To wonder if package holidays are worth it?

@Werehalfwaythere to be very honest our son in that age range actually genuinely preferred Eurocamp ( but the bigger full on sites with fantastic pools etc) but all families are different - he liked the space, the meeting other kids from all over , the weird stuff you can get in the site restaurants, the play park areas- we didn’t drive down though - flew and hired a car for the week - I make sure it’s somewhere near a nice town and we ate out virtually every night with a couple of nights of site pizzeria or cafe/bar added in . Even factoring in eating out, supplies back at the mobile home including all drinks, frozen lollies, it was hugely cheaper and for me personally just as enjoyable - you know your family best

We did package holidays, self catering and all inclusive, when the children were little. We soon learned that we are family that needs space and being confined to one or two hotel rooms is not for us.

We now do AirBnb and book flights separately. I think you get a lot more for your money that way but it depends what works for you.

Totally worth it! Our UK holidays have been successful or not depending on the weather, amd when unsuccessful its meant spending money on doing things indoors just like we would at home but without home comforts.

We choose flights (Tui or Jet2) to fit with having kids. I’d choose as early as possible on day 1 and as late as possible on last day, if just me and DH. With kids we organise last day so its basically get up and have breakfast then get transfer for flight, which means getting back to UK at a good time. The benefit for me is that the sort of AI hotels we choose are family hotels where kids are likely to meet similar age kids to play with and we can relax and keep an eye on them. The inclusive food and drinks works for us, and the destinations we choose mean we aren’t gambling on the weather in the same way as we do in UK.

Jet2 amd TUI don't charge extra for transfer and luggage I'd a package holiday. We go on. 1 luxe AI per year and love it. You get a lot moire for you money in places like Turkey. We normally spend around 5-7k for 8-12 nights for me, DP &DD9

The thing you mentioned about baggage and transfers being extra - depends on which company you use. They will be included on Jet2 or Tui if they are using their own flights. It’s when you use a cheaper company like OnTheBeach that they quote cheaper prices because they are using Ryanair or EasyJet at their basic prices.

I think to make it worthwhile you have to look out for the free child places and get an AI so you know you haven’t got any extra expenses on top. Otherwise then it probably works out better value to book things separately and use AirB&B or camp as you’ve done previously.

You mention the faff of airport parking etc and I think it does make a big difference if you have a long travel to your nearest airport. Passport queues will probably be a bit worse this year at European airports due to the new biometric thingy, but that should make it quicker in the long run.

If I had DC your ages and didn’t work in education then I would probably look to travelling part of your holiday in term time.

There's a lot of places in the UK you can get a week's holiday accommodation even in summer for change from a grand. Most Havens outside Cornwall, for example. It's obviously at the more budget end of the spectrum but it exists.

There is always the weather issue in the UK though, and to that end I think abroad is easier to budget for. While you can insulate yourself a bit at home by choosing sites with some indoor activities, sometimes you do just get a shit week and you need some contingency in your budget for what you do if the free outdoor stuff just isn't available. AI abroad is usually dearer upfront but you know that spending money on top of that is optional.

How are your UK holidays so cheap??

We are just looking at AI packages abroad for a family of 5.

Our last UK holiday was £1800 for the 3 bed holiday rental, then easily another £1000 on meals out, snacks, and activities. And that wasn't even expensive accommodation! Plus it rained a lot and wasn't particularly warm.

We are thinking the £5k including flights, transfers, accommodation, activities, swimming, food, snacks etc... isn't that bad! Plus at least it should be warm!

Just to add - to get to the airport this summer I travelled to Stansted via train with a family railcard and taxi to my local train station. It was £30 (plus £8 taxi) for me and my son, so MUCH cheaper than parking, and took 10 minutes longer than driving.

@TheZanyZebra totally agree. People have such fixed ideas that are decades out of date. Most jet2 holiday packages have daytime flights and include more luggage than you could ever need.

Even if you DIY it's the same flights and still includes enough luggage for a week in the sun unless you insist on taking everything but the kitchen sink with you.

I agree that the cost of flying a larger family is not going compare with driving to France but its likely a case of cost, hot weather, short journey, pick two.

Well you have to cross the border wherever you go out of the UK so no avoiding that! Was eurocamp £1500 all in including ferry, petrol, food etc? If you don’t want to pay £4km for a holiday then don’t, it’s not compulsory!

You can go on a "package holiday" with Emirates.

I know there's a lot of snobbery around package holidays, or AI, but as they cover anything and everything from city breaks to ski holidays, I find the disdain a bit ridiculous.

Don't pay for one if it's not your thing or you can't afford it, no big deal.

So an actual package holiday with Jet2, TUI or EasyJet, for example, includes luggage and transfers. All airports have onsite parking that is literally straight out of the airport to collect your car. You walk to it in 1-2 minutes, no need to get a bus to an off site one.

Everyone has different opinions on holidaying with children, and people place different values on holidays. I’d start with thinking about what your kids would enjoy doing and looking at reviews and go from there. In the nicest way possible, unless you go more off-peak, a £4k package holiday in the Summer holidays, for 5 people, is very cheap these days and I’m not sure what kind of standard of hotel and food that would get you. Just saying this as it can be false economy if you end up in a hotel with awful food and then need to pay extra to eat out all the time.

