Epic, Ikon, or Something Smaller? Ski Pass Options for Travelers in 2025-26.
If you’re thinking about hitting the slopes next winter, now’s the time to decide which season pass is worth your money. Over the last decade, ski resort consolidations and increased partnerships created a scenario in which most season pass holders fall into one of two camps: Epic, owned by Vail Resorts, or Ikon, owned by Alterra. Both giants have made changes for the 2025–26 ski season that could cause fans to switch from one pass to another, especially since both provide access to resorts in popular ski destinations like Lake Tahoe and western Colorado.
Vail Resorts’ Epic Pass is adding European destinations and revamping its long-running buddy ticket program, while Alterra’s Ikon Pass streamlined its tiers and sprinkled in new mountains from Colorado to Austria. Of course, skiers who prefer to chase powder at multiple resorts have options, too, with both the Mountain Collective and Indy Pass shaking things up for the upcoming season.
Here’s a closer look at what’s new across the season pass landscape this year, and how the changes could shape your ski season.
Photo: CSNafzger/Shutterstock
For the 2025–26 season, the Epic Pass is rolling out some notable updates, including access to more resorts, and better deals for summer and winter visitors.
For the 2025-2026 ski season, Epic Local Pass holders will get five days of skiing at Switzerland’s Verbier 4 Vallées — something previously reserved for more expensive passholders only. In Austria, there are brand new partnerships with Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn, Kitzsteinhorn, Mayrhofen, Hintertux, Silvretta Montafon, and Sölden, each offering five days of skiing or riding (but only for full Epic Pass holders).
Vail Resorts also announced a change passholders will like — or, perhaps more accurately, friends of passholders will like. It’s making big changes to its buddy ticket program, which gave season pass holders vouchers to share with friends for about 20 to 40 percent off a lift ticket at the window rate. For the 2025-26 season, Vail expanded that program, giving passholders 50 percent off window rate tickets for friends. Each passholder will get between six and 10 half-off tickets they can share, depending on when they bought their pass. Interestingly, Vail also announced that those friends can apply the cost of that ticket toward a 2026-27 Epic Pass, in case they decide one or two days isn’t enough. While Vail didn’t explicitly give a reason for the change, it’s likely it’s an attempt to reverse declining skier and snowboarder numbers, driven primarily by the rising cost of skiing as a hobby.
Adult Epic Passes are currently $799 for the Epic Local Pass, or $1.075 for the full Epic Pass; prices are expected to rise on September 1. Military discounts are available.
Full Ikon Pass holders get unlimited access to Arapahoe Basin in Colorado. Photo: Jeffrey Wertheim/Shutterstock
For the upcoming 2025–26 winter season, the Ikon Pass has simplified its lineup in a change some skiers and snowboarders may not like. The most noteworthy change is the elimination of the Base Plus Pass, which was a mid-tier pass. It included the perks of the Base Pass, plus access to a few high-demand destinations like Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and Aspen Snowmass. It had fewer blackout dates than the Base Pass, but wasn’t fully unrestricted like the full Ikon Pass. Now, skiers will instead have to opt for the Ikon Pass or Ikon Base Pass. It’s likely an attempt to eliminate confusion between passes, and push would-be Base Plus Pass buyers toward the pricier full Ikon Pass.
Like Vail, Alterra also added new resorts to its list, focused primarily in Europe. Austria’s Ischgl (Silvretta Arena) joins the roster, with seven non-blackout days for full pass holders and five for Ikon Base Pass holders. For the 2025-26 season, full pass holders will get unlimited access to Arapahoe Basin in Colorado, though Base Pass holders are still limited to five. However, Base Pass holders will now get five days at Le Massif in Quebec, a resort previously limited only to full Ikon Pass holders. Alterra also appears to be making moves to expand further outside the West Coast, offering full Ikon Pass holders two days each at Wild Mountain and Buck Hill in Minnesota, Jiminy Peak in Massachusetts, and Cranmore in New Hampshire.
Adult Ikon Pass prices are currently $1,009 for the Ikon Bass Pass or $1,429 for the full pass with no blackout dates. There are discounts available for military personnel, nurses, college students, and skiers under age 22.
For better or worse, the vast majority of ski resorts around the US are part of either the Epic Pass or Ikon Pass system. However, depending on where you live and where you ski, there may be a better pass out there for you. Here’s what’s new with some of the lesser known but still appealing ski season passes around the US.
The Mountain Collective Pass makes moves in the Northeast
Major resorts like Lake Louise are on the Mountain Collective Pass. Photo: CSNafzger/Shutterstock
The Mountain Collective Pass is ideal for travelers, offering a spin on the season pass concept. It gives passholders two free days at each partner resort, plus 50 percent off lift tickets on other days. And now, New York skiers may want to consider picking up a pass, as it just added Whiteface Mountain in New York to the lineup. Whiteface is home to the steepest vertical drop in the area, and is the only Mountain Collective partner in New York, though other regional partners include Sugarloaf, Sunday River, Bromont, and Le Massif. In total, 54 resorts are part of the Mountain Collective pass, including major resorts like Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Big Sky Resort, Canada’s Banff Sunshine Village, and Chamonix in the French Alps.
Skiers in Pila, Italy. Photo: Alexandre Malta/Shutterstock
The Indy Pass is similar to the Mountain Collective pass, but the focus (as the name implies) is on smaller, independent resorts, rather than well-known destination resorts. Holders get two days at more than 250 smaller resorts, plus 50 percent off additional days. For the 2025-26 ski season, the Indy Pass added Burke Mountain in Vermont, Tenney Mountain in New Hampshire, and Mt. Washington XC, for Nordic (cross-country) skiers. New additions outside the US include Rauriser-Hochalmbahnen in Austria, Pila in Italy, and summer skiing in the southern hemisphere at Corralco in Chile.
The Indy Pass also added a new guarantee to help skiers feel better about parting with their money. It’s called the “250 Resort Guarantee,” and allows passholders to request a full refund if the Indy Pass roster doesn’t include at least 250 resorts by December 1, 2025. It had about 230 partners for the 2024-25 season, indicating at least a few new resorts will likely be added in the coming months.
The Indy Pass is currently sold out, as it only sells a limited number each year. However, you can sign up online to join the waitlist if more passes become available. 
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