If you’ve ever stared at the checkout screen for a ski pass and felt that sudden "buy now or regret it later" anxiety, you aren’t alone. It’s basically a rite of passage for anyone who spends their winters chasing powder. The big question is always: when do epic pass prices increase exactly? Honestly, Vail Resorts doesn’t just flip a switch once and call it a day. They have this calculated, multi-step ladder of price hikes that can catch you off guard if you're just waiting for the first snowflake to fall.
If you miss the early windows, you aren't just paying a few bucks more; you're potentially losing hundreds of dollars and a handful of "Buddy Tickets" that make you the hero of your friend group.
The Seasonal Rhythm of the Epic Pass Price Hike
Vail Resorts generally follows a predictable script every year, though the specific dates shift by a day or two depending on how the calendar falls. Most people think they have until Thanksgiving to figure out their winter plans. That's a mistake. By Thanksgiving, the prices have usually jumped three or four times already.
The cycle starts in early March. This is when the passes first go on sale for the following season. This is the absolute floor—the lowest price you will ever see. If you buy here, you're getting the "Early Bird" benefits.
The Spring Deadline (Mid-April)
Usually around the second week of April, we see the first major shift. This isn't always a massive price jump in terms of raw dollars, but it’s a massive hit to the "perks." This is typically the cutoff for getting the maximum number of Buddy Tickets (usually 10). After this, the number of discounted tickets you can give to friends drops significantly.
The Summer Slump (Memorial Day and Labor Day)
The next two big markers are the holiday bookends of summer. Memorial Day is almost always a hard deadline for a price increase. Then, things stay relatively quiet while everyone is at the beach, until Labor Day. Once the kids go back to school, the "winter is coming" marketing kicks into high gear, and the prices reflect that.
When Do Epic Pass Prices Increase in the Fall?
The fall is when the pressure really ramps up. It's also when the increases get steeper. In the 2025-2026 season, for example, the price for a full Epic Pass jumped by over $60 in a single November hike.
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- October Deadline: Usually falls in the first or second week of October.
- The Final November Jump: This is the big one. It usually happens around November 16th or 17th.
- Off-Sale Date: By early December (often December 4th or 5th), the passes vanish entirely.
Once they are gone, they are gone. You’re stuck paying the window rate for lift tickets, which at places like Vail or Beaver Creek, can easily north of $300 a day. It's brutal.
Why Does the Price Keep Moving?
It’s all about the "subscription" model of skiing. Vail Resorts wants you committed early. They use these price increases as a psychological nudge to get their revenue locked in before they even know if it’s going to be a "La Niña" or "El Niño" winter.
Think about the math for a second. The full Epic Pass started around $1,051 for the 2025-2026 season. By November, it was sitting at $1,185. That’s a $134 difference. If you’re buying passes for a family of four, waiting until November just cost you over $500. That’s a couple of nights of lodging or a very nice dinner in Park City.
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How to Track the Next Hike Like a Pro
If you want to be savvy, don't just wait for the emails. They sometimes land in your spam folder, or you see them three hours too late.
- Watch the Countdown Clock: The Epic Pass website usually puts up a literal ticking clock about 7 to 10 days before a price jump.
- The $49 Down Payment: You don't actually have to pay the full $1,000+ in April. You can put down $49 to lock in the lowest price and the Buddy Tickets. It’s basically a zero-interest way to hedge your bets.
- Check Social Media: The "Skiers" and "Snowboarding" subreddits are usually on fire with alerts about 48 hours before a deadline.
Is the Epic Local Pass Different?
Actually, the Epic Local Pass often sees even larger percentage-based jumps than the full pass in the final months. For the 2025-2026 season, the Local Pass went from about $833 in October to $920 in mid-November. That’s an $87 hike.
Actionable Next Steps for Skiers
If you've missed the early deadlines, don't panic, but stop procrastinating. Here is your immediate to-do list:
- Check the current date: If it's before November 15th, you likely have one more "smaller" hike before the final price is set.
- Evaluate your "Buddy" needs: If you missed the April deadline, you're only getting 6 Ski With A Friend (SWAF) tickets instead of 10 Buddy Tickets. Don't let that number drop any lower by waiting past the next fall deadline.
- Use the Epic FlexPay: If the lump sum is the reason you're waiting, use the 0% APR payment plan. It lets you lock in the current price and pay it off over the season.
- Compare to the Ikon Pass: If the Epic price has already jumped too high for your liking, check the Ikon deadlines. They often alternate their price hikes, giving you a small window to switch allegiances if the value is better elsewhere.
The bottom line is that the cheapest day to buy an Epic Pass is always "today," because "tomorrow" is when the price usually goes up. Stop waiting for the first forecast of snow. By the time you see white on the ground, you've already lost the pricing game.**
Lock in your winter plans now. Check the current pricing on the official Epic Pass site and secure your access before the next scheduled increase in mid-November.