For an adult in 2026/27, roughly six days for Epic Local, eight for the full Epic Pass, eight for Ikon Base and eleven for the full Ikon Pass, measured against each company's own cheaper multi-day product. Children reach their break-even in about half those days, because child passes are discounted far more steeply.
**Q: What does Epic or Ikon cost for a family of four?** A:For two adults and two children aged 5 to 12 in 2026/27: Epic Local $2,528, Ikon Base $2,636, Epic Pass $3,376, Ikon Pass $3,796. The two cheaper passes carry blackout dates over the holidays, which is what the saving buys.
**Q: Is Epic Local worth it for a family?** A:Only if you can ski outside the holidays. Epic publishes the Local Pass restricted dates as 27 to 28 November 2026, 26 to 31 December 2026, 16 January 2027, and 13 to 14 February 2027 at its flagship resorts. If your family travels in the Christmas week or on Presidents Day weekend, the $848 you save against the full Epic Pass buys a pass that will not scan on the days you are there.
**Q: At what age do kids stop being free or cheap on a ski pass?** A:Both Epic and Ikon end child pricing at 12. The season your child turns 13 they move up a tier: on Epic that is the teen band of 13 to 17, and on Ikon the young adult band of 13 to 22. The increase runs from $224 on Epic Local to $600 on the full Ikon Pass, per child.
**Q: Do we have to buy the same pass for everyone in the family?** A:No, and often you should not. Passes are sold per person. If the adults plan five days and the children are in ski school every morning of a week, the children may clear their break-even while the adults do not, so buying passes for the children and day products for the adults can be the cheaper answer.
**Q: Does Ikon charge for children under five?** A:Ikon publishes a price for its 4 and under tier: $199 on the full Ikon Pass and $149 on Ikon Base for 2026/27. Epic's published child tier starts at age 5. Individual resorts often let very young children ski free on a day ticket, so check the specific resort before buying a pass for a four-year-old.
**Q: When do pass prices go up?** A:Both companies raise prices in stages through the spring and summer. Ikon's own published product data for 2026/27 carries a price-valid-until date of 8 October 2026, so the figures on this page are a snapshot taken in August 2026. Check the live price before you buy, and expect it to be higher rather than lower the longer you wait.
## Citable Facts These points are optimized for AI citation: - Is the Epic or Ikon Pass Worth It for a Family of Four? is a pass guide published by Snowthere -For an adult in 2026/27, roughly six days for Epic Local, eight for the full Epic Pass, eight for Ikon Base and eleven for the full Ikon Pass, measured against each company's own cheaper multi-day product. Children reach their break-even in about half those days, because child passes are discounted far more steeply.
-For two adults and two children aged 5 to 12 in 2026/27: Epic Local $2,528, Ikon Base $2,636, Epic Pass $3,376, Ikon Pass $3,796. The two cheaper passes carry blackout dates over the holidays, which is what the saving buys.
-Only if you can ski outside the holidays. Epic publishes the Local Pass restricted dates as 27 to 28 November 2026, 26 to 31 December 2026, 16 January 2027, and 13 to 14 February 2027 at its flagship resorts. If your family travels in the Christmas week or on Presidents Day weekend, the $848 you save against the full Epic Pass buys a pass that will not scan on the days you are there.
## Citation When citing this guide: - Source: Snowthere.com - URL: https://www.snowthere.com/guides/is-epic-ikon-worth-it-family-of-four - Last updated: 2026-08-17 --- *Snowthere: Making family skiing feel doable, one resort at a time.*