Being a free spirit who “goes with the flow” and doesn’t plan for trips or activities is often seen as a valid (and fun) way of living. But many of us simply can’t live that way; we know there are benefits to thinking ahead. For one, if you can allow yourself to dream of snowy slopes while it’s still sweaty outside, you can save a lot on ski passes—if you buy them now.
Here are the best winter ski pass deals you can get if you act before prices increase.
Why you need a ski pass rather than a lift ticket
Something that people learn their first time skiing is that it would’ve been cheaper to get a ski pass rather than an individual mountain lift ticket. A ski pass can save you money even if you only plan to ski for a single day, since they often offer a variety of options.
Two of the most popular ski passes are the Ikon Pass and the Epic Pass, both of which offer you the chance to ski at multiple resorts around the country. Ikon just released their 2023-2024 winter prices, while prices for the Epic Pass recently increased on Sept. 4, but both are very likely to keep increasing as winter nears. If you buy them now, you can lock in the current rates. (For both of these passes, the more days you purchase, the cheaper your per-day rate will be.)
2023-2024 Epic Pass options
There are several Epic Pass options to choose from. The best one for you will depend on your location, whether you plan to travel to ski or not, and how often you plan on skiing. The most popular options are the following:
- Epic Local Pass: This pass is available for people traveling and locals alike. The Epic Local Pass is the best option for those who don’t plan to ski on the busiest days, such as over holidays or during peak periods (Nov. 24-25, 2023; Dec. 26-31, 2023; Jan. 13, 2024; and Feb. 17-18, 2024). You’ll get unlimited access to many mountains around the U.S. and some options abroad. The local pass is $705 for adults, $367 for children ages 5-12, and $570 for teens ages 13-18.
- Epic Pass: This is the whole package. You get access to more resorts and mountains than the local pass without any of the day restrictions. The pass is priced at $949 for people 13 and older, $483 for children ages 5 to 12, and kids under 4 years old can ski for free.
- Pick specific mountains: If you live close to specific mountains and don’t see yourself traveling this winter to other areas, your best bet is to buy passes for those specific spots. There are also regional pass options if you’re willing to travel within your region. The prices will vary for every mountain and region; for $579, you have access to ski all 21 of the Northeast mountains all winter.
- Epic Day Pass: If you’re not an avid skier but still want to take advantage of the prices, the day pass is your best bet. You can choose a set number of ski days and only pay for those. Single-day ticket prices start at $50 for a limited number of ski resorts (Midwest, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania). If that’s too restricting, you can do $82 per day for more ski resorts or $107 per day to have access to all of the Vail Resort slopes and their partner resorts.
2023-2024 Ikon Pass options
These are the initial Ikon Base Pass price options, which, similarly to the Epic Pass, will have some blackout dates. You’ll be limited to 14 destinations, but you can get up to five days from 34 additional mountains for an additional cost:
- Adults: $929
- Ages 13-22: $669
- College students/nurses/military: $659
- Kids ages 5-12: $349
- Kids ages 4 and under: $99 (free on many mountains)
The full Ikon Pass has no blackout dates and limits you to 16 destinations. You can choose up to seven days from 39 additional mountains:
- Adults: $1,259
- Ages 13-22: $939
- College students/nurses/military: $899
- Kids ages 5-12: $419
- Kids ages 4 and under: $149 (free on many mountains)
The Ikon Session Pass limits you to four days at 40 destinations with some blackout dates:
- Adults: $469 for four days, $389 for three days, $279 for two days
- Ages 13-22: $389 for four days, $319 for three days, $239 for two days
- College students/nurses/military: $389 for four days, $319 for three days, $239 for two days
- Kids ages 0-12: $279 for four days, $229 for three days, $179 for two days (free for four or five-year-olds on many mountains)
You can see all the possible ski destinations with the Ikon Pass here.
How these passes help you save money
A single-day walk-up pass can cost more than $200 per day at some resorts included in the Epic Pass, so the savings can be significant if you plan to ski a lot. Depending on your personal situation, it’s also worth investigating other discount options for students, active, retired and military dependents, seniors, and those with permanent disabilities.
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