Contemplating a ski trip this winter? Book now for best deal
Are you contemplating a ski trip this winter? It might be hard to wrap your head around the concept of snow if you’re still mourning summer’s passing or trying to make vacation plans for fall amid foliage forecasts and hurricane news. But the best deals for ski vacations are offered well before cold weather hits.
“Now is the best time to time to book a ski trip,” said Dan Sherman, spokesman for Ski.com. “You may not want to think about snow right now but it’s coming. People wait and then they may have to pay more.”
Sherman said travelers often don’t focus on skiing until much later in the year, but airfare, hotels, car rentals and other ski trip essentials typically cost more as winter and the holidays approach. Some options will sell out altogether, especially nonstop flights and stays at skiin and ski-out properties. Multiresort passes like the Epic Pass and Mountain Collective become more expensive the longer you wait to buy.
“We will see accommodation sellouts as early as this fall at popular resorts like Vail, Breckenridge, Aspen and Park City,” Sherman said. “If you’re planning to visit these resorts and others, especially during the holiday season, booking now ensures you’ll have first choice in your travel days, connections and accommodation preferences.”
Sherman predicts that Canadian resorts like Whistler Blackcomb will also see sellouts this year, due to new ownership and inclusion on the Epic Pass, which covers unlimited skiing at a dozen resorts including Vail in Colorado and Park City in Utah. Seven-day Epic passes are $659 until Oct. 8, when the price goes up to $753.77.
Ski.com also has a variety of early bird deals, like a discounted Christmas through New Year’s stay at Breckenridge in Colorado if you book by Oct. 10. The one-bedroom suite deal at Beaver Run Resort, eight nights from Dec. 25 through Jan. 2, is $5,068 (before taxes and fees), 30 percent off the regular price of $7,240.