TUI vs Virgin – Who’s Best for Flying to Florida

Virgin Atlantic and TUI are two of the most popular airlines flying from the UK to Florida. But which is best?

I’ve flown with both TUI and Virgin to Florida several times, with and without kids. In my opinion, Virgin Atlantic is slightly better than TUI for flights to Florida. This is mainly due to a broader range of new inflight entertainment and better food.

However, flights to Florida with Virgin often cost about £200 more per person than with TUI. Personally, I don’t think Virgin Atlantic is that much better than TUI and that it warrants that sort of price increase—£50 maybe, £200 absolutely not.

That said, the price, food and entertainment aren’t the only differences between TUI and Virgin on flights to Florida. There are other differences you may want to consider, too.

UK Departure Airports

TUI flights direct to Florida from the following UK airports:

• London Gatwick
• Belfast International
• Birmingham
• Glasgow
• Manchester
• Newcastle

Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic flys to Florida from the following UK airports

• Edinburgh
• London Heathrow
• Manchester

Virgin also operates indirect flights to Florida from other UK airports with partner airlines.

Florida Arrival Airports

The state of Florida spans 65,758 square miles and is roughly two-thirds the size of the UK. As such, choosing which airport you arrive at in Florida is significant.

TUI flies directly from the UK to one airport in Florida, Melbourne International (MLB). This is a very small airport out on the coast. Travelling from Melbourne Airport to Walt Disney World takes around an hour by car.

Meanwhile, Virgin flies directly from the UK to two airports in Florida: Miami (MIA) and Orlando (MCO). Virgin also operates indirect flights to other airports in Florida with partner airlines. These include Delta, Air France, and KLM.

Onboard Entertainment

Another difference between TUI and Virgin Atlantic is onboard entertainment. There are roughly 100 films shown on TUI flights from the UK to Florida. However, you’ll rarely find new releases onboard. Instead, around 20 films will be new but have already left the cinema.

Around 20 films shown on TUI flights from the UK to Florida are kid-friendly. These include films from both Disney and Universal.

Virgin Atlantic’s range of onboard entertainment is slightly larger. More than 120 films are shown onboard, with some newer releases typically at the end of their cinema run.

For kids, around 20 films are shown on Virgin Atlantic flights from the UK to Florida. These, again, include films by Disney and Universal. There are also several episodes from Bluey, Blippi, and Paw Patrol.

Onboard Food

Both TUI and Virgin Atlantic offer a free meal service on flights from the UK to Florida.

Again, both meal services are similar, and both airlines do a great job accommodating dietary needs. However, I typically find the food on Virgin Atlantic flights slightly better.

Luggage Allowance

The luggage allowance on TUI and Virgin Atlantic depends on the fare you book.

All Virgin Atlantic fares include one piece of hand luggage (max size 23 x 36 x 56cm). However, the luggage allowance you get varies:

• Economy Light: Hold luggage is not included and costs £65 per bag each way.
• Economy Classic: One piece of hold luggage included (max 23kg 90 x 75 x 43cm)
• Economy Delight: One piece of hold luggage included (max 23kg 90 x 75 x 43cm)
• Premium: Two pieces of hold luggage included (max 23kg 90 x 75 x 43cm)
• Upper Class: Two pieces of hold luggage included (max 23kg 90 x 75 x 43cm)

All TUI fares include one piece of hand luggage (max 10kg and 55x40x20cm). However, again, the luggage allowance you get varies:

• Economy: Hold luggage is not included. 15kg costs £58, 20kg costs £68 and 25kg costs £88. However, starting in 2025, this will increase. 15kg will cost £68, 20kg will cost £77, and 25kg will cost £99.
• Premium: One piece of hold luggage included (max 25kg 90 x 75 x 43cm)

Upgrading to Premium, Business or First Class

Both TUI and Virgin Atlantic offer a range of upgrades at an additional cost.

With Virgin Atlantic, the fares on flights from the UK to Florida are:

• Economy Classic – Includes hold baggage.
• Economy Delight – Extra legroom
• Premium – Includes larger pitch seats.
• Upper Class – VIP Check-in, airport lounge entry & flat lay seats

Meanwhile, with TUI, the fares on flights from the UK to Florida are:

• Select Your Seat – Select where you sit on the flight
• Extra Legroom – Larger pitch seats
• Premium – VIP check-in, airport lounge entry and the biggest & comfiest seats

Hold luggage and seat selection are free with TUI package holidays. However, these must be paid for separately if you book flight-only. This can sometimes make it cheaper to book a package holiday to Florida with TUI.

Package Holidays

Both Virgin Atlantic and TUI offer flight-only and package holidays to Florida. Package holidays can be booked online or in person at a TUI or Virgin Holidays store.

TUI has a significantly better range of accommodation in Florida, especially in Orlando. This includes a range of villas, resorts, hotels, and on-site properties at Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World.

Virgin also covers on-site properties at Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World. However, the range of accommodation elsewhere in Florida is often significantly more limited.

The same goes for price. I’ve often found that TUI offers very competitive prices for package holidays to Florida. So much so that it’s often cheaper to book a package holiday than the flight and hotel separately.

However, holidays to Florida with Virgin Atlantic are often costly. It’s almost as if they add a premium for the package holiday convenience.

Cost

Being from Yorkshire, the most significant factor in who I fly to Florida is the price. In 90% of cases, Virgin Atlantic is more expensive than TUI. This isn’t a £20 or £30 difference, either. The difference between the two airlines can often be £200 per person.

Flights from the UK to Florida with TUI can be as low as £250 and are regularly around £300. However, I’ve never seen flights from the UK to Florida with Virgin Atlantic for under £380.