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Epic vs Ikon Pass 2026/27: prices, resorts and which to buy

By Broski · Published

Pick the Epic Pass if most of your days will be at Vail Resorts mountains (Vail, Breckenridge, Park City, Heavenly, Whistler Blackcomb and Stowe) or if you’re Australian and want unlimited days at Perisher, Falls Creek and Hotham. Pick the Ikon Pass if you want a wider spread of mountains, like Alta, Snowbird, Deer Valley, Jackson Hole, Aspen Snowmass, Mammoth, Niseko and Zermatt, or New Zealand’s Coronet Peak, The Remarkables and Mt Hutt. As listed on 16 October 2026, an adult Epic Pass costs US$1,169 and an adult Ikon Pass US$1,529.

Checked against epicpass.com and ikonpass.com on . Prices and access change during the season, so confirm on the official site before you buy. Broski isn’t connected to Vail Resorts, Alterra Mountain Company or either pass.

Epic vs Ikon at a glance

The Epic Pass is run by Vail Resorts and the Ikon Pass by Alterra Mountain Company. Both are season passes for the 2026/27 northern winter, and both come in cheaper versions with fewer days or more blackout dates. Here are the two full passes side by side.

Epic Pass and Ikon Pass compared for 2026/27
FeatureEpic PassIkon Pass
Adult priceUS$1,169 (ages 31+)US$1,529 (ages 23+)
Younger ridersUS$929 (ages 13–30)US$1,129 (ages 13–22)
Resorts90+ including partner resorts78 destinations
Unlimited daysVail Resorts’ 37 North American resorts, Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis and Crans-Montana (Switzerland), and Perisher, Falls Creek and Hotham (Australia, 2027 season)18 destinations, including Mammoth, Palisades Tahoe, Steamboat, Winter Park, Solitude and Tremblant
Limited days7 days at Telluride, 7 days in total at the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, 5 consecutive days each at Hakuba Valley and Rusutsu, 3 to 7 days at European partnersUp to 7 days each at the other destinations, such as Alta and Snowbird (shared), Jackson Hole, Aspen Snowmass, Big Sky, Niseko United and Zermatt
Blackout datesNoneNone
Cheaper season passEpic Local Pass, US$869, restricted peak datesIkon Base Pass, from US$1,099, blackout dates
A few days onlyEpic Day Pass, 1 to 7 days, from US$147Ikon Session Pass, 2 to 4 days, from US$369
AustraliaUnlimited at Perisher, Falls Creek and Hotham7 days each at Thredbo and Mt Buller
New ZealandNone7 days shared between Coronet Peak, The Remarkables and Mt Hutt
Friends discountEpic Friend Tickets: 50% off the window price of lift tickets (ages 13+)15 Friends & Family tickets: 50% off for a limited time, normally 25%
If plans changeEpic Coverage included: refunds for things like injury, job loss or resort closuresOptional refundable version (US$1,834.80): cancel for any reason until 15 January 2027

2026/27 prices

Prices as listed on the official sites on 16 October 2026, in US dollars unless marked A$. Both sites price by age, and the age bands differ: Epic’s adult price starts at 31, Ikon’s at 23.

2026/27 Epic and Ikon pass prices as listed on 16 October 2026
PassAdult priceDetails
Epic PassOfficial pageUS$1,169Adult (31+)US$929 for ages 13–30, US$599 for ages 5–12. Unlimited days, no restricted peak dates.
Epic Local PassOfficial pageUS$869Adult (31+)US$689 for ages 13–30, US$455 for ages 5–12. Restricted peak dates at some resorts.
Epic Day PassOfficial pageFrom US$147Adult (13+)Build your own: 1 to 7 days, all resorts or a 32- or 22-resort version, with or without peak dates. All resorts: US$147 for 1 day to US$846 for 7 days with peak dates.
Ikon PassOfficial pageUS$1,529Adult (23+)US$1,129 for ages 13–22, US$499 for ages 5–12, US$199 for ages 0–4. No blackout dates. Refundable version US$1,834.80.
Ikon Base PassOfficial pageFrom US$1,099Adult (23+)Fewer destinations and days, limited blackout dates.
Ikon Session PassOfficial pageFrom US$369Adult (23+)2, 3 or 4 days in total at select destinations, with blackout dates.
Epic Australia Pass (2027)Official pageA$1,169AdultSold in Australian dollars. Unlimited at Perisher, Falls Creek and Hotham in 2027, then the 2027/28 northern winter. The Epic Australia 4-Day Pass is A$639.

