School Holiday blues

nocash

Hi,

We have no kids but my partner works in a school and has to take the english holidays without exception. It breaks my heart when I see the difference in prices from just a week later.

What is the best way/site/engine etc to find cheap flights during this period. We have been to golf resorts and they are a good price as families tend not to go to them.

We are Manchester/Leeds centric.

Any suggestions or shared experiences very welcome.

Caz3121

maybe consider Scottish airports near the end of the school holidays as the Scottish schools will have gone back by then

daveyjp

While its a pain to drive for 4 hours look at Glasgow departures in August.
Consider destinations which aren't holiday hotspots
Look at scheduled airlines, especially from Manchester.
Also consider cruises. Prices don't vary much across the year and with just two of you you can pick up last minute fares.

essex_boy

nocash wrote: »

Hi,

We have no kids but my partner works in a school and has to take the english holidays without exception. It breaks my heart when I see the difference in prices from just a week later.

What is the best way/site/engine etc to find cheap flights during this period. We have been to golf resorts and they are a good price as families tend not to go to them.

We are Manchester/Leeds centric.

Any suggestions or shared experiences very welcome.

Best engine to find cheapest flights for any time of year is
http://www.skyscanner.net/

Caz3121

essex_boy wrote: »

Best engine to find cheapest flights for any time of yesr is
http://www.skyscanner.net/

with the small health warning that many of the third party fares advertised are not live so, once finding dates and destination, go to the airline website to book. - if tempted to book via a third party ensure you check out the reviews first...it is very easy to end up paying more than if you booked direct

Murphy_The_Cat

daveyjp wrote: »

While its a pain to drive for 4 hours look at Glasgow departures in August.
.

There is also a very good, direct train service from Leeds & Manchester, direct to Edinburgh & Glasgow. From Edinburgh Waverley, its a direct tram ride to the airport (I've not flown from Glasgow to be able to compare, but I'm aware that Prestwick has its own station)

richardw

Look at flights to any of the Milan airports, BGY, LIN & MXP and a holiday by any of the Italian lakes or get a train to the Adriatic coast.

peachyprice

Steer clear of 'resort' type places and you should easily be able to DIY a lovely holiday as a good price.

I've had children in school for the last 16 years, I've never paid the sorts of prices tour operators charge and we've been to some wonderful places, far nicer than the usual package holiday destinations.

nwc389

You might find that package holidays can work out cheaper for a couple in school holidays . Last year we picked up a week in a small hotel in Corfu in August for a decent price , small resort and the hotel was not really child friendly .
This year Kos is heavily discounted because of the news reports re the migrants but we went there last September at the peak of all the reporting and in our resort we never saw a thing !

nocash

Thanks all, most helpful, nocash:-)

zagfles

Don't book packages. Look at late August - second half of August is off peak in a lot Europe. Further afield, the peak season can be completely different to the UK peak season.

Flights in the Easter holidays and in August aren't usually too expensive, particularly if you go non traditional holiday destinations. Easter school holidays tend to be different in different areas and in August there's a big spread in holiday timing so prices aren't usually too much more than normal. Flights at half terms are expensive because everyone goes and comes back at the same time.

As above look at flights from Glasgow when the Scottish are still in school, their holidays are different to England - we've saved a fortune even with the extra travel, hotel and parking and treated it as an extra day's holiday by going from Glasgow (even packages). Stop in the Lakes for lunch/dinner on the way, airport hotel at Glasgow, nice drive on generally empty M6 which makes a nice change from heading south on it!

Also you don't have to fly - consider driving if going to Western Europe. Maybe an overnight ferry which we find a great way to start a holiday.