Epic or Ikon Pass: Which Ski Pass is Better?

With snow starting to fall in the mountains and ski resorts beginning to open, it can only mean one thing, winter is right around the corner! If you’re anything like us then you’ve already begun to plan ski trips and daydream about those powder days. Therefore, we wanted to jump in and answer a common question… Epic or Ikon Pass… which ski pass is better and why?!

Picking a ski pass is typically one of the biggest decisions you have to make before you can really begin to plan those unforgettable ski trips with friends and family.

If you’re skiing more than one weekend, it typically makes more sense to buy some form of a season pass. The two most popular, competitive, and valuable season passes for skiing are the Epic and Ikon passes and we’ve compared the two down below!

We have had both passes multiple times and explored many of their resorts from the east to the west coast. Hopefully we can help make your decision a little easier so that you can get out on the slopes that much sooner!

Before we get into the details, you should know that there is no wrong decision with these passes! Even if you’re only planning to ski a handful of times, it is more budget friendly to get either of these passes and no matter what, you’re going to ski at some of the top resorts in the world!

When Should I Buy a Ski Pass?

As early as possible! Both the Epic and the Ikon passes go on sale in the spring for the following year and continue to increase in price as it gets closer to the end of the year. Additionally, both passes have sold out before so get yours as soon as you can.

Is Epic or Ikon More Expensive?

When exploring the Epic vs Ikon Pass debate, price is a huge deciding factor for many people! The Epic pass is the cheaper option!

Typically, for a first time buyer to get the full pass with all of the resorts and zero blackout dates, the Epic pass will cost around $900 and the Ikon pass will cost around $1,200.

Epic or Ikon Pass: Renewal Discounts and Other Ski Pass Discounts

Both passes have renewal plans that will knock off a couple hundred dollars, so it makes the most sense to buy a pass and stick with it year after year for the best deal. 

Also, both passes have child, young adult/student, and military discounts. Furthermore, the Ikon pass has a teacher discount and the Epic pass has a senior discount.

The majority of the discounts are for a couple hundred dollars so make sure to check them out if you fall into one of these categories.

However, by far the best discount is the Epic passes military discount. It takes the price of a full pass all of the way down to $159! Unlimited skiing at some of the top resorts in the world for that price!? If you’re in the military that’s a hard deal to pass up!

Are There Other Ski Pass Options?

Yes, there are multiple options for both passes. However, the Epic pass has a lot more customization when it comes to pass options. This is because it has regional options, which is incredible if you know you’ll only be skiing in one area of the country. Whether that is the Northeast, Tahoe area, or Summit County you can buy a pass that gives you access to the resorts in that area at about half the price of the full access pass.

Although, the most common way people save money on these passes is buying the local (Epic) or base (Ikon) versions of the passes. These versions exclude access on holidays (Christmas through New Years, MLK weekend, and Presidents Day weekend) and limit some of the access to specific resorts, whether that is no access at all or only a limited number of days at that resort. If you’re not planning to go over the holidays and you can still access the resorts you want to, then these versions are a great option.  

Epic vs. Ikon: Which Pass Has the Most Ski Resorts?

Another deciding factor for many individuals when trying to decide between the Epic or Ikon Pass, is which of these ski/snowboarding passes have the most resorts.

The Epic pass wins again with access to 62 resorts worldwide and 44 of those being in North America! The Ikon pass isn’t too far behind though with access to 53 resorts and 42 of those being in North America.

Obviously, both of these passes have more resorts than you could dream of going to in a year unless you’re skiing and traveling full time! Whether it’s just trips to your local mountains, big trips out west, hitting the iconic French Alps, or summer shredding in the southern hemisphere these passes have you covered!

Really with this amount of resort options on both passes it’s more about taking all of the factors into consideration and planning your days/trips based on the resorts on the pass you end up getting. It is worth noting that if you’re located in the Midwest or Mid-Atlantic and want to get a lot of days out on the slopes closer to home, the Epic pass does have access to significantly more resorts in those areas.