Vail Resorts also sells regional passes, such as the Tahoe Local, Keystone Plus, Summit Value and Northeast Value passes, and Ikon lists local passes on ikonpass.com. They cost less and cover fewer mountains.

North America

This is where the two passes differ most, because each company’s own resorts are on its pass only.

Epic Pass

  • Unlimited: Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Crested Butte and Park City in the Rockies; Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood and Stevens Pass in the West; Whistler Blackcomb in Canada; Stowe, Okemo, Mount Snow, Hunter and more in the Northeast; plus Vail Resorts’ mountains in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest.
  • 7 days: Telluride, Colorado (a physical pass card is needed there).
  • 7 days in total: the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies: Fernie, Kicking Horse, Kimberley, Nakiska, Mont-Sainte-Anne and Stoneham.
  • Epic Local Pass: 10 days in total at Vail, Beaver Creek and Whistler Blackcomb, unlimited at Park City, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood and Stowe (both excluding peak dates), and unlimited at Breckenridge, Keystone, Crested Butte, Stevens Pass and the rest of the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest resorts.

Ikon Pass

  • Unlimited (18): Arapahoe Basin, Big Bear, Blue Mountain (Ontario), Copper Mountain, Crystal Mountain, Eldora, June Mountain, Mammoth Mountain, Palisades Tahoe, Schweitzer, Snow Valley, Snowshoe, Solitude, Steamboat, Stratton, Sugarbush, Tremblant and Winter Park.
  • Up to 7 days each: Alta and Snowbird (7 days shared), Aspen Snowmass (shared across its four mountains), Big Sky, Brighton, Deer Valley, Jackson Hole, Snowbasin, Sun Valley, Taos, Killington-Pico, Sugarloaf, Sunday River and more, plus Revelstoke, SkiBig3 (Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise and Mt Norquay, shared), Sun Peaks, RED Mountain, Panorama and SilverStar in Canada.
  • Only on the full Ikon Pass: Deer Valley, Aspen Snowmass (the Base Pass gets Snowmass only), Alta, Jackson Hole, Sun Valley and Snowbasin.
  • Lift reservations are needed at Jackson Hole, Deer Valley and Loon Mountain for 2026/27.
  • Bonus Mountains: 2 days each at 11 smaller mountains, on the full Ikon Pass only.

Australia and New Zealand

Both passes reach the Southern Hemisphere, but in different ways, and only one has New Zealand.

Epic

  • The 2026/27 Epic Pass includes unlimited, unrestricted days at Perisher, Falls Creek and Hotham in the 2027 Australian season, after the northern winter it’s sold for. You need a physical card in Australia (the My Epic mobile pass isn’t accepted), and Epic Friend Tickets and Epic Mountain Rewards don’t apply there.
  • The Epic Local Pass doesn’t include the Australian resorts.
  • The 2027 Epic Australia Pass (A$1,169 adult) runs the other way round: unlimited at Perisher, Falls Creek and Hotham in the 2027 Australian season (June to October 2027), then 85+ resorts overseas in the 2027/28 northern winter. It doesn’t include the 2026/27 northern winter. The Epic Australia 4-Day Pass (A$639) covers 4 days at the three Australian resorts, excluding peak dates, with no overseas access.
  • There are no New Zealand resorts on any Epic pass.

