• Entertainment, messaging, and planning destination activities directly on your own device

• World’s first: book your excursion while jetting to the beach

• Already available on 59 aircraft – further expansion underway

• Own network: WhatsApp now also available in the skies

TUI is making flying more digital than ever: passengers across Europe can now enjoy a modern, flexible, and easy-to-use entertainment experience onboard. With the new inflight platform, guests can watch movies, chat, and even start discovering and planning destinations activities already while in the air — all directly on their smartphone or tablet. After a successful launch, the platform is now available on 59 short- and medium-haul Boeing aircraft. Another 15 planes will be equipped later this year.

“Our new platform seamlessly combines entertainment, travel information, and services — right where our guests’ holiday begins: onboard. This makes TUI even more digital and optimizes our inflight experience for customers across Europe. We are also very proud to be the first airline to enable our guests to book exclusive excursions for their holiday destination while jetting to the beach,” said Peter Glade, Chief Commercial Officer, TUI Airline.

The system offers numerous features: in the entertainment section, guests have access to 100 movies across eight languages, 20 TV series, 16 podcasts, and 6 games. Additionally, exclusive content such as “TUI World Cook – Season 1” is available free of charge. TUI is also setting new standards in communication: as the first airline worldwide, it enables WhatsApp messaging during flights via the Iridium Certus network. The feature is available for both iOS and Android users and can be booked by the hour or for the entire flight duration. Other messaging services like iMessage will be integrated in the coming months.

But the new inflight platform goes beyond entertainment. Through TUI Musement, passengers can explore and reserve from more than 1,500 curated experiences for their destination directly onboard. Booking is easy: customers receive a secure payment link by email after landing, allowing them to confirm their booking in minutes. Experiences range from guided city tours, unique culinary workshops, to immersive cultural performances. Currently, TUI offers special promotional pricing on all “TUI Collection” products, a curated selection of sustainable experiences led by local guides and designed to offer authentic insights into the destination.

"Our mission is to make memorable, high-quality experiences easily accessible to every traveller, wherever they are. By integrating our curated portfolio directly into the inflight platform, we not only inspire guests to dream about their destination but also empower them to start shaping their trip while still in the air. It’s a seamless extension of the TUI experience digital, personalised, and designed to make every moment of the journey count,” said Mirco Fiumene, Chief Marketing Officer of TUI Musement.

Additionally, the platform offers extensive shopping and activity options. Flight and destination information complete the offering. An interactive flight progress display with a 3D moving map, altitude, remaining flight time, outside temperature, and speed is a highlight for many guests.

“The positive feedback confirms that with our new inflight platform, we are meeting our guests’ needs precisely. We are committed to a long-lasting, flexible solution that grows with the expectations of our passengers and sustainably improves the flight experience. Today, we are already exploring the next innovation steps — such as the use of high-speed connectivity or the integration of further content,” explained Jill Nye, Director of Customer, Cabin Crew and Inflight Services, TUI Airline.

Access to the system is simple and affordable: from €3.90 or £3.35 per device, passengers enjoy full access to movies, series, and podcasts. Those who want to stay connected via WhatsApp during the flight can do so starting at €3.50 for one hour or €6.00 for the entire flight, depending on flight duration.

The platform is technologically designed to work independently of specific hardware, ensuring future viability. The project was nominated for the “FTE Innovate Award” and is considered a benchmark in the industry for smart, cost-efficient, and sustainable narrowband inflight solutions.