Heidi Highlights Holiday Hacks To Save Thousands Off Half Term Family Ski Trips And Andorra Tops The Bill As Favourite Resort

There's no doubt that the magic of snow and a February half-term ski holiday is a heady combination. As peak dates in the season, it is also one of the most expensive times to go - but fret not. Based on insights from Heidi’s current booking data trends, we’ve crunched the numbers to bring you four money-saving swaps that will lower the cost of your February half term family ski holiday.

Tip 1: Resort choice

Resorts vary hugely in terms of price - from accommodation and lift passes to ski lessons, food and drink. If you want to keep your budget tight without compromising on family fun, it pays to know which resorts offer great value for less.

Andorra is on its A game this year - it’s currently Heidi’s most-booked destination for February half term 2025, up 212% compared to last year. Heidi sells nine resorts in Andorra: Arinsal, Pas de la Casa, La Massana, Soldeu, El Tartar, Encamp, Canillo, Grau Rolg - and has added Andorra La Vella as a new resort this season.

So, why Andorra?

Marcus Blunt, Co-Founder of Heidi, explains: “Whether it's a first-ever family ski holiday or your kids are mini mountain goats in the making, resorts in Andorra offer affordable fun for all ages. Heaps of wide, mellow pistes, easy access to the slopes and kid-friendly amenities, plus reasonably priced ski schools and equipment hire. There are also plenty of cruisy blue runs and tree-lined reds to keep seasoned parents entertained while the kids are off mastering their snow ploughs.”

SWAP: a week in Avoriaz for a week in Arinsal, Andorra to save £2,250

Comparing like-for-like: 7 nights over February half term (Saturday 15th - 22nd February 2025), self-catering, in 3-star accommodation for a family of four (sharing either an apartment or quadruple room), including return flights and airport transfers:

AVORIAZ: £1,385pp / £5,545 total vs. ARINSAL, ANDORRA: £823pp / £3,292 total

Snow-sure Avoriaz is ski-in/ski-out, entirely car-free and one of Heidi’s top-selling resorts for families. However, if budget is your priority, Arinsal in Andorra is a fantastic cheaper alternative. Yes, the airport transfer is longer, but it’s similarly high altitude and snow-sure, and offers incredible value for money with top-notch ski schools, a dedicated nursery zone and the relaxed, mellow pistes of the Pal Arinsal ski area. Basically, everything you need for a brilliant family ski holiday, plus a huge variety of activities close to the resort - from snow tubing to sledge rides.

Tip 2: Go for six nights instead of seven

It may sound obvious, but one less day of skiing can seriously slash your costs. Heidi customers are realising this, with 6-night bookings in February up 64% compared to last year. For many families, that still means plenty of skiing for little legs, but can be much softer on the wallet.

If you definitely want to put kids in group ski lessons, some resorts let them start any day, but as a general rule group lessons usually start on a Sunday or a Monday. If that’s not a priority for you - or you’re looking at private lessons - a shorter trip that avoids a Saturday arrival could be a winner.

Marcus Blunt, Co-Founder of Heidi, comments: “When you book six nights rather than seven, you still get plenty of time to ski but will naturally save on accommodation, lift passes, ski hire - and sometimes even flight prices. Saturdays can be the most expensive day to travel as the traditional “changeover” day. So if you have some flexibility on the days you can fly, that can cut your costs. When you search holidays on the Heidi website, it will automatically give you the cheapest flight options first.”

He adds: “As a parent myself, I try to opt for kid-friendlier flight times that don’t require super early or late departure times. Whilst these can sometimes be slightly higher in price than those requiring a 3.00am wake up call, on the Heidi website you can easily see the impact of the different flight options on the overall holiday trip cost and toggle them according to your budget.”

So, just how much can you save as a family of four booking 6 nights instead of 7?

SWAP: Let’s say you’ve decided on Arinsal in Andorra over the 2025 February half term week, staying at the 3-star The Lodge at Ribasol.

By swapping 7 nights (flying Saturday 15th - 22nd) to 6 nights (flying Sunday 16th - Saturday 22nd), a family of four can save £400.

This is just on accommodation, flights and airport transfers - so imagine the potential compounded savings when you add on food, drink, lift passes, equipment hire and lessons.

Tip 3: Compare lift pass value

Marcus explains: "Not all ski passes are created equal - some have different age bandings, or cover a bigger ski area than others for a cheaper price. If you want to make your money literally go further, compare the cost per kilometre of piste that resorts offer. For example, Les Portes du Soleil in France is better cost per kilometre than, say, Courmayeur in Italy, which has a pricier pass but a smaller ski area. On the Heidi website you can easily compare lift pass prices for different resorts over the same dates.”

He adds: "Check the age bandings for child passes as it can make a huge difference to the price. There are resorts where younger kids can ski free - such as Pila in Italy, up to aged 8. Pila is a real hidden gem and one of our favourite ski resorts in Italy. It’s great for families and beginners and has also opened a new gondola this year.”

"Some resorts offer junior passes up to higher ages and heavily discounted passes for senior skiers. For example, Auron in France offers a 7-day junior lift pass that goes up to 25 years old, a saving of over £30 compared to 7-day adult pass. Auron also offers a 7-day lift pass for less than £2 if you're aged under 5 or over 72."

SWAP: In La Plagne a child lift pass band is from 5-12 years, while in Pila kids under 9 ski for free, or a Pila child lift pass is for 9-15 years, and cheaper than La Plagne. So, for a 6-day lift pass for a family of four with two parents and two children under 9, by going to Pila versus La Plagne, you’d be looking at a saving of £490.

Tip 4: Opt for self-catering

Marcus explains: “Food and dining choices can massively affect the overall price of your holiday - especially a family ski trip, where everything is multiplied. If you opt for self-catering accommodation, you’ll save a lot of money, plus have that bit more flexibility. Lots of our customers are choosing it for this reason and we’ve seen a 90.4% rise in February self-catering bookings compared to last year.”

Here’s an example of how much you could save going self-catering instead of bed & breakfast or half-board. Obviously, these calculations do not consider how much it will cost to buy your own food and drink instead, but it gives an idea for comparison purposes.

All prices below are for Soldeu in Andorra and include 3-star accommodation, return flights and airport transfers for a family of four for 6 nights (Sunday 16th - Saturday 22nd February 2025) over February half term week:

Half-board at Hotel Austria by Pierre & Vacances = £1,330pp / £5,321 total

Bed & breakfast at Hotel Austria by Pierre & Vacances = £1,171pp / £4,684 total

Self-catering at Pierre & Vacances Andorra Bordes d’Envalira = £668pp / £2,672 total