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Best apps for planning your budget ski vacation

Best apps for planning your budget ski vacation
Karen McCandless

Karen McCandless

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In the first in a series of articles profiling the apps that can help you plan your holiday on a budget, we look at skiing. While there is still plenty of time left to hit the slopes before the end of the season, many people will be put off by the perceived high cost of this type of vacation. There is so much more to think of than just booking flights and a hotel, and picking up a good guide book.

Best apps for travelling on a budget

If you’re looking to pick up a cheap skiing break, these apps will help you do everything from finding the best flights, to getting discounts on lift passes to downloading maps that save you from racking up a huge data bill through to getting the best deals at resort restaurants and bars.

Kayak

While there are several flight comparison apps out there, Kayak is the only one to offer search functionality tailored specifically to ski destinations through its smartphone offering. When you chose the ski option from within the Explore Deals menu, the app presents you with a range of pins across a map of the world that provide an overview of the best deals for that particular resort.

Download Kayak for Android | iOS

Airbnb

When you’ve found your perfect (budget) snow destination, you’ll need somewhere to stay, and where better for finding a good deal than Airbnb. There are ski chalets galore in all the top resorts you can think of and the mobile app makes the booking process smooth and simple. If you’re feeling a touch adventurous, you could even spend a night in a ski cable car at 9,000 feet courtesy of Airbnb.

Download Airbnb for Android |iOS

Liftopia

Buying a lift pass in advance can help you keep costs down and Lifetopia is just the app to do it with. Simply search for your destination and check out what deals they have to offer. You can then buy the passes directly from within the app. No deals available for your destination of choice? Click on “Get Deal Alerts” and Liftopia will notify you when an offer becomes available.

Download Liftopia for iOS

OnTheSnow Ski & Snow Report

There are several ways this multi-functional app can save you cash on your skiing break. Like Liftopia, it offers deals on lift passes, but also throws in money off ski breaks and the opportunity to buy your equipment and clothing before you go. If this is your first ski break, you may want to hire rather than buy, but if you’re a seasoned pro the comparison of elements such as versatility and stability can help you make an informed choice and get the best gear at the cheapest price.

Download OnTheSnow for Android

Ski Tracks

If you want to boast about your skiing prowess but you’re worried about eating into your data allowance, Ski Tracks allows you to record all your runs on the slopes without a phone signal or using any cellular data. It also provides downloadable maps so you can plan your journey. Don’t be put off by the ugly interface, it’s actually a highly-rated and very useful app.

Download Ski Tracks for Android |iOS

Ski School Intermediate

While ski lessons delivered through an app are by no means a substitute for the real thing, if you want to refresh your technique before you get on the piste again, Ski School Intermediate can help. There are video demos that explain the basic techniques, while you can use the in-app camera to compare your own runs with that of the experts.

Download Ski School Intermediate for Android |iOS

Tripster Ski

If you’re heading to Europe to take that all important ski break, Tripster Ski is a must have app to enjoy tons of discounts on everything ranging from booking equipment to reserving lessons to getting money off eating and drinking. The discounts available very much depend on the resort but Chamonix, for example, offered all of the above plus money off massages, paragliding, and resort transfers. With an attractive and intuitive interface, this could be the most important app for securing that cheap ski holiday.

Download Tripster Ski for Android | iOS

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Karen McCandless

Karen McCandless

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