Late bookings - is this really true?

A snowHead

A friend tells me that the best time for grabbing cheap late ski deals is about three/two weeks before you want to travel. After that, most deals get taken off the market. And if you wait till a couple of days before travel date, the price actually goes up.

This is exactly the opposite of what I've always heard (and doesn't make sense to me) which was the nearer to date of travel the cheaper the deal.

Personal experience is that each season I always intend to wait until the last minute but either my nerve goes or other non-skiing commitments mean I don't have the flexibility I thought I would .. and I end up booking about six to five weeks from date of travel.

Friend will buy pints if I can prove he's talking sh*te!

A snowHead

There's a bit of truth in it, from experience three to four weeks allows a good deal (discount) and a bit more choice, later stuff often gets slapped with a late booking charge and none of the sweetners (two for one lift passes etc).

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

2-3 weeks before travel seems the best time to me, cheap last minute deals are available. Closer to departure time these deals are snapped up so as you get closer only the more expensive accommodation remains and the prices therefore appear to rise, you are left further out of town, or flights get more and more uncivilised....

You need to Login to know who's really who.

My experiences of packages this winter:
March Skibound Serre Che £249 Newcastle flight and chalet hotel booked 10 days before but cancelled by Skibound 3 days before trip (said there was illness in hotel so got some compensation)
March Thomson Avoriaz £303 Edinburgh flight and Maeva self catering apartment booked 2 days before to replace cancellation
April Inghams Banff £465 Manchester flight and room only in hotel including underoccupancy supp. booked 3 weeks before.

Deals are available at all times but you have to decide what sort of resort and package you want. There was a great deal to Banff available when I was booking the March trip - about £350 - but when I checked temps in resort with windchill it was -48!!! Rather too nippy. Very late deals can have surcharges to collect tickets at airport but with internet tickets this is decreasing.

We have also driven out to France twice this winter but only do that for more than 1 week, once Dover/Calais and once Hull/Zeebrugge. Both fine but don't leave ferry bookings too late as price can increase. If you know dates book up when there is an early season deal. Self catering apartments can be picked up last minute from Interhome (30% off booked on the Saturday before) P&V, Maeva etc and from tour ops. Also trip to Sweden, flights booked about 1 month ahead as they do go up nearer. Flights usually best booked as far ahead as poss unless its a special Easyjet or similar deal.

Happy bargain hunting!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Big Paua, just check the Silverski offers £199 for 20 March and £299 for 27 March.

Help!!

Late bookings - is this really true?

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