5 Things to Consider When Booking a Ski Holiday

We love skiing and go as much as we are able to (we're currently in Sestriere!). Alex has been on seven ski trips over the last five years which have varied from school trips to last minute deals and Millie is still a newbie having only been twice. Between us, we think we have picked up some good tips for when it comes to booking a ski trip. You want to be assured you are getting the best value for your money as, lets face it, they aren't cheap. So we have compiled the following 5 things to keep in mind when booking your next winter escape.

1) The Time of the Year

The main influence of the basic price of your holiday, including flight + accommodation, is the week you are planning to go. As a rule, avoid the main public and school holidays as this is when the prices skyrockets as well as finding yourself queuing more than skiing! Because of this, Christmas, New Year, and most of February are a no go and (if you are able to!) you should try to book around them. Generally the cheapest week is the first week in January after New Years.  The below table shows the prices for one particular residence in Val Thorens throughout the 2019/20 season from Crystal Ski. This price is for the accommodation, flights, and transfers.

Most basic packages will follow this trend so if you can, try to book around the peak times.

2) The Resort's Snow History

Nobody wants to have spent hundreds or even thousands of pounds to find out the resort has no snow when you go. Obviously the amount of snowfall in the season fluctuates year on year, however by viewing the snow history of your chosen resorts you can better the odds. There are also a few other things that can help guarantee some snow;

• Go later on in the season
• The beginning of December, although cheaper, is a risky bet with most resorts operating with minimal lifts and runs. By booking your holiday for a later week you improve your chances of there being a good snow base.
• Try to find a resort with a glacier
• If the resort has a ski-able glacier then this guarantees some open runs throughout the season. The only thing to bear in mind is that off piste options on a glacier are limited due to crevasses that can be hidden under the surface.
• Choose a higher resort
• This sort of relates to the last point as generally the higher resorts have glaciers but if they don't you should generally aim for a resort above 1500m as these will likely have the better snow history. 

Flaine, France when we went skiing over the new year in 2017. Unfortunately you can't always guarantee snow! 

3) When you Book

As with most holidays the later you leave it to book the holiday the cheaper it is. You generally pay a premium on the flights; the airline will reduce these significantly as the departure date draws near with accommodation also dropping slightly. If you don't mind where you end up, leave booking the holiday to two or so weeks before to benefit from the biggest price drops. Also think about potential upcoming deals such as Black Friday where you could benefit from 2-4-1 lift passes or equipment. Also think about the Boxing Day and New Years Day sales.

4) What Else the Resort Has to Offer

If you aren't a fan of sitting in your apartment and watching foreign TV for the remaining 4-5 hours of the day you want to make sure there are plenty of things to do for when you aren't skiing. In Austria, Alex has found the swimming pools to be amazing with outdoor areas which can make for a great experience in the evening. Or if you are venturing towards the Arctic circle in places such as Finland (Lapland) you can spend the night watching the Northern Lights. Most resorts have a variety of other winter activities such as ice skating, snow shoeing, snowmobiling or even night skiing to pad out the evenings.

5) DIY vs Package

One major thing to consider is if you book through a holiday company, such as Crystal Ski, or create your own package. If you have never been skiing before I would recommend going on a package holiday as these generally include everything you need and are generally more relaxing for the travel phase. If you are comfortable with travelling in foreign countries, it can be cheaper to book the flights yourselves and work out how to get to the resort on public transport. Zell am See in Austria for example is a great resort for this. The flights, if booked at the right time, can come to £100 return with luggage (excl. Ski Carriage) and transfers on a public bus only costing €12 each way. If you then booked your accommodation through a site such as Snowtrex you benefit from the lift pass being included. Generally DIY packages are best for those booking in advance as they can be pricier compared to last minute package holidays or for those that are looking for specific places and travel options. Alex has only done one DIY package which proved to be a little stressful while traveling but overall came out a lot cheaper than the package holidays. Every other ski trip we have done, minus school trips, have all been package holidays (highly recommend Crystal Ski!)

If you keep these points in mind you should hopefully get a good deal and have a great time skiing.

If you have any other tips, let us know. If you have any trips coming up, hope you have a great time!