How To Plan A Family Skiing Break On A Budget

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Do you want to take your children on a skiing trip, but simply can’t afford the cost? Don’t worry, that is where we come.

For many families, a skiing trip may seem out of reach, especially as skiing is often thought of as an expensive holiday, but this is not actually the case. There are many ways you can cut the cost of a skiing trip right down and still have an amazing family holiday.

By following our simple guide to planning a family skiing holiday on a budget, you can easily book a skiing trip for you are your family that won’t break the bank. To find out more, have a read of this:

Choose a price range

Before doing anything else, sit down and work out how much you can afford to spend on your trip. Once you have set a budget, you can then start looking at the options you have for your skiing trip.

Don’t be tempted to shy away from your budget, make sure to stick it to it. Otherwise, you may end up booking a trip that you can’t afford.

Pick your travel dates carefully

It may sound obvious, but the dates you choose to travel can make all the difference to the cost of your trip. For example, during peak times like Christmas, New Year and during the school holidays, prices double. Whereas, if you book in quieter periods, the cost won’t just be lower, there may also be additional discounts in place.

As a rule, the school holidays tend to be the most expensive time of year to book a skiing trip, so it is a good idea to avoid these times. However, if you book in advance – the year before or book last minute, you can still get some good deals during the school holidays. So, if you have school-aged children, there is no need to despair.

Choose a cheap ski resort

An important part of getting the best deal for your trip is choosing the cheapest skiing resort. Avoid France and some parts of Switzerland, as they tend to be the most expensive areas for skiing.

Resorts in Spain, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, the US, and Slovenia, offer the lowest prices. Some areas in Switzerland, such as Endelberg, also have good value deals for families available. For more information visit http://momentumski.com/engelberg-switzerland-unmissable-ski-holiday-destination/.

If you aren’t too fussed by the nightlife, then you can save money on your trip by staying in a small village outside of the main resort.

Cheap travel ideas

The cheapest and quickest way to get to your destination will most probably be flying. To find the best ticket deals and prices, use Skyscanner to help you – the app will be able to find the cheapest available flights for your trip.

To save yourself money on transfers, find out which airport is closest to your resort or accommodation and aim to book your flights to that destination. However, make sure to check the prices of flights at nearby airports too, to make sure that the prices are the same.

Most resorts have two airports in their vicinity, so it is worth looking at all your options, as one airport may be able to offer you a better deal.

To save yourself money on travel, try to be as flexible as possible. You may not realise it, but some days are cheaper to fly on – for instance, weekday flights tend to be cheaper than weekend flights.

Try to find a resort that offers free airport transfers. Otherwise, you may end up paying over the odds for your transport to and from the resort.

Buying lift passes

You can either book your lift passes in advance, or you can buy them from one of the ticket stations within the resort.

Most resorts sell various types of tickets, such as week-long passes, day passes or 10-day passes. You can also choose from passes that allow you to ski four days out of your six-day trip – these are perfect if you fancy a break from skiing.

To save yourself money, it might be a good idea to book your lift passes in advance, especially if there is an online discount for buying passes in advance.

Buy insurance

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Although it is an additional cost, don’t skimp on insurance when going on a skiing holiday. As a sport that can easily end in injury, there is a significant risk that while you are away you may need medical attention. As medical bills can be extremely expensive, medical insurance is a vital buy.

Make sure that you either buy medical insurance for your children or that they are covered under your policy.

Don’t eat out

Mountain bars and restaurants are known for being extremely overpriced, so try to avoid them as much as possible. Instead, take a backpack out with you and fill it with all the food and drink you and your family will need for the day.

Don’t hire equipment, borrow it

Instead of paying out expensive prices to hire equipment, borrow the equipment you need from friends and family members instead.

You can borrow everything from skiing boots and helmets to gloves and waterproof jackets, for example, you can find ski & snowboard rentals in Vail or wherever you are going on holiday. However, if might be a good idea to buy your own thermals and base layers.

Make sure that the equipment you borrow, fits you properly, is comfortable and is from a modern range. Skiing equipment that is too big or too small and outdated will not only be uncomfortable, but it could also be potentially dangerous.

Book ski lessons

If your or your children are new to skiing, it would be a good idea to book yourself and them in for skiing lessons.

A good way to get cheap skiing lessons is to approach a local skier and ask them if they could recommend a friend who would be happy to teach your and your children to ski for a low price.

However, if you are planning on taking on the steepest slopes, it might be a good idea to pair up with a professional skiing instructor.

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