Before You Book a Ski Trip, Learn How to Save on Mountain Hotels, Ski Rentals and Lift Tickets

Learn how to cut the cost of a ski trip before lift tickets, rentals and parking wipe out your budget.

How do you keep a ski trip from blowing your whole vacation budget? When should you buy a season pass instead of a day ticket? Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French discuss how to save on ski and snowboarding trips to help you plan a cheaper mountain getaway. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including Marriott’s more-flexible free night certificates, bigger Marriott welcome offers, rising fuel surcharges that could push airfare higher, and what the new Ikon Pass prices mean for next ski season.

Then, fellow travel Nerd Craig Joseph joins Meghan and Sally to discuss ski trip costs, with tips and tricks on choosing between season passes and day tickets, lowering rental, lodging and parking costs, and using points, hotel stays and credit card perks to offset the price of a mountain vacation. They also discuss whether skiing in Europe can actually cost less than skiing in the U.S., what non-skiers can do on a snow trip from tubing to ice skating, and what to look for in a credit card if you’re flying with skis or a snowboard.

Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews:

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Review: Free Night Award, Elite Status https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/reviews/marriott-bonvoy-boundless 

• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Review: Luxurious Benefits, Price Tag to Match https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/reviews/marriott-bonvoy-brilliant 

• Capital One Savor Review: Foodie-Focused Rewards, for No Annual Fee https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/reviews/capital-one-savor 

• Bilt Palladium Card: Rewards on Housing Are Almost Secondary https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/reviews/bilt-palladium 

• Capital One Venture X Review: A Steal of a Deal Among Premium Cards https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/reviews/capital-one-venture-x 

Resources discussed in this episode:

• The Best Travel Credit Card Welcome Offers Right Now https://www.nerdwallet.com/travel/learn/top-rewards-credit-card-offers 

Want even more tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel dollars? Subscribe to TravelNerd, our free newsletter designed to help you crack the code on spending less on your travel. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices