The joy of ski holidays is that ski resorts are designed perfectly for skiers in every respect. However, from equipment and location to accommodation and transport, there’s a lot to consider when you’re booking a ski holiday. All these costs can soon mount up. Here’s are 3 ways you can save money on European ski holidays and enjoy the very best for less.
Image by Ann Jury from Pixabay
Consider time of year for ski holidays
The main season is December to April and prices, snow conditions and visitor numbers can vary vastly over this period. Ideally since the onset of climate change the altitude needs to be 1800-2000m for the best snow conditions and these are much sought after. The festive season is extremely popular and as such it’s generally one of the most expensive times to book.
Just outside the school holiday period January is the best month for the freshest snow and quietest resorts. It’s also the perfect time of year to discover a new skiing destination. How about trying the elite slopes of top resorts such as Val d’Isere without the crowds and premium peak rate prices? Check what facilities are available to get the most for your money in different destinations and resorts.
Check for discounts and savings
Discounts for group ski holidays are readily available and savings can also be made on last minute ski holidays and ski deals. Short ski breaks or weekend ski breaks might be worth a look if you’re working to a budget and time is also tight.
Ski in ski out versus village resorts
On ski holidays you can either ski straight out from the accommodation or take a cable car and lifts up to the slopes instead. Ski in ski out resorts are very different to village resorts. Convenience can come at a cost with ski in/ ski out accommodation estimated as being around 15% more expensive than alternates in the villages and 25-20% more expensive than further afield.
For the ultimate dream skiing holiday, you may wish to stay in luxury ski chalets with maid service, home cooked meals and the best of breakfasts. However even if on first glance a self-catered chalet seems cheaper, when you take in to consideration the costs of food shopping and dining out near the ski resorts, it could actually work out much more expensive. Make sure you do your research before you book your village or ski chalet holidays.
Be a savvy snow seeker and skier
Lift passes can set you back about 350 Euros per week plus ski hire on top. Some airlines include ski equipment as part of your baggage allowance and it also depends on the type of your ticket. The price of shipping skis depends on their weight and size. Make sure you check this carefully and organise adequate insurance to cover any loss or damage in transit if you are taking your own skis.
Keep an eye on the weather and be clever with your purchase of ski passes by purchasing per day or half day as opposed to weekly. Senior citizens can get free ski passes, check individual resorts for applicable qualifying ages.
Make sure you’re all set in your ski gear ready to go before purchase to get the most out of the time on your passes.
If you’re in a large group it will take longer to work your way up the lift queue. For maximum slope time snake through quicker on your own and arrange to meet the rest of your group at a rendez-vous point at the top instead.
Look in to purchasing linked lift systems between resorts so you can always make the most of the best snow with the linked passes. For example, for half the season, the mountain village of Morzine has no snow whereas Avoriaz always has snow.
NB: Be careful not to miss the last lift back to your village as taxi journeys are very costly both time and moneywise!
Take out insurance
Finally make sure you always get insurance; you can do so with your lift pass. Skiing is considered an adventure sport so cover for emergency rescue could prove a life saver in more ways than one.
Wherever you go I hope you stay safe and enjoy the very best ski holidays. I’d love to know your favourite destinations and top tips for savvy skiing, please do drop them in to the comments.
This is award winning Travel Counsellor Emma Savage’s top tip!
“Book early when there are really good cost saving benefits such as Half price lift passes and free places for children can really save you £££. Also, look at buying bundles (lift pass/equipment) rather than separate items as the operators often have a discount for doing so, and you can save money that way. Look out for added extras in chalets and hotels which might add value to your holiday.”
Image by Annie de Jonge from Pixabay
