- Mr Plane Guy
- 7 hours ago
- 8 min read
TUI Smiles Rewards Club: How It Works, Benefits and Is It Worth Joining?
By Mr Plane Guy, former airline insider, frequent flyer and professional asker of: “But is it actually worth it?”
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TUI has finally launched a loyalty programme in the UK and yes, it is free to join.
The TUI Smiles Rewards Club lets you collect Smiles when you book eligible TUI holidays, flights, hotels, cruises and experiences. Collect enough and you can move through three membership levels, unlocking offers, games, travel treats and faster customer service along the way.
It sounds a little like an airline points programme, but there is an important difference: Smiles are not a cash-style currency like Avios. You do not simply exchange a fixed number for £10 off. They are used to determine your membership level and unlock the rewards available to you.
So, what do you actually get and is it worth joining? Here is the Plane Honest version.
The quick answer: TUI Smiles Rewards Club is worth joining if you use TUI, mainly because membership is free. You receive 200 welcome Smiles, get access to member offers straight away and can unlock better benefits as you book. Just do not expect every Smile to have a fixed cash value.
What is the TUI Smiles Rewards Club?
TUI Smiles Rewards Club is TUI's first global loyalty programme. It started with a pilot in Finland before expanding across the Nordic countries and then launching in the UK and Ireland during 2026.
The idea is simple: the more eligible business you give TUI, the more Smiles you collect. Those Smiles move you through the club's three levels and unlock a growing selection of benefits.
TUI says members can collect across much more than package holidays. Eligible bookings include:
TUI package holidays
Hotel-only bookings
Marella Cruises and TUI River Cruises
TUI Airways flight-only bookings
TUI experiences, activities and attraction tickets
That wider range is useful. Someone who books a holiday, adds an excursion and later takes a Marella cruise is no longer starting from scratch each time.
Is TUI Smiles free to join?
Yes. TUI Smiles Rewards Club is completely free to join, and you do not need to be a frequent traveller or have a previous TUI booking.
You must be aged 18 or over and have a myTUI account. Once you have joined, your TUI Smiles dashboard sits inside that account.
New members currently receive 200 welcome Smiles. TUI also says it will automatically award Smiles for eligible bookings made within the 30 days before you joined. Older bookings do not count, so long-standing customers should not expect years of previous holidays to be added retrospectively.
How to join TUI Smiles Rewards Club
Joining should only take a couple of minutes:
Visit the TUI Smiles Rewards Club page.
Sign in to your existing myTUI account or create one.
Select Join now and accept the programme terms.
Open your TUI Smiles dashboard to view your balance, level and available rewards.
If you are searching for the TUI Smiles login, use your normal myTUI sign-in details. You do not need a separate Smiles username and password.
How do you collect TUI Smiles?
The number of Smiles depends on what you book. Package and hotel bookings are generally calculated per night, while flight-only and experience bookings use set amounts.
Here is TUI's current earning structure:
Eligible booking | Smiles you can collect |
Package holiday | 75–325 per night |
Hotel only | 50–200 per night |
Marella or TUI River Cruise | 150 per night |
TUI Airways flight only | 200–750 per booking |
Experiences | 100–200 per person |
The exact figure can depend on the hotel brand, flight duration and whether the flight is one-way or return. For example, selected TUI hotel brands and long-haul packages can earn more than a standard short-haul booking.
TUI may also run promotions offering bonus Smiles, so it is worth checking your dashboard and emails before booking.
One important catch for families and groups
Only the lead name on the booking collects the Smiles. They are not divided between everyone travelling, and other passengers cannot usually claim part of the balance.
If you regularly travel as a couple, it may therefore make sense to keep the same person as lead passenger so your eligible bookings build one account rather than being scattered across two.
What are the three TUI Smiles levels?
The programme has three levels. TUI has designed the rewards to improve as your Smiles balance grows.
Level | What you can get |
Level 1 | Exclusive TUI deals, personalised offers, selected partner perks and access to the monthly Spin the Globe game |
Level 2 | Everything in Level 1, plus the Pack Your Bags game, trip rewards such as onboard drinks or resort credit, and priority live chat |
Level 3 | Everything in Levels 1 and 2, plus priority telephone support |
The precise offers can change and may be personalised, so two members at the same level will not necessarily see an identical dashboard.
TUI currently promotes partner perks including discounts on travel eSIMs and Boots travel essentials. Check the live offer before relying on a particular saving, as partner discounts and terms can change.
What are Spin the Globe and Pack Your Bags?
TUI has added games to make the club feel a little more interesting than a standard points statement. Every member receives one spin each month. Each spin guarantees either bonus Smiles or entry into TUI’s monthly prize draw, where prizes can include a seven-night holiday or cruise.
Spin the Globe
Level 1 members can take part in a monthly Spin the Globe game, with chances to win prizes ranging from travel treats to holidays and VIP experiences.
