Vail's Epic Pass Announces Early Bird Prices For 2025/2026 Season
The early bird price is larger than last year
We may still be comfortable in the 2024-2025 ski season, but that hasn’t stopped Vail Resorts from preparing for the 2025-2026 winter season. While the Northeast experiences a season comparable to snowfall at resorts out West, the team at Vail Resorts is gearing up for next season by releasing early bird prices for its Epic Pass.
The Epic Pass, which makes up a significant portion of the ski resort operator’s revenue, will be priced at $1,051 for adults and $537 for children. It includes unlimited, unrestricted access to some of the most iconic mountain resorts in the world, including their namesake Vail, as well as Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Whistler, and, of course, one of our regional favorites, Stowe in Vermont alongside many other household names.
The early bird price comes with a bigger price tag than this past season. Prices began at $982, an 8% increase over the previous year. This continual price escalation has driven away some consumers, as I reported for Bloomberg Businessweek earlier this year.
For skiers and riders willing to shell out more money than last year, Epic Pass holders will also enjoy access to renowned global ski destinations, including one of my personal favorites—Telluride, Colorado; Rusutsu Japan (check out our partner OvRride’s annual Japan trip, which goes there, by the way); and Verbier 4 Vallées in Switzerland.
For those who prefer a more flexible option, the Epic Local Pass offers access to 29 resorts at a lower price—just $783 for adults and $407 for kids. The Epic Local Pass provides access to many of the same popular destinations as the Epic Pass, but with some restrictions on destination resorts.
If you splurge on an early bird pass this year, Epic Pass holders will receive 10 Buddy Passes and Ski With a Friend tickets, allowing skiers and riders to bring friends and family along for a discounted lift ticket experience.
The price hike follows a slew of bad press for the company this year. Amid high-profile ski patrol strikes at Park City during the peak of the early season, activist investors pushed for the publicly traded company to shake up its c-suite.