The Epic Australia Pass Could Save Your Wallet on Ski Trips With Access to 85-Plus International and Local Resorts

Overview

If a five-day (or longer) ski trip to the Northern Hemisphere sounds impossible, listen up: the Epic Australia Pass might save you some money. Since 2015, American company Vail Resorts has built a network of 85-plus destination resorts across Canada, the USA, Japan, and Europe, which are all bundled into one year-round pass starting in November 2027.

There's plenty of time to plan the trip, and each pass throws in discounts on lessons, rentals, accommodation, food, retail and six half-priced single-day lift passes – the latter will instantly make you the hero of the group. The catch? The number of days you can spend at each destination varies.

 Europe offers the most days on the Epic Australia Pass, with up to 52 days of lift access across Switzerland, France, Italy and Austria. That includes 15 days across three Swiss destinations, plus seven days in Les 3 Vallées in the French Alps – the vast, interlinked French ski region often billed as the world's largest. You'll also get seven days at Skirama Dolomiti, which spans Italy's craggy Dolomites.

Skiers get 23 days across some of Austria's best-known regions. Sölden is famed for glacier skiing and is home to a restaurant featured in the James Bond movie Spectre. Head to Saalbach for its athletic circuits and lively après scene, and to Mayrhofen for its steep slopes in the Zillertal valley.

If you're headed to Japan, stop for five days each at Rusutsu, a Hokkaido village known for its deep powder and tree skiing, and Hakuba Valley in the Japanese Alps. Over in North America, you get ten days across Canada's Whistler Blackcomb, home to the highest gondola in the world, and Vail and Beaver Creek in the Colorado Rockies. Vail is known for sprawling terrain, while Beaver Creek is a must-go for its charming, village-style setting.

The pass covers unlimited access to destinations in Australia too, which is perfect for brushing up on your snow skills before heading abroad. There's Falls Creek and Hotham in Victoria, and Perisher in Kosciuzco National Park for snow bunnies in New South Wales.

Prices for the 2027 season are set to rise on Wednesday, October 14. Right now, the Epic Australia Pass costs AU$1099 per adult and AU$626 per child, but you'll only need to pay a $49 deposit to secure it until May 3.

Visit the website for more details.