Ikon

  • The Ikon Pass includes 7 days each at Thredbo and Mt Buller, and 7 days shared between Coronet Peak, The Remarkables and Mt Hutt in New Zealand. The Ikon Base Pass has 5 days at each.
  • With a 26/27 Ikon Pass or Ikon Base Pass, those days can be used in the 2026 and 2027 Southern Hemisphere seasons: days not used in 2026 carry over to 2027. So a pass bought now still covers the 2027 Australian and New Zealand winter.
  • The Ikon Base Pass is blacked out in the Southern Hemisphere on 3–18 July 2027. The full Ikon Pass has no blackouts.
  • The Ikon Session Pass includes Mt Buller and the three New Zealand resorts, but not Thredbo.
  • Ikon also includes Valle Nevado in Chile.

In short: riding mostly in Victoria or at Perisher, the Epic Pass or Epic Australia Pass gives unlimited days. Riding Queenstown or Mt Hutt, or splitting time between Thredbo and Mt Buller, only the Ikon Pass covers it.

Japan and the rest of Asia

  • Epic Pass and Epic Local Pass: 5 consecutive days at Hakuba Valley’s 10 resorts (including Happo-One, Hakuba 47, Goryu, Iwatake, Tsugaike and Cortina) and 5 consecutive days at Rusutsu in Hokkaido. Bring a physical pass card.
  • Ikon Pass: up to 7 days each at Niseko United, Furano, Arai, Shiga Kogen, Mt.T, Myoko Suginohara, APPI, NEKOMA, Zao Onsen and, new for 2026/27, Madarao. The Base Pass has 5 days each; the Session Pass includes Niseko United only.
  • Elsewhere in Asia (Ikon only): Mona Yongpyong in South Korea, and Yunding Snow Park, Beidahu and Lake Songhua in China (Beidahu and Lake Songhua are new for 2026/27).

Hakuba or Rusutsu trip: the Epic Pass covers 5 days at each. Niseko or a multi-resort Japan trip: the Ikon Pass has more choice.

Europe

  • Epic Pass: unlimited at Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis and Crans-Montana in Switzerland; 7 consecutive days each at Les 3 Vallées (France) and Skirama Dolomiti (Italy); 5 consecutive days at Verbier 4 Vallées; 5 consecutive days across the Zillertal; 5 days each at Sölden, Silvretta Montafon, and Saalbach & Zell am See-Kaprun; and 3 consecutive days at Ski Arlberg when you stay with a partner lodging. The Epic Local Pass has 5 days each at Andermatt and Crans-Montana and 5 consecutive days at Verbier, with restricted dates.
  • Ikon Pass: up to 7 days each at Chamonix Mont-Blanc Valley and Megève (France), Zermatt and St. Moritz (Switzerland), Dolomiti Superski and Valle d’Aosta (Italy), Kitzbühel and Ischgl (Austria), and Grandvalira Resorts (Andorra). The Base Pass has 5 days each. Zermatt access runs to 30 April, and Dolomiti Superski access from 15 November to 15 April.

Peak dates and blackouts

The full Epic Pass and full Ikon Pass have none. The cheaper versions do:

2026/27 restricted peak dates and blackout dates
PassDates you can’t ride
Epic Local Pass, Epic Day Pass (without peak dates)27–28 Nov 2026, 26–31 Dec 2026, 16 Jan 2027, 13–14 Feb 2027 (Epic Local: at Vail, Beaver Creek, Whistler Blackcomb, Park City, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood and Stowe)
Ikon Base Pass, Ikon Session Pass26–30 Dec 2026, 16–17 Jan 2027, 13–14 Feb 2027
Ikon Base Pass, Southern Hemisphere3–18 Jul 2027

Epic Local Pass holders can buy half-price tickets to Park City, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood and Stowe on restricted dates. Verbier 4 Vallées has an extra restricted period on the Epic Local Pass, 6–20 February 2027.

