10 Tips for Getting Cheap Lift Tickets

Liftopia is an online provider of discount ski lift tickets around the world. Whether you’re looking to ski in Switzerland, New Zealand, or Colorado, there are a lot of deals listed here. For the greatest discount, try purchasing your tickets far in advance. 

Although Liftopia is the most popular discount lift ticket retailer, there are plenty of other websites that sell cheap lift tickets, such as snow.com and ski.com. Snow.com offers savings up to 15% with a four-night or longer stay with three days of skiing. 

Related:The Ultimate Ski Trip Packing List

Often, these can be the best source of information if you’re looking for lift discounts. They sell them directly, or they can point you in the direction of a retailer that does. Salt Lake City, Utah, for example, can point you in the direction of retailers that offer discount ski tickets, such as Canyon Sports, AJ Motion Sports, Utah Ski & Golf, SkiNSee, and more.

You won’t have to look too hard to find discount ski tickets for kids. In Colorado, for example, kids in kindergarten through the fifth grade can register for the Epic SchoolKids pass that includes a four day lift ticket at Vail, Beaver Creek, Crested Butte, Keystone and Breckenridge. For this one, you’ll need a lot of advance planning as these spots fill up quickly.

REI has discounts for ski lift tickets for a number of ski resorts throughout the U.S. Online offerings include resorts like Solitude, Big Bear Mountain Resort, Mountain High, Waterville Valley Resort, Homewood Mountain Resort, Snow Valley, Killington, and more. Discounts range from 15% to 54%. There may be other tickets available in stores.

Related:The 5 Best All-Inclusive Ski Resorts in the World

Tripadvisor reports there are often ski lift tickets available at the Costco near the ski resort. While the pandemic has dampened these offerings, it doesn’t hurt to check.

Universities located near ski resorts will often have discounted lift tickets. If you’re a student, staff, or faculty member, you can find lift tickets at a discount at the student services or outdoor activities desk. Students may also be able to find substantial discounts on season passes directly from the ski resort.

If you can hit the slopes at a less popular time (like at night or mid-week), you’ll be rewarded with cheaper lift tickets.

Look for packages sold from hotels near the ski resort you want to go to. Sunlight Mountain Resort near Glenwood Springs, CO., for example, has a kids ski, swim and stay package that offers free lift passes for kids with a paying adult. It also includes admission to the popular Glenwood Hot Springs Resort.

Some resorts offer a discount for skiing multiple days. Homewood Resort in Lake Tahoe, for example, offers a midweek 3-pack for $199, making the daily cost a mere $66. In some cases and for some resors, it may even make sense to buy a full season pass.

You’ve probably heard of the name brand resorts like Vail and Park City, but if you’re just looking for a budget ski day, you’ll find other resorts nearby that don’t cost nearly as much. Here are a few examples of name-brand resorts with their budget alternatives. These are often located within an hour of the first resort.