Frequently Asked Questions

Adequate travel insurance is a condition of your contract with either Hays Travel or the supplier in question, as applicable. You must take out a policy of insurance in order to cover you and your fellow travellers against the cost of cancellation by you; the cost of assistance (including repatriation) in the event of accident or illness; loss of baggage and money; and other expenses. The cost of travel insurance is based on the type of cover requested, the age of the insured, the destination of travel, length of stay and any pre-existing medical conditions.
Hays Travel has some of the most competitive travel insurance in the market which can be found during the purchase process. If we have issued your travel insurance policy, please check it carefully to ensure that all the details are correct and that all relevant information has been provided by you (e.g. pre-existing medical conditions). Failure to disclose relevant information will affect your insurance. If you fail to travel with adequate insurance cover, we will not be liable for any losses in respect of which insurance cover would otherwise have been available.

Customers are responsible for obtaining any visas required for their holiday. If you're unsure whether a visa is required for your trip, information can be found by visiting the relevant embassy website. For visitors on package holidays to Cuba, visas will be provided by your tour operator within ten days of departure.

Some of our hotels and apartment may not operate certain facilities during the off peak winter months e.g. outdoor water slides, beach and pool bars and kid's clubs. You may find details of this in accommodation description on our website. But, if you have particular questions on your facilities, then you are welcome to contact us and we will contact the hotel on your behalf.

Transfers to your accommodation may be included with your holiday. In some cases, the Tour Operator you are travelling with will include transfers at no extra charge. Alternatively, you may be given the option by us to add them during the booking process before confirming your holiday. Further information on this may be given in the accommodation description for your chosen holiday.
It may be possible to add transfers on to your booking at a later date by contacting the telephone number or email address provided on your Hays Travel Booking Confirmation. Hays Travel offers many types of transfers, some of which are often cheaper than those offered by the tour operators. When you book one of our transfers, we will send you details of where you can board your transfer; but please be aware this transfer will not be escorted by a tour rep.

Where an email address has been provided, a confirmation email containing your booking summary will be sent to you within 48 hours.

Low cost airlines do not offer this facility, however, many will offer a pay-on-board trolley service during your flight. If you are traveling to a long-haul destination and wish to add this service at an additional cost then please contact the telephone number or email address provided on your Hays Travel Booking Confirmation.

We believe in honest pricing and will always state what is included and not included in your holiday when you make your booking online. However, we depend on the tour operators, hotels and airlines to provide us with accurate information, which can unfortunately change from minute to minute. Where we can, we will absorb these price changes, but in some instances we will need to pass the extra costs on to our customers. Please note that local taxes, including city taxes, are not covered within the price, as these would be payable locally abroad. We do not make any charges for payments by debit card; but payments by credit cards are subject to a handling fee of 2%.

Yes, however this cannot be done online via our website, it will have to be over the phone. If you are looking to travel on a flight in the next 2 days, please contact a member of our Sales Team on 0808 231 2545

Yes, you can do this by phoning a member of our friendly Sales Team on 0800 408 4048. Our opening times are Monday to Sunday 08:00 - 23:00.

Yes, you can book on behalf of someone else. You will need to have their full name, as detailed on their passport, and also their contact details readily available. This is so we can send them their holiday confirmation and make contact should we have any queries regarding their booking.

Yes, you can make accommodation only bookings on our website. In addition to package holidays and flight + hotel bookings, we offer you a wide selection of hotel only options. Just select hotel only at the top of holiday search box and complete the remaining boxes below. Hays Travel offer you a varied choice of accommodation, star ratings and board basis – all just a few clicks away on the haystravel.co.uk website.

If you require prescribed medication for a health condition, you should talk to your GP or Practice Nurse about travelling before your holiday, as they will be able tell you if you need to make any special arrangements. You should also always carry your medication in a correctly labelled container, as issued by your pharmacist. Try to carry your medication in your hand luggage (airline regulations permitting), with a copy of your prescription. Try and also pack a spare supply of medication in your suitcase or hold luggage where possible, in case you lose your hand luggage. It may be a good idea to travel with a copy of your prescription. Some airlines require a letter from your GP giving details of your medication, as well as the name of the health condition that you require the medication for.

