SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., March 4, 2026—Vail Resorts (VR) launched sales of the 2026-27 Epic Pass with new options for customers ages 13-30 added to the lineup at 20 percent less than the full Epic Pass price. Previously, the full Epic Pass had two price tiers: child (ages 5-12) and adult (ages 13 and up). The more restricted Epic Local Pass added a young adult (ages 19-30) price tier for 2026-27.

The full Epic Pass, with unlimited access to VR’s 42 owned ski areas and various levels of access to nearly 50 other partner ski areas, is $869 for teens (ages 13-17) and young adults (ages 18-30). The adult (ages 31 and over) full Epic Pass is $1,089, and the child pass (ages 5-12) is $555. 

The Epic Local Pass provides access to more than 50 ski areas, 29 of which are unrestricted. It costs $809 for adults (ages 31 and over), $649 for teens (ages 13-17) and the new young adults tier (ages 18-30), and $425 for kids ages 5-12. 

In addition to the new young adult tier for the Epic Local Pass, VR also adjusted the other age brackets. The teen tier shifted to ages 13-17 from 13-18 for the 2025-26 season, while the adult tier now begins at age 31 instead of 19.

Generally, year-over-year price increases for pass products also offered in 2025-26 ranged from a little more than 3 percent to around 4.5 percent, down from the 6.5 percent to 8 percent annual increases since the company slashed Epic Pass prices in 2021-22. 

"The future of the sport depends on the next generation of skiers and riders, and it is our responsibility to create a more accessible pathway for them well into young adulthood," said Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz. "We know that young travelers, especially Gen Z, are prioritizing experiences when deciding how to spend their time and money—and we hope to make skiing and snowboarding an easy decision for them."

Season passes purchased during the early launch come with 10 Epic Friend Tickets, which offer 50 percent off the window price for adults, and 25 percent off child prices. 

Epic Day Pass tickets are also available, with advance-purchase options from one to seven days ranging in price from $46 to $97 a day. 

Also, anyone who visited a VR ski area on a single-day ticket during the 2025-26 season can apply the value of that ticket, or a max of $175, to their 2026-27 Epic Pass purchase.

As a means of capturing more lift ticket buyers during the 2025-26 season, VR loosened its restrictions on when non-pass-holders could get a discount for purchasing single-day tickets in advance. The results of that effort and other financials should be revealed during the company’s second-quarter earnings call on March 9.