1st trip abroad in 25 yrs, (must be MALTA - on a budget)

[FortnamsTea]

I'd like to travel to Malta sometime in the next 6 weeks (flexible, except end Oct)
I've not travelled on been on a plane for 25 years. Me, Ds of 22 & 19, both ASD. Some mobility needs (I use crutches, 1xDs has POTS)
Neither have flown before. all pretty nervous. MUST be Malta (extended family to help at other end but cannot stay with them)
Preferably to Sliema/Valetta/3 cities area. I don't drive.

I'm on a shoestring budget but it's now or never. I could book via Skyscanners (but direct flights, plus 1 big bag plus choosing seats brings it up to nearly £1K)
Then I'd need to find a small apartment (which is the most reliable ? Air B&B?)

OR I could see if I could find a cheap package holiday.
Slightly pathetically -
I don't know where to start?

How long do you want to stay? What do you want to do when there?
Buses are cheap and go to most places but can be slow and crowded. Uber, Bolt etc fairly cheap so not driving nor a problem.

Sliema is a really practical area imo. It's got great bus access and is good for getting other places on the island. It's also a good spot for taking boat trips.
Valletta is lovely but it's more expensive to stay.

I stayed in a triple room at Europa hotel in sliema a few years ago with my mum and eldest son. If you can stretch to getting the sea view room it's really worth it imo, especially if you haven't been away for a while.
It's not a posh hotel but it's clean and the beds are comfy and the breakfast was fine and they have lifts.
It was really easy to get anywhere, and having the sea view really made it feel fancier than it would have been. No pool though,

It's even cheaper if you went further out to St Paul's bay etc, but it would make it more of a journey to get places.

You don't need to drive in Malta. The buses are brilliant and cheap.

First find out which airlines fly direct to Malta from airports near you. For budget flights you are best to book direct with the airline. Check Jet2, EasyJet, Ryanair etc.
Not worth using Skyscanner for a trip like this.

Stay for a week (10 days if I can afford it). I'd thought of a small apartment so we can fix our own snacks (both for ASD convenience & budgeting). But I'm really nervous of using AirB&B.

@Branleusethanks for Europa tip. I'll check it out. @JustWalnutOK thanks- Flying from Edinburgh
(Could also do Newcastle at a push)

Airbnb is usually fine if you use a place that has consistent reviews over a good period of time (some years). Enjoy your holiday!

Im surprised that the flights are so expensive. For example, Skyscanner, which absolutely is what you need to find pricing, shows the flights from Edinburgh with Ryanair as under £500 from 15 to 22 October plus it would be about another £100 for the bag and seats (don't select the first offer of a bag and seat bundle, it's cheaper to add them separately later). If you can travel midweek and go for an odd number of days eg Thursday to Tuesday, that's often much cheaper than a week Saturday to Saturday.

Or you could look at last minute packages, Jet2 fly from Edinburgh and Newcastle and have a good search tool on their website. I find Google maps good for searching for and booking accommodation. Or can your family recommend somewhere near where they live so its easy to meet up?

Don't forget to book assistance through the airport at both ends of your trip.

Absolutely do as @Bjorkdiditsuggests and book assistance. I did one once after orthopedic surgery, ther illness. I felt so guilty. I was yound but didnt think i was mobile enough. You are eligible. Some, not to generalise whole family groups booked it, just to queue skip, be lazy. You can see why countries such as Australis require a medical certificate.

Use airhint to track the price of Ryanair flights. it will notify you of any changes

I second staying in Sliema, you can use the ferry to get into Valletta for a day. Self catering would make things cheaper. Look on Airbnb and read the reviews I never had a problem.

Good luck OP
Malta is beautiful

Get yourself on Jet2, Thomas cook, Tui, easyJet holidays websites etc and book a package for simplicity. You’ll usually get your baggage included, (jet2 are particularly good for this), accommodation and transfers to/from the airport. Newcastle might be cheaper than Edinburgh which never seems to have any bargains!

I flew from Edinburgh to Malta with Jet2 a few years ago. I'd definitely recommend them over Ryanair even if the flights are a bit more expensive.

Yes, something I forgot to say about Jet2 vs Ryanair is that their basic price includes a large cabin bag that is bigger than the second bag you pay extra for with other budget airlines. So while their prices might initially look higher, you won't have to buy any extra luggage for a short trip to a hot country.

They also won't deliberately split you up like Ryanair do if you don't pay for a seat.

However as check in opens a month ahead it is possible there are other people already checked in on flights you've not yet booked so I don't know if there will be 3 seats together, there might be, or not. Or you might get a pair of seats together and one separate, so will that work for you, would you or obe of your DCs be OK to sit separately?

However you could take a risk of free seat allocation and then pay for add on later if it's not worked. Jet2 are also very helpful and if you say you are inexperienced and have young adults with SENs they will definitely help if they can.

I find the Jet2 seats a bit more comfortable too, especially as its a relatively long flight to Malta from Edinburgh.