When is The Best Time to Book a Ski Holiday?
Want to find the perfect ski holiday but wondering when is the best time to book? Here at Ski Magic we give you an insider’s guide into the best time to book your next ski holiday…
When Is The Best Time To Book A Ski Holiday?
You’ve been inspired to plot your escape from a drizzly, bleak winter in the city to the magical snow-covered peaks of the Alps. Great idea! But when is the best time to book to get the best value ski holiday?
Let us reveal the ins and outs to help you get the practicalities organised for your dream winter mountain holiday…
Mountain restaurant, Courchevel
Best time to book for ski holiday savings
Timing is everything when it comes to finding a great value ski holiday.
Whilst some operators discount just a few weeks before the actual start date of the holiday, you run the risk of disappointment as the choice will be minimal, with properties in less desirable locations or not the right number of rooms for your size of group.
If you’re looking for a last minute getaway, are travelling in a small group during an off peak week, then you may be able to get a good deal on a ski or snowboard trip. But if you’re a group of four or more, have a specific date in mind, or want to be able to choose from a wider selection of chalets, then it is wise not to leave your booking until the last minute.
It would be ideal to start planning your group ski trip in the spring or summer before you want to travel, ie. around nine months in advance. However we do begin getting enquiries and bookings a year in advance, so it really can be too late for a New Year or Half Term ski trip after the end of the current winter.
Top tip for ski trip planners: If you are in charge of booking, try to get a solid commitment on dates and numbers as soon as possible so that you can narrow down the search for a property.
Why book early?
Some skiers and snowboarders prefer to book for the following winter even before they’ve had this year’s ski holiday. If this seems like ridiculously early time then maybe you have never tried to book a ski holiday for 10 people for New Year’s week!
Here are the reasons you would need to book extra early for your next ski trip:
- You want (or need) to travel during school holidays, ie. Christmas, New Year, or February Half Term
- You have a large group, ie. 8+ guests
- You want to be able to choose the ‘perfect’ chalet for your group, perhaps you need a triple/family room, or you really want a chalet with a sauna/hot tub/games room…
In short, booking early means more choice. If you can manage to get your group organised and a date fixed, it is wise to secure your booking ideally by the end of April for the following winter, or at the latest by August. Once the leaves start to turn and there’s a chill in the air, people start to panic about booking ski holidays and the remaining availability fills up quickly.
Spreading the cost in this way can also be advantageous, as you would pay your ski holiday deposit in the spring or summer, and would then pay the balance nearer the start date of the holiday. Last minute bookers would need to pay the whole amount.
The Big Air Bag in Courchevel Family Park
What are the on and off peak ski weeks?
The most popular weeks to ski and snowboard are generally:
- Christmas week
- New Year
- Mid-February (school half terms can be spread over two weeks, depending on the local authority)
- Easter (especially if Easter falls earlier)
Other busy weeks can be the week before Christmas, the first week in January, early March weeks.
Such a high demand for these popular weeks means that prices are raised accordingly.
Off peak weeks (ie. outside of these times) are usually lower in price so could be a good opportunity to make savings if your budget is tight. This could also mean you could save on accommodation in order to enjoy one of the top ski areas whose lift pass price might be a bit more expensive because of the large number of lifts, or reliable snow quality.
Ski Magic’s catered Chalet Matisse Bas in La Tania
Early Pickings and Availability
Get your first choice of ski accommodation
Not all chalets fit all groups!
Maybe you are looking for a chalet with bunk beds, or a family room? Perhaps you would like to have somewhere very close to the slopes as you’re skiing with younger children? Or you and your mates would like to be near the main village so you can go and explore the bars after dinner…
Whatever your reason to be selective about your choice of accommodation, it means you would benefit from booking early – no need to add last minute stress to try and tick all the boxes, or settle for second best.
- Browse our chalets for 8, 10 or 12
- Find a chalet with hot tub in La Tania
- Choose one of a very few catered chalets in Courchevel Le Praz
When should you book for most choice?
For optimum choice for a peak week group ski trip:
- Start browsing in February for the following winter
- Narrow down searches for your group number in March
- Book by April
For optimum choice in a non peak week:
- Start browsing locations in May
- Narrow down your searches for your group number during June
- Book in early July
Fireworks on the slopes for New Year
Last Minute Ski Deals
Looking for a last minute ski trip deal?
If you are a group of 4-6 requiring a shared chalet, or are pretty flexible on dates and location, you can afford to leave it a little later and possibly pick up a late deal nearer to the winter.
Be aware that the balance payment for a ski holiday is usually due 10 weeks before your arrival date, so if the date you are looking at falls within this timescale, you will need to be able to pay for the whole trip in one go.
Looking for a pre-Christmas mountain getaway? You may well still be able to pick up some ski accommodation in November, but it would be sensible to start looking in October.
Top tip: ski passes are usually discounted in the first couple of weeks of the season, as the ski slopes start to build up the base for the season. You’ll probably find the slopes are pretty quiet too.
Thinking of skiing in January? For a late deal, November would be a good time to get online and starting browsing your options. This doesn’t suit everyone as Christmas is often an expensive time, although perhaps a ski holiday would make a lovely present for the skier in your life?!
February last minute ski deals: These are usually rather limited with two weeks of school holidays. Look for the ‘shoulder’ weeks, of the first and last weeks in February if you want reliable snow for a tighter budget.
March ski deals: All four travel weeks fall outside of school holidays which means that prices are generally lower for March. Later in the season also means warmer, and the lifts tend to open a little longer because of the lighter evenings, so you get an extra half hour or so on the slopes!
April and Easter ski deals: Skiing at the end of the season is one of our very top tips – you can be skiing in glorious sunshine or fresh powder, and of all the school holiday weeks, Easter is usually the best value.
Best time to book travel
Here at Ski Magic lots of our guests travel on airlines such as Easyjet, so we try to keep an eye on what they are doing about releasing dates and announcing it on our social channels:
We also offer both Saturday and Sunday arrival days, to give our guests the choice. Again, it’s wise to book early if you are looking at peak travel dates.
The best flight times of course depend on how far you are from your nearest airport, but it would help to be aware that the chalet check in times are from 4pm, although we can help if you want to drop your luggage prior to this time.
Don’t forget that you could also have the option to drive over to the French Alps, which can be cost effective if you fill the vehicle with people and share costs.
Top tip: When looking for a last minute ski deal, it would be a good idea to book your flight and accommodation at the same time to avoid losing out on travel options.
Booking in Advance
Here at Ski Magic HQ, we start receiving enquiries about next winter ski trips as this season begins, and we have often filled many weeks by April.
Each year we announce the opening of our online booking for the next season via our monthly newsletter. Sign up to our mailing list here. You’ll also be notified of last minute deals, and we like to include snow condition updates too, as well as useful links to help you plan your holiday and make the most of the activities in resort.
If our website doesn’t yet show availability for the following winter, don’t worry – just send Clare an email to enquire about your chalet.
Summary: best time to book a ski holiday
In summary, there are two rules about when to book your ski holiday:
- If you want a peak week holiday, start planning around a year in advance (yes, really!)
- The less picky you are about group size, date and location, the longer you can leave it to book.
Please do remember that we start to get very busy as soon as schools go back in September.
Did you know? By booking with Ski Magic, you are booking directly with the company that employs the team that will host your chalet, fit your ski equipment hire, and help you with any resort information. We are not an agency selling other companies’ holidays, we (Clare & John) are on hand in resort and at the end of the phone/email!
Ranch Nordique Meribel
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