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It’s no secret that ski holidays can be expensive but choosing the right destination can make a big difference to the overall cost. From budget-friendly ski resorts in Bulgaria and France to cheaper options in Italy and Romania, there are plenty of places where you can enjoy snowy pistes, lively après-ski and stunning mountain views, without blowing your budget.

I’ve rounded up the best cheap ski holiday deals available now, as well as some of the best affordable ski resorts to consider for your next trip.

Save up to £200 this ski season with Crystal

If you like the ease of booking everything in one package, Crystal has your accommodation and flights covered. For a limited time, you can save £200 on December trips, £150 on January or February departures, or £100 on March or April ski holidays using the discount code below.

Up to 15 per cent off luxury Club Med ski holidays

Club Med is another all-in-one ski package provider that keeps the booking process straightforward and stress-free. You can save up to 15 per cent on selected luxury ski packages in France, Italy and further afield, including resorts in Canada and Japan. This is a great way to enjoy a little bit of a luxury for less.

Exclusive 6 per cent off accommodation with Expedia

Booking your flights and accommodation separately can sometimes work out cheaper for a ski holiday, particularly if you’re looking at chalets or lodges. The Independent readers can also save an exclusive 6 per cent on accommodation booked through Expedia.

£20 off flight and hotels with Lastminute.com

If you’re booking your own ski trip rather than going for a package holiday, Lastminute.com can be a useful place to look for flights and accommodation. With the discount code below, you’ll get £20 off flight and hotel bookings made through the Lastminute.com app.

Most people associate package holidays with fly-and-flop sun destinations such as Spain, Turkey and Greece. Providers such as Crystal are great for those wanting an affordable ski holiday without the stress of booking everything separately. A Crystal package includes 20kg luggage allowance per person, accommodation and transfers. You can also add extras such as lift passes, equipment hire and ski school, so everything is sorted under one booking.

In terms of value, you can still find competitive prices, plus, if you time it right, you can often use a discount code to reduce the cost of your holiday even more.

For me, the added reassurance of Crystal’s snow promise is worth its weight in gold, especially with the unpredictable climate. This means you will get your holiday rescheduled with no fees if the snow isn’t adequate enough for skiing.

Geilo, Norway

(Cystal Ski)

Norway might not be the first place that springs to mind when you think of a cheap ski holiday but Geilo can be an affordable alternative to the better-known French and Swiss resorts. Its accommodation and skiing options cater well to families, with plenty of self-catering apartments and a compact resort that’s easy to get around without a car. The skiing is spread across two sides, with around 40km of pistes, but there are also extensive cross-country trails and plenty of non-skiing activities.

Getting to Geilo is pretty straightforward, too. The resort sits on the railway between Oslo and Bergen, with trains taking around 3.5 hours from Oslo. During winter, there is also a direct airport shuttle from Oslo Airport, making it possible to fly from the UK and continue by public transport, rather than paying for an expensive private transfer.

Borovets, Bulgaria

(iStock)

Borovets is one of the most well-known budget-friendly European resorts. Bulgaria is generally cheaper than most major Alp destinations for accommodation, lift passes, ski hire, food and drinks, however, Borovets still offers around 58km of pistes, tree-lined runs and a lively après-ski scene. It tends to be particularly popular with beginners and families, thanks to its gentle slopes and a good choice of ski schools.

It’s also one of the easier Bulgarian resorts to reach from the UK. Fly to Sofia and the resort is around 68-75km away, with a car transfer taking roughly an hour and 15 minutes if conditions are good.

Bardonecchia, Italy

(iStock)

If you want an Italian ski holiday without the price tag of some of the country’s more famous resorts, Bardonecchia is the place to go. It’s generally cheaper than big-name Dolomites destinations and still offers 100km of pistes, with a mix of blue, red and black runs. The resort is best known for hosting snowboard events during the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics.

From the UK, you can easily fly to Turin and take a train directly from Turin Porta Nuova to Bardonecchia, taking around 90 minutes – much cheaper than a private ski transfer.

Poiana Brasov, Romania

(iStock)

Poiana Brasov, Romania, is a lesser-known choice for a cheap ski holiday, with lift passes, lessons, accommodation and eating out costing considerably less than in the Alps. The resort has more than 24km of pistes, modern lifts and runs that cater to all abilities. Its location, just outside the medieval city of Brasov, also offers something different to explore when you’re not skiing.

Getting there has become easier for UK travellers. Brasov-Ghimbav Airport is about 25-30 minutes from Poiana Brasov and has a London Luton connection, however, there are also plenty of options via Bucharest, if those flights work out cheaper for you. From Brasov itself, the resort is just 12km away and can be reached by a local bus, saving on private transfer costs.

For the latest discount codes and offers on holidays and days out, visit our dedicated travel deals section