As winter approaches, more and more ski resorts are announcing ski pass prices for the 2023/2024 ski season. About time for our annual research on price trends. Skiing has once again become more expensive and, just like last year, we see more and more ski resorts switching to a dynamic pricing system. By buying your ski pass online well in advance, you can save a lot on costs. In this article, we take a closer look at the 2023/2024 ski pass prices and look at the changes in the Alpine countries.
It is officially autumn and that means we can now really countdown to the winter of 2023/2024. The first glacier ski areas have already reopened and it won't be long before the rest of the ski areas follow. Due to inflation, prices are rising almost everywhere, but how much more expensive will a ski pass be this coming season? Almost all ski areas adjust ski pass prices ahead of the new season. Maintenance, investments, inflation and other factors mean that ski pass prices actually go up slightly every season. Sometimes this is a slight increase, other times a sharp one. Compared to ski season 2022/2023, prices have gone up a bit again. In the table at the bottom of this article an overview of the ski pass prices for ski season 2023/2024, including the percentage changes. We also list the most important developments in this blog.
When we examine the ski pass prices for the 2023/2024 ski season, a trend of increased prices is evident across the board. On average, you can expect to pay 8.42% more, translating to an additional £19.40. In Switzerland, the increase is more modest at 2.34%, a result of many ski resorts adopting a dynamic pricing model rather than fixed rates. Remarkably, the ski pass prices for the Jungfrau Region have remained steady for several years, and the price for a 6-day ski pass for Les 4 Vallées has also been constant. In France, the price of a ski pass has increased by an average of £22.62, representing an 8.44% hike. Italy sees a £20.01 and 8.06% increase, Austria £32.80 and 11.57%, and Germany £17.90 and 8.11%.
Note: These prices are based on a 6-day adult ski pass during the high season. Exchange rate 17/10/2023.
It is again noteworthy that an increasing number of ski resorts are transitioning to a dynamic pricing model. Where ski pass prices were once fixed, they are now variable. In other words, the price of the ski pass fluctuates and is dependent on several factors including historical data, demand for ski passes, the time period, and the weather. For instance, you might pay £55 for a ski pass on one day and £75 on another. This pricing system has been utilised for years by hotels, airlines, and in train ticket pricing, and is now being adopted by a growing number of ski resorts. This includes Arosa Lenzerheide, Engadin St. Moritz, Crans Montana, Bellwald, Montafon - Brandnertal, Zermatt, Sölden, Gurgl, Engelberg, and Gastein.
Winter sports are not cheap holidays. Add up all the costs for the return trip, ski lessons, ski equipment, meals, drinks, accommodation and ski passes, and you will soon end up with a hefty sum at the bottom of the bill. Yet there are plenty of ways to cut costs. We recently shared an article about it: when you buy ski passes online, you can save a lot. Not only because of the dynamic pricing model mentioned above, but also because many ski resorts reward winter sports people who arrange certain things online in advance. On site, this makes a big difference to the crowds in front of the lift ticket office queues. Especially in high season. Dolomiti Superski, for example, the largest ski region in the world, offers guests who buy their ski pass online in advance a 5% discount on the price at the lift ticket offices. In Austria's Ski amadé, the online early bird discount can be as much as £48 on a 6-day ski pass!
Going on winter sports with children? Then you need not one but several ski passes. Quite an expense, especially now that we see that ski pass prices have risen again for 2023/2024. Fortunately, we can share a saving tip here too. In most ski resorts, children ski for free up to around five years old, but after that a child or youth rate is charged. In some winter sports destinations, this age is higher or an attractive family deal is offered. For example, kids up to 18 years old ski for free every Saturday in Almenwelt Lofer, and the SKI Plus CITY Pass, a ski pass that provides access to 13 (!) ski areas, is free for children up to 8 years old. In SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser - Brixental, families benefit during Family Ski Weeks, and Ski amadé and Dolomiti Superski also offer special deals for families.
Another saving tip is to book a package holiday with a tour operator, where the ski pass is included. They have good partnerships with lift companies locally that you can take advantage of.
The table below gives an overview of ski pass prices for the 2023/2024 season in Switzerland, Italy, France, Austria and Germany. This is the price of a 6-day ski pass in high season for adults. Prices are in Swiss francs and Euros.
