How Much Does the Epic Pass Cost?

Updated on September 4, 2026 | Written by Alec Pow
This article was researched using 9 sources. See our methodology and corrections policy.

For the 2026/27 ski season, the full Epic Pass currently costs $1,119 for adults age 31+, $889 for teens and young adults ages 13 to 30, and $569 for children ages 5 to 12. The cheaper Epic Local Pass costs $829 for adults, $659 for ages 13 to 30, and $435 for children.

Skiers who only need a few days can buy an Epic Day Pass for 1 to 7 days, with current entry pricing advertised from about $47 to $99 per day depending on resort access, number of days, and whether peak dates are included.

These are current fall 2026 prices. Vail Resorts says the lowest price of the fall ends September 7, 2026, so the figures can increase again before passes eventually go off sale.

Article Highlights

• Full Epic Pass: $1,119 (at $30 per hour, earning that amount would take about 4.7 full-time workdays, before taxes) adult 31+, $889 ages 13–30, $569 child 5–12.
• Epic Local Pass: $829 adult, $659 ages 13–30, $435 child.
• Epic Day Pass: 1 to 7 days, with current starting prices of about $47–$99 per day depending on configuration.
• Active and retired military Epic Pass: $220.
• Veteran Epic Military Pass: $633.
• Epic Adaptive Pass: $543 adult and $279 child.
• The full adult Epic Pass costs $290 more than Epic Local.
• New 2026/27 pricing gives ages 13 to 30 about a 20% discount on Epic and Epic Local.
• Current eligible season-pass purchases include 5 Epic Friend Tickets for a limited time.
• Epic Mountain Rewards includes 20% discounts on eligible food, lodging, group lessons, rentals, and more.

How Much Does the Epic Pass Cost?

2026/27 pass	Current price	Main use
Epic Pass, age 31+	$1,119 (about 4.7 full-time workdays at $30 per hour)	Unlimited flagship access with no Epic peak-date restrictions
Epic Pass, age 13–30	$889	Same Epic Pass access at young-adult/teen price
Epic Pass, child 5–12	$569	Full child access
Epic Local, age 31+	$829	Season access with limits and peak restrictions at some resorts
Epic Local, age 13–30	$659	Discounted teen/young-adult Local Pass
Epic Local, child 5–12	$435	Child Local Pass
Epic Day Pass	From about $47–$99/day	1–7 prepaid ski days
Active/Retired Military	$220	Qualified active and retired service members
Military Veteran	$633	Qualified veterans
Adaptive Pass	$543 adult / $279 child	Eligible skiers with permanent disabilities

Vail Resorts confirmed the current prices in its August 2026 2026/27 season update. The same announcement says current fall pricing ends September 7.

The biggest pricing change for 2026/27 is the new age tier. Adults ages 18 to 30 no longer have to be college students to qualify for reduced Epic and Epic Local pricing.

An adult age 31+ pays $1,119 for Epic. A 25-year-old pays $889 for exactly the same main Epic Pass product.

The difference is:

$1,119 – $889 = $230

That makes the young-adult Epic Pass about 20.6% cheaper.

Full Epic Pass vs Epic Local

The adult Epic Pass costs $1,119 (about 4.7 full-time workdays at $30 per hour), while Epic Local costs $829.

The price difference is:

$1,119 – $829 = $290

The full pass therefore costs about 35% more than Epic Local.

That $290 premium primarily buys fewer restrictions and broader flagship access. The current Epic Pass comparison gives the full pass unlimited access to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Crested Butte, Park City, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood, Stevens Pass, Whistler Blackcomb, Stowe, and many additional Vail Resorts destinations.

The full pass also includes partner access, such as 7 total days at Telluride, 7 total days across Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, 5 days each at Hakuba Valley and Rusutsu in Japan, and access to European partner destinations under their individual terms.

Epic Local is more restrictive. For example, it provides 10 total days combined at Vail, Beaver Creek, and Whistler Blackcomb, excluding designated peak dates. Park City, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood, and Stowe have unlimited access but also exclude those peak dates.

