When to book your US ski trip (2026-27)
Which weeks sell out first, how far ahead to book each part of the trip, and what to do if you've left it late.
By Tomás, founder of White Peak. Updated October 30, 2026.
When should you book a ski trip to the US?
For the holidays (December 19 to January 3) and Presidents' Day week, book lodging 10 to 12 months out. For the rest of January, February and March, 6 to 9 months is enough.
The hotel isn't what sells out first. It's the best room in the hotel, the private instructor you want, and the flights into mountain airports.
If it's already late for your dates, you still have options: many reservations are released 30 to 60 days before arrival.
In skiing, when you go matters as much as where. The same mountain can give you a quiet week of dry snow and empty runs, or a week of lift lines, 5-to-7-night minimums and rates double those of January. Often a single date makes the difference. This is what we look at every time we plan a ski trip to Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana or Tahoe.
Which weeks of the 2026-27 ski season sell out first?
Demand piles up around five moments. If your trip lands on one of them, the clock is already running.
| Period | 2026-27 dates | Why it fills up | Book |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas and New Year's | Dec 19 to Jan 3 | The most expensive two weeks of winter, with 5-to-7-night minimums. | 10 to 12 months out |
| Martin Luther King weekend | Jan 16 to 18 | Three-day weekend (the holiday is Monday the 18th). | 6 to 9 months out |
| Carnival | Feb 6 to 10 | Much of Latin America travels (Carnival is Feb 8 and 9). | 10 to 12 months out |
| Presidents' Day week | Feb 13 to 21 | Monday holiday on the 15th, plus school breaks in many states. | 10 to 12 months out |
| Spring break and Easter | Mid-March; Easter week Mar 21 to 28 | College and school vacations. | 6 to 9 months out |
In February 2027, Carnival and Presidents' Day nearly touch: from the 6th to the 21st, you get two straight weeks of peak demand.
How far in advance should you book each part of the trip?
Count backward from the day you arrive at the mountain:
- 10 to 12 months beforeLodging for peak dates. The most sought-after suites and homes renew from one year to the next: plenty of guests rebook next year on the day they check out.
- 6 to 9 months beforeLodging for the rest of high season, flights (especially into Aspen, Jackson or Eagle, which have few seats) and your ski pass.
- 3 to 6 months beforePrivate instructors and kids' ski school. On peak dates, the best instructors are booked months out. Private airport transfers too.
- 1 to 3 months beforeKey restaurants, on-mountain dinners, heli-skiing, spa, and rental gear delivered to your hotel.
- 2 to 4 weeks beforeTravel insurance that covers winter sports, room preferences and your packing list.
Want the full season, week by week, with ten resorts compared? It's in our free guide: the 2026-27 ski calendar.
When should you buy an Epic or Ikon pass?
As early as you can. The two biggest multi-mountain passes in the US go up in price in stages from spring onward and stop selling in December. For 2026-27, the adult Epic Pass launched at $1,089 and had reached $1,145 by September. The Ikon Pass launched at $1,399 and was $1,449 by the end of September. Both went up again in early October.
If you'll only ski a few days, run the numbers before buying a season pass: a multi-day ticket bought online from the resort, well ahead of time, is sometimes the better deal. A day ticket bought at the window is always the most expensive way to ski.
What if it's already too late for your dates?
It often isn't. Many hotels and home managers charge or release reservations 30 to 60 days before arrival, when their cancellation deadlines hit. That's when rooms that showed as sold out a month earlier reappear. Knowing where to look, and having a direct relationship with the hotel, makes all the difference.
The weeks most people miss
If your calendar is flexible, these are the dates we pick for our own clients:
- January 4 to 14. Families head home after the holidays, the mountain empties out and rates drop fast.
- January 19 to February 5. Cold, dry snow between MLK and Carnival. And in 2027, Park City gets this stretch without the Sundance Film Festival, which moves to Boulder, Colorado (January 21 to 31).
- March 1 to 12. The deepest snowpack of the winter and longer days, before spring break.
If you're flying in from abroad
Travelers from the UK, Australia, most of Europe and other Visa Waiver Program countries need an approved ESTA, which you should request at least 72 hours before your flight. Canadians generally don't need a visa or an ESTA for a ski vacation. Most other nationalities need a B1/B2 tourist visa, and interview wait times can run for months, so sort that out before you book.
What we'd do
Pick the week first and the hotel second. Moving your trip by seven days (arriving February 22 instead of the 13th, say) can change the rate, the availability and the feel of the mountain more than any other decision. And if you're traveling on a peak date, book your private instructor at the same time as your lodging: it's the best-value part of the trip and the first to go.
If you haven't chosen a mountain yet, start there: where to ski in the US compares Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Tahoe by who's traveling.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should I book a ski trip?
10 to 12 months out for Christmas, New Year's and Presidents' Day week, and 6 to 9 months out for the rest of high season (January through March). Early December and April can be booked with less notice.
What is the most expensive week to ski in the US?
The two weeks from December 19 to January 3. Hotels ask for 5-to-7-night minimums and rates can be double those of January.
When is the least crowded time to ski in the US?
January 4 to 14, January 19 to February 5, and March 1 to 12. You get good snow, quiet weekday runs and off-peak rates.
When should I buy an Epic or Ikon pass?
In spring, when they're cheapest. Prices rise in stages through the year and sales stop in December. For 2026-27, the Ikon Pass went from $1,399 to $1,449 and the Epic Pass from $1,089 to $1,145 before October.
Do international visitors need a visa to ski in the US?
Visitors from Visa Waiver Program countries, such as the UK and Australia, need an ESTA. Canadians generally need neither. Most other nationalities need a B1/B2 tourist visa. Always check current requirements on the official US government sites.
Tomás founded White Peak to plan custom ski trips in the mountains of the US. He and his team ski every mountain they recommend and book every part of the trip on time.
Sources
- 2027 federal holidays (MLK, January 18; Presidents' Day, February 15): U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
- Epic Pass 2026-27 prices: OnTheSnow, Epic Pass buyer's guide (September 10, 2026).
- Ikon Pass 2026-27 prices: Ski Magazine and Steamboat Pilot.
- October price deadlines: Unofficial Networks (September 29, 2026).
- Sundance 2027 in Boulder, January 21 to 31: Axios Boulder.
- ESTA and the Visa Waiver Program: CBP, official ESTA site. Visa wait times: US Department of State.
- Minimum stays, booking windows and released reservations: White Peak's experience planning ski trips in the US.
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