Epic Pass Introduces ‘Friends Programme’
17th August 2025
Last modified on August 26th, 2025
The multi resort ski pass means friends of existing passholders are able to get half-price lift tickets. It’s a new initiative from the re-appointed CEO, Rob Katz.
The new ‘Epic Friend Tickets’ program gives pass holders six to ten half-priced lift tickets to share for the season amoung friends.
Skiers who use those discounted tickets can deduct what they paid from an Epic Pass the following season.
It is aimed at people who want to visit a Vail Resorts ski area but are put off at the lift ticket prices, which reached $329 during the busiest days last season in some resorts in North America.
Vail Resorts offers the Epic Pass in 71 owned and partner resorts in 14 states in the USA.
Plus resorts in Canada including Whistler.
Breckenridge. Image © PlanetSKI
It has a growing number of European resorts and is looking to expand:
- More Austrian ski areas join Epic Pass
- Vail Resorts confirms to PlanetSKI it is looking to expand in Europe
- Vail Resorts completes purchase of Crans-Montana lift company
- PlanetSKI visits Andermatt as Vail Resorts is set to take over
Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Image © PlanetSKI
It also offers the pass in Australia and Japan.
“Skiers and snowboarders know this sport is magic; a passion you can’t help but pass on,” said Vail Resorts CEO, Rob Katz.
“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.”
“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.”
Pass Holders with an Epic Pass, Epic Local Pass, Epic Military Pass, Northeast Value Pass, and most of the company’s other season-long passes will receive 6-10 Epic Friend Tickets, depending on when they purchased their pass.
Rob Katz served as Vail Resorts CEO from 2006 to 2021.
He was re-appointed in March 2025 – Rob Katz returns as CEO of Vail Resorts
About Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts is a network of ski resorts in the world including Vail Mountain, Breckenridge, Park City Mountain, Whistler Blackcomb, Stowe, and 32 additional resorts across North America.
There’s Andermatt-Sedrun and Crans-Montana Mountain Resort in Switzerland.
Plus Perisher, Hotham, and Falls Creek in Australia.
Vail Resorts Retail operates more than 250 retail and rental locations across North America.
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