TUI adds new routes from Cardiff Airport for summer 2026

TUI has announced a further major expansion at Cardiff Airport with the addition of new routes, as well as boosted frequency to some of its most popular holiday destinations.

The additional capacity gives holidaymakers even more choice and flexibility for a summer getaway from their local airport.

From summer 2026, a fourth aircraft will be based at Cardiff Airport, increasing the choice of holiday destinations for customers.

Hurghada – on 2 May 2026, TUI will launch a brand-new route from Cardiff to Hurghada meaning holidaymakers will be able to soak up Egyptian sunshine from May.

Faro – on 21 May 2026, a brand-new route from Cardiff to Faro will launch, taking travellers directly to the golden sands and beautiful coastlines in Portugal.

Fuerteventura – this route is new for summer 2026 but will continue from the winter season which launches on 20 December 2025. Customers will now have greater flexibility to choose when they want to enjoy the year-long sunshine to one of the Canary Islands’ most stunning spots, right from Cardiff.

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Increased flying routes

Due to increased demand for summer hot-spot destinations, TUI is increasing its flying frequency to the likes of Antalya, Gran Canaria, Palma de Mallorca, Enfidha and Tenerife.

• The Antalya route will see an extra flight each week, increasing it from three to four flights per week
• TUI will double its weekly flying frequency to Gran Canaria from once to twice weekly
• The Cardiff to Palma De Mallorca route will be increased from five flights per week, to six
• Enfidha will see an additional weekly flight, taking it from two to three flights per week
• And customers will be able to choose from an additional flight to Tenerife each week, with four weekly flights

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"More choice"

TUI UK&I Commercial Director Chris logan said: “We’re really excited to be expanding our routes and flying frequency from Cardiff Airport to give our customers even more choice and flexibility.

"With exclusive new routes and additional flights to some of the most popular holiday destinations, we’re making it even easier for travellers to visit new places from their local airport.

"We’ve seen the demand for destinations such as Turkey, Tenerife and Mallorca grow year on year, so this increase in capacity allows customers to explore more options when booking their holiday.

Lee Smith, Head of Business Development at Cardiff Airport, added: “This is fantastic news and a major investment in Cardiff Airport and Wales from TUI.

"The recent announcement of a second based aircraft this winter, followed by today’s news of a fourth based aircraft in summer 2026, shows the confidence TUI has in the market.

"TUI’s latest expansion means there will be an additional 48,000 holidays available with TUI from Cardiff next summer, including new routes to Faro and Hurghada.

"We look forward to working with the TUI team to continue growing in Wales.”

Controversy

An animal rights supporter and her baby were confined inside a tiny tank outside the TUI Holiday Store in Cardiff to protest against the travel company for selling tickets to Loro Parque, a controversial marine park in Tenerife, Spain.

The action comes after the birth of a baby orca in late March at the marine 'amusement park' – and as TUI ramps up the number of flights from Cardiff to Tenerife.

TUI – whose animal welfare policy is against breeding cetaceans in captivity for commercial purposes – is the last remaining major travel provider in the UK still selling tickets to marine parks.

🚨 A BABY ORCA WAS BORN IN A PRISON.
And today in Cardiff, a human mother and her baby made sure we didn't forget 👇#TUICruelty #BoycottTUI @TUIUK pic.twitter.com/rx8ZbyQfTz

— PETA UK (@PETAUK) April 29, 2025

PETA Senior Campaigns Manager Kate Werner said: “Loro Parque is trying to cash in on a baby orca who was born in a prison-like tank, where he’ll be denied any semblance of a natural life and forced to spend his days performing degrading tricks for tourists.”

Kate added: “PETA is calling on TUI to stop propping up these wretched facilities by ending its ticket sales to marine parks.”

Complex societies

In nature, orcas live in complex matrilineal societies, work cooperatively to find food, and can travel up to 150 miles in a single day.

But at wildlife "prisons" like Loro Parque, orcas and other dolphins and whales are confined for their entire lives to cramped concrete tanks where they can do nothing but swim in circles and fend off attacks from their stressed tank mates.

Jet2holidays. Expedia. Tripadvisor.
120+ companies dropped marine parks.
But TUI is still funding cruelty.

💥 Over 200,000 voices demand change. Message TUI now:https://t.co/qCUX7PWyrK

— PETA UK (@PETAUK) April 29, 2025

Jet2holidays, Expedia, Tripadvisor, and over 120 other UK companies have stopped selling tickets to marine parks. More than 202,000 PETA entity supporters have called on TUI to follow suit.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview.

For more information, and to help support their campaign, visit PETA.org.uk or follow PETA on Facebook, X,TikTok, or Instagram