Avant Ski's 6 Favorite Season Passes for College Students
- Avant Ski
- Sep 1, 2021
- 4 min read
Financing ski trips on a college budget doesn’t have to break the bank. Fortunately, many resorts offer discounts for college students. Our college interns have shared their favorite passes exclusively for college students. Just remember to register for classes and hold on to your student ID.
> See our related guide: Top Places to Ski Near Northeast Colleges
National Passes
Ikon College Pass
Price: Starting at $449
Savings: ~40% Savings, adult passes start at $779
Best for: Relative Value, especially for visiting Aspen/Snowmass or Jackson Hole
Alterra is offering access to all 44 destinations on the Ikon Pass pass, including some of our favorite college ski destinations such as Killington, Sugarbush, Steamboat and Squaw Valley. The full pass for $619 includes 7 days each at Aspen and Jackson Hole. These two resorts are a $150 add-on to the Ikon Base Pass, which starts at $779. While pricier than most passes on this list, if you plan to ski for 5-7 days, you can’t go wrong! The catch? You can only get this deal through one of Ikon's affiliated Ski/Outdoor Clubs. Check here to see if your school is included. If so, make sure to join to get access to this great deal.
Epic Local College Pass
Price: $527
Savings: 33% compared to Adult Passes
Best for: Unlimited Access in Vermont, Colorado & Utah
The Epic Local provides excellent value to top resorts in Vermont, Colorado and Utah. The pass has unlimited access to 18 mountains, including Breckenridge, Mount Snow, and Crested Butte. For those able to navigate holiday restrictions, this is your ticket to resorts including Park City, Northstar, and Stowe. The pass also includes 10 days total across Vail, Whistler Blackcomb, and Beaver Creek. To get this deal, present a college photo ID and your student schedule with a minimum of 12 credit hours. If you plan to ski 5 days or more this season, this pass is for you.
Indy Pass
Price: $279, deadline for this price is August-31
Savings: Same as a adult price, but you can't go wrong!
Best For: Bargain Price for Resorts Across the Country
While not branded explicitly as a college pass, the Indy Pass’s price makes it attractive for students. The Indy Pass offers two days of skiing at each of the 66 affiliated locations. Indy Pass has sweetened the deal by adding more than 15 resorts in the last year with access to resorts in most major ski regions. Resorts range in size and recent additions include larger resorts like Powder Mountain and Jay Peak.
Regional Passes
Powder Alliance
Price: $399
Savings: ~30% Savings relative to adult pass
Best For: 3 Days Each Across 15 Resorts in The Western US, British Columbia, and Japan
The Powder Alliance provides pass holders three free days at each of 15 participating resorts. Purchase a season pass at any of the Powder Alliance resorts to gain access to this network. Fortunately, most of these resorts offer student passes. For the best value, purchase a Bogus Basin College season pass for $399 and receive 42 free days across all participating locations. Check the Powder Alliance site to find the resort closest to you. Deep powder and smaller crowds are characteristic of most of these resorts.
Epic Northeast Value Pass
Price: $335
Savings: ~30% relative to adult pass
Best For: Great deal for wide variety of Northeast resorts
Students in the Northeast will love this pass with access to 18 resorts, 14 of which have unlimited access. This is the most cost-effective way to visit popular Northeast destinations including Stowe (10 days with holiday restrictions), Okemo, Mount Snow and Hunter Mountain. The latter three resorts have unlimited access with holiday restrictions. If you are planning on skiing 3 or more days at these destinations, this is an incredible deal.
New England College Pass
Price: Starting at $319
Savings: ~62% relative to the adult Silver Pass
Best for: New England Weekends at Loon, Sugarloaf & Sunday River
New England College students (especially in the eastern half of the region) should strongly consider the New England College Pass. This pass is exclusive to Sunday River, Sugarloaf, and Loon. Combined there are nearly 2,500 acres of some of the best skiing in the Northeast. Granted, these mountains are a long road trip from many universities, but you will be rewarded with smaller crowds, more powder, and true expert terrain rivaling that usually only experienced in the West.
For unlimited access, purchase the Gold College Pass. For those able to navigate holiday restrictions, spring for the discounted Silver College Pass with 12 blackout dates.
Tahoe College Pass
Price: $431 Local / $343 Value
Savings: 13% for the Local Pass and 19% for the Value Pass
Best for: Tahoe Access Plus Bonus Days in Park City and Summit County, CO
For students in California or Nevada, Epic’s Tahoe Local College Pass offers unlimited access to Heavenly, Northstar, and Kirkwood, as well as 5 days total at Vail, Park City, Breckenridge, Crested Butte, Beaver Creek, and Keystone. For those willing to forgo holidays and Saturday skiing, save another $88 and purchase the Tahoe Value Pass for $343.
In addition to our 6 favorite passes, there are plenty of options that cater to individual resorts. Most resorts offer college passes at 50–75% discounts for college students. If you plan to ski one resort, be sure to check their website for a college pass option.
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