Yes. You can add travel insurance to your online holiday booking at the bottom of the Optional Extras section. If you have already made your holiday booking, you can add travel insurance to your trip by contacting the telephone number or email address provided on your Hays Travel Booking Confirmation. We strongly advise that you buy travel insurance to ensure you are sufficiently covered for any unforeseen emergencies whilst overseas.

We do not currently offer a facility online to hold or reserve specific seats prior to a confirmed holiday booking. The only way to guarantee the seats you are looking for is to make a holiday booking. We are unable to advise you on how many seats are left on the aircraft, as our computer system only shows if there are enough seats available for your party.

Yes, you need to take your passport on your holiday, as some airlines will prevent you boarding without it. Some countries require you to have a valid passport for 6 months after your return date but this does vary from country to country. You need to check on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) web-site and obtain up to date advice for the country you are travelling to.
If you hold a non-UK passport, you will need to contact the embassy or consulate of the country you are travelling to – the contact details can be found on the FCO website. Your documents will be checked at the UK departure point for your trip, and you will be denied travel if they are not deemed acceptable. Please make sure you check your documentation has the required validity. If you need a new passport, you will need plenty of processing time before your departure. You can also pay an additional fee to expedite UK passport delivery. More information can be obtained from the following website https://www.gov.uk/browse/abroad/passports

Yes, children require their own passport to travel abroad. Children's passports are generally valid for 5 years. Application forms are available from Post Office branches that offer the Passport Check & Send service, or you can request a form online and it will be sent to you in the post. More information can be found by visiting the following government website link: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Passports/index.htm

Yes, we do find that generally prices increase year on year when it comes to holidays. Here at Hays Travel we do aim to offer you the lowest price on the market at the time of booking. We cannot predict exactly how prices will vary year on year as this is mainly influenced by aviation costs, which in turn tend to be difficult to predict.

Flight arrival times are "To Be Confirmed". This may be due to the fact your tour operator has not yet confirmed its arrival slots. However, your flight times will be confirmed when you receive your tickets.

We kindly ask that you read the descriptions for the accommodation carefully during the booking process to help you select the right place to stay. Bear in mind whether the location is appropriate if you have walking difficulties. 
Should you need to make additional requests after your booking is confirmed, then please contact the telephone number or email address provided on your Hays Travel Booking Confirmation. There may be a cut of time before arrival for submitting assistance requests to your chosen accommodation, so we ask you to let us know as soon as possible. Some requests cannot be guaranteed.

If special assistance is required, you should notify us at the time of booking. This information will then be passed on to the airline in advance of travel. If you require special assistance but haven't notified us, please contact the telephone number or email address provided on your Hays Travel Booking Confirmation.

We have built our website to make booking a holiday as simple and stress free as possible. Our customers have access to a wide choice of holidays to a variety of destinations around the world. We endeavour to make our prices as competitive as possible, so that we can offer you some of the best holiday deals around. If you'd rather speak to someone over the phone, you can book with one of our friendly travel consultants on 0808 231 2545.

You can book extra legroom seats on your flight, but this often depends on which airline you fly with. If you wish to add on this service at an additional cost then please contact the telephone number or email address provided on your Hays Travel Booking Confirmation.

Multiple room bookings cannot currently be made on the website and must be made over the phone. We do this to ensure we can endeavour to meet all the needs and requirements of larger groups, such as requests for adjoining rooms. If you wish to add on multiple rooms; Please contact the telephone number or email address provided on your Hays Travel Booking Confirmation.

The FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth Office) is the British government department that issues advice as to whether a country is considered unsafe to travel to. UK Airlines and Tour Operators will generally follow advice given by the FCO regarding travelling to and from a country and we will endeavour to warn you of anything that is reported. The FCO website www.fco.gov.uk also has information on a variety of subjects that are useful to anyone looking to travel abroad.

