Mountain Capital Partners (MCP) just kicked off lift ticket sales at Utah’s Brian Head Resort. Thanks to the resort’s dynamic pricing model for lift tickets, the cheapest Brian Head day pass right now is just $19. As of September 10, you’ll find six days in early November selling at that price and three more for $27 or less.
With dynamic pricing (aka demand-based pricing), demand for a particular day increases the cost of day passes. The most popular days to ski at Brian Head will be the most expensive. However, if you buy day passes far enough in advance and for days with lower demand, you’ll be able to get the lowest prices, rewarding those who act sooner rather than later.
Colorado’s Purgatory Resort also announced that it is continuing the dynamic pricing model it launched last year. Purgatory’s lift tickets start at $9 for select dates.
After the latest episode of concert price-gouging from Ticketmaster, it’s safe to say consumers aren’t all thrilled about the practice of dynamic pricing. However, in recent years, many ski resorts have adopted the practice. The model is used to manage crowds through shorter winters, incentivizing skiers to show up during the shoulder season and on less popular days.
Brian Head Dynamic Pricing: Cheap Lift Tickets on Slow Days
Dynamic pricing can be a double-edged sword. Some larger resorts leverage dynamic pricing to raise the price of day passes on popular days from already-expensive base prices. Resorts like Brian Head and Purgatory put this pricing model to use in favor of consumers, though. They lower the price of day passes on less busy days.
If you’re on a shoestring budget and have flexibility on when you hit the slopes, this model could be a good deal. However, those locked into specific schedules that only allow them to ski during the busiest days of the season may find themselves with sticker shock — especially if they wait to buy.
Arizona’s Snowbowl, also owned by MCP, got plenty of attention in January 2023. That season, its dynamic pricing model resulted in lift tickets reaching $309 (rivaling Vail’s day passes on the most popular days). That happened, in part, because of a major snowfall event the week before. It also doesn’t help that Snowbowl is one of only four ski resorts near Phoenix, a city with a population of 1.64 million.
Regardless, the resort seemed to listen to the complaints. SnowBrains reported that by April 2023, day pass prices at Snowbowl had gone back down to just $19.
In other words, timing is everything. Snowbowl hasn’t started selling lift tickets for this winter yet, but they’ll likely sell fast — and increase in price — once they’re available. Brian Head’s day pass prices will do the same.
If that all sounds complicated, it might be time to consider investing in a season pass. But this close to the season, those won’t come cheap, either.
So, if you’re just looking for a single weekend of powdery fun, then the low prices of resorts like Brian Head and Purgatory are a solid choice.
