Frequently Asked Questions

You can find the link to Manage My Booking at the top of the page if you’re looking on desktop, or under ‘Trips’ if you’re using the app.

You’ll need the following details to log in, which you’ll find on your confirmation email:

Booking reference, e.g. 12345678

Lead passenger surname

Departure date

We offer lots of extras for you to pick from to make your holiday right for you. You’ll find all the details on our Holiday Extras page.

For everything deposits, payment options and how to pay, take a look at our ways to pay page.

If you’ve got any questions or you can’t pay your balance by the due date, please call us ASAP on 0203 451 2690.

Check out our low deposits page for more info.

We offer a huge range of flights with many of our trusted airlines, but sometimes the route you want might not be available on the day you want. Try searching for a different airport or adjusting your dates – you could try using ‘+/- 3 days’ or looking at the full month in the departure date for our best range of availability.

If a single room is available at the hotel you’ve chosen, you’ll usually be able to select it from the Travel Options page when you’re booking.

Can’t find a single room? Give us a call on 0203 451 2690 and select option 1, and we’ll check the options for you. Calls from UK landlines cost the standard rate, but calls from mobiles may be higher. Check with your network provider.

Congratulations! If your baby hasn’t been born when you book and you haven’t chosen a name yet, enter their name as ‘Inf X’ followed by their surname. You’ll then need to contact us as soon as you know the name, so we can change it for you, free of charge.

You’ll need to travel under the name that will be on your passport when you go on holiday. This will usually be your maiden name (unless you’re super organised!)

When you pay for your holiday depends on what you book, and the payment method you pick.

Take a look at our ways to pay page for more info.

Our prices are based on a live system that can go up and down. They’re impacted by the availability of the hotel and the availability and cost of the flights with your chosen airline, which can change regularly.

We use the official star rating of the hotel. These are usually given by the local tourist board or authorities, and tend to be awarded based on the facilities and service offerings. Star ratings don’t necessarily reflect the quality of the food and drink at a hotel.

To find out if your chosen hotel has interconnecting rooms, take a look at the hotel details page. If they’re available to book, you’ll be able to select them when you get to the Travel Options page. Just a note, if you want interconnecting rooms, you’ll need to book and pay for two of these rooms.

If you live outside the UK, you can book just a hotel stay with us. However, you can’t book a package holiday. This is because you need a valid UK address and UK-registered credit or debit card to make the booking.

Once you’ve booked your holiday, you can make a special request by contacting us. We’ll add the details of the request to your booking and pass them on to the hotelier.

Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee we’ll be able to meet your request, but the hotelier will do their best to help.

You’ll need a visa to visit some of our destinations. To find out whether you need one for your trip, please visit our destination guide for where you’re travelling, or visit the FCDO website. You can also visit the website of our partners, Sherpa, that offer an online visa application service.

You’ll need vaccinations to visit some of our destinations. Speak to your doctor at least two months before you’re due to go away to figure out which ones you should get. Some treatments should begin well before you go, such as malaria vaccines. If you’re booking within three weeks of your departure, you might want to speak to your doctor before you book, just to make sure you’ll have enough time.

For more information on vaccination requirements, visit the National Travel Health Network website or take a look at NHS Scotland’s Fit For Travel site. You could also call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

Jamaica

There is currently no risk of yellow fever in Jamaica but there is a requirement for a yellow fever certificate in some cases. Travellers heading to Jamaica are advised to speak with their GP, practice nurse or a private travel vaccination clinic for advice. Information on destinations that have travel vaccination recommendations and/or vaccine certificate requirements, including yellow fever advice, can be found by visiting www.travelhealthpro.org.uk

Passengers need to be at least 18 years old to book their own trip.

Usually, airlines require babies to be a minimum of two weeks old. Please check with the airline you’re flying with, as these restrictions can vary.

It depends on how far into the pregnancy you are. It’s best to speak to your doctor for advice as every case is different. If you’re given the green light, check out our Inspire article on ‘top tips for flying when you’re pregnant’.

Not sure whether you’re fit to fly? You’ll need to contact your doctor before you book. Flying can cause problems like Deep Vein Thrombosis for people with bronchial or circulatory problems – so it’s best to double-check.

Broken bones

Each airline may have a different policy for travelling with assistance dogs. Please check with the airline directly – you can find their details on our airline partners page.

Please see our Assisted Travel page for information on infectious diseases.

You’ll need a personal assistant to travel with you if you don’t meet the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s definition of being self-reliant. This means you need to be able to:

– Open your seat belt
– Leave your seat and reach an emergency exit without help
– Collect and fit a lifejacket
– Put on an oxygen mask without help
– Understand the safety briefing and instructions given by the crew in an emergency, including information provided in accessible formats

You may also want to think about travelling with a personal assistant if you need help with any of the following:

– Breathing – e.g. if you rely on supplementary oxygen

– Eating – although cabin crew can help you open containers

– Going to the toilet – cabin crew can help you move through the cabin in a wheelchair to reach the toilet, but you need to be able to use the facilities by yourself

– Taking medication – you’ll need to be able to administer your own medication during the flight

If you need to travel with a personal assistant, most airlines will need you to sit together. We would suggest getting in touch with the airline directly to check availability before you book.

If you need information in a different format, e.g. large print or braille, please give our Assisted Travel team a call on 02034512690.

There are lots of things we can do to help you on your journey, from sending photos of the airport processes to help you prepare to arranging someone to help you through the airport. Just give us a call on 0203 451 2690 and we’ll let you know what we can do.

The charges to change your holiday will depend on the flights and accommodation you’ve booked. For more info, please check our booking terms and conditions.

Yes, you can make payments on more than one card if your holiday is more than 12 weeks away. If it’s 12 weeks or less until you’re due to travel, please call us and we’ll be able to process the payments for you. The card holders must be present when you make the payment.

We offer hundreds of free kids’ places for certain hotels and are subject to availability.

Click here to search for a free child place.

After you’ve made your booking, you’ll see a confirmation screen that shows your booking details and reference numbers. It’s a good idea to take a note of these for your reference, but you’ll also get a confirmation email to the email address you provided within 24 hours.

If you haven’t received a confirmation email, but you’ve kept a note of your reference number, please contact us.

When you contact us, please have the following information to hand so we can search for your booking:

– Reference number, if you made note of this

– Lead passenger name

– Departure date

– Destination

The airline you’re flying with will be listed on the flight details page during the booking process. You’ll find it on your confirmation email, too.

Some hotels do ask for a refundable breakage deposit when you check in. It’s up to the hotelier to decide whether to charge a deposit and how much this is, so it’s not something that we control.

If you’ve got a promo code, you’ll be able to apply it when you get to the payment screen during the booking process.

Enter the code in the box and click ‘Validate code’ – you’ll see the amount has been taken off the holiday price.

If you have any problems entering your promo code, please contact us and we’ll do our best to help.

Unfortunately, if you’ve already booked your holiday, we can’t add any codes afterwards. Promo codes can only be used when you make a new booking.

There are no additional charges if you pay by credit or debit card. Take a look at our payment page for more information.

Package holidays

We count a child as between ages two and 16, but it may differ depending on which hotel you’re staying at. If your little one will still be under two on the date you come back from holiday, they can travel as an infant. But if they’ll be celebrating their 2nd birthday during the holiday, you’ll need to book a full child place.

Flight only

Children between 14-days and two-years old can travel as infants. If they’re older than two, you’ll need to pay the full fare and book their own seat.

The age range for hotel-run kids’ clubs varies between places. You should be able to find the details in the hotel overview on our website. For more details, please contact the hotel directly.

Unfortunately, kids’ clubs aren’t available to book via the First Choice app. It’s best to speak with your hotel reception for the best way to do this. Some hotels have their own in-house apps or some take bookings at the kids’ club directly.