You can renew or replace your UK adult passport up to 9 months before your current one runs out. It currently takes at least three weeks to get your passport via the post and can take longer between April and September. The Post Office offers a Passport Check & Send Service which expedites the receipt of your new passport, but there is an additional charge for this service. Apply early whenever you can. Further information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/renew-adult-passport

While our website is easy and informative to use, you are of course welcome to call one of our knowledgeable and friendly Sales Consultants. They are available at the end of the phone to help you to obtain a holiday quotation, book your chosen holiday and answer any pre-booking questions you might have. If you have already obtained a quotation via our website, then you can speed up your telephone enquiry by providing the reference number given. Speak to one of our sales team on 0800 408 4048 – our opening hours are Monday to Sunday 08:00 - 23:00.

Please note that the Sales Team deal with quotes and making new bookings only. Once you have booked a holiday with haystravel.co.uk, you will receive a booking confirmation email to the email address you provided. As we check your holiday details manually before we send these out, this can often take up to 72 hours to come through to you. This email will contain your booking reference number and a summary of the holiday arrangements booked for you. Please read through the booking confirmation carefully and contact us immediately if any of the details are incorrect, including the spelling of passenger names. NB: If you haven't received your email in the above time frame, there is a good chance it may have been wrongly identified as spam (especially Hotmail and Gmail addresses). Please check your junk or spam folder first before contacting us.

We choose the majority of the properties we sell because of their popularity with our customers, trip advisor ratings and returning customers. We also have knowledgeable staff, with many years of travel industry experience and local knowledge, to assist our choice.

The question of awarding star ratings for each property is a difficult one. Unlike other hard facts, such as whether the property has a pool or how far it is from the beach, there appears to be no universally recognised standard between countries. This leaves us with the option of using official ratings (i.e. those awarded by the tourist body of the country in question) or using a rating awarded by an accommodation supplier selling to the UK market. We do not use the first option to set star ratings, since standards vary so much from country to country and are often based on local opinion. On balance, we believe that the second option gives our customers the best chance to compare accommodation.

The cost of booking extra luggage varies from airline to airline. Booking extra luggage allowance before travelling can save you money, compared to paying at the airport.

Visa requirements vary from country to country. For information on passport/visa requirements and other general travel requirements, please visit https://www.gov.uk/browse/abroad. Please note, it is your responsibility to make sure you have the correct documentation to allow entry, and travel to and from, the country you are visiting.

We have over millions of holidays on our website that change daily. Each holiday we feature on the website is assigned its own unique reference number. When you contact our Sales Team by phone with questions regarding a particular holiday, they are able to pull up the details instantaneously using this unique reference number, enabling them to speedily answer any questions you may have.
Once you have selected a particular holiday, this unique reference number will be displayed in pink writing and will look something like '531284-HAY'. Prices shown are only valid for this visit to our website and may change on your next visit. Please book now to avoid disappointment.

Policies vary between airlines, so it is best to ask about restrictions when booking your flight. It is generally accepted that you can fly during the first and second trimesters of pregnancy. Please note, airlines can prevent travel if they are worried about how far along in your pregnancy you are. To avoid any issues, it is recommended that you get written permission to fly from your doctor or midwife. The letter should confirm your due date and state that you have been examined and are not likely to go into labour within the next 72 hours.