Price deadlines and key dates

Both passes are cheapest in spring and go up in steps. The latest rises have already happened: Epic prices went up after 7 October 2026 and Ikon prices after 8 October 2026. Dates still ahead:

  • 3 November 2026 (Ikon): last day for the 50% Friends & Family discount; purchases after that get the regular 25%.
  • 23 November 2026 (Epic): last day for the lift ticket credit. If you bought and used a lift ticket at a Vail Resorts North American resort in 2025/26 and didn’t hold a season pass, up to US$175 of it comes off an eligible 2026/27 pass.
  • 10 December 2026 (Ikon): last day to upgrade a 26/27 Ikon pass.
  • 31 December 2026 (Ikon): Squad Pack codes must be redeemed.
  • 15 January 2027 (Ikon): last day to cancel a refundable Ikon Pass or Ikon Base Pass for any reason.
  • Off-sale dates: neither company had published one for 2026/27 on 16 October 2026. Last season Vail Resorts took Epic Passes off sale on 4 December 2025.

What’s new for 2026/27

Epic

  • New pricing for ages 13–30: 20% less than the adult price on the Epic Pass and Epic Local Pass. Ages are verified.
  • More of Austria’s Zillertal: the 5 consecutive days now cover Zillertal Arena, Hochzillertal, Hochfügen and Spieljoch as well as Mayrhofen and Hintertux.
  • The lift ticket credit of up to US$175 for 2025/26 lift ticket buyers (until 23 November 2026).

Ikon

  • New destinations: SilverStar (BC), Snowriver (Michigan), Lutsen Mountains (Minnesota) and Granite Peak (Wisconsin), plus Madarao in Japan and Beidahu and Lake Songhua in China.
  • Five new Bonus Mountains, making 11, with 2 days each on the full Ikon Pass.
  • Ikon Base Pass now includes unlimited Arapahoe Basin and 5 days at Snowmass.
  • Refundable versions of the Ikon Pass and Ikon Base Pass.
  • A Squad Pack: when one person buys five Ikon Base Passes for riders aged 23–28, each is US$880.
  • No lift reservations at Aspen Snowmass for Ikon Pass holders.

Which pass suits you

  • Epic Pass: you live near or keep going back to Vail Resorts mountains (Colorado’s Summit County and Vail Valley, Park City, Lake Tahoe, Whistler, Vermont), you want Whistler Blackcomb or Vail without day limits, or you’re in Australia and want unlimited days at Perisher, Falls Creek and Hotham next winter.
  • Epic Local Pass: you ride mostly at Breckenridge, Keystone or Crested Butte, can avoid the peak dates and only need a few days at Vail, Beaver Creek or Whistler.
  • Epic Day Pass: one trip of up to 7 days at Vail Resorts mountains.
  • Ikon Pass: you want variety and plan trips to several regions, especially Utah (Alta, Snowbird, Deer Valley, Solitude, Brighton, Snowbasin), Jackson Hole, Aspen, Big Sky, California, Japan beyond Hakuba, the Alps’ big names, or New Zealand.
  • Ikon Base Pass: you ride mostly at its unlimited mountains (such as Mammoth, Palisades Tahoe, Copper, Winter Park or Arapahoe Basin) and don’t need Deer Valley, Alta, Jackson Hole, Sun Valley, Snowbasin or Aspen Mountain.
  • Ikon Session Pass: 2 to 4 days at Ikon mountains, for one short trip.

A quick test: write down the resorts where you’ll ride most days, add up the lift tickets, and see which pass covers them. If your trips mix both lists, a pass for your main mountain plus lift tickets or a day pass elsewhere can work out cheaper than two season passes.

Mountain Collective and Indy

  • Mountain Collective: 2 days at each of 27 destinations with no blackout dates, US$729 adult for 2026/27 (mountaincollective.com).
  • Indy Pass: 2 days each at 300+ independent resorts, but the 2026/27 pass was off sale when we checked; Indy keeps a waitlist (indyskipass.com).

