“With flights” is one of the most reassuring phrases in travel, right up there with “window seat” and “the bar is open”. It means somebody else has wrestled with the airline websites, lined up the transfers and made sure the plane lands before the tour begins. But it doesn’t mean quite everything is covered, and the small print differs from tour to tour. So here, in plain English, is what “with flights” actually includes on our escorted tours, what it doesn’t, and how to compare a flights-included tour with a land-only one.
The quick answer
- Always included: return international flights from the UK, built into the price you see.
- Usually included: airport transfers and flight taxes; on some tours, domestic flights, checked luggage, porterage or a UK airport lounge.
- Usually not included: visas and electronic travel authorisations, travel insurance, tips, the single supplement and local tourist taxes.
- Worth knowing: overnight flights count towards the number of days, and the airport you fly from is confirmed when you book.
- Protection: When international flights are included, ATOL Protection is included.
What “with flights” means on our site
On any tour marked “with flights”, the price shown is per person, including return flights from the UK, and you’ll see “incl. flights” beside it. In the departures list, each date says “Flights from UK airports”. These departures are sold as a package with flights, rather than as land-only tours. The lowest “from” price applies to one particular date, as airfares, like hotel rates, change with the season, so it’s always worth looking at the price for the date you actually want.
Where the flights go from depends on the tour. Many offer a choice of UK airports; others fly from London. Your specialist will confirm the airport, airline and flight times when you book.
What’s usually included
Return international flights. The headline item, with flight taxes. On longer journeys the outbound and return can use different cities, flying into one and home from another, so you don’t have to double back. Highlights of China, for example, flies you to Beijing and home from Shanghai.
Transfers. Most flights-included tours meet you at the airport and take you to the hotel, and back again at the end.
Domestic flights, on some tours. In big countries the tour may include internal flights too. The Grand Tour of Peru includes domestic flights within Peru, which saves you some very long bus rides over the Andes.
The extras, on some tours. A few include checked luggage by name (Highlights of South Korea, for one), hotel porterage (New Zealand: Land of the Long White Cloud), or a UK airport lounge before you fly, which several of our solo tours offer, among them Solo Chile.
What’s usually not included
Visas and travel authorisations. Many countries now ask UK visitors for an electronic authorisation before they fly, such as Kenya’s eTA or New Zealand’s NZeTA. These are your responsibility and are rarely included, so check the FCDO advice for every country on your route.
Travel insurance. Never included, and essential. Some countries, Cuba among them, require proof of insurance to enter.
Tips, drinks and most meals. Each tour page lists exactly which meals are included, day by day.
The single supplement. Unless you choose a solo tour that gives you a room of your own at no extra cost.
Local tourist taxes. Many destinations charge a small nightly tourist or city tax, which is often paid locally at the hotel. Malta’s environmental contribution is a good example: some of our Malta tours include local accommodation taxes, while others leave the contribution to be paid locally. Each tour page says which.
Why a 21-day tour might have 17 nights in hotels
On long-haul tours with flights, the number of days usually includes the days you spend flying. New Zealand: Land of the Long White Cloud is 21 days, with 17 nights in hotels and three spent in flight. It’s not a trick, simply the reality of flying to the other side of the world, but it’s worth knowing when you compare a flights-included tour with a land-only one, where day one is usually your first day on the ground.
