Any tips for last minute Feb half term deals.

A snowHead

Hi,

We're hoping to take the small people (8 and 5) skiing for their first time this Feb half term, which is a week earlier than most of the country. Generally this is a right pain in the bum, but we're hoping that it might throw up some cheaper deals to be had.

We've never done the whole book last minute, hunting for deals thing before. Does anyone have any tips about fining the best deals? Like when is the best time to look, a few weeks before or proper last thing? Can decent deals be found for ski hire, lift passes, that sort of thing.

We're not too bothered where we go, although the cheaper the better to a certain extent. And France would be a bonus as it makes driving down not too arduous. I'm not asking for directions to actual deals, more just general advice. Although if anyone does know of any specific stellar savings to be made, feel free to let me know.

Many thanks in advance.

A snowHead

Welcome to snowHeads @uts rich,

Flights out of the UK at half term are usually hideously expensive and package deals generally in short supply last minute but if you're off the main week, you may have less of a problem there. Still though, Feb is not generally the best time for a late deal.

It's not just the UK holidays to worry about but the whole of Europe has school hols spread throughout Feb - hence it being high season.
Which week are you wanting to go?
Are you intending to fly or drive?

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My advice would be if you find something you like the look of then book it. You will not get deals on lift passes or ski hire unless it is included in your deal. Sunweb include lift passes in all their holidays. I think it is unlikely you will get a real bargain half term deal but I may be wrong. Good luck wth the hunting.

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are you looking to drive & not fly?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@uts rich, wait until the last minute. book the week before you want to go. don't have any fixed ideas on where you want to go, you'll be disappointed. only book the bargain holiday and realise it will be a compromise. know what you don't want rather than what you do want.

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Cheers everyone.

I think We'll be looking to either drive to France or fly to somewhere like Bulgaria where the cost of the flights is offset by everything else being cheaper. And we'll self-cater as it will be cheaper as well.

Basically, after having had a few years away from the slopes after having kids, we went away for a weekend last year to celebrate our wedding anniversary and really realised how much we missed it. Not too bothered about where, we just want to get snow under our feet again.

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@uts rich, which week are you actually looking at?

After all it is free

What weekend you talking about 2nd or 9th

week beginning the 9th.

Sunweb have stuff starting at around £270 pp which is dead cheap and includes lift pass. Add on flights and it's another £300 pp. So definitely driving if we go to France.

Never had an apartment before (having to slum it now we have to pay for little people as well Very Happy

), how separate are these "cabins" which aren't really a proper bedroom? Thankfully they're both pretty good sleepers.

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@uts rich, that's French holidays, though not one of the worst weeks. So don't expect quiet pistes anywhere in France. A "cabine" (sometimes called a "coin montagne") won't be a proper second bedroom and could be a double bunk in an alcove with a curtain. It will cost you a fair bit to drive - especially if you have to include an overnight stop - the tolls alone could be around £140. It's a long, boring, drive for kids. But on the plus side you could take some frozen meals and lots of pre-planned things to make cooking easier once you're there. Take a good sharp knife.

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@uts rich. As Pam says that is French Half-Term so maybe look elsewhere. Flights to Salzburg for week 9-16 Feb are currently as low as £50pp return from Stanstead, so why drive? Why not look at the Ski Amade Area for some great Austrian deals. Have a look at our Facebook Page @Theredandwhiteskicompany for all the resort info. Plus only a 45 min transfer time!!

Have sent you a PM (Check your inbox) with some more info.

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I’d be thinking about booking now purely so you get spaces in ski school. That’s always the golden ticket during half term weeks

@uts rich, think about going at "Easter". For us this year that is 6th to 13th April - first week after the schools break up.

Driving isn't intrinsically cheaper than flying but does have a number of other advantages.

You know it makes sense.

I'm a bit confused about the dates . In North Yorkshire, schools break up at close Friday 22nd Feb and return Monday 4th March . Do you mean leaving Saturday 9th March?

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A snowHead

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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The point about ski school access is a good one. It might already be too late to book ski school in some resorts.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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I think the (p) in the chart is for 'Partiel'

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@uts rich, we can offer you an excellent deal here at Haus Susanne, Radstadt. We are 45 mins from Salzburg airport in Ski Amade. London return flights are showing at £36 return for the week 9-16 Feb. We have hosted many happy Snowheads over the years. I will send you a pm. Ange

After all it is free

^^^^this. @uts rich, I can vouch for flangesax's place as I have stayed there countless times. it's perfect for a family as there is a family room, and the house is not so big, so you adults can enjoy a drink downstairs and still be within earshot of the kids in the evening. The local area at Radstadt is perfect for kids to learn as well, and they're getting ALL of the snow right now LOL

thanks for all the help.

Unfortunately it seems that the prices quoted for flights are bit misleading to say the least. For instance, flights to salzberg are advertised as being £130 for 4 of us, return. Bargain.

That doesn't include any luggage (£25 pp each way) or even a seat (standard seat £7 pp each way) so your £130 is actually £386.

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If you're hiring boots and skis in resort you should be able to travel for a week with cabin bags only. And surely the seat price is only if you want to reserve a specific seat? Absolutely no need for that. £36 return is a bargain by any standards.

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@uts rich, that's still an incredibly good price for 4 flights and you might find you don't need 4 x luggage with the kids - we've done it with 2 x luggage and crammed hand luggage with our two v similar ages to yours. For half term week, I'd snap those up and the Ski Amade area is lovely - we used Sunweb to go to Flachau a couple of years ago. Another big plus is that I am pretty sure the 5 year old gets a free lift pass as am sure my youngest one did in Feb 2017 and he's 7 now.

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Fair point @uts rich that does seem pretty misleading. I’d argue that £386 for 4 return is still good value though ?

@always29, Agreed. I'm paying 650 quid for 4 of us to and from Salzburg at Easter with two bags and thought I'd got a bargain!

You know it makes sense.

We changed our minds and went for it. Feeling well excited, if a bit poor. Worked out that going with Easyjet rather than RyanAir, we could get a better deal on the flights. We got much better flight times and two extra carry on bags (and 3kg extra on the 2 suitcases we booked) all for £340.

Austria, here we come.

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I’m using my free staff travel ticket - the price of the flight is free (plus seat, baggage, etc) but I pay air passenger duty and airport handling fee. That comes in at £282 for 4 of us. So frankly I think £340 (or even £386) for a family of 4 to a ski airport in peak season is a bargain!

A snowHead

Great stuff uts rich. Keep us posted on the trip.

Looking forward to hearing about your ski comeback; how the kids are hooked; and receiving confirmation that, from now on, future hols will be Obertauern not Orlando! Laughing

A snowHead

With 2 smallish children and careful packing you should be able to manage one large checked in bag between the 4 of you if you're not taking boots or skis. Very cheap flights to Milan currently if you fly friday return sunday particularly if you arrive at one milan airport and leave via another. Then hire a car (cheap in Italy but check you can drop the car at a different airport with no penalty) and head to one of the many resorts within 2 hours of Milan. We did this for several years usually going to Ski Monterosa. Booked accommodation in the resort for 7 nights and then the night at each end near the airport or halfway. Italy is always astonishingly quiet for half term weeks compared with France or Austria. Also means you can get 7 or 8 days skiing instead of the usual tour ops 6.

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We've got boots, but EJ give you a carry on each. so we've got 46 kg of luggage and 4 bags. We'll be fine.

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And now we have some friends coming along with their small chap, who's the same sort of age as ours and a good friend of theirs. They're taking the spare room in the apartment, so saving us money as well as providing us all with chums.

Happy days.

Help!!

Any tips for last minute Feb half term deals.

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