Hays Travel is a member of Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) and hold membership number J3665. ABTA and ABTA Members help holidaymakers get the most from their travel and assist them when things do not go according to plan. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA's Code of Conduct.
In addition, all our package and Flight-Plus holidays are financially protected by the Air Travel Organisers Licence (ATOL) scheme to give you peace of mind (our ATOL number is 5534). If the operator fails, then the ATOL scheme makes sure that customers don't lose their money or find themselves stranded abroad. The ATOL scheme does not encompass accommodation only or flight only bookings. For more information regarding the ATOL scheme and what it covers, visit the CAA website at www.caa.co.uk/atol.
Booking a Flight-Plus provides you with protection under our ATOL licence number 5534 in the event of supplier insolvency, but we are still acting as agent for the individual suppliers and a Flight-Plus booking does not constitute a Package. We have arranged ATOL protection for our Flight-Plus holidays. A Flight-Plus is where you purchase through us, at the same time or within a day of each other, a flight plus overseas accommodation and/or car hire from separate suppliers (i.e. not a package holiday). When you make a Flight-Plus booking through we will give you an ATOL Certificate showing what is financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong. On all Flight Plus holiday arrangements, your money is ATOL protected meaning that you will be able to continue with your holiday or receive a refund of the amount paid to us in the unlikely event of our insolvency or the insolvency of your service providers. Please note however that we have no liability beyond that for insolvency as set out in the ATOL scheme, because we act as agent of the suppliers. An ATOL Protection Contribution of £2.50 per passenger is payable to the CAA on Flight-Plus bookings and this will be reflected on your booking summary as a charge for "Flight Plus". For more details as to when a Flight-Plus exists and the protection provided under the ATOL scheme please see www.caa.co.uk.

How old is a Senior Citizen? - For travel purposes, a Senior Citizen is someone who will be 60 or over on their return date to the UK.
How old is an Adult? - For the purpose of travel, an adult is aged between 13 and 59 years on their return date to the UK.
How old is a Child? - For travel purposes, a child is usually aged between 2 and 12 years on their return date to the UK. However, some package holidays allow for child ages up to 16 years old, which will be indicated on our website where relevant. Child prices are only applicable if there are a minimum of two adults in the same room as the child.
How old is an Infant? - An infant will be under 2 years old on their return date to the UK. This means, if your infant will turn 2 years old during your holiday, you will need to include them as a child when you make your holiday booking.

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) replaced the E111 form in January 2006. It can be used to cover any necessary medical treatment due to either an accident or illness within the European Economic Area (EEA). The EHIC entitles the holder to state-provided medical treatment within the country they are visiting. The service provided will be the same as received by a person covered by the country's insured medical scheme.

Visit the Destinations pages on the website for more information on the currency that is legal tender for country you are visiting. All major currencies can be ordered online via the Hays Travel website or are available from your nearest high street branch of Hays Travel. We are also able to offer you fantastic daily rates, commission free currency and commission free buybacks.

You will be required to pay a deposit or make full payment for your booking at the time of your telephone booking. Where you only pay a deposit you must pay the full balance by the balance due date notified to you on your booking confirmation. If full payment is not received by the balance due date, we will notify the supplier who may cancel your booking and charge the cancellation fees set out in their Terms and Conditions. Except where otherwise advised or stated in the booking conditions of the supplier concerned, all monies you pay to us for arrangements will be held on behalf of the supplier(s) concerned.

You will be required to pay a deposit or make full payment for your booking at the time of your online booking. Where you only pay a deposit you must pay the full balance by the balance due date notified to you on your booking confirmation. If full payment is not received by the balance due date, we will notify the supplier who may cancel your booking and charge the cancellation fees set out in their Terms and Conditions. Except where otherwise advised or stated in the booking conditions of the supplier concerned, all monies you pay to us for arrangements will be held on behalf of the supplier(s) concerned.

3D Secure is a service facilitated by VISA and Mastercard which allows you book securely online using your credit card. This service is verified by Visa/ Mastercard Secure Code and it requires you to know your unique password when booking your holiday.

An all-inclusive holiday usually includes your accommodation, along with other amenities such as unlimited food, beverages, sports activities and day and night entertainment. At some resorts, services such as golf, diving and spa services and some branded drinks often incur an additional cost. In order to determine exactly what may or may not be included, please read the description for the accommodation you are looking to book on haystravel.co.uk.

Bed and Breakfast means that breakfast is included in the price you have paid for your hotel or holiday. The breakfast is normally served in a buffet style, with a varied selection of dishes and options to choose from.

Full board means that breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in the price of your holiday. Coffee, tea and fruit juices are normally provided free of charge at breakfast, other soft and alcoholic drinks usually incur an additional cost.

