Organising own ski holiday

leem_3

After years of taking the kids out of school for a week skiing, the time has come with exams etc that we have to go in 1/2 term, I am totally amazed and angered at the exceptional high costs - expecially now at 17 and 14 my daughters are are both classed as adults, so we pay adult prices. I am thinking about trying to book flights and a hotel direct, has anyone done this before? did it work out much cheaper?, I have found some cheap flights to Milan and Toulouse but as they are not direct flights they would take about 12 hours!!! My other alternative is to hang on for a last minute deal, has anyone done this in the past. Lastly we could go skiing at Easter but that is in April I think next year and it is so late in the season to risk having good snow.

Your help and comment would be greatly appreciated,

Finishrich

If you plan to go in April the USA / Canada might be a better option for snow.

I you are looking at the low cost airlines then the earlier you book the better and also look at midweek flights.

lynn44

igluski.co.uk had some great offers also fast track ski...

richardw

Take them off school and go on the Thursday or Friday. It is educational at the end of the day.

Backbiter

I always go at Easter and the snow's usually as good then as any time if you go high enough (resorts over 1700m, sking up to 2500m or higher - there are plenty in France). I agree with you about the shocking prices at half-term.

Lucie_2

We are DIY-ing for the first time this winter & have so far saved a fair bit.
Flights to Turin - £46 per person with Easyjet. Booked the day the flights were released.
Hotel - £300 each half board in Sestriere. Our friends stayed there last winter so we have booked direct with the hotel this year.
Transfer - £30 each

We have our own skis & boots, so no hire costs, only additional cost is lift pass, which we'd have had to buy anyway.
Crystal are selling the same holiday for £616 per person. It's Christmas week - one of the more expensive weeks of the ski calendar.

We've also done quite a few late deals & had good bargains too - between £250 & £350 per person half board, usually to France. Late deals let you see where the snow is good.

monkeyspanner

Went to Banff and Jasper (one week in each) last April with Inghams paid around £550 each. Direct flight into Calgary and all transfers included. Brilliant. You could also try late season in Norway which is supposed to be good, plenty of cheapish flights into Oslo and really good train service to Geilo, quiet lifts and slopes. Downside is accommodation expensive and skiing is not very challenging.
Also I have organised own trips to New England and California (Tahoe and Mammoth) essentially whether you can do better than tour companies depends on your flight pricing. Look out for airlines promotional deals and build around that. Normally you can match the price and get fully insured car hire for a similar price. Watch out for the ski lift costs they are high in USA and Canada. Tahoe is also good for late season skiing.

leem_3

Thanks to all that have replied, I am going to try and look for flights and will also consider taking the girls out of school for a couple of days, got some useful tips form the replies and shall now possibly look into Norway and Canada and have the links to some flights.

John_3:16

Just bought this to the top for this year 2007

Any thoughts after what you did last year?