Finding people to ride with on your pass

A pass makes it easy to ride lots of mountains, and harder to always have someone to ride them with. On Broski, riders add their season passes to their profile, and every pass has a group chat: ask who’s heading up this weekend, share conditions or plan a trip with other holders. Mark the days you’re free, pick a resort and a date, and see who’s riding then, at your level. Broski is free on iPhone and Android.

See how it works for Epic Pass holders and Ikon Pass holders, or browse all season passes. Starting the season early? Our 2026/27 opening days guide lists when the resorts plan to open. Epic Pass is Vail Resorts’ and Ikon Pass is Alterra Mountain Company’s; Broski isn’t connected to or endorsed by either.

Sources

Every price, date and resort on this page comes from these official pages, checked on 16 October 2026.

Q&A

Questions and answers

Is the Epic Pass or the Ikon Pass better for 2026/27?

Neither is better for everyone. The Epic Pass suits riders who’ll spend most days at Vail Resorts mountains such as Vail, Breckenridge, Park City, Heavenly or Whistler Blackcomb, or Australians who want unlimited days at Perisher, Falls Creek and Hotham. The Ikon Pass suits riders who want a wider spread of mountains, such as Alta, Snowbird, Deer Valley, Jackson Hole, Aspen Snowmass, Mammoth, Niseko and Zermatt, or New Zealand’s Coronet Peak, The Remarkables and Mt Hutt. Start with where you’ll actually ride.

How much do the Epic Pass and Ikon Pass cost for 2026/27?

As listed on epicpass.com and ikonpass.com on 16 October 2026: the adult Epic Pass (ages 31+) is US$1,169 and the adult Ikon Pass (ages 23+) is US$1,529. The Epic Local Pass is US$869 and the Ikon Base Pass is from US$1,099. Riders aged 13–30 pay US$929 for the Epic Pass, and riders aged 13–22 pay US$1,129 for the Ikon Pass. Both companies raised prices in early October 2026, so check the official site for today’s price.

Which pass is better for Australia and New Zealand?

For Australia, the 2026/27 Epic Pass includes unlimited days at Perisher, Falls Creek and Hotham in the 2027 Australian season, while the Ikon Pass includes 7 days each at Thredbo and Mt Buller. For New Zealand, only the Ikon Pass has resorts: 7 days shared between Coronet Peak, The Remarkables and Mt Hutt. Australians can also buy the Epic Australia Pass, priced in Australian dollars, which covers the 2027 Australian season and then the 2027/28 northern winter.

Which pass is better for skiing in Japan?

The Ikon Pass covers more Japanese resorts: Niseko United, Furano, Arai, Shiga Kogen, Mt.T, Myoko Suginohara, APPI, NEKOMA, Zao Onsen and, new for 2026/27, Madarao, with up to 7 days each on the full Ikon Pass. The Epic Pass and Epic Local Pass include 5 consecutive days at Hakuba Valley’s 10 resorts and 5 consecutive days at Rusutsu.

Do the Epic Pass and Ikon Pass have blackout dates?

The full Epic Pass and full Ikon Pass have no blackout dates. The cheaper versions do. The Epic Local Pass and Epic Day Pass (unless you add peak dates) are restricted on 27–28 November 2026, 26–31 December 2026, 16 January 2027 and 13–14 February 2027. The Ikon Base and Session Passes are blacked out on 26–30 December 2026, 16–17 January 2027 and 13–14 February 2027.

Can I use the Ikon Pass at Vail or the Epic Pass at Alta?

No. Vail Resorts’ own mountains, including Vail, Breckenridge, Park City and Whistler Blackcomb, are on the Epic Pass, not the Ikon Pass. Alta, Snowbird, Jackson Hole, Deer Valley and Aspen Snowmass are on the Ikon Pass, not the Epic Pass. Each pass lists its own resorts on its official site.

When do Epic and Ikon passes go off sale for 2026/27?

Neither company had published an off-sale date for 2026/27 when we checked on 16 October 2026. For comparison, Vail Resorts took its 2025/26 Epic Passes off sale on 4 December 2025. Season passes aren’t sold all winter, so don’t leave it until the snow falls.

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