 Poster: A snowHead
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I am costing up a holiday for half term 2017 but I can only search for flights for 2016 and as they are very close to the flight date, they are what seems expensive. We have never been at half term before and it's proving costly.
Could I ask if anyone booked Easyjet from Luton to Innsbruck or Munich as soon as they were released last year (for half term 2016) how much a return ticket cost?
I would also be interested in the cost for Ryanair from Stansted to Venice Treviso or Marco Polo, again booking as soon as they were released (for half term 2016).
Thanks in advance
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Lufthansa Heathrow to Munich was £144 PP for this year, booked about a year in advance.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@mini_mo, it's tricky because flight prices zoom up so fast. I had my finger on the button for Easter holiday Sat/sat prices for 3 families, at midnight on release dates. Their costs were all about £550 pounds for four people. I then made myself a celebratory Ovaltine and had another look, when prices has doubled. At breakfast time next morning costs varied from £1500 up. Madness.
The way to keep half term costs down is to drive, really.
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I can give you the Sleezyjet difference from gatwick to Venice, if that may give you some idea...
This was the day the flights were released
Friday 12th February, day before half term, single fare around £39 (without luggage/ seat reservation etc)
Saturday 13th February, single flight £336 (they seem to have come down in price now - not surprising really)
Similar cost difference on the Saturday & Sunday vs Monday for return flights.
Not sure if that will help...
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Duplicated 
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Yes, should have said, the Easter flights I booked were for Geneva. Given any choice I'd tend to look towards Italy for half term, fi one of the less expensive airports, then rent a car. I've not looked at 2017 yet but when the UK half term coincides with the Paris holidays id avoid France all together. some Austrian resorts would also be good, depending on how other holidays fall (Fasching etc). But there are also reports of big lift queues and busy pistes at half term in some Austrian resorts.
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I always book half-term flights to Venice from Gatwick with BA on the day they are released (360 days in advance I believe). However, this year, they were ridiculously high (over £300 each way), so we held off. I kept checking and by April they had come down to just under £300 return, including Club on the return. It's all a bit of a gamble really, but if flights are stupidly high to begin, they will probably drop at some stage. You just have to keep checking and hope you pick the right time to book. Good luck!!
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Pam W - I'm not even going near France for half term! We are looking at Corvara/satellite villages and some other areas maybe Madonna di C/Folgarida/Alleghe. Possibly even Champoluc as I know flights to Bergamo are cheap! We drove to Val Cenis last year so I'm sure we'll manage a 3.5 hour drive from the airport. 
That's really helpful everyone. But keep them coming as I will use your tips for tactical booking!
Thanks
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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In the days of yore when I had to do half-term flights, the best bet was often Lufthansa, staging through Frankfurt or Munich to GVA. Might still work.
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What dates are you looking at for half term ?
I managed to get this years flights for just the tax using Avios.
But next year my son has holidays 10 Feb until 20 Feb and my daughter (York based) has 17 Feb until 26 Feb. Both are in the English school system so not tied to Scottish holidays (despite my location on Snowheads) which can be very different as often Scottish schools don't even get a full week, just Thursday to Tuesday.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Chris Bish wrote: |
In the days of yore when I had to do half-term flights, the best bet was often Lufthansa, staging through Frankfurt or Munich to GVA. Might still work.
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My Christmas flights to Innsbruck were via Frankfurt. That saved about £400 over flying direct for the four of us (£190 pp).
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I looked at flights from London to Geneva for this year and they were around £400 each. I am driving instead!
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I booked flights within minutes of the release by easyjet. My intention was to fly Saturday to Saturday or Sunday to Sunday but the pricing was ridiculous. I then decided to go Monday to Monday and take the kids out of school the returning Monday.
Given that we were going to Italy (corvara) the hotel had no issue with us booking as many or as few days as we wanted . They were absolutely flexible( unlike French hotels)
I think I paid about £800 for the five of us including luggage , seating etc Gatwick to Innsbruck and very decent departure and arrival times.
The only downside with this strategy could be :
Penalty fine from your school
If you have kids they will be joining ski school two days late.
Neither of these issues were concerns for us, and saved plenty of cash
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You know it makes sense.
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I'd agree with the Lufthansa option. Last year we did MAN-FRA for around £90 each for half term week. Admittedly it's nowhere near the alps, but significantly nearer than Manchester.
This year we got MAN-MUC for around £112 each return, but that's a Saturday evening flight out and Late Sunday night return.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@mini_mo, I was also looking to book flights, Bristol-Geneva for this feb half term, the minute easyjet released flights costs for the 4 of us was nearly £1800,then add on another £200 for car hire the other end. these were similar for luton-geneva and Bristol/luton-innsbrook, as I was thinking of changing resort. I decided to keep to original plans and am driving to the alps for about £700 to £800 all in, and with the benefit of no luggage restrictions.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Spyglass, what hotel was that? The Arkadia will only do Sun-Sun which is a shame. We are not bothering with ski school as its too limiting when trying to cover vast distances only to have to turn back. The kids can then come everywhere with us. We are already taking them out this year for 3 days spanning half term (we are serial offenders!) so next year I am sure 1 day will be fine (although that's GCSE year for eldest). But I hadn't thought of Mon - Mon as I'm surprised a hotel would offer that over that week.
