At a glance
ABTA offers a financial safety net for package holidays booked through its members.
It covers road, rail or sea-based holidays, but not flights.
Members must follow a strict Code of Conduct that sets high standards for customer service.
You’ll still need travel insurance to cover you for medical treatment, cancellation or lost luggage.
What is ABTA?
ABTA is the largest association of travel agents and operators in the UK. Its members sell around £40 billion worth of holidays and other travel arrangements each year.
ABTA sets high standards of service for its members and offers consumer protection for holidays that don’t include flights. So, if you buy a rail, coach, ferry or cruise holiday through one of its member companies, your money should be protected if the provider goes bust.
What are the benefits of ABTA protection?
A holiday booked through an ABTA provider offers you several advantages.
Travel agents who become ABTA members must sign up to a Code of Conduct. This should offer reassurance that they’ll abide by certain rules and provide holidays of a certain standard.
If you buy a package holiday from an ABTA member, you’re protected if they go out of business. You can either continue your holiday as planned (if that’s possible) or claim your money back.
ABTA handles disputes if the company you booked with breaches your contract.
It can provide up-to-date advice for holidaymakers, along with expert help in a crisis.
What is the ABTA Code of Conduct?
ABTA’s Code of Conduct is a set of standards that members must follow, covering everything from pre-booking right through to the end of your holiday.
ABTA members must:
Provide accurate information so you can make an informed choice when booking.
Refund the cost of your holiday if a significant delay means you no longer want to travel.
Give clear advice on passport and visa requirements, along with essential information on the country you’re visiting.
Offer you a suitable alternative if an issue arises that might seriously impair your holiday. For example, disruptive building work at your destination.
Respond to complaints within 28 days and resolve disputes promptly.
Customers with pre-existing medical conditions
If you have a serious health condition, your travel insurance is likely to be more expensive. Whatever happens, tell your insurance provider the truth. If you give false information or miss something out, your claim could be rejected.
When you declare any medical conditions on our website, we’ll only show you quotes from insurance providers that will cover them with no exclusions.
If your condition is more serious, MoneyHelper has a directory of insurance providers who may be able to provide quotes over the phone. You can call them on 0800 138 7777.
Does my holiday need to be ABTA protected?
You don’t have to book a holiday with an ABTA member, but it’s a good way of vetting your travel provider as you know they must meet certain standards.
What’s more, it can protect you if the organiser goes bust or breaks their contract with you. Even though ABTA tries to make sure its members are financially sound, some do fail.
If this happens to the travel company you’ve booked with before or during your holiday, you’ll have two options:
Carry on as planned – just because your travel agent has gone, your transport and accommodation bookings may still be fine. You’ll need to contact the tour operator, or hotels yourself to check.
Get your money back – if you haven’t yet travelled or have to return early because of company failure, you can claim a refund for the holiday.
You’ll usually get the most financial protection from ABTA if you sign up for a package holiday. This is where you buy a ready-made trip from a tour operator or bundle elements together in one online transaction.
If you book flights, accommodation or other travel services in separate transactions, you may only get limited protection if something goes wrong.
How do I make a claim with ABTA?
You can either file a claim or register a dispute with ABTA.
Filing a failed travel company claim
If you made a booking with a company that’s gone out of business and they’re an ABTA member, you may be able to claim a refund.
You’ll need supporting evidence, so make sure you keep all your receipts. Check out ABTA’s website for more details on failed travel company claims.
Raising a dispute
You can make a complaint if you think the travel company you booked with has breached its contract with you, as long as they’re still in business. Check out ABTA’s website for more details on how to register a complaint.
Is ABTA the same as ATOL?
No, both provide consumer protection but ATOL (Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing) covers package holidays that include a flight.
If a travel company with an ATOL certificate ceases to trade, the ATOL scheme protects you if you’ve booked a holiday through the firm. It can either get you your money back or arrange flights home if you’re already abroad.
ABTA covers holidays that involve travel by land, sea or rail. Many UK-based travel companies offer both ATOL and ABTA protection. So, look for both logos when booking a flight-based package holiday.
Do I still need travel insurance if I book with an ABTA or ATOL member?
Yes, you should still have travel insurance in place from the moment you book your holiday. While ABTA and ATOL give you financial protection against a travel agency or airline going bust, they won’t pay out for other travel issues like:
Medical expenses if you need treatment abroad
Cancellation if you fall ill and can’t travel
A travel insurance policy covers you for a variety of things that could go wrong on holiday.
Where can I compare travel insurance quotes?
You can use our quick and easy comparison service to search for travel insurance to go alongside your ABTA or ATOL cover.
Simply give us a few details about you and your trip, and we’ll show you a range of travel insurance deals from our panel of trusted providers in minutes.
FAQs
Do travel agents have to be ABTA members?
No, it’s not compulsory for travel agents to be ABTA members. But around 4,300 travel brands are, including most of the major tour operators.
How do I know if I’m covered by ABTA?
Check your booking confirmation, receipts or other travel documents for the ABTA logo or number to see if you’re covered.
Alternatively, you can check if a travel company is a member of ABTA by going to the ABTA member search page on its website. You can search by company name, postcode, town or ABTA number.
ABTA also provides a list of companies that are using its logo without permission.
What should I do if my holiday isn’t ABTA protected?
If your travel provider goes bust and isn’t protected by ABTA, check your travel insurance.
Although you might not be able to get all the money back for your trip, you may be covered for things like cancelled flights or accommodation.
If you paid by credit card, try getting in touch with your card provider. You may be entitled to a refund under Section 75.
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With more than eight years’ experience in writing and sub-editing content, Karen started her career in fashion before making the move to insurance. She now specialises in producing clear, engaging content that helps people make better financial decisions.
Karen’s areas of expertise include insurance products, such as car insurance, travel insurance and life insurance, as well as utilities such as energy comparison.
Stephen Maunder is an experienced personal finance editor, having spent more than a decade working for consumer print and online titles. He won several industry awards for his personal finance features at Which?, before becoming Deputy Editor at Compare the Market.
An experienced commercial leader with nearly 20 years’ experience in digital comparison and consumer services, Tom Lyon is a trusted voice in industries that affect millions of households. Tom’s made appearances on BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky News, as well as programmes such as Watchdog, The One Show and Good Morning Britain.
Tom’s areas of expertise include travel insurance, as well as utilities and digital products such as energy, broadband and mobile.
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