet Holidays online account to use at a later date.
Anyone with a booking can leave paying in full to just 28 days before you travel, giving you flexibility if plans change.
Love Holidays
If your holiday can't go ahead due to Government advice or if you live in an area that's subject to a ban on international travel, offers a range of alternative options, including a full refund for holidays from May 1.
Some holidays have a 'Free Holiday changes' label - this means if you book one of those and your holiday is still going ahead, but you can't go, you can change both your flight and hotel free of charge.
There are also refundable rooms available that you can cancel up to five days before.
Their Covid Cover insurance on offer covers anyone on the policy who contracts the virus, is denied boarding by an airline on a return flight as a result of contracting the virus and for medical expenses and repatriation due to contracting Covid-19 while abroad.
British Airways Holidays
flexible booking options include being able to secure a holiday with a low deposit (from £75 per person), choosing flexible payments, and having the choice to defer payment of the final balance until three weeks before travel.
Holidays come with ATOL protection and customers get access to a 24-hour holiday helpline.
If customers no longer wish to travel, they can change their booking for free (paying any difference in price), or they can choose to cancel their holiday and get a voucher for travel right up until April 30 2023.
Virgin Holidays
come with flexible booking policies, including no charges for making changes to your holiday such as travel dates or even your holiday destination.
You also get free Covid-19 cover when you fly with Virgin Atlantic, which means the travel company will take care of health and quarantine costs should you fall ill or experience difficulties due to coronavirus.
Travelzoo
All of 's deals are fully refundable, so you can buy a voucher and if your plans change or you decide not to travel you can get your money back.
When you buy a voucher you can also get to decide what your travel dates will be at a later date, providing extra flexibility.
Travel Republic
All holidays with include Covid Cover Plus, which gives you cancellation protection if you need to cancel a trip due to illness or if you're made redundant.
If you want to cancel your holiday, you get a refund within 14 days. It's also possible to make changes to your holiday plans before you travel.
Butlin's
With the Book with Confidence Guarantee you get your money back if Butlin's have to cancel your break, government restrictions don’t allow it to go ahead, or you no longer feel comfortable going.
Alternatively, you can change or move your break free of charge up to three days before you’re due to arrive. If your new break is more expensive, you’ll be asked to pay the difference.
Center Parcs
Those who book with get protection if the holiday village has to close, if you're unwell from Covid, if you're required to isolate by Test & Trace, if you're personally impacted by Covid or by related Government restrictions, or you simply change your mind.
You can ask for either a date move or a refund within six weeks of your arrival date. This applies for all arrivals up to and including April 18, 2022.
Haven
's Coronavirus Guarantee means you'll get a refund if the park is not able to offer the full experience you booked, including activities, entertainment and facilities, or if the park has to close, the UK Government restricts travel or you can't travel or don't feel safe travelling.
Park Holidays
offer a Coronavirus Money Back Guarantee if your holiday park is closed due to coronavirus, UK Government restrictions are placed on travel or you or a member of your group have been told to self-isolate, or have any Covid symptoms.
You can choose to move your holiday to another date with no admin charge, put your plans on hold until you decide on a new date or cancel your holiday and request a refund.
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Travelbag
have introduced two new policies to all their bookings. Their 'Covid Pledge' covers the cancellation of package holidays for various Covid-related reasons. This includes if you, or someone in your group, tests positive for coronavirus within 14 days of your departure date, if you, or someone in your group, is admitted to hospital due to coronavirus within 28 days of the start of your trip, or if you, or someone in your group, is denied boarding following a positive coronavirus test, receiving a temperature test, or other medical test reading.
Their flexible booking policy means that you can pay a reduced deposit of £100 per person and, if needed, can change your holiday up to 45 days before you depart without any amendment fees.
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Warner Leisure Hotels
has a Coronavirus Guarantee that means you’ll always get your money back or be able to make changes at no extra cost if your holiday can’t happen. It’s free of charge and applies to all existing and new bookings for 2021.
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