Cardiff: TUi Airways Flights, New Routes & Base Updates

[Samdorob]

They're seasonal routes but LF do seem to be a bit lower than the sun routes but TUI and Crystal Ski must be happy as they're adding Turin.

It could be that the spend per passenger is higher than traditional sun routes. E.g additional luggage and a larger markup on accommodation and other activities.

 

[Jerry]

It could be that the spend per passenger is higher than traditional sun routes. E.g additional luggage and a larger markup on accommodation and other activities.

I would expect so. Skiing equipment and clothing is bulkier though you can hire it in the resorts i suspect but also that hiring might be part of the package. Tbh the ski routes have surprised me. TUI expanding from Chambery to Salzburg and Turin wasn't really what I expected.

 

[Samdorob]

I would expect so. Skiing equipment and clothing is bulkier though you can hire it in the resorts i suspect but also that hiring might be part of the package. Tbh the ski routes have surprised me. TUI expanding from Chambery to Salzburg and Turin wasn't really what I expected.

Me neither, but it certainly fills a gap in winter. Long may it continue.

 

[MrFenner]

Don’t forget they now have more winter based aircraft at CWL, so opening up ski routes is a great option when you have the airframes to do so ⛷️

 

[Foxlimayankee]

Salzburg 3246 average LF 135 (based on 24 flights)
Chambery 3711 average LF142 (based on 26 flights)

With both SZG and CMF you can count the first return flight as likely being empty and the last outbound flight as being empty, so two less for each.
The LF's by month are:

December
CMF - 79.5%
SZG - 94.7%
January
CMF - 92.3%
SZG - 73.7%
February
CMF - 75.5%
SZG - 78.8%
March
CMF - 66%
SZG - 65.6%

Which as expected March will always be lower as Ski route demand tends to be higher during the winter. Ski routes are generally high yielding routes.

 

[Jack Ruckley]

TUI Winter 27/28 goes on sale tomorrow July 2nd.

Do we expect anything from them in the way of new routes?

I think it’ll be a copy & paste of Winter 26/27 initially

 

[Em0866]

I don't expect it to be any different but we'll see tomorrow

 

[Jerry]

Can't see anything new tbh.

 

[CAN&I]

Can't see anything new tbh.

Chambéry increased to twice weekly between December 2027 and February 2028 and there are additional departures for Kittila in December 2027, Chambéry and Salzburg in January 2028 and Malaga & Hurghada in April 2028. No sign of Punta Cana and Cancun.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

Chambéry increased to twice weekly between December 2027 and February 2028 and there are additional departures for Kittila in December 2027, Chambéry and Salzburg in January 2028 and Malaga & Hurghada in April 2028. No sign of Punta Cana and Cancun.

Was not expecting that!
Nothing on sale or on timetables yet, but great news if it happens. Shows the confidence in CWL and a welcome boost for winter.

 

[CAN&I]

Was not expecting that!
Nothing on sale or on timetables yet, but great news if it happens. Shows the confidence in CWL and a welcome boost for winter.

Indeed. Chambéry going twice weekly December - February for Winter 2027-28 would be a big vote of confidence. However, we may have spoken too soon... Sorry all!!!

The flights are not on sale via TUI as yet but curiously there are Saturday / Sunday departures on the Crystal Ski website. Having said that a quirk of the booking system means only the Saturday flights and the extra flight on 04/01/28 are available to book. Have the Sunday departures been highlighted in error or are they real? Can't tell for sure.

 

[Jerry]

Indeed. Chambéry going twice weekly December - February for Winter 2027-28 would be a big vote of confidence. However, we may have spoken too soon... Sorry all!!!

It looks like in December Chambery will operate on Tuesdays and then shift to Sundays in January and beyond. Turin comes up as an option for France packages as well. It looks like Salzburg will operate on Mondays in December and then switch to Saturday.
And Lapland will operate on 10/12/27 & 22/12/27 which is great to see!

 

[MJC73]

Weekend flights from January will help teachers get away - it does seem to be a favourite past time in the profession.

 

[CAN&I]

It looks like in December Chambery will operate on Tuesdays and then shift to Sundays in January and beyond. Turin comes up as an option for France packages as well. It looks like Salzburg will operate on Mondays in December and then switch to Saturday.
And Lapland will operate on 10/12/27 & 22/12/27 which is great to see!

Copy all that Jerry. 👍 However, its changed again for Chambéry this afternoon. Again, apologies for the confusion everyone but it seems I'm not going mad - yet!