We have done France and really want to try Italy (so I think too far to drive) and I noticed cost savings by taking non direct flights, but I've never done this before, is it a real pain? My OH is of the opinion that a holiday should not be a slog, but do we want to go or not is the question. Maybe cutting costs on accommodation might be the answer.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Other cheap tips for half term:
1) Avios, as @muppet, indicates. I've got about half of our 50+ flights this year on Avios. Seats are released at midnight 355 days beforehand and for half term they sell out within 48 hrs.
2) Optiontown sell any-date multi flight passes on BA. www.optiontown.com then click on "flight pass". Works out about £150 return, albeit you have to pay for at least 2 returns per person up front so it only works if you will go to the same airport twice in a fixed period.
Sadly the easyjet flexi fare loophole that I used to suggest is now closed.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Hotel Col Alto .
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| snowdave wrote: |
Sadly the easyjet flexi fare loophole that I used to suggest is now closed. |
I noticed Martin Lewis was promoting it on his Money Saving TV show this week...it must have got too well-used! 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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To be complete - it does still work outside school hols, but is closed for school hols. EZY now seem to put anything within 3 weeks of school hols (i.e. in the window that could be moved to a holiday date) at a high price.
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I am not sure why, but half term flights seem to have rocketed in price in the last couple of years, even if you try to book on the day they open. However, even despite this, you can still save substantially over tour operator costs, as they ramp up the cost even more at half term and the hotels increase is usually only 10% or so. Sometimes the prices do fall a bit later on, but hard to rely on that.
What I have found:
Sun-Sun is usually quite a lot cheaper than Sat-Sat
For Dolomites, Innsbruck seems to be most expensive, and shoots up most quickly. Flying to Verona, Treviso or Venice is usually cheaper (Verona seems cheapest). Munich is also possible - train is a manageable transfer option from Munich. Bergamo will be cheapest if you don't mind a longer drive (and Linate is not much longer - often cheapest of the lot)
If you are willing to fly at less popular times (for example late evening flight on Sunday return) this is usually cheaper. Or fly out Friday evening and add a day in Venice or Verona to your holiday at the start - Fri evening flights usually substantially cheaper than the weekend flights, and the difference will likely more than cover the additional costs of your hotel.
Thomas Cook airline and Monarch seem to put their flights online later than others and can often be cheaper
We booked late this year (going to Salzburg) - ended up flying on the Fri night, with stopover in Dusseldorf airport hotel and arrive early Sat am - gets us an extra day skiing. Much cheaper than flying Sat am, even with hotel - under £200pp, compared to nearly £500pp direct at the time we booked.
Generally flights with a change, although a bit of a pain, are less than half the cost of direct flights. We have done this several times in the last few years (we have never been sufficiently organised to book early enough to get the cheap direct flights) - just make sure you book flights with long enough changeover time to allow for delays etc - missing connection is very tedious (and even if you make it, your bags might not), as a friend discovered a couple of years ago. It is a pain, but not too bad - your bags are checked through, so you just need to get between the flights - leave time for lunch or something, and make sure that you connect through an airport where you do not need to change terminals. One irritation - as UK is not part of Shengen Agreement, do not buy duty free in UK airport, as you will need to go through security again at the connection airport and will have it confiscated. If you want to buy duty free, do it at the connection airport. Skyscanner is the most user-friendly way I have found of finding this kind of flight option, and its time filters are really helpful. I would recommend a min of 2 hours connection time to minimise risk of missing the connection (and reduce the stress levels).
Consider the train - we did it last year to Salzburg (via Paris with dinner and hotel in Paris on Fri night), and one of our group is doing it this year (booked late - via Brussels, leaves St Pancras at 7am arrives Salzburg 7pm). It is actually a very stress free and quite fun way to travel and without all the faffing about at airports, waiting to pick up bags etc, the time difference is less than you would expect. If you book on the day the tickets open (usually 90-92 days before the travel date) there are tickets available to Munich or Innsbruck for €59pp one way including the Eurostar). Book on Bahn.de and kids under 15 go free for the European part.
Given the cost of direct flights, I have even looked into private charter for a group of 20+. Sadly it is still too costly...
Overall, you can save substantially over the tour operator costs at half term (and end up in a better hotel), but there is no question, it is the most expensive week to go however you arrange it.
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Agree, some flexibility on actual travel days can really help. We're doing half term Friday to Sunday 9 days later, and even with a cheapy hotel either side (ski apartment available Sat to Sat), it's still far cheaper than flying Sat-Sat (that's with Austrian MAN-VIE-SZG).