Our website only allows for a maximum 15 characters in the name box. Enter as much as you can and contact us so we can update it for you. Just so you know, we only need your title, first name and surname. You don’t have to include middle names.

Our website shows an average price per person across the whole booking, so it may seem like you’re paying the same price for a child as for an adult. However, this has been adjusted to account for reduced child rates. Just so you know, child prices start when two full paying adults share the same room. You can contact us for a full cost breakdown.

An infant must be aged less than 2 years on the return day of travel and must be older than 14 days for health and safety reasons. Charges for infants vary depending on the route and length of flight and will be detailed in the booking process.

Just head over to our gift card checker.

You can send us a chat on the website or app to speak to our team. Or give us a call on 0203 451 2690. If you’re a corporate customer, please get in touch with our Corporate Sales team on 01709 242064 or by emailing ukenquiries@svmcards.com.

The value on your card will expire 24 months after the date it was first loaded.

For all First Choice gift card related questions and queries, please click here to visit our gift card page

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is when muscles are constricted and the return of blood from the legs to the heart is inhibited. This can lead to fluid collecting in the feet and to subsequent muscular aches and pains, a feeling of excess fatigue or very rarely, more serious complications even after your flight has ended.

What is my risk?
Some people are more likely to develop DVT than others. Here are some examples from current medical knowledge:

Those at minor risk:

• Aged over 40
• Very tall, very short or obese
• Previous or current leg swelling from any cause
• Recent minor leg injury or minor body surgery
• Extensive varicose veins

Those at moderate risk:

• Recent heart disease
• Pregnant or on any hormone medication, particularly the contraceptive pill and HRT
• Recent major leg injury or leg surgery
• Family history of DVT

Those at substantial risk:

• Previous or current DVT
• Known clotting tendency
• Recent major surgery or stroke
• Current malignant disease or chemotherapy paralysed lower limb(s)

If you’re concerned about your risk of suffering from DVT we strongly recommend you seek medical advice before booking.

These steps below may help to reduce your risk:

• Drink plenty of water during the flight and avoid alcohol and caffeine during the flight (and before)
• Take only short periods of sleep
• Do not take sleeping pills
• Avoid leg discomfort when seated by not crossing your legs
• Walk around the cabin whenever you can
• Carry out the simple in-flight exercises shown below and in our in-flight information
• Wear loose fitting comfortable clothes and shoes when travelling

Our main advice is to avoid being totally static throughout your flight this includes night flights.

The government and travel industry have a long history of providing protection to holidaymakers. From 1st July 2018, relevant First Choice bookings are governed by the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangement Regulations 2018. These regulations provide increased protection for consumers, for example, by ensuring the correct level of information is provided throughout the customer journey, and by making the Organiser liable for the performance of the package. If your First Choice holiday is protected by the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangement Regulations 2018, you will be advised of this before you pay for your holiday.

We’ll only be able to provide you with the accessibility information and services you need if you make us aware of your access needs ASAP. Please let us know either before you book or as soon as you can after and we’ll do our best.

Our Assisted Travel team are on hand to answer any questions and make sure your trip works for you and anyone you’re travelling with. They’ll be more than happy to look into the accessibility of any accommodation you’re interested in and they can also arrange airport or flight assistance to get you there smoothly. Give them a call on 020 3451 2690.*

Direct Debit is an option available on some First Choice holidays depending on which airline you’re flying with. Check our ways to pay page.

No, the amount of instalments is calculated automatically based on the date of your booking and the departure date. There’s always a minimum of three instalments to pay.

You can choose the day of the month that the Direct Debit comes out when you set up the payments, or call us on 0203 451 2690 after you’ve booked.

Sure! You can make payments through our website or by speaking with our team on 020 3830 3111 – your Direct Debit payments will then be recalculated accordingly.

