Now Reading
Vail Resorts puts friendship first with new Epic Pass

Vail Resorts puts friendship first with new Epic Pass

Vail Resorts puts friendship first with new Epic Pass

Vail Resorts is making skiing more social with its new Epic Friend Tickets, giving Epic Pass holders the chance to bring friends along at half the price for the 2025/26 season.

Epic Friend Tickets introduced

For the upcoming season, Vail Resorts is offering Epic Pass, Epic Local Pass, Epic Military Pass, and most other season-long holders between 6–10 Epic Friend Tickets. Each provides 50% off lift tickets at the company’s 37 North American ski areas, including Whistler Blackcomb, Vail Mountain, and Breckenridge.

Friends can also apply the full value of one redeemed Epic Friend Ticket toward a 2026/27 Epic Pass, turning this year’s tickets into savings for the next season. Tickets can be redeemed through EpicPass.com and activated via the My Epic app for direct-to-lift access.

Why the new benefit matters

Rob Katz, CEO of Vail Resorts, said:
“Skiers and snowboarders know this sport is magic; a passion you can’t help but pass on. If you ski or ride, chances are someone brought you into the sport, and we want to make it easier for you to pay it forward. Epic Friend Tickets are the next step on our nearly two-decade-long journey to find ways to make skiing more accessible to more people.”

He added: “We will always give the best deal to our Pass Holders who commit to skiing with us ahead of the season. That said, we know not everyone can plan ahead, so if you don’t have an Epic Pass, the next best thing is knowing someone who does.”

 

Replacing Buddy Tickets

The new benefit replaces Buddy Tickets, which offered lower or varying discounts depending on the resort. Those who purchased their season-long pass before April 14, 2025, will receive 10 Epic Friend Tickets. Buyers after that date will receive six.

Building loyalty through community

Epic Friend Tickets aim to strengthen skiing’s community element by helping newcomers access the slopes and turning savings into future commitments.

Rob Katz emphasized:
“By making it easier for our Pass Holders to share the ski experience with friends – through savings across not one, but two winter seasons – we hope to help spark traditions that will inspire groups of friends to return to the mountains for years to come.”

See Also
Luxury Collection & Michael McGregor debut artful hotel series

 

Pass prices before September 1

The lowest-priced Epic Passes are available until September 1, 2025. Current pricing includes:

  • Epic Pass – $1,075 adults / $548 children (42 resorts, full access)
  • Epic Local Pass – $799 adults / $416 children (29 resorts, some restrictions)
  • Epic Military Pass – $190 for active/reserve and dependents; $614 for veterans and family

Epic 1–7 Day Passes are also available, offering up to 65% savings compared to lift ticket prices, though these do not include Epic Friend Tickets. All passes include Epic Mountain Rewards, providing 20% off food, lodging, rentals, lessons, and more.

A new chapter for Epic Pass

With more than 40 ski resorts across North America, Europe, and Australia, Vail Resorts continues to transform skiing through its Epic Pass model. By rewarding pass holders and making it easier to bring friends, the company is reinforcing skiing’s social side — ensuring that future winters are enriched by shared mountain traditions.

Copyright © 2025 RETAILBOSS INC. dba Covet Magazine