and Jennifer Yellin Jennifer Yellin Contributor Jennifer is a contributing writer to The Points Guy where she focuses on family travel. She is also the founder of Deals We Like where she helps her readers travel on a deal. Caroline Tanner Caroline Tanner News reporter A classically trained journalist, Caroline Tanner covers news and travel for TPG. She is a dual-journalism graduate of Mizzou and Northwestern. also contributed to this story Sept. 11, 2026 • 14 min read Jump to section Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Copy URL Email The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. Editor's Note This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Summer is winding down and before you know it, we will be strapping into our ski gear and hitting the mountains. But before that happens, you'll want to ensure you have your Epic Pass in hand for the 2026-2027 season. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, the best way to get your lift tickets for less is usually to pay for a ski pass instead of individual mountain lift tickets. Purchasing an Epic Pass now means you can avoid overpaying for your days on the mountain. And, new this year, Vail is offering a 20% discount for teens and young adults on many pass options.
An Epic Pass can save you money on skiing even if you are only planning a single trip — or perhaps skiing for as little as one day.
For example, a one-day adult lift ticket at Colorado's Beaver Creek Resort runs between $230 and $356 for this current ski season. The most you'd pay for one standard day on the slopes at Beaver Creek Resort or any other Vail Resorts-owned mountain if you buy a one-day Epic Pass now for next year is $144 (or $171 for a peak date). It's a striking difference that underscores the value of locking in your pass before the window closes.
While early bird pricing has already passed, you can still lock in a lower rate than if you wait until the last moment. And based on past trends, passes will most likely increase one more time before sales end in November.
Your specific per-day price depends on the pass you purchase and how often you're at the mountains. So, if you purchase an Epic Pass now, you can ultimately lock in your winter skiing for as low as $48 per day for adults and $25 per day for kids ages 5 to 12. Kids younger than 4 can ski for free when accompanied by an adult with an Epic Pass.
If you enjoy Colorado's Vail Ski Resort and its partner mountains, an Epic Pass is a great option. In fact, my family has purchased the Epic Pass for the past six years, and we've already locked it in again for this upcoming winter.
If you were able to lock in your pass purchase this past spring, they most likely came with 10 Epic Friend Tickets. This perk offers 50% off the window price for friends ages 13 and up, as well as 25% off a child (ages 5-12) lift ticket at all 37 of Vail's opened North American resorts. This means if the walk-up price at Vail is $330, the ticket cost with the discount is $165. While you're still probably better off purchasing an Epic Day Pass in advan…