Depending on where you are in your payment schedule and your payment due dates, we may contact you to request payment for the missed amount to make sure we’ve got enough to cover your holiday. You can find more information about paying by direct debit on our ways to pay page.

Depending on how many payments have already been made, your payment schedule and the Direct Debit amounts will be changed so you can pay your holiday balance sooner.

If you move your holiday to a closer date, then your Direct Debit might not be valid and you may need to pay the full balance, depending on how far away the new departure date is.

You can take pounds, euros and dollars into Tunisia to exchange into Tunisian Dinar once you’re in the country. However, taking Tunisian Dinar into or out of the country is illegal.

Most hotels have cash points that accept UK cards where you can withdraw Tunisian Dinar. Some hotels also offer currency exchange services.

Customers travelling to Tunisia have to pay a hotel tax. This is two Tunisian Dinars per person per night for 3-star hotels and three Tunisian Dinars per person per night for 4 and 5-star hotels. This must be paid on arrival to the hotel and can’t be reclaimed if you leave early. The maximum number of nights the tax can be charged is seven, so customers staying longer than a week will only pay for the first seven nights of their stay. Children under 12 are also exempt from paying the tax. Hotel tax is charged instead of the airport exit tax, which Tunisia used to charge.

As of 15th January 2023, Mexico has passed a new law making it illegal to smoke anywhere in public. But, there will still be designated smoking areas in most hotels.

The Government-run Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website is the best place to check. You’ll find all the latest info on here.

You’ll need to purchase an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) at least 72 hours before you depart to enter the United States.

You may not be eligible to participate in this Visa Wavier Program (ESTA) if you’ve visited certain countries, including Cuba, in which case, you’ll need to apply for a visa.

For more information, check out the official ESTA Application Website, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and also the FCDO for the latest advice and costs.

British citizens must have a valid passport to visit Aruba. This should be valid for the duration of your stay.

You won’t need a visa but you’ll need to complete an Embarkation and Disembarkation Card (ED-card). You can complete a digital ED-card online after you’ve booked your flights.

The digital ED-card must be completed at least 48 hours before your departure. But, don’t worry – if you don’t get it done in time, you’ll be able to complete a paper form on the plane. You can then hand this to the immigration officer when you arrive.

British citizens must have a valid passport to visit the Dominican Republic. You’ll need a tourist visa card, too, which is included in the cost of your trip.

For the most up-to-date passport and visa information, head over to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office website .

You’ll need your booking confirmation number, your departure date and the surname of the lead passenger in order to make any changes – you can find all of this on your booking confirmation email.

1. Go to Manage My Booking.
2. Add your details and click ‘Login to your booking’.
3. Once you’re logged in, you’ll see a section titled ‘View or change your booking’ at the top of the page.
4. Click ‘Change your holiday’, then the window titled ‘Change your holiday’.
5. On the next screen, you’ll see our holiday search panel. Edit this to reflect the new holiday you want to change your booking to and click ‘Search’. Then choose the date you’d like for your new holiday.
6. On the next screen, you’ll see a description of the holiday you’ve chosen. If you’re happy with this, click ‘Continue’. Or, go back to search for a different trip.
7. You’ll then be presented with a summary of your new holiday. If your new holiday is cheaper than your original booking, you’ll be refunded the difference. If your new holiday is more expensive, you’ll need to pay the difference. FYI, if you’re changing your booking from a cancelled package holiday, you’ll only pay the difference once any incentives have been applied.

You’ll need to pay any outstanding amount 12 weeks before your new departure date. If your new holiday is due to depart within 12 weeks from when you’re making the booking, you’ll be taken to our payment page to pay the outstanding balance before you reach the confirmation page.

8. Once you’re happy with your booking, click ‘Continue’. You’ll then see a summary of your current booking alongside your new booking. If you’re happy with this, click ‘Confirm changes’. If you’d like to make some tweaks, you can click ‘Make more amendments’.
9. You’re all done! We’ll send you a confirmation of your booking change to your email address.

