There's nothing like the thrill of skiing and snowboarding—but it's no secret that mountain sports are expensive hobbies. After purchasing cold weather gear, travel, and lodging, the last thing you want to do is overpay for lift tickets.
For frequent skiers, that means buying a season pass, of which there are two main options: the Ikon Pass and the Epic Pass. Both unlock unlimited access to dozens of ski resorts in the US and Europe (Ikon also covers select mountains in Canada, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan). Picking which pass is best for you depends on how frequently you plan on skiing, and where.
The cheapest time to buy a season ski pass is in March, when the early bird prices are first announced. This week, the 2024/2025 Epic Pass went on sale for $982, a $73 increase from last year. The pass unlocks unrestricted access to 42 resorts including Vail Mountain, Whistler, Park City, and Breckenridge. By comparison, a single day pass at Vail currently costs $299. In addition to covering your own lift tickets, the Epic Pass also provides up to 10 discounted “buddy tickets” and a 20% discount on food and beverage at on-mountain restaurants.
The 2024/2025 Epic Pass will likelyy include access to Crans-Montana Mountain Resort in Switzerland.
New for the Epic Pass next season is access to Switzerland's Crans-Montana Mountain, contingent on the close of Vail Resorts’ acquisition of the resort. The addition would be the company's second ski resort in Europe, joining Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis, also in Switzerland.
For a slightly less expensive $731, the Epic Local Pass provides unlimited access to 29 mountains in the US and 10 days total to use at Vail Mountain, Beaver Creek, and Whistler Blackcomb. However, Local Pass holders must adhere to a list of blackout dates around peak holidays such as Christmas and New Year's.
Ski the East enthusiasts may opt for the $600 Northeast Value Pass, which provides access to 21 resorts in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest, including the Vermont ski mountains Stowe, Mount Snow, and Okemo. If you only plan on skiing between one to seven days per season, another option is Epic's customizable day pass, which can cost up to 65% less than traditional daily lift tickets.
No matter which version of the pass you pick, prices will only go up from here. The Epic Pass typically sees a cost bump in September and October, and stops selling in late November or early December. Pro tip: If you bought a lift ticket this year at one of the North America mountains owned or operated by Vail Resorts, you can redeem the cost of a single day’s ticket, up to $100, towards a 2024/25 Season Pass.
Even though this year's ski and snowboard season is just starting to wind down,
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For generations, visitors to Maine have flocked east to the rocky coastline, with its lobster boats and crashing waves, or west to ski resorts, peaceful lakes and mountains. Few ever set foot in Aroostook County, a remote northern expanse where residents are prone to suspect — not without reason — that no one south of Bangor even knows that they exist.
It was a summer’s morning in the Lepontine Alps in Ticino, Switzerland’s Italian-speaking canton, and there was the vague threat of a storm on the horizon. I was already out on a trail through larch and hazelnut forest, backpack shouldered, aiming for a mountain pass. Up ahead, a herd of short-haired goats grazed, their bells chiming merrily, while behind me the peaks that tower over the Maggia Valley shuffled in and out of view from behind the clouds – each top grimacing, stone teeth chipped and bared.
A flight to tourist hot spot Bali had to make an emergency landing after a disruptive passenger shouted at other customers and banged on the cockpit door.
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With stunning scenery, restorative fresh air, unique nature and hearty cuisine, it’s no surprise that Switzerland is one of the most popular destinations in all of Europe. It also consistently tops lists of the most expensive places to travel to not just in Europe but worldwide.
For skiers and snowboarders who dream of hitting a smorgasbord of mountains come wintertime, the Ikon Pass is like a passport to a kingdom of potential adventures. If you’ve been waiting for these golden tickets to become available again, there’s good news: Starting March 14, you can buy the 2024/2025 Ikon Pass. They will be valid for the remainder of the current winter season which, thanks to recent storms, will probably see lifts spinning beyond Memorial Day at some resorts (we’re looking at you, Mammoth).
Last September, my husband and I left our kids with their grandparents and set off to Ireland. Our $2,132 itinerary took us from Minneapolis to Toronto to Dublin on tickets booked on United Airlines through Expedia but ultimately operated by Air Canada, a United partner. We had boarded our connecting flight in Toronto (and I was already dozing in my seat) when the captain announced an operator had crashed the jet bridge into the starboard engine. We were given hotel vouchers and told we would be rebooked for the next day. Checkout time came and went without a word, so we went to the airport and were told to call Air Canada customer service. An agent booked us a flight for that evening, and we printed out boarding passes at an airport kiosk. But when we tried to board, we were told the boarding passes were invalid. Eventually, we were offered two options for the next day: Fly to Dublin via Newark, or return to Minneapolis. We cut our losses and went home after staying the night in Toronto at a hotel. But United refunded us only $1,087, barely half of what we paid. Air Canada did reimburse us for the second hotel and other expenses, but we believe the airlines owe us not only a full refund, but also 400 Canadian each ($295 apiece) under Canadian law for denied boarding. Both refused. Can you help?
When Norse Atlantic released its results for 2023, it was a celebration of several milestones. These included completing its first full year of operation and carrying over a million passengers on more than 4,000 flights.
As officials investigate what caused a “strong shake” before a sudden plunge on a plane traveling between Australia and New Zealand, a passenger on Tuesday described a wild ride, with people without seatbelts thrown from their seats and some crashing into the plane's ceiling.