SKI LOVERS in Wales can enjoy the stunning Eastern Alps near Salzburg, Austria, thanks to new package holidays and flights from Cardiff Airport.
Based on the success of Chambéry, Crystal Ski is increasing choice for Cardiff Airport customers, with Salzburg and Chambéry now available to book.
Weekly Saturday flights to Salzburg with TUI Airways begin 20 December 2025 and are on sale up to 7 March 2026.
The top ski resorts near Salzburg, according to Crystal Ski, are:
- St Johann: St Johann’s compact ski area has everything you’d want if you’re heading to the mountains for the first time. There’s a big nursery area near the village to start you off, and a good mix of scenic blues and reds when you’re ready to progress. And if you’re here with the kids, the snow park and fun slope, with their bumps, boxes and banked turns, are bound to be hit.
- Schladming: With a large ski area and a great range of runs, Schladming is one of Austria’s most underrated resorts. The long, rolling reds and wide, cruisy blues across the large ski area make it the perfect playground for intermediates. And the skiing doesn’t stop when the sun goes down, stay on the slopes for an evening of floodlit night skiing under the stars. Head up to the Dachstein glacier for views as far as Slovenia and the Czech Republic.
- Zell am Seez: Gentle slopes and excellent ski schools make Zell a favourite for families and first timers. On the mountain, there’s a mix of pretty, tree-lined trails and wide-open pistes where you can take in views of the lake. There are some great kids’ ski areas dotted around, and intermediates and advanced skiers have the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, not to mention runs in the linked Ski Circus area to play with.
Lee Smith, Head of Business Development at Cardiff Airport, said: “We are delighted to announce this exciting news in conjunction with Crystal Ski and TUI. This is the second new ski route we have announced in 12 months.
“The last time we had a Salzburg flight was 32 years ago in winter 1993/94, operated by the then Britannia Airways. Demand for ski holiday flights from Cardiff is high, with the Chambéry route performing extremely well.
“I want to thank our teams for working hard to secure this exciting new route and we look forward to the launch.”
Scott Britton, Head of Commercial at Crystal Ski Holidays said: “We are delighted to add a new TUI charter flight route from Cardiff to Salzburg into our Winter 2025/26 season programme, following the success of our newly introduced
“Chambery charter service from Cardiff which launched in September. Providing our customers with even more choice when planning their ski holiday, services to Salzburg will commence on 20th December 2025 to twenty-four top ski resorts, including popular destinations such as Zell am See, Mayrhofen, and Kitzbühel.
“As a one-stop shop for ski holidays, here at Crystal we want to make it as easy as possible for customers when it comes to planning their next ski break, and offering destinations that are easily accessible is key to that”.
Crystal Ski Holidays (www.crystalski.co.uk); (020 8610 3123) offers a week’s bed & breakfast holiday in Zell am See, Austria staying at the 4-star Hotel Heitzmann from £1333 per person when booked online (based on two sharing) including flights from Cardiff to Salzburg and transfers (price given is for departure on 20 December 2025).
Crystal Ski Holidays (www.crystalski.co.uk); (020 8610 3123) offers a week’s bed & breakfast holiday in Kitzbühel, Austria staying at the 3.5-star Bio Hotel Bruggerhof from £1210 per person when booked online (based on two sharing) including flights from Cardiff to Salzburg and transfers (price given is for departure on 27 December 2025).
All prices quoted are correct to the particular product package at the time of issuing the price package/packages to the publication. Price was quoted on March 13. Prices provided are subject to change and have limited availability. Terms and conditions apply.
