A ski holiday in the US doesn't have to blow the budget, according to new research from HomeToGo, which ranked the country's most affordable resorts based on accommodation prices and lift ticket costs for the 2026-27 season.
The study compared nightly rates at holiday rentals near each resort against the cost of a ski lift pass. HomeToGo travel expert Eleanor Moody says the trick is to look beyond the famous names: smaller, under-the-radar mountains often deliver comparable slopes and a wider choice of chalets and condos, without the eye-watering prices of the marquee destinations.
Topping the value list is Brian Head Resort in Utah, where a night's stay averages just under $80 and a lift ticket costs $59. Washington's Mount Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park actually has the cheapest nightly rate on the list at $47.53, though lift passes there run $92. Arizona Snowbowl offers high-altitude skiing near Flagstaff for $88 per night plus a $69 lift pass, proving you don't need to head to the Rockies to find snow.
Colorado, as ever, dominates the list with three entries: Sunlight Mountain Resort near Glenwood Springs ($71 per night), Wolf Creek Ski Area ($78 per night, famous for its early-season snowfall), and Purgatory Resort near Durango ($108 per night but a modest $69 lift ticket). The list rounds out with Beaver Mountain in Utah, Magic Mountain in Vermont ($74 per night — one of the East Coast's best-value picks), Red Lodge Mountain in Montana, and Timberline Mountain in West Virginia, where the nightly rate is a low $72 but lift passes are the priciest on the list at $104.
Even at these value resorts, plan for the usual extras: equipment rental, resort fees and getting there all add up, and several of these mountains are a decent drive from major airports. But compared with the mega-resorts of Aspen or Vail — where lift passes alone can clear $200 a day — the maths here is refreshingly sane. A week at Brian Head or Magic Mountain could cost less than two days at a headline resort.
If your priority is cheap beds, look to Washington, West Virginia or Vermont. If you'd rather keep lift tickets low, Utah's Brian Head and Purgatory in Colorado are the standouts. Either way, the 2026-27 season looks like a good year to skip the big names and ski somewhere quieter for a fraction of the price.
