Package Deal or Compile own holiday?

It is not possible for any individual to say that diy is better than package. There are too many variables. Significant factors include:

The door to door time & cost for independant travel. So for me, I can get low cost flights from Edinburgh to Munich, Milan, Geneva, Grenoble, Salzburg. However, I have friends in other areas where they are restricted in useful availability. eg from Mancheste and Belfast, there doesn't seem to be a low cost route to Munich.

Availability & cost of accomodation. In my favourite resort I pay 19~25 Euros. Even at New Year in Scheffau, I paid only 45 Euro pppn, for DBB. On the other hand, in resorts that have restricted accomodation, an example is Obergurgl, accomodation costs can be prohibitive.

I disagree with FarQueue about when to book diy. If you leave it late, the air fares will always increase. Also, I have never known privately booked accomodation costs to be reduced.

With regard to last minute offers there is a mixture of truths and myths. TO's are not stupid, in fact, they are quite switched on. If there is a big dump of snow, it is the offers that melt, not the snow. If the take-up at a particular time is not strong, then offers emerge. If you bag an offer, and you then get a dump of snow, you have struck white gold!

Finally, do your research. I do a cost spreadsheet of ALL costs for every trip. Often, a great looking baseline price does not migrate through to the bottom line cost, once the full range of costs are factored in. Lift passes are a high cost, and vary hugely. Food costs, day and evening, can be high in France, and to a lesser extent in Switzerland.

So start looking at low cost flight possibilities NOW. Then look at the range of possible resorts, and how you travel to them, and how the travel times work with each other, and what are the costs. Choose 2/3/4 resorts, and blitz the accomodation. Look on this site at the top of the page. Look at tourist offices.

Then factor in the ski runs.........

I love the flexibility of DIY if going solo or with a few like minded souls (except at very peak periods) BUT if I am organizing a groupor family i will generally go with a T/O for the realative peace of mind that 'they' have to sort out any hiccups !

I think the main problem with DIY is arranging the transfers to resort. It's easy enough to book flights, and if you buy them early they're usually a reasonable price, and in my experience it's very easy to find accommodation through the resort tourist board, but airports tend to be a long way from ski resorts and the cost of transfers can be prohibitive.

So, I'd say if going DIY think about the transfer problem and find a resort that's easy and cheap to get to from the airport. Driving yourself, of course, fixes that problem. And there are plenty of ski resorts close to train stations.

I prefer going DIY myself, to package holidays, but then I always enjoy a challenge! :lol:

And I can usually get my DIY holiday cheaper than a package :D

But, having said that, if you can go anytime then getting a last minute package deal at a heavily discounted price usually works out cheapest. And the TO's often do special deals for kids, or half price lift passes etc.

Ally

Easyjet fly from Manchester to Munich a few times a week now. Geneva also. Jet2 fly to Chambery and Salzburg from there.

Manchester's low cost routes are expanding every season. Leeds/Bradford is a good one to keep an eye on too. You can sneak some great flight deals from there at times.

Jet2 are offering free ski carriage if you book before the end of October.

The advantage for me in DIY is that I can't always do a traditional Saturday to Saturday or Sunday to Sunday trip. DIY gives me the flexibility to go early on Sunday and come home late on a Friday - or Wednesday to Wednesday. With a few exceptions, tour ops are only able to do this with Swiss holidays.

Not sure if it works out cheaper - the biggest bugbear is the transfer to and from the airport.

As for airlines, Swiss fly to Geneva and Zurich several times a day, and this opens up France and western Austria as well as Switzerland. They also carry your skis for nothing!

Accommodation is the easiest bit - use sites like this and the resort websites - they carry a range of hotels, guest houses, apartments etc that never appear in any tour ops' brochure. Always a good idea to have a glance at Trip Advisor to pick up on any themes, good and bad!

Dave Mac wrote:
I disagree with FarQueue about when to book diy. If you leave it late, the air fares will always increase. Also, I have never known privately booked accomodation costs to be reduced.

In fairness Dave, I did point out that it is an advantage as we drive down, so flight costs are not an issue for us.

Indeed, FarQ.

When flying to Munich, people often overlook Lufthansa who have low cost fares from Heathrow for about £100 return including ski carriage.

Personally, I have used BA when booking flights into Zurich, Munich and Geneva in the past. Its relatively low cost, ie £140 return approx, and they allow you one bag 23kg plus 10kg hand luggage so theres not a lot you need on top, and in the 23kg you can take skis as your one bag. When you compare that to Easyjet or Ryanair for example, it may be slightly more but well worth the hassle of fighting to get on, having a seat reserved, and flying out of the splendid T5

Far Queue wrote:

Dave Mac wrote:
I disagree with FarQueue about when to book diy. If you leave it late, the air fares will always increase. Also, I have never known privately booked accomodation costs to be reduced.

In fairness Dave, I did point out that it is an advantage as we drive down, so flight costs are not an issue for us.

Sorry, FQ, I wasn't responding to your situation, but to the general situation as raised by the OP.

As Tony points out there are second tier opportunities with the main carriers. It is good info from Mekka about the new Easyjet route from Manchester to Munich. My skibuddy has generally used Luftahansa out of Manchester, averaging £120/£130. I would expect to pay around £60/£70 return. (With one free Frequent Flyer return flight per season!).

This reinforces the general point that I make that it is not possible to give a one size fits all response.

On the issue of luggage allowance, that may be a problem for some, but I never go over 17kgm, including my ski boots. Good point about the skis inclusive though.

As for "the hassle of fighting to get on", I go last in the bus queue, and stroll on to the plane. I know there will be a seat, not sure why other people don't do the same.

Good to get all the different experiences. I would guess that London & the south have the best choice of flight types.