SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., March 7, 2023—Vail Resorts has released pricing for the 2023-24 Epic Pass suite. The restricted Epic Local Pass will retail for $676 and the unlimited Epic Pass will go for $909, increases of roughly 8 percent year-over-year but still below the price for the 2020-21 Epic Pass. The company slashed prices 20 percent for 2021-22.

There will be several new passholder benefits for the 2023-24 season. As previously reported, guests will be able to activate and store their Epic Pass on a new mobile app starting in fall 2023, with direct to lift access enabled at all U.S. resorts (but not Whistler Blackcomb) through Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology rather than RFID. Plastic RFID cards will still be available for those who cannot or do not want to use their phone as their pass.

The company is also expanding its foothold in Europe with the addition of Switzerland’s Disentis as a partner resort. Disentis is adjacent to Andermatt-Sedrun, in which Vail Resorts acquired a majority stake last year. In addition, Epic Pass signed partnership extensions with Les 3 Vallées in France, Ski Arlberg in Austria, and Skirama Dolomiti in Italy, and will continue its existing partnership with Verbier4Vallées in Switzerland.

The company dropped its temporary passholder reservation requirement after pandemic restrictions were lifted ahead of 2021-22, but new for 2023-24, independent pass partner Telluride will require Epic Pass holders to make reservations. Not a benefit, per se, but a change.

Other passholder benefits look to be the same as last season. Epic FlexPay, a zero-down, zero-interest deferred payment plan, is available again. So is the Epic Coverage refund policy. Buddy tickets are also back, as is the 20 percent passholder discount on F&B, lodging, ski school, rentals, and other amenities.

Vail Resorts’ releases its second quarter earnings Thursday, March 9.