With snow blanketing ski resorts from coast to coast, there’s no denying that the 2025-26 ski season is underway in North America — and it’s shaping up to be a good one.
In the Northeast, Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont is already a few storms away from a snowfall total of 100 inches, while some western resorts like Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia have a short-term forecast that should get any powder skier fired up.
STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT
But for the procrastinator who couldn’t decide which multimountain pass to buy this season (Vail Resorts’ own Epic Pass went off sale Dec. 4, and the Ikon Pass goes off sale Dec. 11), Vail Resorts is offering lift tickets with an average discount of 30% at 12 of its most popular resorts when purchased at least a month in advance.
Related: The best ski resorts in the US for your next trip to the slopes
The move, according to a statement issued by Vail Resorts’ CEO Rob Katz, is an attempt “to make the sport more accessible for guests who aren’t thinking about skiing and snowboarding until winter arrives.”
Deal basics
What: Discounted lift tickets to 12 of Vail Resorts’ most popular ski areas when purchased in advance
How to buy: Through each ski resort’s website
Booking window: Minimum of at least four weeks ahead of the date you plan on visiting, with Jan. 5, 2026, being the first eligible ski day
Lift ticket sales
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New for the 2025-26 ski season, Vail Resorts is offering discounted lift tickets to Vail Ski Resort, Beaver Creek Resort, Breckenridge Ski Resort, Keystone Resort and Crested Butte Mountain Resort in Colorado; Park City Mountain Resort in Utah; Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia; Heavenly Ski Resort and Northstar California Resort in California; and Stowe Mountain Resort, Okemo Mountain Resort and Mount Snow in Vermont when purchased at least four weeks in advance.
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Skiers and riders can save over $100 per lift ticket, depending on the day and the resort they plan to visit.
Additional perks
To sweeten the deal even further, skiers and riders with a lift ticket during the 2025-26 ski season can apply up to $175 of their lift ticket cost toward a 2026-27 Epic Pass.
Related: What’s the best ski pass this season? Comparing Epic, Ikon, Mountain Collective and Indy passes
Plan ahead to make the most of your ski season
If you plan on skiing or riding more than a few days next season, it’d be wise to use this year’s lift tickets to get a discount on an Epic Pass for next season. Not only do Epic Pass holders get perks like discounted friend tickets; 20% off food, lodging, lessons, shuttles and rentals; and half off a ski or board tune-up, but they also get access to over 90 Vail-owned and partner resorts worldwide.
Bottom line
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The days of only buying lift tickets at the window are coming to a close. These days, the only way to score affordable passes at your favorite ski area is to either purchase a multimountain or season pass or book online in advance.
For those who don’t like making any ski-related decisions until the season is underway, Vail Resorts’ newest discount model, which offers guests an average of 30% off lift tickets when purchased at least four weeks in advance, is this season’s saving grace.