If the holiday you’d like to amend to costs less than your previous booking, we’ll refund you the difference. Unfortunately, if you’ve used a refund credit, we won’t be able to process this online for you. To change your booking, please call us on 0203 451 2690. You can call between 9am and 7pm from Monday to Friday, 9am and 5pm on Saturday and 10am and 5pm on Sunday.

If you’d like to cancel your booking, you’ll also need to call us on the same contact number and a member of our team will be able to process a refund for you.

At the moment, our website only allows up to three rooms. If you would like to book a holiday with more rooms, please call 0203 451 2690.

You can find more information about the different airlines we use on our airline partners page.

All countries vary on requirements, so we recommend checking the FCDO website for the most up-to-date information.

Unfortunately, there may be times where you can’t amend your booking online. This could be because of certain services you’ve booked as part of your package. Don’t worry, you can give the team a call on 0203 451 2690 to make any changes.

We’re so sorry your original flight has been changed. We always aim to give you what you ask for, but as we plan our holidays a long time in advance, sometimes things can change. Our flight programmes get reviewed throughout the year, so there may be a few reasons we’ve had to change this. Depending on the impact of the change, we’ll normally contact you to let you know why and discuss your options. For more information regarding changes to your holiday, please visit our booking terms and conditions.

An eSIM is a way of staying connected abroad without needing a new SIM card. Pick your destination and a data package that works for you. Then, once purchased, you’ll be emailed a QR code to scan on arrival and instructions on how to switch your eSIM on.

You can book car hire with Car Trawler, our car hire partner.

A VPN – AKA, virtual private network – means you can get online with a secure and encrypted connection, wherever you are. So, you can protect your private data in hundreds of destinations, pull up maps ASAP and find the best foodie spots with a super-fast connection. The best part? You’ll get it all for less when you use our exclusive discount code.

How it works?

1. Pick your plan

Select your length of cover and which level of protection you need, then use our code when you pay for an exclusive discount.

2. Download the app

Just set up your account on the NordVPN app and you’ll be all set to connect to the server.

3. Happy browsing

Once you land, scroll safe and sound on your fave apps while you’re away, knowing your data is protected.

First Choice Flex gives you the flexibility to cancel your holiday for free, right up until 48 hours before you fly – we’ll just hold on to your First Choice Flex fee. If your question isn’t answered here, check out our Flex page.

If you need to cancel, and it’s more than 48 hours before your flight is due to depart, your total holiday cost will be refunded back to you. The price you paid for First Choice Flex is non-refundable, so you won’t get that part back. If you cancel within 48 hours of travel, normal T&Cs apply.

First Choice Flex can be added to most of our holidays. At the moment, you can’t apply it to flight-free holidays, hotel-only bookings or trips that depart within the next 72 hours.

Adding First Choice Flex is super easy – pick your perfect holiday then add First Choice Flex to your booking on the options page before you confirm and pay. If you’re making your booking with a member of our lovely team, they’ll be able to add it on for you. Remember to include it when you book, as you can’t add it on later.

If you’ve added First Choice Flex to your booking and would like to cancel, just call us on 0203 451 2690.  To use Flex, you must cancel 48 hours before your flight is scheduled to depart. If you want to use your Flex to cancel a trip but our Contact Centre is closed, please email MyFCflexcancellation@firstchoice.co.uk

No, once you’ve added First Choice Flex to your booking your fee is non-refundable.

If you want to cancel your booking within 48 hours of travel, then standard T&Cs apply.

Yes, First Choice Flex is not a substitute for travel insurance and it’s still important you and everyone you’re travelling with are insured from the time of booking.

No, First Choice Flex applies to First Choice bookings only and TUI Flex is for holidays booked directly with TUI. TUI Flex includes free changes and free cancellation up until 28 days before your departure date, whereas First Choice Flex just covers you for free cancellation, allowing you to cancel up to 48 hours before departure.