TUI fly Netherlands
Dutch charter and scheduled airline serving TUI's Netherlands travel business.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
TUI fly Netherlands is a Dutch charter and scheduled airline belonging to TUI Group, the German-headquartered international tourism group. Legally incorporated as TUI Airlines Netherlands, it operates as the airline partner of TUI Netherlands and is based at Schiphol-Rijk, near Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer. Schiphol is also its principal operating base. The airline's history is linked to Air Holland, a Dutch carrier founded in 1981. After Air Holland encountered financial difficulties, its activities were taken over by the ExelAviation Group and relaunched as HollandExel in January 2004. ExelAviation Group entered bankruptcy in May 2005, after which TUI Group assumed the airline's activities. Under TUI ownership, the carrier was initially branded ArkeFly and later Arke, before becoming TUI fly Netherlands as part of the wider consolidation of TUI's airline brands. TUI Group announced in May 2015 that its five airline subsidiaries would progressively adopt the TUI name while retaining separate air operator certificates. The Dutch carrier was the first of the group airlines to complete the change, becoming TUI on 1 October 2015. The rebranding aligned the airline with TUI's tour operators, hotels, cruises and other aviation businesses while preserving the Dutch airline's operating identity and regulatory status. The carrier combines scheduled services with charter flying. A substantial part of its charter activity is performed for TUI Netherlands, linking Dutch holidaymakers with leisure destinations. Its network has included destinations around the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands, Finland, the Red Sea, Africa, the Middle East, Mexico, the Caribbean, the United States and the Dutch Caribbean. The airline has also operated long-haul leisure routes, including services to Orlando, Miami, Puerto Vallarta and Israel that began in 2011. Flights to Saint Martin were introduced from Amsterdam in December 2007 and discontinued in November 2008. TUI fly Netherlands is part of TUI Group's broader fleet-modernization program. TUI Group placed an order for Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, with deliveries for the group beginning in 2018; the allocation of individual aircraft among TUI's national airlines was not specified in the cited reference. In November 2024, TUI fly Netherlands retired its last Boeing 767-300ER, making it the final TUI Group airline to operate that aircraft type. The carrier continues to function as the Dutch aviation arm of TUI's integrated holiday business, providing air transport for both package holidays and standalone travel.
History
TUI fly Netherlands traces its origins to Air Holland, a Dutch airline established in 1981. Air Holland later experienced financial problems, and its activities were taken over by the ExelAviation Group. The business restarted as HollandExel in January 2004. ExelAviation's financial position subsequently deteriorated, and the group was declared bankrupt in May 2005. TUI Group then took over the airline's activities and relaunched the Dutch operation under the ArkeFly name. The carrier's development occurred alongside related Caribbean operations. DutchCaribbeanExel began operating in Curaçao on 15 July 2004 as part of the ExelAviation Group. After TUI acquired the relevant activities, that operation became ArkeFly Curaçao. The Dutch airline also experimented with additional Caribbean connectivity: weekly Amsterdam–Saint Martin flights began on 2 December 2007 but ended in November 2008. TUI indicated that the route could return if tourist demand increased. In 2011, the airline expanded its long-haul leisure network with services to Orlando, Miami, Puerto Vallarta and Israel. Its network subsequently covered a broad selection of European sun destinations, the Canary Islands, the Red Sea, Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, the Dutch Caribbean, Mexico and the United States. The carrier operated both scheduled and charter flights, with charter capacity used extensively by TUI Netherlands for package-holiday traffic. In October 2013, the marketing name changed from Arkefly to Arke. The change reflected the relationship with the Dutch travel agency using the Arke name. TUI Group later pursued a group-wide identity strategy. On 13 May 2015, it announced that all five of its airline subsidiaries would progressively adopt the TUI name while continuing to hold separate air operator certificates. The Dutch carrier was the first to complete the transition and changed from Arke to TUI on 1 October 2015. The airline has participated in TUI Group's fleet-renewal plans, including the group's order for Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The reference material does not specify how many aircraft from that group order were assigned to the Netherlands operation. In November 2024, TUI fly Netherlands retired its final Boeing 767-300ER. This made it the last TUI Group airline to cease operating the type. The airline remains the Dutch aviation component of TUI's vertically integrated tourism model, linking the group's Dutch tour operations with leisure destinations through a mixture of scheduled and charter flying.