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Last year Monarch Luton to Munich in Feb half term, out on the Saturday 6am ish, back 12 noon on the sunday, £1609 for 4 of us. I booked on 14/Jan.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Agree strongly that if you can vary the day of travel slightly it can make a big difference- I booked in early September, so late by most standards- Heathrow to Geneva on Air France, £764 for 4 of us- downside is that we've an hour and half at CDG both ways.
A family room at Novotel in Geneva was €104, 8 days hire of an Octavia estate £305 with winter tyres.
Oh that finding decently priced half term accommodation that late in the game was as easy......
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@mini_mo, I feel your flights pain but thank you for posting this query there's a lot of very helpful answers here. I think I need to focus my search on Italy / Austria to take advantage of potentially Verona / Venice / Milan / Munich sounding cheaper that the obvious Geneva.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Well done @rg1 in particular, and everyone else, some great information there
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Maybe try some of the smaller airports that fly via Amsterdam? We are going to morzine (Geneva) for Easter, we drive but my fiend is flying with her son. Direct flight via London was expensive when she booked (about summer time I think), so she is flying from Norwich airport, via Amsterdam to Geneva. As we live in Norwich, it's going to be really easy to get to the airport, especially as it will be Easter weekend.
I think she is paying £250 each per return. When I looked end of last year flying from norwich was still cheaper than easy jet etc from London.
Worth a try?
Simone
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Also worth considering Edinburgh / Glasgow especially if the Scottish half term dates are different to the English dates. You can book up to 14 months in advance with Jet2 from Edinburgh. Paid £760 for 4 of us from Edinburgh to Salzburg for 2017 half term - Feb 18th to 25th. Jet2 from Bradford was double the price of Edinburgh at the time of booking.
Another option is getting the ferry over to Holland and flying from Schiphol - much cheaper, albeit longer trip...
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You know it makes sense.
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If you are open to Milan (good for most of the western Italian alps, like La Thuille, Cervinia, Pila, Monterosa, etc), you can still get tickets for Gatwick to Milan, next Saturday, at less than £300 return, pp. We paid about £200, booking the day the tickets went on sale.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| koru wrote: |
| If you are open to Milan (good for most of the western Italian alps, like La Thuille, Cervinia, Pila, Monterosa, etc), you can still get tickets for Gatwick to Milan, next Saturday, at less than £300 return, pp. We paid about £200, booking the day the tickets went on sale. |
you can get a return from Manchester to Bergamo for £149.
http://www.rocketski.com/flight-only
and Manchester/Gatwick to Salzburg (return) for the same price.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I'm resurrecting an old thread here but was wondering if anyone can advise in relation to flights for next year - I'm looking for flights from Manchester to Munich with Lufthansa for 17th - 24th Feb but it seems like they are going to be a lot more than they were this year... will they still be the cheapest option or will it be worth waiting for other flights to come out?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you get in quick enough, Gatwick to Innsbruck at half term might be £250-£300. I'd imagine similar from Luton (if Sunday suits your accommodation).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Our half term (and all surrounding counties are the week before). I have JUST booked Half term flights to Oslo came in at £504 with BA for the family of 4.
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I waited up last night to check BA prices to Munich as the flights were released ... then booked with Lufthansa.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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This year I got Edinburgh _ Geneva for £130PP for half term.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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What were they on release?
I looked this morning at Geneva and Turin prices - family of 4 were over £3500 and over £2200 respectively! I cant help wondering if they were released at a higher price or was it just so many people were buying on release at midnight?
Edit to add this was from Gatwick
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@NickyJ,
Flights back on the 17th were only released today. It was £2300 for 4 to Munich so I booked with Lufthansa at less than half that with free ski carriage.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
| I'm resurrecting an old thread here but was wondering if anyone can advise in relation to flights for next year - I'm looking for flights from Manchester to Munich with Lufthansa for 17th - 24th Feb but it seems like they are going to be a lot more than they were this year... will they still be the cheapest option or will it be worth waiting for other flights to come out? |
The solution is MAN-NUE with Ryanair. I did MAN-MUC a few times until they cottoned on and put the prices up. Ryanair have just started flying to Nuremberg and the prices are cheaper than I ever managed to Munich. Fair enough it's another hour on the train, or autobahn, but it's lots cheaper.
We paid £477 I think this year for 4 people, 4 sets of skis and baggage. They've not released the flights for next year yet, but I'm hoping they'll be just as cheap.
cheers
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We ended up driving nearly 2.5 hours from home to Leeds Bradford this half term despite being 20 mins from Luton. It wasn't just to avoid the high cost of half term flights, we'd left it pretty late to book so were limited by availability. We still managed 3 return flights with bags and 2 lots of ski carriage for about £900 (LBA-Salzburg). The flight back was so late that we ended up with 7 days skiing too.
I hate to think how cheap those flights were when Jet2 released them.
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FAQ
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