Whether you’re picturing days spent splashing around in the sparkling sea on a long-haul trip, or have your heart set on a jam-packed city break, First Choice has thousands of options. The online travel agency and tour operator has holidays to a range of destinations, including Austria, Croatia, Jersey, Costa Rica, Mauritius and Sri Lanka.
Holidays don’t come cheap, but you shouldn’t have to miss out. If you’re ready to forget your daily grind for a week or two, and jet off somewhere new, you could save big when booking a First Choice holiday. Our deal experts have hunted down the very best discount codes and sales to help you book the holiday you’ve always dreamed of, for less.
How to save more at First Choice
Book last-minute
If you’re looking to maximise your holiday budget, then booking last-minute may be the way to go. First Choice offers some impressive holiday deals for 2025, with seven-night breaks from just £150 per person. That’s a saving of more than £700 on selected holidays.
It’s worth noting that current First Choice discount codes are all applicable to 2025 holidays, rather than advanced bookings. So, if you’re happy to be more flexible with your dates and open to a last-minute getaway, you’re more likely to get the best value.
Check the deals page
The First Choice deals page should be your first port of call when it comes to holiday shopping. This is where you will find all the latest sales and limited-time promotions, such as £150 off summer 2025 holidays, free child places, up to £150 off solo travel and more.
If you want to locate offers on site that may be harder to find, then we recommend heading to the deals T&Cs page. Here, you can filter by your preferred travel season, for example summer 2025, winter 2025 or even summer 2026, to see all promotions currently running. This is a sneaky way to find deals that might not be listed on the main offers page.
Sign up for the newsletter
For exclusive savings and offers sent straight to your inbox, it’s worth registering for the monthly newsletter. You’ll also be automatically entered into the monthly prize draw to win £500 off your next First Choice holiday.
Student discount
Students can save £50 on bookings over £500 by registering for a free Unidays account. First Choice has affordable holiday options to some of Europe’s most popular hotspots, including Croatia, Prague and Barcelona, so with the addition of your unique promo code, you can save 10 per cent on your holiday as a student.
Exclusive partner discounts
Good news for ASOS, PrettyLittleThing and Deliveroo members, as you can get a unique code for £50 off any holiday above £1,000, departing before 30 September 2025. Keep an eye on marketing leaflets in your deliveries and any offers sections on the apps to locate your code.
Whilst there is currently no direct First Choice NHS discount, it is part of the Tui group, which offers holidays for heroes discounts. You can search and book holidays to all the major resorts at exclusive rates, with extra discounts of up to £300 on selected resorts.
Free child places
Families can enjoy cheaper holidays by utilising the First Choice free child place offer. Make sure to use the free child place landing page to search for eligible resorts and look out for the ‘free child place’ badge. It’s also worth noting that you only get one free place per two paying adults, so any additional children will be charged standard rates.
Low deposit holidays
If you’re booking more than 26 weeks in advance, you can secure your trip with no deposit. All you need to do is set up a direct debit and the balance will be split across monthly payments, making holiday budgeting more affordable. There are also low deposit options from just £30 per person, depending on the holiday and how far in advance you book.
What sets First Choice apart
There are plenty of travel companies (think Jet2holidays and easyJet Holidays) offering package deals that include flights, accommodation, transfers and meals, along with extras like activities, travel money, transfers and car hire. First Choice also has lots of options to cater to your needs with flexible payment plans, low deposits, in-depth research on destinations and unique holiday extras. Here’s a breakdown on what you can expect:
Everything you need to know
With First Choice’s holiday guides, you can browse hotels not just by location, but by facilities or holiday types that you consider a necessity for your trip. For example, we spotted hotels with waterslides, wellness breaks, adult only resorts and more. Its guides are ideal for those who are open to destinations but require some must-haves at their destination.
Stress-free holidays
Holiday planning should be exciting, not stressful. First Choice’s flex option gives you peace of mind that you can cancel up to 48 hours before your flight and receive the full cost of your holiday back (excluding the flex fee). This is worth adding for unexpected emergencies or even if you spot a better deal elsewhere.
The weather guarantee is another extra worth considering as if it happens to rain during your trip, you’ll get a refund on the days affected. As with most add-ons, you’ll have to pay a fee.
If you’re open to travelling a little off-season, taking the longer route or staying for odd durations, First Choice’s wonky holiday deals can save you serious money. This, teamed with the weather guarantee, makes travelling out of season less of a gamble.
Save with Ryan Air flights
First Choice now partners with Ryanair, making travel even more budget-friendly with more destination options across Europe and North Africa. This means you can book your chosen package holiday with Ryanair flights, which gives you access to a wider availability of flight times and airports.
Flight-free holidays
If you’re not keen on flying, First Choice has you covered. It has a wide range of flight-free holidays, with train travel as part of the package. You can explore destinations like Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Croatia and more, with flexible tickets and accommodation covered so you can enjoy the all-inclusive holiday experience without worrying about flights.
Whether you’re looking to stay closer to home, are an eco-conscious traveller or just want to explore more of Europe by rail, this is a great way to do it.
How we choose the best First Choice discount codes
Always on the hunt for the best travel deals and discounts, The Independent’s team of experts dedicate themselves to looking out for deals on flights, package holidays and experiences. We only recommend deals that we would shop, so you can trust that you’ll find all the best First Choice savings here.
Why you can trust us
Since 1986, The Independent has been a trusted consumer champion, using years of expertise to report on behalf of our readers and find the best deals and discounts. Whether you’re looking to book a holiday or shop some of the biggest annual shopping events (like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and the Boxing Day sales), our skilled team are always looking out for the best ways to save you money, so we only bring you the best deals from brands we love.
If you’ve got that travel bug, check out our dedicated section where we review the best of luggage, camping gear and more