- 2024
Final Boeing 767-300ER retirement
[1]TUI fly Netherlands retires its last Boeing 767-300ER in November, becoming the final TUI Group operator of the type.
- 2015
Rebranded as TUI
[1]The Dutch airline changes from Arke to TUI on 1 October as part of TUI Group's common airline-branding program.
- 2013
Arkefly marketing name changes to Arke
[1]The airline adopts the Arke marketing name in October to reflect its partnership with the associated travel agency.
- 2011
Long-haul leisure expansion
[1]Operations to Orlando, Miami, Puerto Vallarta and Israel begin.
- 2008
Saint Martin route discontinued
[1]The weekly Saint Martin service is discontinued in November.
- 2007
Amsterdam–Saint Martin service begins
[1]ArkeFly starts weekly flights from Amsterdam to Saint Martin on 2 December.
- 2005
TUI takes over the Dutch airline activities
[1]After ExelAviation Group enters bankruptcy in May, TUI Group takes over the airline's activities and introduces the ArkeFly brand.
- 2004
HollandExel relaunch
[1]Following Air Holland's financial difficulties and the ExelAviation Group takeover, the airline's activities restart as HollandExel in January.
- 1981
Air Holland is founded
[1]Air Holland, the predecessor organization in TUI fly Netherlands' corporate lineage, is established in the Netherlands.
Products and positioning
An integrated leisure airline focused on Dutch-origin holiday traffic, combining scheduled services with charter operations for TUI Netherlands.
Airline services
Scheduled passenger services
TUI fly Netherlands operates scheduled passenger flights from its Amsterdam-area base to leisure destinations in Europe and beyond. Its network has included Mediterranean destinations, Finland, the Canary Islands, the Red Sea, the Caribbean, the Dutch Caribbean, Mexico, the United States, Africa and the Middle East. The exact route network changes over time and is not fully enumerated in the supplied reference.
Airline services
Charter passenger services
Charter flying is a core part of the airline's role within TUI Group. A significant share of these flights is operated for TUI Netherlands, carrying customers on package holidays and other leisure programs. Charter operations allow the tour operator and airline to coordinate capacity with seasonal holiday demand.
Airline services · 2011
Long-haul leisure flights
The airline has operated long-haul leisure routes to destinations including Orlando, Miami, Puerto Vallarta and Israel. These services extend the carrier beyond short- and medium-haul European holiday markets and support TUI's broader Dutch vacation portfolio.
Brand decisions
2024
Retirement of the Boeing 767-300ERGeneration changeBackground
TUI Group has pursued fleet modernization, including the planned introduction of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft across its airline subsidiaries.
Action taken
TUI fly Netherlands retired its final Boeing 767-300ER in November 2024.
Aftermath
The Netherlands airline became the last TUI Group operator to leave the Boeing 767-300ER fleet.
2015
Adoption of the TUI airline brandStrategyBackground
TUI Group sought to align its five airline subsidiaries under a common TUI identity while maintaining their separate air operator certificates.
Action taken
The Dutch carrier was the first group airline to complete the rebranding, changing from Arke to TUI on 1 October 2015.
Aftermath
The airline became part of TUI Group's unified customer-facing aviation brand while continuing to operate as a Dutch airline.
2013
Change from Arkefly to ArkeStrategyBackground
The airline operated alongside a travel agency using the Arke name, and the marketing identity was adjusted to reflect that relationship.
Action taken
In October 2013, the carrier changed its marketing name from Arkefly to Arke.
Aftermath
The Arke identity remained in use until the subsequent group-wide transition to the TUI brand in 2015.
Sources1 sources
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