Vail Resorts Says Pass Sales Have Fallen for the 2025-26 Season

During a Q4 results report on Monday, September 29, 2025, Vail Resorts said that sales of its 2025-26 season passes had fallen compared to last year.

In a release, Rob Katz, Vail Resorts’ CEO, attributed the 3% decline as of September 19 to “less tenured renewing guests, those that had a pass for just one year, and fewer new passholders.” Alongside the decrease in pass sales, skier visits fell 3%.

Season pass sales dollars did, however, increase 1%, which Vail Resorts connected to a 7% hike above the 2024-25 prices. Keep reading for more.

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Katz, in a recent earnings call, said the results from the past season were “below expectations.”

“We recognize that we are not yet delivering on the full growth potential that we expect from this business,” he added.

What’s responsible?

“At the heart of our underperformance is that the way we are connecting with guests has not kept pace with the rapidly evolving consumer landscape,” Katz said. Katz stepped into the role of CEO last May, replacing Kirsten Lynch. He previously served as Vail Resorts’ CEO between 2006 and 2021.

Katz, in the call, addressed several areas Vail Resorts could improve. Historically, the company has relied on email marketing, but Katz said the effectiveness of that avenue has decreased as consumer behavior changes. 

According to Katz, Vail Resorts has also missed an opportunity to rely on the emotional connection skiers have with the company’s mountains, which include major destinations like Whistler Blackcomb, Park City Mountain, and Crested Butte. He said the company is aiming to elevate “the individual brands of our resorts.”

Katz highlighted the Epic Friend Tickets program as one effort that could bolster day ticket skier visits. The deal gives Epic Pass holders 50% off tickets they can share at all of Vail Resorts’ 37 owned and operated resorts in North America.  

“This not only celebrates the social side of skiing and riding, but it also drives lift ticket sales for new guests that would be attracted to visiting our resorts with their friends and family,” he said, noting that Vail Resorts is shifting its lift ticket pricing strategy with adjustments based on ski resort and time period.

Despite the slowdown in visits and pass sales, the CEO said that Vail Resorts is confident it is in a good position achieve higher growth in fiscal year 2027.

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