Summer’s here — time to think about going skiing. Several carriers, including EasyJet, BMI Baby and Ryanair, have just unveiled their winter schedules, or are in the process of doing so, and flights are now on sale to many key skiers’ airports.

Ryanair (0906 270 5656, 25p per minute; www.ryanair.com), for example, is offering returns from Stansted to Salzburg for £35.58; while EasyJet (0905 821 0905, 60p per minute; www.easyjet.com) has Liverpool to Basle from £41. BMI Baby (0870 264 2229, www.bmibaby.com) has returns from Cardiff to Geneva from £86.

Prices will fluctuate over the coming months, according to demand, but booking now gives skiers the best chance of bagging a cheap deal, especially on weekend flights.

When it comes to booking accommodation, however, you may need to wait. Alpine hoteliers resist selling rooms on anything other than a weekend-to-weekend basis, except at the last minute. So for anyone looking for a shorter skiing break, the best plan is to avoid New Year and February (when demand for beds is highest), and to start ringing the hotels three weeks before departure date. That also allows you to target the resorts with the most snow.

One other group of winter-sports enthusiasts should also be hitting the phone and internet now: families. Package holidays to the best resorts and chalets — especially those including childcare — are selling fast. One of the largest family specialists, Esprit (01252 618300, www.esprit-holidays.co.uk), reports that 65% of its packages for next February half term have already gone.

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