A few flights-included tours compared
Here’s a selection from across our range, from a five-day river cruise to a three-week grand tour, to show how much “with flights” varies.
| Tour | Days | Price from | Physical rating | Group size | Flights included | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short haul | ||||||
| Classical Spain: Seville, Córdoba & Granada Escorted Tour – 7 Days | 7 | £839 pp incl. flights | Not stated | Max 25 | Yes | Andalucia in a week |
| Malta Uncovered: Valletta, Gozo & Mdina with Flights – 8 Days | 8 | £1,249 pp incl. flights | Low | Max 25 | Yes | Malta, half board |
| Prague, Vienna & Budapest with Flights – 8 Days | 8 | £1,507 pp incl. flights | Low | Not stated | Yes | Three capitals by coach |
| Danube Discovery Cruise: Budapest, Bratislava & Vienna – 5 Days | 5 | £1,299 pp incl. flights | Low | Not stated | Yes | A short river cruise |
| Solo Yacht Cruise: Dubrovnik, Split & the Dalmatian Islands – 8 Days | 8 | £3,199 pp incl. flights | Low | Max 19 | Yes | Solo travellers, small yacht |
| Long haul | ||||||
| Highlights of China with Yangtze Cruise & Flights – 15 Days | 15 | £3,572 pp incl. flights | Medium | Not stated | Yes | China, with a Yangtze cruise |
| Highlights of South Korea with Flights – 13 Days | 13 | £4,409 pp incl. flights | Low | Not stated | Yes | South Korea, checked luggage included |
| Grand Tour of Kenya with Flights – 12 Days | 12 | £4,859 pp incl. flights | Medium | Not stated | Yes | Kenya safari |
| Grand Tour of Peru & the Amazon with Flights – 16 Days | 16 | £4,729 pp incl. flights | Medium | Not stated | Yes | Peru, with domestic flights |
| Best of Borneo with Flights – 16 Days | 16 | £5,190 pp incl. flights | Medium | Max 28 | Yes | Borneo's wildlife |
| Solo Chile: Atacama to Patagonia with Flights – 16 Days | 16 | £7,399 pp incl. flights | Medium | Max 27 | Yes | Solo travellers, with a UK lounge |
| New Zealand: Land of the Long White Cloud with Flights – 21 Days | 21 | £8,529 pp incl. flights | Low | Max 25 | Yes | Both islands, with porterage |
Prices are per person, twin share, live from our tour pages (updated November 2026). The lowest price can apply to a later departure, so check the dates you want on each tour page.
With flights or land-only?
Choose a tour with flights if you want one price, one booking and no worrying about connections. The flights are chosen to fit the tour, so you’re not left juggling arrival times and transfers yourself.
Choose a land-only tour if you want to use air miles, fly from a particular airport, or add a few days before or after the tour. Most of our tours are land-only, and we can still book flights to match, so you get the flexibility without the hassle.
How your money is protected
Every Travelisto booking is financially protected: your money is held in a ring-fenced trust account until you return, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). When international flights are included, ATOL Protection is included.
Ask us about tours with flights →
Frequently asked questions
What does "with flights" include?
Return international flights from the UK, built into the price. Most also include airport transfers and flight taxes, and some include domestic flights, checked luggage, porterage or a UK airport lounge.
Which UK airport will I fly from?
It depends on the tour. Many offer a choice of UK airports and others fly from London. Your specialist confirms the airport, airline and times when you book.
Are visas included on tours with flights?
Usually not. Visas and electronic travel authorisations, such as Kenya’s eTA or New Zealand’s NZeTA, are your responsibility. Check the FCDO travel advice before you book.
Why does the number of days include flights?
On long-haul tours, the days you spend flying are part of the holiday, so a 21-day tour may have 17 hotel nights and three nights in flight.
Are local tourist taxes included?
Sometimes. Many destinations charge a small nightly tourist tax, often paid locally at the hotel. Each tour page says whether it’s included.
Can you book flights for a land-only tour?
Yes. Most of our tours are land-only, and we can arrange flights to match the dates.
Is my booking protected?
Yes. Every booking is held in a ring-fenced trust account under the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). When international flights are included, ATOL Protection is included.
Want flights sorted?
Tell us where you'd like to go and which airport suits you, and a Travelisto specialist will find tours with flights, or add flights to a land-only tour.
Keep planning
Prices are live from our tour pages (updated November 2026). Tour details and dates can change; your specialist will confirm everything before you book.