Meanwhile, resorts such as Breckenridge, Keystone, Crested Butte, Stevens Pass, Mount Snow, Okemo, Hunter, and many Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic resorts have unlimited Local Pass access without the same holiday restrictions.

Epic Pass makes sense if:

• You plan to ski Vail, Beaver Creek, or Whistler more than the Local Pass allowance.
• You need unrestricted holiday access.
• You value the broader partner-resort access.
• Your ski schedule is unpredictable enough that blackout dates would be a problem.

Epic Local makes sense if:

• You can avoid restricted holiday dates.
• Your main resorts have unlimited Local Pass access.
• You do not expect to exceed 10 combined days at Vail, Beaver Creek, and Whistler.
• Saving $290 matters more than maximum flexibility.

Epic Day Pass and Break-Even Math

The Epic Day Pass is for skiers who know they will ski only a limited number of days. It is purchased for 1 to 7 total days rather than functioning as a reloadable pay-as-you-go season pass.

Current Vail Resorts pricing starts around $47 to $99 per day, depending on the resort group selected, number of days, and peak-date access.

The useful comparison is what your season pass costs per ski day.

For the $1,119 adult Epic Pass:

• 5 ski days: $223.80 per day
• 7 ski days: $159.86 per day
• 10 ski days: $111.90 per day
• 15 ski days: $74.60 per day

For the $829 Epic Local Pass:

• 5 ski days: $165.80 per day
• 7 ski days: $118.43 per day
• 10 ski days: $82.90 per day
• 15 ski days: $55.27 per day

Case 1: five-day ski vacation. The Local Pass effectively costs $165.80 per planned ski day. A well-priced 5-day Epic Day Pass may be cheaper if you do not expect to ski again that season.

Case 2: ten ski days. Epic Local falls to $82.90 per day. At this point, the season pass becomes increasingly attractive, especially if those days are at expensive destination resorts.

Case 3: 20-day skier. Epic Local drops to only $41.45 per ski day, while full Epic falls to $55.95. Frequent skiers receive far more lift-access value from a season pass.

These calculations exclude lodging, transportation, food, equipment, and lessons. A cheap cost per ski day does not make a ski trip itself inexpensive.

Peak Dates and Resort Access

The full Epic Pass includes peak-date access at Vail Resorts-owned destinations. Epic Local and restricted Epic Day Pass products have blackout dates at specified resorts.

For the 2026/27 season, the current Epic restricted peak dates are:

• November 27–28, 2026
• December 26–31, 2026
• January 16, 2027
• February 13–14, 2027

Epic Local restrictions apply at resorts including Vail, Beaver Creek, Whistler Blackcomb, Park City, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood, and Stowe. Verbier has additional February restrictions.

The headline “90+ resorts” also needs context. Epic currently advertises access to 90+ mountains worldwide, including 42 Vail Resorts-owned and operated destinations plus global partners. Partner access is not always unlimited. Each partner can have its own day limits, lodging rules, reservation requirements, or other conditions.

The current Epic resort map and access directory is the safest place to confirm a specific destination before buying.

Friend Tickets and Mountain Rewards

Old Buddy Tickets and Ski With A Friend tickets have been replaced by Epic Friend Tickets.

For 2026/27, the number depends on when an eligible pass was purchased. According to the current Epic Friend Ticket rules:

• Purchased by April 12: 10 tickets
• Purchased April 13 through May 25: 6 tickets
• Purchased May 26 or later during the current limited offer: 5 tickets

Each Epic Friend Ticket provides 50% off the window lift-ticket price for guests age 13+ and 25% off child tickets at Vail Resorts’ 37 North American destinations. Epic Day Pass does not include Epic Friend Tickets.

Pass holders also receive Epic Mountain Rewards, which currently includes 20% off eligible food, lodging, group ski lessons, rentals, transportation, and other services.

The food discount applies to eligible purchases of up to $150 per day. Alcohol and some restaurants are excluded.

For example, a skier spending $35 per ski day on eligible food over 10 days spends $350.

$350 × 20% = $70 in potential savings

Eligible pass holders can also receive one free ski or snowboard wax and 50% off one basic tune at participating locations.