Popping in the TUI resorts nearest to Chambéry Airport (i.e. Courchevel and Val Thorens), the Crystal Ski booking system confims twice weekly departures on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 19/12/27 until 08/01/28, before reverting to weekly on Saturdays from 15/01/28 until 11/03/28. Searching against "France" repeats the outcome above. No sign of the Saturdays / Sundays highlighted as yesterday.

As you say, Salzburg starts on a Monday (20/12/27 - 03/01/28), switching to Saturdays from 08/01/28 until 04/03/28 (i.e. there is an extra flight the first week of January 2028).

Turin runs on Sundays from 19/12/27 until 27/02/28.

 

[Severn]

Summary of TUI from CWL in Summer 2026

I've compared TUI's schedule from CWL during the second week in August 2026 compared to the same week in 2025. Here are the number of departures each week with the changes highlighted.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Number of destinations operating per week:
2025: 22
2026: 25 [+3]
-------------------------------------------------------------
Number of departures per week:
2025: 46
2026: 56 [+10 / +22%]
-------------------------------------------------------------
Number of based aircraft:
2025: 3 (3x B738)
2026: 4 (4x B738) [+1]
-------------------------------------------------------------
Summary
The 4x based aircraft each operate 2x departures per day. The aircraft do not operate to other bases on W-patterns, nor are there any flights operated to CWL on W-patterns from other bases.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Weekly Departures by Country (vs 2025)

Spain (25) [+4]

2x Alicante (ALC)​

2x Malaga (AGP)​

1x Reus (REU)​

---​

7x Palma de Mallorca (PMI) [+1]​

2x Ibiza (IBZ)​

2x Menorca (MAH)​

---​

4x Tenerife (TFS) [+1]​

2x Gran Canaria (LPA) [+1]
2x Lanzarote (ACE)​

1x Fuerteventura (FUE) [+1] NEW​

​

Greece (11)

2x Corfu (CFU)​

2x Crete - Heraklion (HER)​

2x Kos (KGS)​

2x Rhodes (RHO)​

2x Zante (ZTH)​

1x Kefalonia (EFL)​

Turkey (6) [+1]

3x Dalaman (DLM)​

3x Antalya (AYT) [+1]​

Cyprus (4)

2x Larnaca (LCA)​

2x Paphos (PFO)​

Tunisia (3) [+1]

3x Enfidha (NBE) [+1]​

Bulgaria (2)

2x Bourgas (BOJ)​

Egypt (2) [+2] NEW

2x Hurghada (HRG) [+2] NEW​

Portugal (2) [+2] NEW

2x Faro (FAO) [+2] NEW​

Croatia (1)

1x Dubrovnik (DBV)​

 

[Jack Ruckley]

According to the Flight Timetable for TUI, Hurghada has been pulled for January, February & half of March 2027. Unsurprisingly really but at least it operates for some of W26/27 unlike previous attempts.

Also PFO & NBE start second week of March so 3 flights removed I think.

Everything else remains the same currently!

 

[geoff]

Two separate contributors on Facebook, one with information from a member of staff at CWL, and the other from an employee of TUI, have stated that TUI is to base a fifth aircraft at CWL next summer. Make of it what you will, if there is any truth in this information, I would think they must be talking about 2028, as next summers flights have already been published. Let's just wait and see.

 

[Barry Man]

I have to say I knew of this 3 weeks ago , bumped into one of the TUI engineers I know when I was working at CWL . We were talking asked him what has this year been like and he said busy for them and told me my lot were still understaffed, no real surprises there . Asked about next year are you still having 4 TUIs and he said no We are having a 5th one ,I said good luck he just raised his eyebrows 😅😅😅. So yes there is going to be a 5th one.
Wether this is based or on a W pattern he did not say .

 

[Samdorob]

I have to say I knew of this 3 weeks ago , bumped into one of the TUI engineers I know when I was working at CWL . We were talking asked him what has this year been like and he said busy for them and told me my lot were still understaffed, no real surprises there . Asked about next year are you still having 4 TUIs and he said no We are having a 5th one ,I said good luck he just raised his eyebrows 😅😅😅. So yes there is going to be a 5th one.
Whether this is based or on a W pattern he did not say .

Interesting. I wonder if there will be more W patterns running otherwise I would expect TUI to launch any additional routes or frequency pronto.

 

[Em0866]

I would say to wait until official announcements are made before anyone starts to celebrate...err on the side of caution!