Pack Your Bags
Pack Your Bags is available from Level 2. If you have an eligible upcoming package holiday, hotel or flight booking, the game appears in your dashboard between 14 and five days before departure.
You receive one play per departure and every play wins a reward for that trip. TUI gives examples such as an onboard drink or credit to spend at your resort.
That is probably the most engaging part of the scheme. A small reward you can use on your next holiday feels more tangible than watching a points balance slowly climb.
What are TUI Smiles worth?
There is no simple pounds-and-pence value for a TUI Smile.
Unlike Avios, you do not have a standard redemption chart where a fixed number of points buys a particular flight or discount. Smiles are primarily used to move you through the membership levels and unlock offers, games and service benefits.
This makes it difficult to say that 1,000 Smiles are “worth” a specific amount. The real value depends on which rewards appear in your account and whether you would use them.
Can you collect Smiles for an existing TUI booking?
New members receive Smiles for eligible bookings made up to 30 days before joining. Bookings made earlier than that are not awarded retrospectively.
For future bookings, make sure the email address and details on the booking match your myTUI account. If a booking does not appear, check that you are signed into the correct account and that you are the lead passenger.
Can you use a TUI Smiles discount with another offer?
TUI Smiles discount codes cannot be combined with an NHS or Blue Light Card discount. They also cannot usually be combined with another TUI promotional code unless the individual offer specifically says otherwise. Compare the available codes and use whichever produces the lowest final price.
Is TUI Smiles Rewards Club worth it?
The Plane Honest verdict
Yes, join it if you are likely to book with TUI. It is free, takes very little effort and Level 1 gives you offers and a monthly prize game immediately. There is no sensible reason to leave eligible rewards sitting on the runway.
However, I would not choose a more expensive holiday purely to collect Smiles. The programme currently feels more like a mixture of member offers, games, travel treats and priority service than a traditional points currency with a guaranteed cash value.
The strongest benefits may actually be the practical ones. Priority chat at Level 2 and priority telephone support at Level 3 could be genuinely useful when you need help with a booking, especially during disruption, when everyone else is trying to contact the airline at once.
My advice is simple:
Join before your next eligible TUI booking.
Keep the same lead passenger where practical.
Check your dashboard for bonus offers.
Use any rewards that genuinely save you money.
Compare the total holiday price elsewhere before paying.
Compare the holiday price before you book
A loyalty reward is only a saving if the final holiday price is competitive.
Before booking, I would compare the same destination, dates, departure airport, luggage and board basis through a holiday comparison site. IceLolly compares deals from multiple holiday providers, which can help you see whether the TUI option still offers the best overall value.
Do compare like with like. A cheaper-looking deal may use less convenient flight times, exclude luggage or offer a different transfer or board arrangement.
TUI Smiles Rewards Club FAQs
Is TUI Smiles Rewards Club available in the UK?
Yes. TUI Smiles Rewards Club is now live for UK customers. The programme began in Finland, expanded across the Nordic markets and arrived in the UK and Ireland during 2026.
How do I access the TUI Smiles login?
Sign in through your myTUI account or the TUI app. Your TUI Smiles balance, membership level and rewards are shown in the Smiles dashboard; there is no separate login to remember.
Do you get TUI Smiles for previous bookings?
You receive Smiles for eligible bookings made within 30 days before joining. TUI does not award Smiles for all older holidays or bookings from previous years.
How many TUI Smiles do you get for joining?
New members currently receive 200 welcome Smiles.
Can everyone on a TUI booking collect Smiles?
No. Only the lead passenger collects Smiles for the eligible booking.
Can I transfer TUI Smiles to someone else?
TUI Smiles are linked to the member's account and are not designed to be shared or transferred between travellers.
Are TUI Smiles the same as myTUI?
No. myTUI is the account used to view and manage your bookings. TUI Smiles Rewards Club is the loyalty programme that sits inside that account. You need myTUI to join and access your Smiles dashboard.
Do TUI Smiles expire?
Yes. Each Smile remains active for 12 months from the date it is collected. Your membership level is recalculated every 12 months using the Smiles that are still active at that point, so you need to continue collecting if you want to retain a higher level.
Can I spend TUI Smiles like money?
Not directly. Smiles move you through the programme's levels and unlock rewards; they do not have a fixed cash value.
Do TUI Smiles rewards stay the same?
No. TUI says the programme will continue to evolve, and offers can be personalised. Always check your dashboard for the current benefits and the terms attached to each reward.
More TUI guides from Mr Plane Guy
Already planning a TUI trip? These guides may save you a last-minute suitcase panic—or help you decide what to expect onboard:
Ready for take-off!
TUI Smiles is not going to fund a free holiday overnight, but a free loyalty club with instant offers and extra perks is worth having if you already book with TUI.
Join before you book, keep an eye on your dashboard and judge every deal by the final price. Smiles are lovely, but saving actual pounds is even better.
TUI Smiles Rewards Club: How It Works, Benefits and Is It Worth Joining?
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