Vail Resorts has announced new lift ticket savings averaging more than 30% at 12 major destination resorts for guests who buy tickets at least four weeks before they travel.
“Up until this season, there were two ways to save on lift access at our mountain resorts – you could either purchase an Epic Pass or Epic Day Pass pre-season for a huge value, or save a smaller amount on lift tickets by purchasing online at least seven days in advance – our goal is to fill that gap,” said Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz. “While we will always give the best deal to our Pass Holders, with this new discount, our hope is to make the sport more accessible for guests who aren’t thinking about skiing and snowboarding until winter arrives.”
The discount applies at Vail Mountain, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Crested Butte, Park City Mountain, Whistler Blackcomb, Heavenly, Northstar, Stowe, Okemo and Mount Snow during the 2025–26 winter season. At several larger resorts, guests may save more than $100 per ticket depending on the date. Lift tickets are available for purchase on the websites of all 37 North American Vail Resorts locations. Prices vary by resort and peak dates. If purchased now, the first day eligible for the new pricing is 5 January 2026.
The announcement follows the introduction of Epic Friend Tickets earlier in the year, which allow friends of Epic Pass Holders to receive half-price lift tickets. Epic Friend Tickets are based on window prices and cannot be combined with the new advance-purchase discount.
Vail Resorts has also confirmed that guests who buy lift tickets this season may apply part of the cost to a future Epic Pass. Epic Friends may apply the full amount paid, while other ticket holders can apply up to $175 towards a 2026–27 Epic Pass, subject to conditions.
Data from the company shows that almost 75% of visits are from Epic Pass and Epic Day Pass holders who buy before the winter season, while around 25% of guests purchase standard lift tickets. Fewer than 2% now purchase at the ticket window. Epic 1–7 Day Passes, launched in 2019 for occasional visitors, offer up to 65% savings when purchased ahead of the season.
The company states that this latest update supports its wider plan to improve the overall visitor experience, including updates to lift systems, on-mountain flow, ski school programmes, hospitality options and booking processes.
