Vail Resorts lowers lift ticket prices for friends of Epic Pass holders
Chris Dillmann/Vail Daily archive
Pass holders will receive 6-10 tickets, offering 50% off lift tickets, depending on when their pass was purchased
Vail Resorts is changing up its buddy passes for the 2025-26 Epic Pass.
On Tuesday, the company announced that individuals purchasing the Epic Pass, Epic Local Pass, Epic Military Pass, Northeast Value Pass, and most of its other season-long passes will receive six to 10 Epic Friend Tickets, depending on when they purchased their Pass.
The tickets offer 50% off lift tickets at its 37 resorts in North America.
Those who purchased their passes before April 15 will receive 10 tickets. Anyone who purchased their pass after this date will receive six.
According to Vail Resorts, these “Epic Friend Tickets” replace its previous “Buddy Tickets.”
In the 2024-25 season, buddy passes provided up to 45% off lift tickets. However, the discount varied based on the resort and date — primarily between peak and non-peak days. Michelle Dallal, a spokesperson for Vail Resorts, said in certain instances the Buddy Tickets offered as little as a 14% discount.
The primary difference in the offering this season is that the friend tickets will “always provide 50% off lift tickets” at the North American resorts, Dallal added.
The 2025-26 friend tickets also come with one additional benefit. Individuals who redeem a friend ticket — and who do not hold a pass for the 2025-26 season — can apply the full cost of that redeemed ticket toward the purchase of certain Epic Pass offerings for the 2026-27 season.
The Epic Pass went on sale this spring, with its premium pass — which offers unlimited access to all 42 Vail Resorts ski areas — hitting $1,051. This was the highest price that the pass has been launched at, and represents a 7% jump over last year’s starting price. Now, the Epic Pass is being sold for $1,075.
The Epic Local Pass — which has slightly reduced offerings and started on sale for $783 — is now selling for $799. The Epic Military Pass is selling for $190 to active and retired military and their dependents, and $614 for veterans and their dependents.
Prices for all Epic passes will increase again after Sept. 1.
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