Package Holiday Compare Germany 2026: BGB Protection, Honest Tips for Expats
Last updated: 20 May 2026 · meinetarife24 Editorial Team
Under section 651a of the German Civil Code (BGB), a package holiday is a contract that bundles at least two travel services such as flights and hotel. You get stronger protection than with separate bookings, because the operator is liable for the whole trip and a legal Sicherungsschein protects your money against operator insolvency.
Key Takeaways
- German package holiday law (BGB sections 651a to 651y) gives travellers stronger consumer protection than individual bookings.
- The Sicherungsschein, usually issued through the Deutscher Reisesicherungsfonds (DRSF), protects your money if the operator goes insolvent.
- Stiftung Warentest (issue 1/2024) recommended Check24, HolidayCheck and Lastminute.de as the top portals after testing 15 services.
- Realistic price gaps between operators are 10 to 30 percent on the same trip.
- Expats should check payment method (SEPA direct debit from a German bank) and residence permit validity for non-Schengen destinations.
Compare package holidays
Search and compare package holidays using our free Tarifcheck-powered tool. No sign-up, no commitment.
How German package travel law protects you
German travel law implements the EU Package Travel Directive 2015/2302. The core rules are in sections 651a to 651y of the BGB. Three are most relevant in daily life:
Section 651a BGB
What is a package holiday?
Sections 651h and 651i BGB
Cancellation and exceptional circumstances
Section 651r BGB
Sicherungsschein and insolvency
A clarification: meinetarife24.de is a comparison portal, not a tour operator. We connect you with operators listed by our Tarifcheck partner. The statutory Sicherungsschein is always issued by the operator. Check it before paying anything. The Verbraucherzentrale publishes detailed guidance on consumer rights.
The main German package tour operators
A few large groups and several mid-sized players dominate the German market. Our comparison covers operators from this list plus regional specialists. As of 2026 all listed operators are covered through the DRSF.
| Operator | Focus | Insolvency cover |
|---|---|---|
| TUI Deutschland | Family holidays, Mediterranean, own hotel brands (Robinson, TUI Magic Life) | DRSF member |
| DERTOUR | Premium hotels, long-haul, cruises | DRSF member |
| alltours | Mediterranean, own "alltours" hotel chain, families | DRSF member |
| Schauinsland-Reisen | Owner-led mid-sized operator, own charter flights | DRSF member |
Sources: drsf.reise, our own research on operator profiles. Always inspect the current Sicherungsschein before paying.
Note: the former major operator FTI Touristik filed for insolvency in June 2024 and no longer sells new trips. For that reason we no longer list it as an active operator. Affected FTI customers should contact the Deutscher Reisesicherungsfonds.
Five tips that actually lower the bill
Saving is method, not luck. We sort these by effort and impact, so you do not waste hours flipping between tabs.
Practical order for saving money
Practical order for saving money
- Stay flexible on departure airport. A switch between Hannover and Duesseldorf can swing the price by EUR 80 to 150 per person. A train ticket often pays for itself.
- Shift your travel dates by a week. Sunday to Sunday is usually cheaper than Saturday to Saturday. The first or last week of school holidays beats the middle.
- Try a lower hotel category. A four-star family hotel sometimes works better than a four-star plus resort with permanent overbooking, especially in the Canaries and Turkey.
- Match All-Inclusive to trip length. Three nights in Lisbon is cheaper with half board or self catering. For seven nights at a beach resort All-Inclusive often wins.
- Cross-check Stiftung Warentest and real reviews. The recommended portals from test 1/2024 (Check24, HolidayCheck, Lastminute.de) are a solid start but do not replace reading current hotel reviews.
Last minute or early booking? How to decide
A last minute package holiday is one you book shortly before departure, usually two to four weeks ahead. The operator sells remaining flight and hotel capacity that would otherwise stay empty. It can be cheap, but it is not automatic.
Last minute pays off most when you stay flexible. If you do not mind much about destination, hotel or departure airport, you often find good prices. If you want one specific hotel in Mallorca during the summer holidays, booking early is usually smarter, because the popular places sell out fast.
Families with school-age children have a harder time with last minute, because you are tied to fixed holiday dates and so is everyone else. People who can travel on short notice, such as students or couples without children, get the most out of spontaneous deals.
One thing matters: the legal protection on a last minute trip is exactly the same as on any other package holiday. The Sicherungsschein under § 651r BGB still applies, and the operator is still liable for the whole package. The easiest way to check current last minute deals is the comparison tool above.
Popular package holiday destinations from Germany
These eight regions appear in the top of German booking statistics season after season. Prices are example ranges per person for a week in low season, including flight and half board. Real prices swing widely by hotel and date, so always check the comparison live.
Mallorca
Balearic Islands, Spain
from EUR 299
Antalya / Turkey
Turkish Riviera
from EUR 349
Crete
Greece
from EUR 399
Canary Islands
Spain (Atlantic)
from EUR 449
Hurghada
Egypt (Red Sea)
from EUR 499
Apulia
Italy
from EUR 359
Algarve
Portugal
from EUR 429
Dalmatia
Croatia
from EUR 389
Example prices as of spring 2026, based on editorial sampling via Tarifcheck and Check24. Live prices are available in the comparison tool above.
Insurance and expat-specific tips
A package holiday protects you against operator insolvency, not against illness, personal cancellation reasons or lost luggage. Three insurance lines are worth a look:
Travel cancellation cover
Travel cancellation cover
Worth it for expensive trips or bookings made months ahead. Tarifs are available in our travel cancellation insurance comparison.
Travel health insurance
Travel health insurance
German statutory health insurance often stops covering you outside the EU. A standalone travel health policy costs only a few euro per year.
Trip interruption cover
Trip interruption cover
Pays out if you have to break off the trip after arrival. Helpful for long-haul travel and trips with children.
If you are new to Germany
- Operators usually take the deposit by SEPA direct debit from a German current account. Without one, look for operators that accept Sofortueberweisung (instant transfer).
- For destinations outside the Schengen area, confirm that your residence permit remains valid past the return date. Our guide booking a vacation without a credit card walks through payment options.
- German and Turkish sibling guides for this comparison are at Pauschalreisen Vergleich and paket tatil karsilastirma.
Related travel articles
These deep-dives complement the comparison above. Each one covers a specific scenario rather than the general overview.
Crete Chania package holiday: what is really included
Concrete destination example with price ranges, hotel categories and insider tips for Chania.
Package holiday for single parents
Which operators waive the single-room supplement and what single parents should look for.
Fuerteventura family vacation with kids hotel
Family hotels on Fuerteventura in detail, with climate data and high-season tips.
Solo travel 50 plus with wellness
Package holidays without single supplement, with wellness focus and small group character.
How we secure your booking
How we secure your booking
The booking flow runs SSL-encrypted via our Tarifcheck partner. You sign the actual travel contract with the tour operator, who issues the statutory Sicherungsschein under section 651r BGB. Before any payment, check that the Sicherungsschein is included and shows the required details (insurer or DRSF, office, security number). The Deutscher Reisesicherungsfonds publishes current information on insolvency protection.
Frequently asked questions about package holidays 2026
Answers to the questions we get most often. If something is missing, let us know.