Epic Pass vs. Ikon Pass: Which Pass Has The Better Resorts?

This is much more of an opinion and the vibe and feel of the trip you’re trying to plan. Overall, the Epic pass seems to be more of the big name resorts such as, Vail, Whistler, and Park City that have every amenity and ski-in, ski-out option you could dream of, whereas the Ikon pass seems to have more of your “local” resorts.

The downside to the big name resorts is that it does tend to bring larger price tags and crowds to these resorts. The price tags are a little harder to avoid, but crowds can be avoided by going on weekdays or upping your skills and heading to those black diamond runs that never draw the crowds.

Additionally, the upside is that you obviously get all of those luxurious amenities, massive skiable acreage, and typically more of the 6-person high speed lifts that we all love!

Don’t dismiss the Ikon pass if you’re looking for luxury though. The Ikon pass may have more of your “local” resorts such as Arapahoe Basin and Mt. Bachelor, which focuses on keeping the skiing experience authentic –no lodging at the bases–, but the Ikon pass also gives you access to resorts such as Aspen Snowmass and Jackson Hole. If you know anything about ski towns… These two might be the cream of the crop when it comes to luxury. 

Ikon Pass or Epic Pass: Which Pass Has The Better Snow?

Obviously, this changes year by year but if you’re looking at historical averages then the Ikon pass wins out here!

Don’t get me wrong, the Epic pass has plenty of resorts that get tons of powder days, but the Ikon pass typically has on average more of those hip or chest deep powder days.

Additionally, with some of the more “local” resorts you will be able to find those powder stashes for a little longer and even for a couple days after a big storm at resorts like Snowbasin.

So whether you’re looking to cruise Snowbird or Solitude in powder up to your eyes, huck it into Corbet’s Couloir after a big storm in Jackson Hole, or ski powder days in June at Mammoth Mountain or Palisades Tahoe you’ll be able to find deep powder with the Ikon pass.

Bonus: Is The Epic or Ikon Pass Best for Colorado?

Since living in Colorado and dealing with the pros and cons of both the Epic and Ikon passes, here are some of the things we’ve figured out. For the most part, the trends stay close to everything that is mentioned above.

The big name resorts such as Vail, Breckenridge and Telluride, are wonderful to experience and are probably where your friends and family will want to go if they’re flying out to see you. Plus, each of these resorts have incredible towns and slopes, especially the legendary back bowls at Vail and main street in Breckenridge and Telluride.

However, like mentioned above these resorts come with big price tags, crowds, and TRAFFIC for Vail and Breckenridge if you’re coming from Denver. There is a hidden gem on the Epic pass though and that resort is Crested Butte. It doesn’t get nearly the attention it deserves with a similar feel to Telluride at a much cheaper price point. 

With all of that said, our suggestion for people living in Colorado, more specifically the Denver(ish) area, is to get the Ikon pass.

When you’re heading up for a day trip, you can avoid a lot of the I-70 traffic (get past Golden by 6:15 AM if you’re going to Summit County) by heading to A-Basin (Arapahoe Basin) or Winter Park or avoid I-70 traffic altogether by getting some laps in at Eldora Mountain Resort.

Then, when friends or family come into town, convince them to make a little longer drive to Steamboat Springs for their famous “Champagne Powder” or Aspen Snowmass for as much luxury as they want! Finally, if you’re feeling like you’re missing out on that true Summit County resort head to Copper Mountain, which sits directly between Vail and Breckenridge.

We hope some of these tips about Epic or Ikon Pas help you make a decision on which pass is best for you! Overall, there is truly no “Which one is better?!” when it comes to deciding between the Epic vs Ikon Pass.

There truly is no wrong decision because both of these passes have some of the best resorts in the world and you are guaranteed to make memories for a lifetime at any of them! 

Skiing is one of our absolute favorite activities as a couple and we truly believe every couple should try snow skiing or snowboarding together at least once in their lives for some absolutely mind blowing memories. Happy Ski Season!