Half board means that breakfast and another meal, usually your dinner, are included in the price of your holiday. Coffee, tea and fruit juices are normally provided free of charge at breakfast, other soft and alcoholic drinks usually incur an additional cost. In some cases, you can choose to enjoy lunch instead of dinner - your hotel will confirm this upon arrival.

Room only means that there are no meals included in the cost of your holiday, you are just paying to stay in the room. If you want breakfast, lunch or dinner in the hotel, this will incur an additional cost. All the other amenities of the hotel are available for you to use as a guest.

Self-Catering means that no meals are included in the price of the holiday. You will usually be provided with kitchen facilities including a fridge in your accommodation. Many of our properties have a supermarket onsite for all your daily needs and also restaurants and/or snack bars. Self-catering holidays give you the freedom to eat and drink wherever you like.

Hays Travel is committed to ensuring a completely secure online experience when you book your holiday with us, either via our website or through our call centre. haystravel.co.uk protects its visitors with encryption technology from VeriSign. VeriSign provides a secure foundation for e-commerce and the VeriSign Secured © Seal remains the most recognised symbol of trust when using the internet. By choosing the latest and most visible website security - Verisign Extended Validation SSL Certificates - you can be confident that your data is protected when buying your holiday from Hays Travel.

Some tour operator and airlines add a fuel supplement to your holiday costs. This additional amount is usually to cover future rises in the cost of fuel.

ABTA and ABTA Members help you to get the most from your travel and assist you when things don't go according to plan. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA's Code of Conduct. For further information about ABTA, the Code of Conduct, and the arbitration scheme available to you if you have a complaint, please visit www.abta.com.

All our package and Flight-Plus holidays are financially protected by the Air Travel Organisers Licence (ATOL) scheme to give you peace of mind (our ATOL number is 5534). If the operator fails, then the ATOL scheme makes sure that customers don't lose their money or find themselves stranded abroad. The ATOL scheme does not encompass accommodation only or flight only bookings. For more information regarding the ATOL scheme and what it covers, visit the CAA website at www.caa.co.uk/atol.

A private transfer is a taxi or other vehicle reserved exclusively for your party. Your private transfer will be waiting for you when you arrive at your destination airport, and will provide a speedy door-to-door service to your accommodation, without any stops en route. Private transfers generally cost more than choosing a coach or shuttle bus transfer.

A shuttle transfer is usually via a shared coach or bus service. Shuttle transfers can take longer to get you to your accommodation, as they often entail waiting for passengers from assorted flights before the service departs and subsequent stops en route before your final destination. Shuttle transfers are often less expensive than a private transfer, but are a great choice if you are working to a budget or travelling as a group.

Studios usually consist of an open plan lounge and sleeping area, complete with integrated kitchenette and cooking facilities. The beds often convert from sofa beds and the bathroom is separate.
Apartments generally made up of an open plan lounge area, kitchen, bathroom and one or two bedrooms, complete with double or twin beds. There may also be additional sofa beds in the lounge.
Villas often feature an open plan lounge, kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms and private balcony or terrace. Villas may also offer outside areas, complete with a garden, swimming pool, plunge pool or Jacuzzi. Full details of your chosen villa can be found on your holiday information page.

When travelling to the USA by air or sea, the US authorities require you to travel under the Visa Waiver Programm (VWP) and to register for Electronic Travel Authority (ESTA) before you depart the UK. Passengers who have not applied for and received travel authorisation via the ESTA programme prior to travel, may be denied boarding, experience delayed processing or be denied admission at their US port of entry. You apply for the ESTA online and this establishes your eligibility to travel to the USA. The gaining of a visa or travelling visa-free with an ESTA is merely part of the travel approval process and does not guarantee you automatic entry to the USA; this is down to the immigration officer at the port of entry.
If you have any queries on the ESTA process, please address these to the US Embassy Consular department. Please remember that if you are refused boarding or denied admission at the US port of entry, in accordance with the terms of our contract with you, you will still be subject to our cancellation charges.
The application form is available online at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov. Prior to travel, you are required to complete the online application (currently in English only). There is a $14.00 fee charged for each new or renewed ESTA application. All payments must be made by credit or debit card when applying for or renewing an ESTA at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov. The ESTA system accepts the following credit/debit cards: MasterCard, VISA, American Express and Discover. Your application will not be submitted for processing until all correct payment information is received.

