Ikon Ski Pass Guide
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The Ikon Pass is a ski membership that provides access to a collection of ski resorts around the world. The most expensive pass from Ikon includes unlimited access to 17 Ikon Pass resorts and up to seven days per year of access to other resorts, plus buddy passes and discounts on food, drinks and retail purchases.
The Ikon Pass is an excellent choice for people who plan on skiing multiple days each winter. With many lift tickets running between $200 and $300 per day, just one multiday ski vacation can justify the cost.
» MORE: 6 Ways to save on a ski vacation
What Ikon Pass resorts are included?
There are more than 50 Ikon Pass mountains where passholders can ski and snowboard around the world. However, access may be limited depending on what type of Ikon ski pass you have. Limited blackout dates apply to the Ikon Base Pass and the Ikon Base Plus Pass.
Resorts in the United States
Thirty-nine of the Ikon Pass mountains are in the U.S. Of these resorts, they're primarily concentrated in the Rockies and Northeastern states.
West (6) | Pacific NW (6) | Rockies (15) | Midwest (2) | East (10) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Palisades Tahoe. Sierra-at-Tahoe. Mammoth Mountain. June Mountain. Big Bear Mountain Resort. Snow Valley. | Sun Valley. Alyeska Resort. Crystal Mountain Resort. The Summit at Snoqualmie. Mt. Bachelor. Schweitzer. | Aspen Snowmass. Steamboat. Winter Park Resort. Copper Mountain. Arapahoe Basin. Eldora Mountain Resort. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Big Sky Resort. Taos Ski Valley. Deer Valley Resort. Solitude Mountain Resort. Brighton. Alta Ski Area. Snowbird. Snowbasin. | The Highlands. Boyne Mountain. | Stratton. Sugarbush Resort. Killington - Pico. Windham Mountain Club. Snowshoe Mountain. Sunday River. Sugarloaf. Loon Mountain. Camelback Resort. Blue Mountain Resort. |
International mountain resorts
International travelers can also take advantage of 22 Ikon Pass resorts in multiple countries. Southern Hemisphere locations make it possible to ski throughout the year since their ski season starts just as the North American ski season comes to an end.
Canada (8) | South America (1) | Europe (6) | Oceania (5) | Asia (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
West SkiBig3. Revelstoke Mountain Resort. Cypress Mountain. RED Mountain. Panorama. Sun Peaks Resort. East Tremblant. Blue Mountain | Chile Valle Nevado. | Andorra Grandvalira Resorts Andorra. Austria Kitzbühel. France Chamonix Mont-Blanc Valley. Italy Dolomiti Superski. Switzerland Zermatt Matterhorn. St. Moritz. | Australia Thredbo. Mt Buller. New Zealand Coronet Peak. The Remarkables. Mt Hutt. | Japan Niseko United. Arai Snow Resort |
When planning your ski vacation, keep in mind that some ski resorts require reservations. While this can be frustrating, limiting access prevents overcrowding. This way, you'll spend more time on the slopes than in the lines for ski lifts.
What ski pass options are available?
Ikon Pass | Ikon Base Pass | Ikon Base Plus Pass | Ikon Session Pass | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cost | Adult $1,359. Young adult $1,019. Child $429. Ages 4 and under $149. | Adult $969. Young adult $699. Child $359. Ages 4 and under $99. | Adult $1,219. Young adult $949. Child $609. Ages 4 and under $349. | Adult passes: 4-day $479. 3-day $399. 2-day $289. |
Unlimited | 17 resorts. | 14 resorts. | 14 resorts. | None. |
Limited | Up to 7 days each at 42 resorts. | 5 days each at 39 resorts. | 5 days each at 45 resorts. | 2, 3 or 4 days total at 43 resorts. |
Blackout dates | None. | Yes. | Yes. | Yes. |
Dining and retail discounts | 15%. | 10%. | 10%. | None. |
Friends and family discounts | 12 passes. | 8 passes. | 8 passes. |
Ikon Pass (Best)
The Ikon Pass offers the most benefits and ski lift access of any pass. There are no blackout dates, and it includes unlimited access at 17 destinations. This means that you can ski or snowboard as much as you want at these locations throughout the ski season.
With the Ikon Pass, you'll receive up to seven days each at 42 additional destinations. Passholders also receive a 15% discount on food, beverage and retail purchases at select destinations. You can use up to 12 friends and family discounts per season.
Ikon Base Pass
For skiers on a budget, the Ikon Base Pass adds blackout dates and eliminates access to some destinations in exchange for a reduced price. Even with these restrictions, you still get unlimited access to 14 destinations and five days of lift tickets at 39 other resorts. Passholders also get a 10% discount on food, beverage and retail purchases at participating destinations and eight friends and family discounts.
In the Northern Hemisphere, blackout dates this season include several days after Christmas, the weekend before Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January and the weekend before Presidents Day in February. The Southern Hemisphere has blackout dates for two weeks in July.
A major downside for the Ikon Base Pass is losing out on six resort destinations. These locations are Alta Ski Area, Aspen Snowmass, Deer Valley Resort, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Snowbasin and Sun Valley. If you want to visit these locations, consider upgrading your pass or purchasing single-day lift tickets.
Ikon Base Plus Pass
For skiers who want access to every Ikon ski resort but still want to save money, the Ikon Base Plus Pass is a solid choice. It includes unlimited access to 14 destinations and limited visits to Ikon's 45 other ski resorts. There are limited blackout dates, but if your travel plans are flexible, you can work around those restrictions.
While the premium pass includes unlimited visits at Crystal Mountain, Schweitzer and Steamboat, this pass is limited to five days at those resorts per season. Blackout dates also apply to these resorts. Additionally, you'll receive just five lift tickets at the other resorts compared with seven visits with the Ikon Pass.
Holders of the Base Plus Pass get a 10% discount on food and drinks and at retail stores at select destinations. You can also bring friends and family along by using up to eight discounts per season.
Skiers planning to upgrade from the Ikon Base Pass to the Ikon Base Plus Pass should consider buying the premium Ikon Pass instead.
With a $250 cost to upgrade to the Base Plus Pass, the difference in cost for adults and young adults between the Base Plus Pass and the Ikon Pass isn't that much compared to the extra benefits and access you'll get with the Ikon Pass. For children, the Base Plus Pass is actually more expensive than the top-of-the-line ski pass.
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Ikon Session Pass
Travelers who aren't ready to commit to a full season of skiing and snowboarding can still purchase an Ikon Session Pass to save money over single-day lift tickets.
Session passes can be used for one or more days at 43 ski resorts. They can be purchased for two, three or four days of skiing, but blackout dates may apply to select destinations. With this pass, some resorts also require reservations.
What to consider
Before buying your pass, consider which Ikon Pass mountains you want to visit, when you want to travel and how many days you'll ski. You may be able to save money by purchasing a lower-level pass instead of the premium pass with the highest price tag.
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