For skiers and snowboarders, December through March are the peak months to plan a winter getaway at your favorite resort, but costs can add up quickly. In addition to flights and hotel stays, the typical costs of any trip, a ski trip also means paying for lift tickets and, in some cases, equipment rentals (if you don’t have yours).
The good news is that you can plan a cheap winter getaway with your loyalty points and miles. Follow the tips below and you’re on your way to an affordable ski or snowboard trip, with enough budget for some fun post-ski activities.
Flights
If you’ve ever gone on a ski trip, you know this isn’t the time to pack lightly. While all your warm winter clothes, ski jackets and ski pants take up enough space on their own, you will also need to carry an extra bag with your skis or snowboards and boots. When budgeting for flights, be sure to include the cost of checked bags and consider taking advantage of your loyalty status to check bags for free. While Southwest Airlines still allows passengers to check two bags for free, most airlines now charge for each piece of luggage, with certain loyalty status or credit card holders being the exception.
If you are a Delta SkyMiles credit card holder, you and everyone else on your reservation can register your first bag for free. This can go a long way when it comes to packing for a ski trip. Let’s say you have a family of four. Many ski bags can hold at least two pairs of skis. By bringing two ski bags and sharing two large bags with all your ski gear, you can ultimately avoid luggage fees altogether.
Hotels
As a loyal member or cardholder with a major hotel chain, you are likely to find a location near one, if not many, of the best ski resorts. By staying at a hotel connected to your loyalty program or travel rewards credit card of choice, you may have the opportunity to earn points during your stay, or even redeem points you have already earned in exchange for a free stay or a gets better. For example, if you are a Hilton HHonors member, you have the option of staying at the DoubleTree in Breckenridge, Colorado, Doubletree in The Yarrow, Utah, Hampton Inn & Suites in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, or Hampton Inn & Suites in Park City, Utah , to name a few.
Reward earnings for HHonors members at these resorts start at 30,000 points.
Hyatt Gold Passport members can choose Hyatt Vacation Clubs, which include studios (12,000 points per night), one room (15,000 points per night), two rooms (23,000 points per night) and three rooms (30,000 points per night), which means more space for families and other larger groups. Ski resort locations include Hyatt Grand Aspen, Hyatt Main Street Station Breckenridge, and North Star Lodge, Lake Tahoe. An added bonus for any loyalty member choosing mountain lodging is that you don’t even have to pay for a car rental, especially if your hotel also includes a free airport shuttle.
Lift tickets
Perhaps one of the best deals is the Park City Quick Start program. In the simplest terms, you have the option to ski for free, regardless of loyalty status. Sponsored by the Utah Tourism Office, the program offers free lift tickets to three Park City Resorts (Canyons Resort, Park City Mountain Resort, or Deer Valley Resort), for any non-Utah resident with a boarding pass. day. In other words, if you have an early morning flight to Salt Lake City, you can ski for free on your first day.
While the Utah Tourism Office website says this program is not available for this ski season, it is offered occasionally, so keep an eye on the deal.
Some loyalty programs or rewards credit cards also include lift tickets, or in some cases, simply ski resort gift cards, in their shopping centers or “experience” sections. All members or cardholders have to do to avoid spending cash for elevator tickets is to exchange their points or miles. For example, American Express Membership Rewards offers gift cards to a variety of ski resorts, including Aspen Snowmass (starting at 7,100 points), Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (starting at 5,000 points), Stratton Resort (starting at 10,000 points). ) and Winter Park Resort (from 10,000 points).
If you’re not turning to a hotel, airline, or credit card program to cover your elevator tickets, another way to save is through Liftopia, an elevator ticket platform that constantly offers new deals at more than 250 resorts in America. from North.
