15 ways to save money on your next ski holiday
15 ways to save money on your next ski holiday
It’s an undeniable fact that ski holidays are not the cheapest. Between the cost of getting to resort, kitting yourself out, booking ski lessons and buying lift passes, prices can climb pretty quickly. And that’s even before you consider money for après-ski fun and dining on the mountain.
Luckily there are some simple ways to drop the cost of your holiday without reducing your enjoyment one bit. Read on for my 15 top ways to save money on your next ski or snowboard holiday.
How You Travel
So fuel prices are… well, let’s not get into that. But when you consider the cost of flights, baggage fees, and transfers to and from the airport, you might find that it’s cheaper to:
- Take the train – also much more eco-friendly. Check out Travel Ski Express which bundles together train travel with your ski holiday. This covers Tignes and Val d’Isere, La Plagne and Les Arcs, Meribel and Les Menuires.
- Depending on your starting point, driving to your destination, especially if you’re travelling in a group and can split the costs between you.
Be flexible
If you’re not set to rigid holiday dates, you can shop around different weeks and months and choose the best deals. For example, airlines and accommodation companies expect guests to travel from Saturday to Saturday or Sunday to Sunday, so you can often bag cheaper deals by travelling midweek.
Plus, there’s no reason why you have to holiday for a week. Keep costs down by opting for a long weekend or five-day holiday instead.
Jen’s Top Tip: Check out companies like Ski Weekends or FlexiSki which specialise in shorter and mid-week breaks.
Jen’s Top Tip: Check out companies like Ski Weekends or FlexiSki, which specialise in shorter and mid-week breaks.
Avoid peak times
It’s an unfortunate fact that prices of ski holidays skyrocket during the festive period and the kids’ school holidays. If you’re traveling without children, aim for the first or last weeks of the season or mid-January and March to find the cheapest weeks of the year.
If you are traveling with children, the Easter holidays are a cheaper option than Christmas or half-term weeks. Plus, the snow conditions are often excellent, with long sunny days for alfresco dining and quieter ski schools for the kids.
Check what's included
One of the reasons ski holidays are so expensive is because there are a lot of different elements involved. You need to get to the resort and book accommodation and catering. You need the right clothes, equipment, ski lessons, and lift passes, and it all adds up.
So when you’re looking at holidays, remember that though the price of some accommodations might seem excessive, if they include flights and transfers and lift passes and equipment rental and catering, then it’s maybe not so expensive after all.
Total up the cost of purchasing all the items individually and compare it with all-inclusive deals to ensure you’re choosing the best option.
Shop for sales and promotions
Sales occur throughout the winter for all reasons: low snow weeks, last-minute cancellations, spring ski deals, valentine’s day promotions – there is no end to why companies might decide to throw out a discount. And not just on accommodation prices, they might offer packages that include a free lift pass or 2-4-1 equipment hire or a discount on ski school. So check their websites regularly, sign up for alerts and newsletters from resorts, tour companies and flight providers, and pounce when you spot a good deal.
Book early or book late
Booking last minute is traditionally one of the best ways to save money on your ski holiday. Ski companies don’t want their accommodation standing empty during the season, so if they’ve got empty rooms or cancellations, they’ll try to fill them by dropping the price. So keep an eye on those websites.
Jen’s Top Tip: Having said that, recent research from The Telegraph has confirmed that bookings for the 2022/23 season are storming ahead, with record chalet bookings through May and June. The main reason for this is thanks to Brexit: many traditional tour operators have dramatically reduced their chalet programs. Companies like SkiWorld have dropped from 115 chalets to less than 1/2 this number now. What does this mean? If you want a chalet holiday, in a specific resort, on a specific week, then you need to get in there early. A lot of companies are offering very attractive early-bird booking incentives: free lift passes, frozen prices, free kids spaces etc. So it’s definitely worth shopping around SOON!
Book with the same provider
Many ski holiday and chalet companies offer loyalty deals for repeat customers. If you had a great experience on your last holiday look at booking with the same people again for the chance to get a discount.
Jen’s Top Tip: If you are on holiday and want to book the same week/chalet again next winter, then contact them whilst you’re still in the resort. Tell them you’ll book right now if they can give you the same price you paid this year. Often, companies will commit to this and you will maintain your price without the year’s inflation. I have friends who have done this for over a decade and are now still paying the price they paid 10 years ago..!
Head to an unknown resort or country
Not all ski resorts are priced equally. If you head to the big-name resorts like Courchevel, Val D’Isere, or Verbier, you’ll find yourself paying top dollar for everything. Whereas, if you head to the less famous French and Swiss resorts, like my very own La Plagne, you’ll find lower prices. And, for a real bargain, why not try Bulgaria, Slovakia, Andorra or Spain?
