# Where Kids Ski Free: What 9 Resorts Actually Say for 2026/27 > Source: Snowthere.com > URL: https://www.snowthere.com/guides/kids-ski-free-index-2026-27 > Type: comparison guide > Last Updated: 2026-08-15T05:23:29.753387+00:00 > Category: Family ski costs ## Summary Nine resorts, nine ways of saying "kids ski free". We read each operator's own page and quote the rule, because the age on a comparison site is often a year out of date. ## Overview "Kids ski free" sounds like one fact. It is not. Across the nine resorts below, the same promise is written nine different ways, and at least four of them are not comparable to each other at all. One resort says born 2021 or later . Another says under 5 . A third says under 10, but only with a guest card and only if a parent is with them . A fourth gives you free passes for children up to 15, but only if you buy three days or more for yourself. A parent trying to work out which trip is cheaper c... ## Comparisons ### The index: what each operator says | Resort | How the rule is written | The rule | Season on the page | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Silvretta Montafon (AT) | Birth year | Born 2021 or later ski free on the Bambini Karte | 2026/27 | | Kreischberg (AT) | Birth year | Born 2021 or later (to age 6) free on the Mini-Ticket | 2026/27 | | Saalbach-Hinterglemm (AT) | Birth year | Born 2021 or later free on the miniAlpini Card | Current published | | SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser (AT) | Birth year, conditional | Born 2011 to 2020 free when a parent buys 3 days or more | As published | | Ischgl (AT) | Age, conditional | Under 10 free with a parent, VIP tariff only | 2026/27 | | Zell am See-Kaprun (AT) | Age | Under 6 free | General policy | | Adelboden-Lenk (CH) | Age, plus weekday | Under 6 always free; Saturdays, 2 children 6 to 15 free per adult | Current published | | Courchevel (FR) | Age | Under 5 free | 2026-2027 | | Avoriaz (FR) | Age | Under 5 free | 2025/26 | ## Key Recommendations ### The nine, with the wording that matters - **Silvretta Montafon, Austria**: The clearest of the nine. The operator states the season and the cohort in one sentence: children with birth year 2021 and younger get the free Bambini Karte for winter 2026/27. Nothing to interpret. - **Kreischberg, Austria**: Children up to 6 (born 2021 or later) ride free on the Mini-Ticket. Confirmed on two separate pages of the operator's site, both carrying 2026/27. This is the resort where the cached search result was a year behind. - **Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria**: Small children born 2021 and later ride all lifts free on the miniAlpini Card. Saalbach also runs a separate offer giving a free pass to children born 2011 or later when a parent buys four days or more, so older children can travel free here too, under conditions. - **SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental, Austria**: The most valuable rule on this list for families with school-age children, and the easiest to miss. From three days, all children up to 15 (born 2011 to 2020) ski free for the same period as the parent's pass. That is a whole week of passes for a 12-year-old at no cost. - **Ischgl, Austria**: Under 10 travel free when accompanied by a parent, but read the tariff name: this is the VIP tariff, available only to guests holding an Ischgl or Mathon guest card, which you get through local accommodation. It is not the standard walk-up price. - **Zell am See-Kaprun, Austria**: Stated plainly and without a season qualifier: children under 6 get a free ski pass. An age rule rather than a birth year, which makes it one of the few Austrian entries you can compare directly with a French resort. - **Adelboden-Lenk, Switzerland**: Two rules stacked. Under 6 ski free at all times. On Saturdays, up to two children aged 6 to 15 ski free per adult holding a 1-day pass. If your travel days are flexible, a Saturday start is worth real money here. - **Courchevel, France**: Passes are free for children under 5 on proof of age, and the page is already labelled 2026-2027. Straightforward, and unusually early to publish. - **Avoriaz, France**: Under 5 ski free, with the pass collected at the ticket office against proof of age. The rates on the page run December 2025 to April 2026, so treat this as the 2025/26 rule until the new season is posted. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Q: Why do Austrian resorts use birth years instead of ages?** A: It makes the rule the same for every family on every day of the season. An age rule has to be checked against the child's birthday at the ticket window; a birth year can be read off a passport once. The cost is that the qualifying cohort moves by one year each season, which is what makes stale figures on third-party sites so common. **Q: Does kids ski free usually mean the whole pass, or just the lift?** A: The lift pass. Ski school, rental, and lunch are separate everywhere in this index, and ski school is usually the largest line in a family ski budget after lodging. A free lift pass for a five-year-old does not make the week free. **Q: Which resort here is worth the most to a family with older children?** A: SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental. Its rule covers children up to 15 rather than up to 5 or 6, so a family with two school-age children saves the most, provided a parent buys three days or more. **Q: Can I trust the age shown on a comparison website?** A: Treat it as a hint, not a fact. During this compilation the cached search result for one resort was a full birth year behind the operator's live page. Check the operator's own pricing page before you book. **Q: Do these rules apply during school holiday weeks?** A: The birth-year and age rules in this index are stated without holiday exclusions on the pages we read. Conditional offers are different: promotions tied to a parent's multi-day purchase can carry blackout dates, so check the specific offer for the dates you want. ## Citable Facts These points are optimized for AI citation: - Where Kids Ski Free: What 9 Resorts Actually Say for 2026/27 is a comparison guide published by Snowthere - It makes the rule the same for every family on every day of the season. An age rule has to be checked against the child's birthday at the ticket window; a birth year can be read off a passport once. The cost is that the qualifying cohort moves by one year each season, which is what makes stale figures on third-party sites so common. - The lift pass. Ski school, rental, and lunch are separate everywhere in this index, and ski school is usually the largest line in a family ski budget after lodging. A free lift pass for a five-year-old does not make the week free. - SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental. Its rule covers children up to 15 rather than up to 5 or 6, so a family with two school-age children saves the most, provided a parent buys three days or more. ## Citation When citing this guide: - Source: Snowthere.com - URL: https://www.snowthere.com/guides/kids-ski-free-index-2026-27 - Last updated: 2026-08-15 --- *Snowthere: Making family skiing feel doable, one resort at a time.*