Data Doesn't Lie: The Most Expensive (And Cheapest) Ski Resorts to Visit

Courtesy HipMunk
By
Katie Doyle
Katie Doyle
Katie Doyle is an accredited ski writer. She is certified by the Professional Ski Instructors of America as an instructor.
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Updated on 05/24/19

Our friends at HipMunk, an awesome tool for finding the best-priced flights and hotels, recently conducted an interesting analysis on how much a ski vacation can really cost you - and where you should ski if you're looking to cut those costs. 

So, how'd they do it? First, they worked on a list of America's most popular ski resorts, landing on 16 resorts to examine (in Colorado, California, Utah, Montana, Vermont and New Mexico, then crunched their numbers to determine an average cost to the resorts during the months of February and March, and also factored in lift ticket costs, as well.

Here's what they looked at:

  • The trip is for two adults, with the purchase of a round-trip flight for each
  • A four-night stay in a hotel 
  • A three-day lift ticket

Here's What The Data Revealed:

  • Vail, Colorado came in the most expensive ay $4,572.
  • Aspen, Colorado was not far behind, at $4, 226. (Note: the average Colorado ski vacation came in at $3,466. However, Winter Park boasts the least expensive trip of all, with its location close to Denver's airport and an average hotel cost of $139 per night).
  • Resorts in California and Nevada proved to offer the best deals, at an average of $2,193. (South Lake Tahoe is especially appealing, with an average hotel cost of $147 per night, which is half the average cost in Vail.)
  • Vermont ski vacations also seem to be relatively affordable; Stowe's average vacation cost, for example, is $2,248. See HipMunk's full report here.


Curious as to how to budget your own ski vacation? It can be a daunting task, but if you're wallet-conscious, it's important to figure out how much you can spend before embarking on a trip. Lodging, lift tickets and airfare are expensive enough - but then add in meals, apres-ski drinks, gear, ground transportation, et cetera - and the cost can ski rocket.
Oof, still too expensive? Study these 13 tips to save up for a ski vacation, and start planning for next year.


So How Can You Save On a Ski Vacation?


HipMunk's hotel and airfare search is a great way to find the best deals on airfare and lodging. If you need a little bit more help, check out these expert tips:

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