FWIW, my DC is 3 and we holiday abroad 3-4 times a year. We’ve done AI and HB package holidays, city breaks, long haul and short haul. We all have a brilliant time and DC is always asking where and when we’re off on holiday again. I think the best thing is to try and stay relaxed and accept that you’re not going to spend 10 hours a day on a sun lounger drinking cocktails because you have young kids!

I've never done a package holiday as I hate the idea of the rubbish flight times with crappy airlines. Just choose flights you like, a nice hotel, taxi or uber from airport to the hotel and it's not at all stressful. It can also often be cheaper than package and you have a lot more flexibility.

Same shit different location, or a week to remember?
I have never felt the same shit different location trope. The different location is the point. It always makes up for anything else just seeing new places and new experiences.

Airports with young children can be a bit of a pain but nothing too bad. Passports is hardly a faff if you already have them.

You can use a company to get a package deal on flights and hotel without paying for AI or other bits if you want to. And you don't have to bring too much. We just did a week for 2 adults and 2 DC aged 9 and 7 with one paid for bag.

i'm definitely more of a DIY/camping in france type but we have done two package holidays with Jet 2, neither was all inclusive though.

I am a bit risk averse and have been stung before when organisnig my own flights when flights have been cancelled and of course that leaves you in the lurch with an expensive accomodation booking! Another time an aibnb cancelled - aaargh.

So that was the reason that we have been away twice with Jet 2, specifically that if some serious shit happens with either the flight or the accomodation its someone else's issue to sort out. That definitely helps reduce my anxiety up to the run up but assumign no disasters I dont think the holidays are any better. They're definitely more expensive!

Not AI but this year we pushed the (financial) boat out to a nice hotel based half board holiday and it was definitely less stressful than our usual holiday and we all enjoyed. But we definitely didnt have the more cultural experience that we've had elsewhere which I regret a bit. It cost £5k in school holidays for four of us, ridiculous tbh.

Assuming you want to stay fairly local, I think everywhere in Europe has some risk of a cool day that time of year, but we've only ever had one max per holiday and usually not even that. Southern Spain probably a good choice to start with if they're not used to flying, or perhaps Mallorca. The pools will be colder at that time of year, but the sea water is plenty warm enough if you're used to UK summers. Cyprus would probably have the most reliable weather then (I've not been) but it is a longer flight and you lose 2 hours due to the clocks so there's that. Some people also go to North Africa then but I have no experience of that.

There's sites like Weather Underground where you can get a look at the weather on a particular day for the last few decades.

Well if you want to spend a week on a beach you could always stay in a Eurocamp type place or SC accommodation in Spain or Portugal.

If you're worried about flight times, pick ones that land in the daytime. We're off to Lanzarote soon, on the way out the flight goes at 10 am and lands at 2 pm, on the way back it's in the afternoon, you don't need to arrive at 10 pm unless you choose to, you seem to be put off by a load of factors that can be avoided. Granted taking scooters on a plane won't be practical but you'll be able to buy some beach toys when you get there.

We go to Portugal because there's no time difference. Our 3 are really affected by even an hour. Geece is 2 hours which was hell. They were up and ready for the day before 5 local time.

ETA we also go at Easter or May half term as they melt in anything over 21 degrees even at home.

I think it depends on what you want

last year we went all inclusive to Tenerife in October hols. Kids 7 and 9. They absolutely loved it. DH and I were slightly losing the will by the end of the week because there wasn’t a huge amount outside the hotel. But for a no stress, pool and beach trip it was very easy. And for our first holiday of that type (always just visited family before) it went really well.

This year we went half board to a different resort with more around it. Buffet breakfast daily and then we could either have lunch or dinner buffet. So we alternated with some lovely local restaurants and some lunches out. Think the kids would’ve been happy with buffet for every meal, but DH and I preferred it. We had to pay for drinks, but we just had a glass of wine/beer with dinner and then bought some wine in the supermarket and sat on our balcony once kids settled. Kids did a bit of time in kids club but mostly happy with us in pool and at beach as they are a bit older now anyway so easier to manage.

Transfers and that super easy and all included with jet 2 and loads of luggage allowance. It was very low stress

If you like to take a lot of luggage, you're better off going with Tui, Jet2 or Easyjet where you get 22kg allowance per person rather than something like Love Holidays or On The Beach where you build it yourself and luggage isn't included. Plenty of room for snacks and clothes. Scooters might be pushing it, but you could pick somewhere that offers them to hire?

That costs seems quite high (I know it depends what sort of hotel, if you're doing AI, when you're going etc). Lots of them include luggage and transfers, so you can save if you spend ages looking for the best deal.
For me, the problem is most package holidays are non-refundable, and with life/jobs/kid sickness, family caring etc, I don't like the fact that I could lose all the money. With (most) holidays booked in this country, you can cancel close to the date, and not need to pay transport in asdnace. Sure, the weather's less likely to be good, but it's not guaranteed anywhere, and you save 2 days of leave not being in the airport, so until the kids are older, I prefer here to packages.
If anyone knows of any package holidays abroad I could cancel nearer the date without losing all my money (I totally respect it's not reasonable to expect it all back if I have a family emergency with someone I care for), I would be grateful to hear. Thanks in advance.