These 2 Ski Resorts Just Tied as the Most Expensive in the U.S.

The snow is falling, our winter sweaters are out, and every skier and rider across the U.S. is ready to shred. There’s only one thing stopping people: the steep—we’re talking black diamond-level—cost of tickets. 

As The New York Times reported, the average cost of a single-day lift ticket in the U.S. hit an astonishing $250 in the 2024 season. And, again, that’s the average. It’s also only the cost of a ticket, so you’ll still need to pay for food and drinks, lessons (if you need them), and a hotel if you plan to stay overnight. And that cost can really stack up, especially at one key luxury destination where all the A-listers love to go to see and be seen on the slopes.

In late November, Casino.org released its annual list of the most and least expensive ski resorts across the U.S. It began by compiling a seed list of the 20 highest-rated ski resorts, which it sourced from the snow report site OnTheSnow. Then, it scraped each ski resort’s data to find the pricing of one-day lift tickets, one-day equipment rentals, average nightly accommodation costs, average meal costs, and the cost of a half-day group lesson.

After doing all that digging, it found that the most expensive destination title was actually a tie, naming both Aspen and Beaver Creek, both in Colorado, as the most expensive ski destinations in the U.S.

In Aspen, the study found that a single-day pass costs $279 in peak season, while a single-day rental costs around $88. Meals at Aspen cost about $40 per day, which is relatively reasonable compared to the averages on the rest of the list.

What, then, makes Aspen so expensive? It all comes down to lodging and lessons.

According to the findings, a half-day lesson in Aspen costs $429, while a single overnight in an Aspen hotel averages $1,168. That means a single day of skiing and an overnight in Aspen can cost about $2,004. And that’s the exact same cost as a day at Beaver Creek. However, the cost of individual items differs at this mountain. 

At Beaver Creek, a ski pass costs $319, equipment is priced around $106, meals go for $35, while half-day lessons cost $315. And, like Aspen, the cost of a hotel is what makes this such a pricey endeavor. At Beaver Creek, travelers can expect to pay an average of $1,229 for a hotel room. 

And while both are pricey, there are ways to save, including picking up an Ikon Pass at preseason pricing for Aspen and the Epic Pass for Beaver Creek. And, yes, I can personally report that the skiing and riding at both destinations live up to the hype, and are worth saving your pennies to experience one day.

However, there are still other mountains that are also worthy of a trip that are far—far—less expensive. That includes the most budget-friendly in the nation, Purgatory, also in Colorado. Here, the team found that a single day will cost $489, including a ticket, meals, rental, a lesson, and an overnight stay. And, like Aspen and Beaver Creek, you can even snag a cheaper stay by booking well in advance. In fact, if you visit early enough in the season, tickets to Purgatory go for just $9, which means you can splurge on that bread bowl at lunch, too.