Considering a Vail vacation? One question you might have is, ‘How Much Are Lift Tickets at Vail?’ This premier ski destination, reminiscent of a picturesque Swiss village, promises world-class skiing experiences, but be prepared, the lift tickets often carry a premium price. Interestingly, Vail Resorts has decided to limit lift ticket sales across its North American venues this year (excluding pass holder benefit tickets). The strategy? To heighten the allure of their Epic passes and entice snow enthusiasts to choose these over regular tickets.
1. Daily
Purchase lift tickets early online is the key to saving money and time on ski trips. Our advice: Buy at least seven days out from your trip or before ski season opens to ensure you receive the best possible prices and avoid lines at ticket windows on arrival day.
Vail Resorts has also made efforts to transition their revenue streams toward pass products rather than individual daily tickets, which means during periods of high demand you may not be able to purchase tickets from walk-up windows on the mountain; this strategy seeks to prioritize guest experiences on-mountain by considering factors like terrain availability, visitation history and current season visitation modeling.
Note, though, that many of those paying full price at the window may simply be procrastinators who decide not to get an Epic Pass and instead purchase day-of tickets on mountain. Most other skiers and riders on mountain likely have either purchased an Epic Pass ahead of time, purchased 3-day or multi-day passes in advance or found discounted tickets through third-party websites like Liftopia.
2. Multi-Day
Vail Resorts has made it their goal this season to emphasize pass sales over lift tickets, in an attempt to encourage people to purchase passes in advance and limit single-day walk-up ticket sales at each mountain. They plan on doing this across North American mountain resorts including Colorado’s Breckenridge Resort as an effort to promote pass sales over single tickets sales.
The company also announced it has reduced multi-day lift ticket prices back to those seen between 2007-2008 in order to help people afford ski vacations more easily. This change is particularly advantageous for visitors planning on visiting Breckenridge this winter; they will now be able to purchase multi-day tickets online or at the resort’s ticket office at last season’s rates.
Vail Resorts’s strategy of offering multi-day lift tickets at discounted rates in advance is highly intelligent. Skiers and snowboarders will maximize their skiing experience using Vail’s fantastic pass options that cover various skier or rider levels and give access to maximum skiing days at every venue.
If you need assistance choosing an Epic Pass option, Colorado Ski & Golf or Christy Sports offers expert assistance. They’re equipped to find a pass that meets both your needs and budget as well as answer any inquiries about them.
3. Season Pass
If you plan on visiting Vail, investing in a season pass could save you significant amounts over time; usually paying for itself within several ski trips. Plus, having access to so many resorts across North America and even globally makes this investment well worthwhile.
Vail Resorts is taking steps this winter to enhance guest experiences at all of their resorts by restricting lift ticket sales at peak demand times, potentially selling out single day tickets at the ticket window during this timeframe. However, these tickets can still be bought online or by enrolling in ski and ride school lessons if you hold an Epic Pass membership card.
Though these prices seem extreme (and make an eye-catching headline), Vail Resorts make sense in pushing passes over tickets as a reliable source of revenue and easier sales opportunities.
The Epic Pass is one of the best deals in skiing, offering access to 38 Vail Resort locations worldwide and costing between $88 and $104 per day depending on how many days are purchased. In some resorts it comes equipped with an additional peak dates add-on which can help navigate busy periods more effectively.
4. Epic Pass
The Epic Pass is an excellent option for skiers planning multiple visits to Vail Resorts. Offering significant savings off walk-up lift ticket prices and offering easy monthly payments with the EpicMix app, pass holders receive additional benefits such as on-mountain food and beverage sales, lodging accommodations, group lessons and equipment rental as well as Epic Coverage which provides refunds in certain instances.
The Epic Local pass is less costly than its full Epic Pass counterpart, yet still includes blackout dates during peak times of the season. This option is ideal for visitors interested in accessing all Vail-owned and operated mountain resorts without needing full coverage of Telluride and Resorts of the Canadian Rockies.
Regional passes offer greater access to mountain resorts across a wider region and may even cover resorts across the U.S. These passes often feature blackout dates that offer discounts on tickets during those dates as well as advanced lift ticket pricing and Buddy Tickets or Ski With a Friend ticket discounts for pass holders.
Vail’s day ticket prices tend to be steep during peak times. It could be that Vail is increasing their ticket costs in order to entice people away from day tickets and towards Epic Passes with potentially better value propositions.
