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The Best Hacks for Discount Lift Tickets
How to Unlock Cheap Ski Passes for North American Ski Resorts
Dreaming of carving fresh powder at Whistler Blackcomb, Vail, Aspen Snowmass, Jackson Hole or Park City without paying full price for lift passes? At Holiday World Ski Classics, we’ve been helping UK skiers unlock the best value on premium North American ski holidays for decades — and it all starts with choosing the right ski pass strategy.
Here’s how savvy travellers can save hundreds — even thousands — on lift tickets, using timing, multi-resort options and advance planning.
1. Buy Early — Prices Rise Quickly
One of the simplest ways to secure cheap lift access is to buy your pass early.
Across North America, lift tickets are often much cheaper when purchased well in advance rather than at the window on the day. Buying online 30–60 days ahead can deliver 10–30% savings or more compared with walk-up rates — especially at popular destinations like Whistler or Vail.
But here’s the real big-ticket saving: season and multi-resort passes unlock far better value the sooner you buy them — and once the season starts they go off sale or rise in price fast.
2. Choose a Multi-Resort Pass — More Mountains, Lower Cost
If your ski holiday plans include multiple destinations — and why else choose North America’s luxury resorts? — multi-resort passes are a game-changer.
Epic Pass
The Epic Pass gives you access to 80+ resorts including Whistler Blackcomb, Vail, Breckenridge, Park City and more — all under a single lift pass. Buying early (e.g., March–December before the season) means you avoid peak pricing and often get discounted lodge and rental deals too.
The Epic Pass offers access to over 80 mountain resorts globally, including major U.S. destinations like Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Park City, Heavenly, Crested Butte, Keystone, Telluride, and Whistler Blackcomb in North America, plus European partners like Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis, Crans-Montana, and access to Les 3 Vallées, Ski Arlberg, and more. It also includes partner resorts in Japan (Hakuba Valley) and Australia (Falls Creek, Hotham).
In addition, Epic Pass holders enjoy extra perks like ride-along buddy discounts and savings on food and rentals — perfect for luxury travellers who want convenience and value combined.
Ikon Pass
If you’re aiming for iconic mountains like Aspen Snowmass, Jackson Hole or Big Sky, the Ikon Pass is another powerful multi-resort choice. While a higher upfront investment, its value multiplies if you’re visiting several resorts — you often break even in just a few days compared to daily lift tickets.
The Ikon Pass offers access to dozens of ski resorts globally, with unlimited skiing at many North American favorites like Mammoth, Palisades Tahoe, Winter Park, Steamboat, Big Sky, Snowbird/Brighton, Copper, Tremblant, and SkiBig3, plus limited days at premium spots like Jackson Hole & Aspen/Snowmass, alongside international destinations in Europe (Zermatt, Chamonix, Kitzbühel, Dolomiti Superski, Ischgl) & Japan/Australia/S.Korea/Chile (Niseko, Thredbo, Valle Nevado), depending on the pass level. Access varies, with some resorts offering unlimited days and others limited (e.g., 5 or 7 days), and blackout dates or reservations may apply.
3. Plan Timing for Peak Savings
Timing your pass purchase matters just as much as timing your trip:
Early Bird Deals – Passes like Epic and Ikon are usually cheapest in the spring and summer before a season begins. Locking in your pass early secures lower pricing and ensures availability during peak holiday weeks.
Multi-day & Flexible Passes – If a full season pass isn’t right for you, look toward multi-day passes (often 1–14 days valid across top resorts). These can still deliver savings of 40–65% compared with buying day-by-day lifts when you buy well ahead of travel dates.
4. Exclusive International Lift Tickets
While Epic and Ikon reign supreme for big mountains, there are other ways to ski smart:
Exclusive International Lift Tickets
We have access to some exclusive discounted lift ticket prices for several of our US and Canda resorts.
Please be aware that you can only access these discounted lift ticket prices if you also book your lodging through us.We cannot sell these US and Canada lift ticket deals on a stand alone basis.
Jackson Hole Discount Lift Tickets
Check out our exclusive lift ticket prices for international guests for 10/20/30 day lift ticket prices for Jackson Hole as well as access to Kids Ski free tickets on slected dates. These rates are not valid for US or Canada residents and need to be booked with lodging through ourselves.
Whistler Blackcomb Discount Lift Tickets
For Early Bookers..up to 30 Nov
A Whistler Blackcomb Day Pass is an advance-purchase, flexible, discounted pass (1-10 days) for future season with limited peak restrictions, offering significant savings (up to 65%) but less flexibility and non-refundable, while a Lift Ticket is a full-price, specific-date ticket for immediate or short-notice use, available all season, refundable but with much higher window rates and potential to sell out. The main difference is buying early for savings (Day Pass) versus last-minute convenience and refundability (Lift Ticket).
For Late Bookers from 1 Dec
We have exclusive lift ticket prices for international guests for min. 6 day lift ticket prices for Whistler Blackcomb for the 2025/26 season. These rates are not valid for US or Canada residents and need to be booked with min. 7 night lodging through ourselves.
SKI BIG3 Banff Discount Lift Tickets
We have exclusive lift ticket prices for international guests for lift ticket prices for Banff, Lake Louise & Sunshine. These rates for the Ski Big 3 tickets are not valid for US or Canada residents and need to be booked with lodging through ourselves.
Preview Banff lift tickets go on sale as early as December for the following season.
They incrementally increase the prices in 5 stages from April until Nov so the message is simple, you need to book EARLY to get the best value Banff lift tickets.
Aspen Snowmass Discount Lift Tickets
Aspen Snowmass is the most creative resort we work with for money saving lift ticket options* which will save you hundreds on their standard lift ticket prices.
Ski 6 Days Pay 5 ticket
Ski 10 day ticket
Ski 30 day Ticket
Kids Ski Free in Aspen Snowmass if they Rent Equipment
* (conditions apply)
The Holiday World Advantage
At Holiday World Ski Classics, we take the guesswork out of ski lift pass planning:
We bundle your resort packages with the best available lift pass deals long before walk-up pricing kicks in. Our North America specialists guide you on timing, pass type and cost-saving strategies tailored to your dream trip. We can tailor packages that include Epic, Ikon or local resort pass deals which are often Exclusive to international skiers — so you only pay for what you need.
Ready to Unlock Cheaper Ski Passes?
Whether you’re planning a powder-filled week in Whistler, an Aspen-to-Vail adventure, or a multi-mountain Canadian Rockies tour, the secret to saving lies in smart pass strategy and early booking.
Start saving today! Visit HolidayWorldSkiClassics.com and let our expert team craft your perfect North American ski holiday with the best lift pass deals included.
