 Poster: A snowHead
|
After 2+ weeks at home, I need a way to lift my spirits (no pun intended). So I'm gathering information of 2020/2021 season pass discounts and their value propositions. It's my first time looking at season passes, any feedback/suggestion is appreciated!
My assumption is that the majority of ski time is in the European region.
Here's the latest 2020 prices so far:
4 Vallées: Besides unlimited access to the region, the additional benefits include 5 days each at Aletsch Arena/Grandvalira/Sierra Nevada/Portes du Soleil/Vail Resorts, 6 days each at Aosta Valley/Chamonix, 50% off each at Silvretta Montafon/Arosa Lenzerheide and other summer activities. Probably the best value out there for under 24 since the annual pass costs just over a 6-day pass.
Purchase before 30 September
Season Adult - 1359 CHF
Annual Adult - 1409 CHF
Under 24 - Before 30 November
Mont4Card Annual - 300/400 CHF
Senior - Before 30 September
Annual - 1191 CHF
Epic Pass: The (in)famous pass include these additional benefits: 7 days each at Les 3 Vallées/Skirama Dolomiti, 5 days at Verbier 4 Vallees(hotel booking req.), 3 days at Ski Arlberg (hotel booking req. + ski area restrictions), 7 days total at Canadian Rockies, 5 days each at Hakuba Valley/ Rusutsu and some other properties.
This pass is worth it if you plan to visit any of the Vail Resorts for a week or more, and some time at one of the European partners. Vail Resorts day passes are prohibitively expensive otherwise (e.g. 676 USD for a peak 6-day pass)
(unknown deadline for discount)
Season Adult: 979 USD
Season Child under 12: 449 USD
There are a myriad of local/student/military/senior discounted passes, but note that ski partner resort benefits do not apply.
Ikon Pass: limited access to Europe, only 5/7 days at Matterhorn ski paradise.
Only worth it for 1+ week at one of the Ikon destinations + 5 days at Matterhorn with the restricted pass. Oddly enough, the blackout period for restricted pass during Feb half term is the Valentine's weekend Feb 13-14
(unconfirmed deadline April 22 for discount)
Season Adult: 999 USD/699 USD restricted pass
Age 13-22: 739 USD/539 USD restricted pass
Child 5-12: 309 USD or 269 USD restricted pass. a further 100 USD off if purchased with an adult pass
Mountain Collective: The first 2 days at each resort are free, and subsequent days are 50% off of the single ticket price for the whole season. The bonus for early purchase is one extra day at a single chosen resort.
The majority of resorts are based in US, with some Canadian, Niseko Japan and some Southern Hemisphere ones. Chamonix is a brand new partner in Europe this year.
(unknown deadline for discount)
Season Adult: 469USD (~420 Euro)
12 and under: 99 USD (~89 Euro)
With Chamonix being a full partner, it has an interesting value proposition for Mont Blanc Unlimited :
1. It would take less than a week to break even with a child pass. The first week would cost: 89 Euro (the pass) + 0 x 3 (first 2 days free + 1 bonus day) + 28.5 x 3 (50% off daily rate) = 174.5 euro.
A 2019 6-day child pass is 278 Euro.
2. It would take over 2 weeks to break even an adult pass. The cost is: 420 Euro (the pass) + 0 x 3 (first 2 days free + 1 bonus day) + 33.5 x 9 (50% off daily rate)= 721 euro . 2019 price for a 6-day pass is 327 euro.
If you are going between 3-5 weeks a year, this might be a great option. Cheaper than the annual pass, more flexibility and less up front cost.
Lmk if I'm missing anything!
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Mon 30-03-20 0:44; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Mountain collective is $469 atm - this will increase as they sell, probably up to $499 when the bonus day has gone
https://mountaincollective.com.
Nearly pulled the trigger on it couple of days before we started talking about Lockdowns.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
ah thanks, I updated the math 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
My concern would be that ski areas/regions suffer temporary lock downs white they deal with outbreaks of CV. I suspect that we will need to be flexible next season. I’ve heard Val d’Isere are refunding season pass holders.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
@andylocity, thanks for this, it's interesting and I didn't realise that Cham had joined mountain collective. If more European resorts joined up, this could be a really interesting model.
HOWEVER.... what I have noticed is that US day pass prices can be extremely high vs both Europe, and vs season pass deals - do these platforms drive up the day ticket price so that they can still make money on the discount pass? Cham day pass is about 30% of the price of Northstar in Tahoe, California, yet Cham has a vastly larger and more sophisticated lift system.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| snowdave wrote: |
HOWEVER.... what I have noticed is that US day pass prices can be extremely high vs both Europe, and vs season pass deals - do these platforms drive up the day ticket price so that they can still make money on the discount pass? Cham day pass is about 30% of the price of Northstar in Tahoe, California, yet Cham has a vastly larger and more sophisticated lift system. |
This debate had been done to death.
US resorts don’t have “sophisticated lift infrastructure”. They have sophisticated avi control to allow unguided inbound off-piste skiing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| BertieG wrote: |
| I suspect that we will need to be flexible next season. I’ve heard Val d’Isere are refunding season pass holders. |
Vail has some kind of refund scheme too, for those who didn’t get to use this year’s pass. I suspect others will follow.
So if you had a season pass this year, it’s worthwhile to wait to see what may come down the pipeline.
I was originally planning to change to a different pass. Now I may change my mind, depending on whatever offer is still to come.
