Epic Pass Lowers Prices for 26/27 Ski Season, Is It Worth It?

Featured Image: Andrew Maguire | Location: Vail Mountain, Colorado

You're likely all too familiar with Vail Resorts' Epic Pass, one of skiing's mega passes that has dominated the market for years. But competitors like Alterra Mountain Company's Ikon Pass, the Mountain Collective and Indy Pass have all made strides in recent years to pull skiers and boarders to their sides of the aisle.

Sensing both internal and external tensions, Vail Resorts has decided to make a few major changes to the Epic Pass for winter 2026/27 in an effort to make the pass more attractive to young skiers. To accomplish this, they lowered the price of the Epic and Epic Local passes by 20 precent for riders ages 18 to 30. By shaving off $220, this promo move pushed the Epic Pass into a far more affordable range.

Vail also introduced Epic Friend Tickets, which give you 50 percent off lift tickets at Epic Pass resorts. A full pass purchase includes 10 of these discount codes that you can use with your friends and family. For many looking to bring a couple of pals on the slopes while saving a few dollars, this is a huge upside. No other pass currently offers a voucher that's this steep.

A full Epic Pass is currently $400 cheaper than a full Ikon Pass, though prices are set to rise on May 25, 2026. It's also worth noting that if a full pass is more than what you're looking for, Epic offers location-specific passes as well. Aside from the Epic Local Pass, you can snag area-specific passes in California, Colorado, Utah, the Northeast and Midwest.

We're not here to sway you between one pass or another, but rather just to give you the benefits of each. If you live near a few Epic Resorts, plan on visiting this winter, or if these price points just match your budget, an Epic Pass could be the move for you this winter.