We all know how quickly a week’s holiday can fly by, so deciding when to go on a ski holiday is an important decision so you can make the most out of your holiday. Snow conditions, a lively or quiet atmosphere and your budget all come into play when choosing as well as what you look for most in a ski holiday and who you’re going with.
To make things easier, have a read through our guide that will help you find the best time for you to hit the mountains.
December – festivities in a winter wonderland
It's risky, as it’s low season but a ski trip in early December can work out excellently if it snows as prices pre-Christmas are cheap and the slopes are quiet. It’s a great way to experience some festive fun in the snow during the build up towards Christmas.
December is also a magical time to go skiing with friends and family over Christmas. See Father Christmas and his reindeers' on his sleigh and enjoy spectacular firework displays and torchlight descents. Ski resorts really do make Christmas and New Year special. They go to town with decorating the resort with ice sculptures around the village centres' and Christmas lights hanging from chocolate box chalet roofs and trees.
Drawing into New Year, resorts get more lively with the bars and restaurants hosting parties every night, building up to New Year’s Eve. New Year is the most expensive week to go skiing after February Half Term, so expect to spend high prices on holidays and hangovers!
Great for – a lively atmosphere during New Year, quiet slopes in early December, family festivities, a group of friends, celebrating Christmas/ New Year away from home
Browse our December ski deals | Browse our Christmas ski holidays | Browse our New Year ski holidays
January – the cheapest deals of the season
The cheapest time to go skiing is in early January, the post-festive season.
It is often overlooked and has the best snow conditions, the coldest temperatures and the slopes are all open. January skiing is also a lot more quiet and the uncrowded pistes and no lift queues means for a much more relaxed experience.
Great for – quiet slopes, fantastic snow conditions, off-piste skiing, couples, cheap ski deals
Browse our January ski deals
February – the start of the high season
February also has great snow conditions and there are some good deals for the beginning and end of the month.
The beginning of February is a very popular time to go skiing as many know it’s the last week before the school holidays. But mid-February during half term week is when holiday prices sky rocket to more than double compared to January prices. As well as the high prices for holiday packages, slopes will be crowded and ski schools and kids clubs will likely be booked up. It is therefore best to book lessons and childcare in advance to secure your place.
As February half term is the most expensive week of the season, it is best to avoid this week if you are able to go outside of term time!
Great for – families, groups of friends, excellent snow conditions, lively atmosphere
Browse our February ski deals | Browse our Half Term ski holidays
March – blue birds and a party atmosphere
March see’s warmer weather and bluebird days are more of a regular occurrence. Prices also go down after half term as well as its crowds as music festivals start to pop up such as Snowbombing, Tomorrowland and Snowboxx in some resorts, bringing with it a whole new skiing experience.
March marks après ski in full swing - sipping on cold beers at piste-side bars on the sun terrace whilst soaking up the sunshine and desperately trying to get rid of that goggle tan. The snow forecast also turns into the ‘do I go skiing’ guide and many decide to bag a last minute deal if there has been a recent snow dump for confidence of great snow conditions.
Great for – couples, lively après ski, live music, blue bird days, last minute Easter deals
Browse our March ski deals
April – end of season sunshine
You know it’s April in the mountains when going to après in a T-shirt is the norm.
Although April is known to have slushy snow conditions come afternoon, its skiing is fantastic in the mornings with great visibility, blue skies and warm weather, perfect for alfresco lunches. You can also tailor your day and have later lunches so you can make the most of the snow before it goes slushy.
The Easter holidays are when the slopes start to get busier but the cost compared to half term is a lot less. Typically, the second week of Easter is the cheapest compared to the first, with the warm weather and slushy snow conditions providing for a more leisurely ski with family, plus it's better for kids as they won’t be getting so wet and cold.
Great for – families, lively après ski, end of season celebrations, last minute Easter deals, blue bird days
Browse our April ski deals | Browse our Easter ski holidays
Our tips
Early booking
The best way to take advantage of early bird deals and secure your perfect ski holiday is to book early, even more so if you are a large group or are looking to go on peak dates. If you’re a large group looking for a sole occupancy chalet, booking as early as possible also means you’ll get the widest choice on chalets and sole occupancy discounts. You can also get some great savings with early booking offers, ski hire and lift pass deals. Have a read through our 5 reasons to book your ski holiday early.
Even if it’s booking a year in advance, it gives you the best range of choice for you and your group and it’s something to look forward to!
For a quiet holiday
If you’re looking for a quiet time to go skiing, choose holidays at the end of April or beginning of January depending on your preferences. Also choosing holidays with Sunday departures is a good option as airports will be quieter compared to Saturday, which is the main transfer day. Also the slopes will be quiet as many will be heading back home! Finally, choose resorts that are less well known such as Samoëns in the Grand Massif ski area, Serre Chevalier and smaller Austrian resorts such as Niederau.
For the best snow conditions
Although January and February are the best months for snow, March and April also have great snow conditions in high resorts with glacier skiing available. Choose resorts that are over 1,800 metres, have had good snow history and have glaciers, such as Cervinia, Val Thorens and Tignes. Read through our guide on the top 10 resorts for April skiing so you can savour the end of the season.
For more advice and recommendations, why not give us a call and speak to one of our ski experts! Or have a browse through our 2019/2020 ski deals so you take advantage of our early booking offers.