Military, Veteran and Adaptive Passes

Military pricing deserves careful wording because active and retired service members do not pay the same rate as veterans.

The current 2026/27 Epic Military pricing is:

• Active Military Epic Pass: $220
• Retired Military Epic Pass: $220
• Veteran Epic Military Pass: $633

Eligibility verification is required. Dependents have separate eligibility and pricing rules.

The 2026/27 Adaptive Epic Pass costs $543 for adults and $279 for children. It is intended for eligible pass holders with permanent disabilities as defined by the program.

There is not one universal “senior Epic Pass discount” on the full Epic Pass. Some regional products have senior age tiers and prices, so older skiers should compare the regional pass for their home resort rather than assume the full Epic Pass has a separate senior rate.

Buying Early, Coverage and Hidden Rules

Buying early does save money, but the savings should be calculated from actual prices rather than promising an automatic 25% discount.

In May 2026, Vail Resorts’ lowest-price spring sale listed:

• Adult Epic Pass: $1,089
• Age 13–30 Epic Pass: $869
• Adult Epic Local: $809
• Age 13–30 Epic Local: $649

By the current fall sale, the adult Epic Pass reached $1,119.

$1,119 – $1,089 = $30

Waiting from the late-May sale to the current September pricing therefore added about 2.8% to the adult Epic Pass.

Epic purchases should also not be described simply as “non-refundable.” Eligible passes include Epic Coverage at no additional charge.

Coverage can provide refunds for qualifying events such as certain injuries, illnesses, job loss, pregnancy, military transfer, and qualifying resort closures. It is not cancel-for-any-reason insurance, and claims have conditions, deadlines, and exclusions.

Epic FlexPay is also currently advertised with $0 down and 0% APR for approved borrowers. Financing does not make the pass cheaper, and eligibility and loan terms apply.

What We Verified

• Checked: the current adult Epic Pass price is $1,119 and Epic Local is $829.
• Confirmed: ages 13 to 30 currently pay $889 for Epic and $659 for Epic Local.
• Cross-referenced: the 2026/27 Epic Day Pass covers 1 to 7 days and current advertised entry pricing starts around $47 to $99 per day depending on configuration.
• Verified: Buddy Tickets have been replaced by Epic Friend Tickets, with eligible current purchases receiving five during the current limited offer.
• Checked: active and retired military pricing is $220, while the Veteran Epic Military Pass is $633.
• Confirmed: the lowest current fall price is scheduled to end September 7, 2026.

Related Skiing Costs

A lift pass is only part of the trip budget. Skiers buying their first setup can compare the cost of ski equipment. Riders can see current snowboard prices. Anyone considering working on the mountain can also compare the cost of ski instructor certification.

Answers to Common Questions

How much is the Epic Pass for 2026/27?

The current full Epic Pass costs $1,119 for adults age 31+, $889 for ages 13 to 30, and $569 for children ages 5 to 12.

How much is Epic Local?

Epic Local currently costs $829 for adults, $659 for ages 13 to 30, and $435 for children.

Is Epic Local cheaper than the full Epic Pass?

Yes. The adult Local Pass is $290 cheaper. The tradeoff is restricted peak dates and tighter access at Vail, Beaver Creek, Whistler Blackcomb, and some other destinations.

How many days do I need to ski for Epic Pass to make sense?

It depends on the lift-ticket prices at the resorts you visit. At 10 ski days, the $1,119 full Epic Pass averages $111.90 per day, while Epic Local averages $82.90 per day.

Does Epic Pass have blackout dates?

The full Epic Pass includes peak-date access at Vail Resorts-owned destinations. Epic Local and restricted Epic Day Pass products exclude designated peak dates at specified resorts.

How many friend tickets come with Epic Pass?

For eligible 2026/27 passes, the number depends on purchase date. Early buyers received 10 or 6. Purchases made May 26 or later currently receive 5 Epic Friend Tickets during the limited-time offer. Epic Day Pass does not qualify.

Can I cancel an Epic Pass?

Epic Pass is not a general cancel-anytime product. Eligible passes include Epic Coverage, which may provide a refund when a qualifying personal event or covered resort closure meets the program terms.