Byway, a PhocusWire Hot 25 Startup of 2025, is bringing flight-free travel into the mainstream in the U.K. through a partnership with TUI.
The deal places Byway into 329 TUI retail stores nationwide, enabling agents to sell overland options alongside traditional package holidays and giving the company access to a large offline distribution channel.
Byway said demand is growing, with bookings up 1.8 times year over year as travelers increasingly seek alternatives to air travel.
Through the integration, TUI agents can build and book multi-stop rail- and ferry-based itineraries using Byway’s platform, designed to handle more complex journeys within a standard package booking flow. The rollout includes training, booking infrastructure and agent incentives.
Rail travel produces roughly 14 grams of CO2 per passenger mile compared with 285 grams for air, according to Byway, which aims to make lower-carbon travel accessible to customers across the U.K.
The partnership is not Byway's only collaboration with TUI. The companies announced a deal when the First Choice brand relaunched in 2023 offering more flexible offerings to travelers.