# How free places work in group travel Source: https://www.roamlytravel.com/guides/free-places-group-travel Publisher: Roamly Travel Last reviewed: 2026-10-30 Audience: Universities, Schools, Sports teams, Production crews, Event organisers, Corporate groups ## Short answer A free place is a complimentary seat, room or ticket that a supplier offers to a group once a set number of people pay, often written as 'one free per 15 paying'. There is no standard ratio and no right to one: the ratio, what the free place covers and the conditions are set by each supplier and should be in your contract. Treat a free place as a saving only once it is confirmed in writing. ## Key takeaways - Free places are a supplier's commercial offer, not an entitlement, and the ratio differs between airlines, hotels, coach companies and attractions. - A ratio such as 1 per 20 can be counted by paying people, by rooms per night or by cumulative room nights, and the counting method changes how many you get. - Check what the free place includes. Taxes, charges, meals and baggage are often still payable. - If numbers fall below the qualifying level, the free place can be withdrawn, so budget at your minimum paying numbers. - Decide in advance who benefits: the whole group through a lower price, staff places, or a bursary fund. ## What is a free place in group travel? A free place, sometimes called a complimentary or foc (free of charge) place, is a seat, bed or ticket that a supplier waives for a group once enough people have paid. It is usually expressed as a ratio: for example, 1 free for every 20 paying. Suppliers use it to win group business, and organisers use it to cover a leader, reduce the price per person or fund support for travellers who could not otherwise attend. It is not a legal entitlement. The [group travel budget guide](https://www.roamlytravel.com/guides/group-travel-budget) makes the same point: the ratio, what the free place covers and the conditions differ by supplier and are not guaranteed. ## How are the ratios counted? The same headline ratio can produce different numbers of free places depending on how it is counted. Ask each supplier to state the method in writing. *The figures are made up to show the arithmetic. They are not market ratios.* | Counting method | How it works | Example (illustrative only) | | --- | --- | --- | | By paying people | One free place for each full block of paying travellers | 1 per 20 with 45 paying gives 2 free if only full blocks of 20 count | | By rooms per night | One free room for each block of paid rooms each night | 1 per 20 with 25 paid rooms on a night gives 1 free room that night | | By cumulative room nights | Total paid room nights are divided by the ratio | 1 per 20 with 100 paid room nights gives 5 free room nights | | Cumulative or non-cumulative | Whether free nights can be saved up and moved to other nights | Some contracts allow only the nights when the ratio is met | Ask also whether infants, staff places and travellers on a separate booking count towards the qualifying number. [How group flight bookings work](https://www.roamlytravel.com/guides/group-flights-explained) explains why group thresholds differ by airline: Ryanair's group service, for example, starts at 15 passengers according to its help centre. ## What does a free place usually cover? A free place might cover only the base fare or room rate. Taxes, airport charges, baggage, meals, insurance and transfers are frequently still payable, and the terms differ between suppliers. Ask these questions before you count the saving: - Does the free place include taxes, fuel charges and airport charges? - Does it include the same board basis, room type and baggage as the paying places? - Is it tied to a named person, such as the group leader, or can the organiser use it for anyone? - Can the free place move to a different date or passenger if plans change? - What happens if paying numbers drop after you have booked? ## How should you treat free places in a budget? Budget conservatively. Set the participant price at your minimum paying number, count a free place only if the written terms are clear, and keep the value as a separate line so that it is visible if it disappears. A free place is a saving to be shared, not a reason to undercut the price you need. 1. Price the trip with every traveller, including staff, as if there were no free places. 2. Add the confirmed free places as a deduction line, with the supplier and the condition attached. 3. Recalculate at your minimum number to check the free place still applies. 4. Decide whether any saving reduces everyone's price, funds staff places or goes into a hardship fund, and say so before the price is published. 5. Keep the supplier confirmation with your records. Use the [group travel calculator](https://www.roamlytravel.com/group-travel-calculator) to test how the per-person price moves when a free place appears or disappears. ## Do free places affect school charging or safeguarding ratios? They do not change the supervision numbers you need. Staff-to-pupil ratios come from your own risk assessment and employer policy, not from a supplier's offer. For schools in England, the Department for Education's guidance on charging for school activities sets out what maintained schools can charge for, including voluntary contributions, so check it before deciding how a saving is shared. Other organisations should check their own policies and funder conditions. When comparing suppliers, the offer should be one of several factors. See [how to compare group travel quotes](https://www.roamlytravel.com/guides/comparing-group-travel-quotes) for a full method. > **Get it in writing** > A salesperson's verbal offer of a free place has no value if it is absent from the contract. Ask for the ratio, the counting method, what is included and what voids it to be written into the booking confirmation or contract. ## How Roamly can help Roamly's [group flights](https://www.roamlytravel.com/services/group-flights) and [logistics](https://www.roamlytravel.com/services/logistics) services show every cost line, including any confirmed free place, so that the per-person price is traceable. Our [group travel calculator](https://www.roamlytravel.com/group-travel-calculator) is free to use, and you can [contact us](https://www.roamlytravel.com/contact) to discuss how a specific trip would be costed. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is a free place guaranteed for any group? No. It is a commercial offer made by individual suppliers, and many do not offer one. Where one is offered, the ratio and conditions differ and should be confirmed in writing. ### Can the free place be used by someone other than the group leader? Sometimes. Some suppliers name the leader, others allow the organiser to choose. Ask before you plan how to use it. ### Do I still pay taxes on a free flight place? Often yes. Free places commonly cover the base fare only, and taxes and charges may remain payable. Confirm the position with the airline or your agent. ### What happens if numbers fall below the qualifying level? The supplier can usually withdraw the free place or reduce the number. Budget at your minimum number of paying travellers and read the attrition and cancellation clauses. ### How should a school share the saving from a free place? That is a decision for the school within its charging policy. DfE's guidance on charging for school activities explains what maintained schools in England can charge, so read it before publishing a price. ## Sources - [GOV.UK: Charging for school activities (Department for Education)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charging-for-school-activities) - [Ryanair Help Centre: How do I book for a group? (15+ passengers)](https://help.ryanair.com/hc/en-ie/articles/12890453011601)