Final days to get your Ikon Pass to ski for less this year: Plus how to possibly save an extra 20%

Winter is here. Snow is falling, lifts are running and skiers are taking their first turns. In fact, some ski resorts even opened earlier than usual due to some great early-season snow.

But with falling snow comes your final chance to get a ski pass for this year. Getting a ski pass, such as the Ikon Pass, is one of the cheaper ways to ski on a per-day basis, even if you only have one or two ski trips planned for the season.

Since the last day to purchase the Ikon Pass for the 2024 – 2025 season is Dec. 12, let’s look into the different Ikon ski pass types. And for those who left this purchase to the last minute, you might actually come out ahead as there’s an amazing way to snag an even better deal, depending on which credit card you have.

If you have a Chase credit card, you might be in luck on saving money on your Ikon Pass.

This is because Chase runs a program called Chase Offers, which allows cardmembers to add targeted money-saving discounts to their account. The offers vary between each account and even cards within the same account.

Through Dec. 12, lucky targeted Chase accounts can receive 20% cash back on their Ikon Pass purchase. This applies to any Ikon Pass type as long as you spend $299 or more within a single transaction. This discount is also only valid when purchasing directly through Ikon and not a third-party merchant. I personally have this offer on my Chase Sapphire Reserve®, but make sure to check all of your Chase cards.

With no cap on the amount you can save, this can be a huge savings. Let’s say you’re looking to purchase the Ikon Base Pass, which currently costs $1,019. This offer will save you over $200. Or, if you’re only looking to ski a few days this winter, you can look into a two- to four-day pass and still reap the 20% savings.

Just remember, if you’re looking for a kids pass, there are a few options that are less than the $299 minimum spend required, which means the 20% cash back offer will not trigger if you purchase that on its own. Since the minimum spend applies to your total purchase — and the 20% cash back offer is a one-time use — make sure to purchase all passes in one transaction. You’ll also need to ensure you add the offer to your card before you make your purchase.

Ikon Pass basics

The Ikon Pass network is now made up of more than 50 ski resorts around the globe. Some of them provide unlimited skiing, while others have a capped number of days based on the exact type of Ikon Pass you purchase.

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Eligible resorts can vary by pass level. These resorts include both bigger and smaller names, such as Aspen Snowmass, Steamboat, Copper Mountain, Palisades Tahoe, Mammoth Mountain, Deer Valley, Jackson Hole, Tremblant, Taos, Big Sky, Sugarloaf and Stratton in the U.S., Canada and beyond.

You can find the full list of Ikon resorts here.

There is a less expensive Ikon Base Pass with some restrictions; a mid-tier Ikon Base Plus Pass with the same restrictions but more mountain access; the full Ikon Pass; and a two-, three- or four-day “session” pass.

Related: How your kids can ski for free this winter season

2024-2025 Ikon Pass prices

For the 2024-2025 ski season, the Ikon Base Pass prices are:

• Adults: $1,019
• Skiers ages 13 to 22: $749
• College students/nurses/members of the military: $739
• Kids ages 5 to 12: $369
• Kids ages 4 and younger: $99 (though many mountains offer free skiing to 4-year-olds)

The Base Pass has a few peak blackout dates, unlimited skiing at 14 destinations and up to five days at 39 additional mountains.

You can add five-day access to Aspen Snowmass, Deer Valley Resort, Sun Valley, Jackson Hole, Alta, Sun Valley, Snowbasin and Taos for an additional $250 with the Ikon Base Plus Pass for adults. (Blackout dates include Dec. 26-31, 2024; Jan. 18-19, 2025; and Feb. 15-16, 2025. Southern Hemisphere blackout dates include July 6-21, 2024, and July 5-20, 2025.)

For the 2024-2025 ski season, the full Ikon Pass prices are:

• Adults: $1,449
• Skiers ages 13 to 22: $1,119
• College students/nurses/members of the military: $1,059
• Kids ages 5 to 12: $439
• Kids ages 4 and younger: $149 (though keep in mind that many mountains offer free skiing to 4-year-olds)

This pass has no blackout dates and offers unlimited skiing at 17 destinations and up to seven days at 42 additional mountains.

Related: The right — and wrong — age for kids to start skiing

For the 2024-2025 ski season, the Ikon Session Pass pricing is:

• Adults: $549 for four days, $459 for three days and $329 for two days
• Skiers ages 13 to 22: $439 for four days, $369 for three days and $269 for two days
• College students/nurses/members of the military: $439 for four days, $369 for three days and $269 for two days
• Kids ages 0 to 12: $329 for four days, $269 for three days and $209 for two days (though many mountains offer free skiing for kids up to 4 or 5 years old)

This pass gives you up to four days of skiing at 43 destinations, although blackout dates apply at all resorts. For an adult, this means $137 to $165 per day, which may or may not be a good deal, depending on where you’re looking to ski.

For example, at Steamboat, a one-day walk-up lift ticket could cost as much as $270, and a four-day consecutive ticket could cost close to $1,050. This makes the pass well worth it. If you are an East Coast skier, you might not find it’s as good of a deal.

Keep in mind that this is the last and final pricing. Once the pass goes off sale on Dec. 12, there will be no more opportunities to purchase an Ikon Pass. So, if you want to ski for less, lock in your pass within the next few days.

Related: The best ski resorts in the US for your next trip to the slopes

Fortunately, Ikon still offers its “Confidence to Buy” plan for the 2024-2025 season. This is the same plan introduced over the past few years and is automatically included in the price of your lift ticket. This allows any passholder to receive a credit for the price paid to apply to the following year’s (in this case, the 2025-2026) ski season for any reason, no questions asked.

You’ll have until Dec. 12, 2024, to select this option. Note: If you already purchased your pass this spring and used it during the spring ski season, you won’t be able to qualify for the credit.

Ski passes are a big investment. Fortunately, there’s a payment plan option for the Ikon Pass if you want to lock in the current price and spread out payments.

You’ll put $0 down and then have the option to split the payment over three, six or 12 months — just pay attention to the annual percentage rate. During checkout, you can see your options and the cost depending on the plan selected.

If you’re paying it off in one chunk, these are the best credit cards to use for ski pass purchases. Ski tickets don’t always code under one particular bonus category, so a card that awards bonus points on everyday purchases can be your best bet.

Marriott properties seem to align most frequently with the Ikon Pass, and Hyatt properties often align well with Epic Pass. There are exceptions, though.

A few points-friendly properties to consider if you pick up the Ikon Pass include:

• The St. Regis Deer Valley (Marriott Bonvoy)
• Grand Hyatt Deer Valley (World of Hyatt)
• Viewline Resort Snowmass, Autograph Collection (Marriott Bonvoy)
• The St. Regis Aspen Resort (Marriott Bonvoy)
• W Aspen (Marriott Bonvoy)
• Sheraton Steamboat Resort Villas (Marriott Bonvoy)
• The Westin Monache Resort, Mammoth (Marriott Bonvoy)
• Le Westin Tremblant in Canada (Marriott Bonvoy)
• SpringHill Suites Jackson Hole (Marriott Bonvoy)
• The Cloudveil, Autograph Collection (Marriott Bonvoy)
• Bluegreen Vacations South Mountain, Ascend Resort Collection (Choice Privileges)
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites Lincoln East — White Mountains (IHG One Rewards)
• Killington Mountain Lodge, Tapestry Collection by Hilton (Hilton Honors)
• Hilton Niseko Village (Hilton Honors)
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites Fraser — Winter Park Area (IHG One Rewards)

Related: 17 of our favorite ski-friendly resort hotels you can book on points