Internet groups have been buzzing recently after a post went viral detailing that it is cheaper to fly your family to Ski Bansko, Bulgaria for three days than to ski three days at Vail Mountain, CO. With travel websites and cheap air-fare it is possible to make a European ski vacation come true. So as the prices skyrocket Vail is starting to seem more overrated with lift tickets reaching over $300 and notoriously long lift lines.
The numbers break down like this: a 3-day lift pass at Vail costs around $852 ($975, if purchased day of), and equipment rentals cost around $92 per day ($276 total cost). With those numbers skiing locally at Vail would cost about $1,128. Taking a round trip flight from Vail to Bulgaria with lodging included can cost as low as $682. A 3-day lift ticket at Bansko would cost $201 and equipment rentals would be around $60, bringing the total to just $943.
The internet was quick to judge these calculations but the account owners were even quicker to back themselves up. They admitted that you would have to take inconvenient flight times and that Ski Bansko is a much smaller resort. However, the stand alone fact that it is possible to fly your family across an ocean and still ski for less money than 3 day tickets and rentals at Vail should be a moment of reflection. Is Vail still a premier ski location or has the world-class resort fallen off?