EU package holidays in 2026: 10 checks before you pay

An offer may look straightforward, but before paying you need to know who is responsible, what the package actually includes and what could sit outside the advertised price. These ten checks are ordered by how much an answer could change your decision and how difficult it may be to fix an omission after booking.

How we ordered the ten

First come the checks that establish the legal category of the purchase and identify the responsible trader. Next are insolvency protection, the services and the total price. The final checks cover changes, personal requirements and records. This is an editorial decision order, not an official EU ranking or a points-based score.

1. Confirm whether it is a package and identify the organiser

Look in the offer and draft contract for the service description, the organiser’s name and the seller’s details. Under the current framework, a combination of at least two different types of travel service may be a package, but the way it is sold and contracted matters. Do not assume a flight and hotel form a package merely because they appear on one webpage, or that they are separate just because different providers deliver them.

For separate bookings or links between websites, ask in writing whether the purchase is a package, who the organiser is and which rules apply. This comes first because the other responsibilities and protections depend on the answer.

2. Check the legal company in Bulgaria’s National Tourism Register

Match the exact company name and identification number in the offer against the National Tourism Register (https://ntr.tourism.government.bg/). Check that the company is registered for the relevant activity as a tour operator or travel agent. A brand name, social-media account or similarly named company is not a substitute.

Bulgaria’s Consumer Protection Commission warns about offers from unregistered businesses and recommends checking the legal name before booking. Registration is a basic legitimacy check; it does not prove the quality of every individual service.

3. Find out what insolvency protection applies

Ask which insolvency-protection mechanism covers the organiser, how a claim is made, and whether it covers refunds and repatriation when transport is part of the package. EU rules provide insolvency protection for package travel; check the details for the named organiser rather than relying on a general assurance from an intermediary.

This is different from travel medical insurance or cancellation insurance. Those cover different events and conditions.

4. Match the itinerary and every included service

Check the destination, dates, nights, airports or stations, times, connections, transfers, accommodation location, meals and excursions. Confirm what is included in the total price and what must be paid separately. If the advertisement shows a hotel or room, ask for the exact property and category stated in the offer.

Bulgaria’s Consumer Protection Commission advises travellers to check the route, stay dates, transport, accommodation and other included services before signing.

5. Work out the real total price

Compare the total for everyone travelling, not a “from” price. Ask for a breakdown of included and optional services, fees, meals, baggage, transfers and excursions. Confirm the currency, when the price is fixed and what could trigger an additional charge.

If an important service is described as “on request”, “pay locally” or “additional charge may apply”, treat it as unconfirmed until you have the amount and conditions in writing.

6. Read cancellation and change terms before paying a deposit

Find the deadlines and fees for cancelling the trip, changing a name, date or route, cancellation by the organiser, and a significant change to the offer. Check what happens to money already paid and how any fee is calculated.

Do not assume every online holiday booking has a cost-free cooling-off period. Check the terms for this package and read the exclusions in any cancellation policy separately.

7. Check the payment schedule and documents

Confirm the deposit, due dates, remaining balance, payment method and legal entity receiving the money. Before sending funds, know what contract or confirmation you will receive and how you can prove payment.

Do not pay into a personal account or use new bank details sent only in a message without confirming the change through the trader’s official contact channel.

8. Check passports, visas and health requirements for every traveller

Check requirements against each traveller’s nationality, document validity, transit countries and travel dates. Use official information from the destination authorities as well; requirements can differ between people in the same group.

Ask the organiser where its pre-contract information lists passport, visa and health formalities, but do not rely only on a travel forum or old message.

9. Put accepted special and accessibility arrangements in writing

If you need accessible accommodation, boarding assistance, a particular meal or another specific service, ask before paying. Get written confirmation that the organiser has accepted the exact arrangement and that it appears in the confirmation or contract.

A general promise on the phone can be hard to prove. Describe the need clearly without sharing more personal or medical information than the request requires.

10. Confirm contact details and keep the evidence

Before paying, save the organiser’s contact details for questions and problems during the trip, plus the route for complaints. Download or save the offer, itinerary, terms, contract, confirmation and payment records. If anything changes later, keep the new version and the message that delivered it.

The contract and contacts are not paperwork for its own sake: they help establish who is responsible and what you bought.

What the EU rule change means in 2026

Directive (EU) 2026/1024 was published in the Official Journal on 8 May 2026 and entered into force on 28 May. The European Commission says Member States have 28 months to transpose the new rules into national law, and the rules become binding on operators six months after that. So the Directive entering into force does not automatically mean every new protection applies to a booking made in 2026.

Before relying on the new voucher rules, complaint-response deadline or insolvency reimbursement provisions, check which national rule applies to your contract and travel date. Do not confuse a future Directive with the conditions currently written into a specific offer.

A quick decision

Do not pay until you can identify the organiser, the legal category of the purchase, the services and total price, cancellation fees, and insolvency protection in writing. If the trader will not name the organiser or provide the terms beforehand, pause and check the company through the National Tourism Register and the Consumer Protection Commission.