Joan Scaleshas the lowdown on what each ski operator can offer you on the slopes
Topflight
With 14 years as Ireland's top ski-tour operator, Topflight knows what it is doing when it comes to ski holidays. It offers skiing and snowboarding holidays to dozens of resorts in nine countries. One that sounds like great value is the Laplandia Apartments, in Pamporovo, in Bulgaria, in March from €449 per person sharing. Three-night weekends in Lillehammer, in Norway, start at €329. (See Leonie Corcoran's article on page 20.) Watch out for free child places, free lift passes, free ski school and free ski and boot hire for kids. Two-thirds of its hotels offer wellness facilities. 01-2401784, www.topflight.ie.
Panorama
Book before October 31st for free lift passes, free group places (one in eight goes free) and €50 deposits. Panorama has accommodation in 17 resorts across France, Italy, Andorra, Austria and Bulgaria. Prices in Italy and Andorra start at a tempting €299 from Cork and €399 from Dublin. 0818-202020, www.panoramaholidays.ie.
Directski
Directski, an Irish company that also operates in the UK, is adding Slovenia to its line-up this year. Watch its website through the season, as it can offer great deals for light weeks. This season it has self-catering in Meribel from €379, based on four sharing; BB in Söll, in Austria, from €429; a week half-board in Arinsal, Andorra, from €539 half-board; and self-catering in Livigno, in Italy, from €439, based on four sharing. 1890-201205, www.directski.com.
Highlife
The ski-chalet expert will have two new properties for its seventh season, in Morzine and Meribel. Each comfortable chalet comes with its own chef and staff, who look after your every need (as Paul Cullen describes on page 16). Why not take the family skiing for Christmas and let someone else to do the cooking? Prices over Christmas from €1,448 for adults and from €1,186 for children. Santa will be paying a visit, too. 01-6771100, www.highlife.ie.
Crystal
With 82 resorts on offer, Crystal Ski should have something for everyone. It is especially good with children, and many of its resorts have childcare facilities. Try your hand at heliskiing in Canada or, for advanced skiers, the Jumps, Bumps and Powder courses. Free lift passes for some dates in March in Europe and free child places on most departure dates. Private nannies are available in Courcheval, Tignes, Meribel and Val d'Isère. 01-4331010, www.crystalski.ie.
Inghams
If you always wanted to learn to ski or snowboard, 2009 could be the year. From January 17th to 24th Inghams is giving free tuition, lift passes and equipment for beginners in 14 resorts in Andorra, Austria, France and Switzerland. It has flights from Cork to Geneva this season, for access to ski resorts in France, Switzerland and Italy. Child discounts of up to 35 per cent on hotels and free ski packs in selected resorts. 01-6611377, www.inghams.ie.
Project Travel
Combine a ski trip to Norway with a city break. Project Travel will have trips this season that combine two nights in Oslo with five days skiing in the resort of Geilo, halfway between Oslo and Bergen. A variety of accommodation is available. 01-2108391, www.project-travel.ie.
Sunway
Sunway has three destinations for skiing this season: Italy, Andorra and Bulgaria. If you do make it to Andorra, the lovely Princesa Park Hotel, with spa facilities, is right by the steps of the lift in Arinsal - and, from €643 for a week in January half-board, good value. 01-2311888, www.sunway.ie.
Club Med
Ski with Club Med and you know that the price includes everything: direct flights from Dublin, private transfers, meals, drinks, ski pass and tuition. Three-day pre-Christmas weekend skiing in Val Thorens, Val d'Isère and Alpe d'Huez, in France, plus Carvinia in Italy, from €792. 01-2366800, www.clubmedsunway.ie.
DIY skiing
Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus.com), Ryanair (www.ryanair.com), Swiss International Air Lines (www.swiss.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com) all fly to airports close to ski areas, such as Salzburg, Lyons, Geneva, Zurich, Bergamo, Cracow and Boston. You can build your own packages with the help of hotel-booking sites. Ryanair's website has a section devoted to ski hotels. Other sites to check are www.hotels.com and www.1800hotels.ie. Most ski resorts have good websites that can help you plan your trip. They should all be operational from this month.