Photo Credit: William A. Franklin
Finding and planning a cheap skiing vacation involves careful planning, ingenuity and persistence. With nearly 300 ski resort areas in the U.S., there’s certainly no shortage of locations to ski. The problem is, where should you go, and how do you find the cheapest ski trip deal?
Choose Lesser-Known Ski Resorts
Unless you’re well-heeled, forget the super-expensive 5-star resorts like Aspen and Vail (although you could still find great last-minute bargains in early- or late-season skiing there). Check out smaller and lesser-known ski resorts, maybe those that take a little longer or are harder to get to. Okay, so that means a few more hours in a rental or personal car, but less crowds, cheaper lift tickets and lodging will be more than worth it.
See What You Can Do Without
Do you really have to have that panoramic view? Is it necessary to eat out three times a day? Buy snacks you can eat instead of plunking down $100 or more for lunch for the family at the slopes. Bring videos from home for entertainment. You’ll want to relax after all that cheap skiing anyway.
Avoid Holidays
Steer clear of ski resorts around the holidays – everything is super-expensive! Go early in the season (some Colorado ski resorts open in October), or right after the holiday, or in the late season for the best deals.
Book Early
Ski resort operators get edgy before the start of the season wondering whether this year will be profitable or not. That’s the time to lock in rates, when they offer discounted lodging, lift tickets and rentals. Ditto getting cheap airfare. The earlier you start your cheap skiing travel search, the more likely you are to get the best rates. For some destinations, especially for holiday travel, it’s best to book a year in advance.
Airline/Lodging Cheap Skiing Packages
Airlines that serve the major (and regional) cities in ski resort areas offer discounted travel packages that can save you a bundle. Be sure to check out flight/car/lodging combinations for the best deal. Also see if you can use frequent flyer miles to help pare down the cost.
Look For Last-Minute Specials
If ski resort accommodations aren’t booked, you’ve got a great chance to get deeply-discounted prices on lodging – and possily lift tickets. You have to be flexible and able to travel at the last minute, but this may mean the difference between skiing at a top-rated resort at cheap skiing prices and not skiing at all.
Pre-Season Ski Shows and Promotions
Look for free lift tickets and passes at pre-season ski shows and promotions. If you get a group of friends together and go, you can get more passes than the single one you’d get alone. This practice can save you a bundle in lift ticket prices.
Take Advantage of Special Event Days
If a ski resort area has special event days, often skiing is discounted. Be on the lookout for these deals.
Best Deal – Rental Ski Condos
Your best cheap skiing deal may be a rental condo. You have all the comforts of home plus fully-stocked kitchen and you can save a ton by cooking your own meals. Compare this with individual hotel rooms for the whole family and you’ve just found a cheaper ski vacation.