In fact, I feel this is the year early takers may come to regret, as more deals maybe forthcoming at a later point.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@abc, I take it you've not skied at Northstar? (or maybe not Chamonix?)
Cham has a _lot_ more avi control, vastly greater vertical, and at least as much snowmaking.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
Northstar?
I have. What about it?
And of Cham, can you freely ski off piste, without partner or beacon?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This has to be the first time Cham and Northstar have been compared to one another!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
I’d very happily pay twice the price for my Cham annual pass if they had US-style avi control. That would after all only be the same as a couple of days with a guide.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And there is the Magic Pass covering 34 Swiss resorts, 899 CHF (approx £750 on today's rates).
https://www.magicpass.ch/en/pages/magic-pass-2
Any number of excellent value Austrian regional passes too - Salzburger Ski Welt, Ski Amade etc etc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
FWIW I asked Alterra (Ikon) about refunds and so forth and they said they were evaluating things.
@andylocity, good summary. The blackout you cited on Ikon as Valentine's Day is in reality President's Day weekend, a standard blackout period over here. Some schools also add a "mid-winter break" to that week, with predictable results on the hills.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Already got mine at the 400CHF rate, and hoping (OK, praying) that 'the virus' does not kill off next season. You also get to use some of the lifts over the summer / autumn months if you fancy some swiss hiking, although I can see it not really being of much use this summer. Nevermind, roll on (hopefully) a great month in the mountains in Feb2021. Bargain price for some lovely resorts, and a few hidden gems. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| abc wrote: |
And of Cham, can you freely ski off piste, without partner or beacon? |
Yes. If you are that way inclined! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Portes du Soleil have annouced they'll be selling 5000 passes at €499 again
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
Les Deux Alpes
https://www.skipass-2alpes.com/en/saison-illimitee
Unlimited season ski pass
Unlimited access to Les 2 Alpes entiere ski area from 1,300 meters to 3,600 meters height. Ski down more than 2,300 meters of drop and enjoy the 200km of marked slopes in the heart of Oisans.
Benefit from offer on the season pass:
-30% until October 17: until 300€ discount*
*for adult and junior pass: 706€ instead of 1009€
-20% from October 18 to November 21, 2020: until 200€ discount*
*for adulte and junior pass: 807€ instead of 1009€
Order you pass right now with the payement in 2 instalments without fees¹.
In case of unforeseen events, opt for the season insurance and the cancellation guarantee.
For me buying with the biggest discount it is only 7€ more than last season.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
When does the mnt blanc unlimited season pass price normally come out, think we bought ours in November last year, ws hoing they do some extra early season discounts this year to tempt people into buying
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
@robs1, Price should be coming out soon. There is already a price out for the 'Club Prive Super Promo' for which you need to buy in the first week of Oct AND have had a season/annual pass last year AND have rejected any other form of comp for the Covid closure period.
Normally then there would be a window in which you can buy 'Super Promo' or whatever the name is which is the early bird (but not Club Prive) there might even be two tiers on that depending on when you buy.
Then it's regular season/annual prices.
If you had a season pass last season then you should have been getting emails pretty regularly since March (about Covid, refunds, discounts, etc).
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Espace Killy season pass is currently on discount
Buy before 27/11 and pay €1069.50, saving €356.50 over standard retail price.
You can ski Autumn on the Motte, Winter for the whole area and Summer on Motte and Pissaillas.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grand Massif is c500 Euro for the season, up until beginning of December. If you are on their season pass list, you have the 'insurance' of a full refund if you don't use the pass at all- thinking Covid here...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
| midgetbiker wrote: |
@robs1, Price should be coming out soon. There is already a price out for the 'Club Prive Super Promo' for which you need to buy in the first week of Oct AND have had a season/annual pass last year AND have rejected any other form of comp for the Covid closure period.
Normally then there would be a window in which you can buy 'Super Promo' or whatever the name is which is the early bird (but not Club Prive) there might even be two tiers on that depending on when you buy.
Then it's regular season/annual prices.
If you had a season pass last season then you should have been getting emails pretty regularly since March (about Covid, refunds, discounts, etc). |
Yes we had a pass last year and have been getting emails, obviously not been reading them well enough to notice the bits about price, will go back and read properly, thanks for that info,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hadn't spotted this thread but the Portes du Soleil had an offer of season passes for €391/free for children u12...which ran out on August 31st.
Doh!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Ski Amadé: Before 03/12/20 €617, after €659. Plus €40 discount for season pass holders from 2019-2020. Includes Salzburg Sportwelt, Schladming, Hochkönig, Gasteins, Grossarltal.
Salzburger SuperSki: Before 02/12/20 €774, after €865. Plus €45 discount for season pass holders from 2019-2020. Includes Ski Amadé, SkiWelt, Ski Juwel, Zillertal, Kitzbühel, 3 Länder Freizeit, Skicircus, Wildkogel, Zell am See Kaprun, Rauris, Lungau, Obertauern, Dachstein West, Werfenweng, Schneebären.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
|
@queenie pretty please, Have you heard whether the number of season passes will be limited? Or any other restrictions on using a season pass. Thanks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Charliegolf wrote: |
| Grand Massif is c500 Euro for the season, up until beginning of December. If you are on their season pass list, you have the 'insurance' of a full refund if you don't use the pass at all- thinking Covid here... |
This is probably the most COVID proof option I've found. Even if you plan to ski elsewhere but haven't bought a pass yet, this could be a great assurance, fallback plan. It's a no question refund if unused policy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
