Tips for Finding Ski Trip Discounts from Top Skiing Industry Experts

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the most affordable accommodation will inevitably get snapped up first, but being an early bird can also reap huge rewards when it comes to lift passes, too.

“Ski resorts reward people for booking early, and this starts with lift passes [for the coming season], which go on sale as early as March,” says Katie Morlind, an Aspen-based winter sports expert with ski vacation packager Ski.com. “March is the best time to buy, whether you’re looking for a one-day pass or an unlimited, unrestricted pass,” Morlind says.

When it comes to accommodation, it’s still possible to find great deals slightly later in the year. “Lodging deals are prevalent throughout the summer and early fall, when you can still find discounts of up to 40 percent,” Morlind says.

Yes, being able to see the slope your skis just carved from your chalet window might well be rather lovely, but you’ll pay a huge premium for the perk, and in an era when most ski resorts have complimentary shuttles to whisk skiers from A to B, basing yourself at a cheaper location is an easy way to save hard-earned cash.

“Staying a bit further away from the main ski area really reduces cost,” says Morlind at Ski.com. Most experts we spoke to agreed that this approach can slash accommodation costs by a minimum of 20%, yet because of widely available transportation, you’ll barely sacrifice convenience. 

When it comes to kids, high-traffic heavy hitters like Aspen, Whistler, and Breckenridge aren’t necessarily the best options.

“I advise families to choose a smaller resort closer to home,” says Julia Schneemann, editor of online ski magazine SnowBrains.com, when asked for her top tips for skiers with beginners in tow. “Kids learning to ski won’t benefit from vacationing in a big resort.”

Bear in mind that, for newbies, the concept of strapping two planks of wood to their feet is daunting enough. Add a supersized tangle of black-diamond ski slopes, and beginners will almost certainly struggle to cover all of the terrain. That reduces the value of that pricey lift pass. Young skiers and novices are more likely to get the most out of a smaller, intermediate-level resort.

Always ask your ski resort about the types of ski pass it offers. In the United States, many resorts belong to networks of multi-resort passes that can save you substantially if you visit several resorts throughout the winter. In Europe, resorts typically offer family ski passes that can offer serious bang for your buck.

In the French resort of Meribel (pictured above), for example, parents with two children aged under 18 can purchase a Family Pass which allows everyone to ski at a child’s rate. 

The cost of lift passes in American resorts has soared in recent years along with accommodation rates. Julia Schneemann, editor of SnowBrains.com, points out that while Vail announced it will charge around $300 for a day ticket in the 2024–2025 season, no European resort has yet broken the three-digit barrier.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that airfares will make a Euro-trip too expensive. With the rise of wallet-friendly transatlantic airlines such as Norse Atlantic Airways and other airlines offering budget flights that connect the U.S. with Europe via Iceland, the total cost of a European ski trip, including airfare, might actually be much lower than you think.

If you’re booking a ski vacation, odds are that you’ll spend most of your time on the slopes, or failing that, toasting that epic run at your favorite slope-side bar. But in all likelihood, you won’t be spending your best hours in your condo, hotel, or chalet—which is why the experts suggest opting for more compact accommodation.
“Choosing to stay in a smaller unit can really help save some money,” says Katie Morlind at Ski.com. “Consider units with multiple bunk beds and pull-out couches.”

More specifically, opt for post-15 March skiing.

Why? The team at Ski.com did extensive research to narrow down the cheapest time to hit the slopes. “Ski after 15 March to make major savings,” says Morlind at Ski.com. “Spring skiing is a wonderful way to save as ski resorts drop their rates massively after 15 March.”

There can be the risk of lower snowfall levels, but most seasons, late-calendar skiing remains a great bargain. 

We love accommodation with kitchenettes—even the tiny ones tucked into the corners of hotel rooms. Self-catering units allow you to whip up quick energy-restoring meals before, during, or after your day on the slopes, and they allow you to save money by skipping overpriced mountain restaurants.

Partial to carrying a backpack? Crank up the savings even further and fill an insulated flash with tea or coffee before heading out, then proceed to enjoy a caffeine fix at your favorite mountain restaurant. It tastes even better if you sip it beside a fellow skier who just forked out $10 for a lukewarm cupful.

The second something goes wrong, failing to buy insurance becomes, hands down, the worst way to try to save cash. 

“This is important because medical evacuations can be remarkably expensive,” says Robert Gallagher, head of the Americas at Travel Guard Insurance. “It’s common for an air ambulance to come with a five-figure cost, and we have seen many evacuations that land in the six figures.”

It’s also important to ensure your travel insurance includes not only winter sports insurance, but also medical evacuation, or medevac, insurance in the event that you have a mishap that requires a helicopter transfer to the nearest hospital.

“Additionally, because payment has to be confirmed before the air ambulance takes off, uninsured travelers also need to consider where their funds would come from,” Gallagher said. “A travel insurance plan with sufficient medical evacuation coverage would be vitally important in cases like this.”

To learn about how to buy travel insurance and to find out how to get price quotes from multiple insurers with once click, read our story Travel Insurance at a Glance.