Stay in the valley
Choosing to stay down the mountain rather than in a resort can save you a lot of money on your ski holiday. Many resort-adjacent towns have lively après ski scenes, plenty of shops and restaurants and shuttle buses or transport to the resorts.
For instance, if you stay in Bourg-Saint-Maurice, you can get the Funicular train to the Les Arcs ski area in less than seven minutes. Plus, you could ski a different resort every day – La Plagne, Les Arcs, Tignes, Val D’Isere, La Rosiere and St Foy are all within driving distance of the town.
Go self-catered
Self-catering accommodation is much cheaper, and cooking for yourself can save you a lot of money. If you’re driving, stop at the supermarkets in the valleys for supplies before heading up the mountain because resort grocery stores are not cheap!
And remember to pick up lunch supplies. Making yourself a sandwich to enjoy on the mountain saves you from buying an expensive slope-side meal every day.
Jen’s Top Tip: There are a lot of new model “ski chalet” companies offering similar deals to the typical catered chalets – but without the often hefty price tag.
Have a look at some of these:
All the below companies I have experience with and would 100% recommend to friends and family!
Peak Feeling Ski – For Tignes and Val d’Isere
WeSki – Hand-picked accommodation with great in-resort support
SkiYodl – great quality accommodations in fantastic locations
Travel in a group
Group travel can save you money in many areas of your ski holiday. You can split the cost of driving to resort or a private transfer from the airport. It means you can book an entire chalet which often works out cheaper – and more enjoyable – than multiple hotel rooms. Also, tour companies often offer discounts for group travel.
Jen’s Top Tip: Often, the group organiser travels for free! So if you are in charge of the planning make sure to ask about such discounts. Or other things like is the equipment rental is included if 10+ people book? So get your mates together and grab a bargain.
Book a hostel
Hostels are not a feature of every ski resort, but they are becoming more common as people look for more ways to save money. They’re much cheaper than hotels, have fun, friendly atmospheres, kitchens for self-catering and often offer private or family rooms for groups. Solo travellers can save even more by opting for a bunk room where you might also find some ski buddies to hit the slopes with.
Après for free
Ski resorts are often packed with expensive bucket-list activities like heli-skiing or husky dog sledding. But there are plenty of other ways to enjoy yourself that don’t cost a fortune.
Just wandering the snowy trails and slopes after the lifts shut is a magical experience, and all the best winter activities like snowball fights, sledging and snowman building are free. During busy weeks, ski resorts will put on free shows, ski displays, torchlight descents and fireworks for your entertainment. And late in the season, many of the bars have live music sessions out on their terraces. So pack a hip flask, grab a seat on the snow and watch the show for free.
Get kitted out on the cheap
You need the right clothes and equipment to keep you warm and safe while you ski or snowboard. But you don’t have to pay a fortune for it. Instead, why not borrow ski clothing from friends or family members, or consider renting rather than buying your gear?
Jen’s Top Tip: There are some excellent ski clothing rental and secondhand options worth having a look at. Check out :
Eco Ski – actually post your rental clothing to you before you fly!
WhoSki.com – a dedicated marketplace for buying and selling used ski gear
One Tree At A Time – In Meribel reselling high-end, used ski gear
If you do need to buy, check second-hand shops and vintage sites to find retro bargains, shop for your thermals and ski socks in budget shops like Sports Direct or Aldi, and hit up TK Maxx for brilliant old-season bargains on outerwear.
For your equipment, shop around for rentals to ensure you get the best deal. Look for group discounts and bundles that make things cheaper and if you’re a beginner, don’t pay extra for high-end equipment – you don’t need it.
If you do a lot of ski trips, start picking up your own gear when it’s on sale at the end of the season – start with a helmet, then boots – to save you having to rent them every time.
Consider your lift pass
Lift passes are one of the most significant expenses of a ski holiday. But there are ways of cutting costs a little. Again look out for sales and accommodation deals that include lift passes. And if you’ve got children, check the prices in different resorts. Most resorts offer free lift passes to young children and discounted ones for youths, but the age limits change from resort to resort. So find the resort with discounts that fit your family.
Also, do you need a whole week’s pass? Are you a dedicated skier who’s going to be out every day, or would you like a day off mid-week to rest your legs or nurse a massive apres hangover? Do you need the whole ski area, or would a local area pass suit your skills? If you’re an absolute beginner, chances are you won’t even need a lift pass for the first few days as the nursery slopes are often free. So only purchase the days you need.
That's It
Hopefully this’ll help you save a few euros on your next ski holiday. But what do you think? Did I miss any of your favourite money-saving tips? Get in touch to let me know your best wallet-friendly ski holiday hack!
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