Your individual hold baggage allowance will vary depending on which airline you are flying with; whether your flight is short or long haul; or whether you are taking a package holiday or flight only. Hays Travel will, where possible, give you the option to purchase additional baggage allowance for free at the time of booking, or for a fee dependent on the airline. If you wish to add an additional baggage allowance at a later date, contact the telephone number or email address provided on your Hays Travel Booking Confirmation.

All types of transfers usually include one suitcase per person as their standard luggage allowance. Additional luggage allowance, for items such as car seats or golf clubs, may incur an additional local charge, but we will be happy to arrange this for you if you contact the telephone number or email address provided on your Hays Travel Booking Confirmation prior to departure. Passengers take full responsibility for their own luggage on all types of transfers.

At the time of booking you will be required to pay a deposit or make full payment for your booking either by debit or credit card, or by Bank transfer (a simple, speedy, secure way to make a payment directly from your bank account). We do not make any charges for payments using these methods. Where you only pay a deposit, you must pay the full balance by the balance due date notified to you. If full payment is not received by the balance due date, we will notify the supplier who may cancel your booking and charge the cancellation fees set our in their Terms and Conditions. Except where otherwise advised or stated in the booking conditions of the supplier concerned, all monies you pay to us for arrangements will be held on behalf of the supplier(s) concerned.

It is always useful to include a few items in your luggage in case of any unforeseen emergencies. We suggest plasters, antiseptic cream, headache or pain relief, stomach remedies, travel sickness medication, insect repellent, after-sun lotion and cotton wool. Also, please remember to take adequate supplies of any prescribed medication with you on your holiday.

You need a passport to travel and will be prevented from boarding your flight if you do not have one. Some countries will require you to have a valid passport for 6 months after your return date. This does vary from country to country, and we recommend that you check the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website for advice for the specific country you are travelling to. If you need to organise a new passport, please allow plenty of processing time before your departure, although you can pay an additional fee to via the Post Office Passport Check & Send Service to expedite UK passport delivery. More information can be obtained via the following website https://www.gov.uk/browse/abroad/passports.

Customers who are travelling outside the UK may need to be vaccinated against some of the serious diseases found in other parts of the world. In fact, some countries require you to have an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) before you enter. For additional advice on this, please consult the following website: http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations.aspx

Yes, you will be provided with a booking reference number, once your holiday booking has been completed with one of our friendly sales team. We advise you to make a note of this number, which you should use in all future communications with Hays Travel.

During the telephone booking process, you will be asked for an email address where we can send your booking confirmation. If you don't have access to a computer, we are happy to send all documents to you by post.

Where an email address has been provided, a confirmation email containing your booking summary will be sent to you within 48 hours.

It is advised to choose a sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB radiation from the sun. The SPF (sun protection factor) tells you the amount of protection the sun cream gives against UVB radiation. To give you the best protection from the sun's harmful rays, it is recommended to buy higher factors (at least factor 15). It is important to check the 'use by' date on your sun creams, as most only last around 2 to 3 years. Further information can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunscreen The above information is given as guidance only and Hays Travel Ltd will not accept any liability resulting in injury or harm from following the above advice. When using any skin care products, please read the manufacturer's instructions and guidelines for use.

You can pay with Bank transfer in store, on the phone, or in the ‘My Bookings’ section of the website. Bank transfer is a simple, speedy, secure way to make a payment directly from your bank account. It lets you see your account balance before you approve the payment, and means you benefit from bank-grade security and no shared card details, as the payment is handled entirely by your bank. All you need to do is click on the ‘Bank transfer’ button on the payment page or email and select your UK bank. You’ll then be automatically redirected to the bank’s webpage or app, where you will confirm it’s you using your normal method and approve the pre-filled details. That’s it. It’s powered by American Express but open to everybody.