Vail Resorts Launches “Epic Friend Tickets” at 50% Off Window Rate
This move, which is the first related to the Epic Pass suite since Rob Katz was reinstated as CEO, aims to win repeat customers to Vail Resorts’ portfolio.
Earlier today, Vail Resorts unveiled a new benefit for the 2025-26 ski season called Epic Friend Tickets. These tickets provide a set discount of 50% off window rate lift tickets for companions of Epic Pass holders across all 37 North American resorts in the company’s portfolio, including major destinations like Vail, Whistler Blackcomb, and Park City, as well as regional and local areas such as Stowe, Heavenly, and Hunter. Most season pass products are covered by this benefit, but Epic Day Pass holders are excluded.
The new Epic Friend Ticket system adds a new benefit not previously seen in similar products offered by Vail in the past: friends who buy an Epic Friend Ticket can apply the entire cost of that ticket toward purchasing a 2026-27 Epic Pass. As a result, those who buy a pass for the season following this one can effectively ski or ride for free for the day(s) they use a Friend Ticket.
Entitlements vary based on purchase date: pass holders who bought before April 14, 2025, receive 10 Epic Friend Tickets, while later purchasers get 6 tickets. This initiative replaces the older “Buddy” Tickets, which offered less consistent value. The lesser-value “Ski With a Friend” tickets carry over for those who purchased a pass before May 27 this year.
All 2025-26 Epic Pass products are on sale now on the Epic website. Prices rise on September 1.
Our Take
Window lift ticket prices at most Vail-owned mountains have reached levels that many skiers find absurd, so halving that cost for friends of Epic Pass holders is a welcome change. While even at half price a day ticket will still be expensive, this move makes it far more attainable for people who might not commit to a full season pass, and it’s an especially good deal if you end up buying a pass for the following year using the ticket credit.
This all being said, it’s hard not to see this as a strategic response to the slump in Epic Pass sales over the past year. While this strategy seems like it could be effective to win back new or lapsed customers on paper, the marketing alone won’t be enough; Vail Resorts will need to pair this initiative with visible improvements in capital investment, maintenance, and overall guest experience if they want these visitors to return year after year. If this discount is supported by tangible enhancements on the mountain, it could be a genuine turning point. Without that follow-through, it risks being just another short-term promotion.
Considering the Epic Pass? Check out our detailed comparison against competing Ikon, Mountain Collective, and Indy offerings. You can also check this comparison out in video form below.
