2025-26 Indy Pass Debuts With Wild 250-Resort Guarantee

The Indy Pass is guaranteeing at least 250 alpine and cross-country partners for the upcoming 2025-26 season—and will offer purchasers their money back if it cannot achieve this guarantee by this December.

The Indy Pass just dropped some major updates for the 2025-26 season, including a streamlined renewal process, a promise of even more resorts, and details on pricing.

For renewing pass holders, rates increase only slightly from last year. The adult renewal rate starts at $299 for the Indy Base Pass and $419 for the Indy Plus Pass. For the first time this year, Indy renewers can opt into the “Easy Renew” program, which guarantees a pass before inventory is released to the public. Renewers will just need to go through a simple opt-in process when logging in, payment plans remain interest-free. Pass holders must use Easy Renew to secure the full discounted renewal rate.

Starting March 1, sales open to the general public. Prospective purchases can secure their place in line for the pass by joining the Indy Pass waitlist, with waitlist-level adult rates going for $349 for the Base Pass and $469 for the Plus Pass. If any passes remain after the waitlist deadline on February 28, 2025, general sales will open at $369 for the Base Pass and $489 for the Plus Pass.

As with last year, Indy Passes will be limited in quantity. Those who cannot secure a pass during the early March period can sign up for a waitlist to buy a pass later in the season.

This year, Indy has instituted what it calls a “250 Resort Guarantee.” If the pass does not feature over 250 pass partners by December 1, 2025, pass holders may request a refund for their purchase between that date and December 10, 2025. Additionally, Indy says that if your “favorite” 2024-25 resort doesn’t return, purchasers can refund an unused pass before November 1.

As of February 25, Indy says that it doesn’t expect any of its current pass partners to drop of for the 2025-26 season. If this remains true, the pass product will offer at least 230 resorts next winter. While Indy includes cross-country ski areas as part of its resort roster, it’s pretty much certain that over 180 of these mountains will be downhill alpine ski resorts.

Indy Pass 101

The Indy Pass is a budget alternative to the better-known Epic and Ikon season pass products. Unlike its more expensive counterparts, Indy only offers two days at each full partner resort. However, the list of partners is lengthy, with at least 181 independent downhill ski resorts across the East Coast, Midwest, Rockies, West Coast, Japan, and Europe. Indy also features eight “Allied” ski resorts; access to these mountains is not fully included on its passes, but is significantly discounted.

Indy has released their pass prices for the 2025-26 season, with discounts for those who enroll in the Easy Renew program.

Our Take

The Indy Pass remains one of the best values in skiing—if you use it right. With prices staying nearly flat (just a $20 increase for renewers and no price increase for new pass holders) and over 180 downhill alpine partners, Indy continues to deliver a ton of ski days for a fraction of the cost of Epic and Ikon. That said, there are a few key caveats to consider.

1. Not a True Season Pass
   The two-day limit per resort means Indy isn’t a replacement for a home mountain pass, but it’s a solid fit for skiers and riders looking to stack weekend trips or embark on a winter road trip.

2. Few True Destination Resorts
   Unlike Epic and Ikon, Indy resorts tend to be smaller and more under-the-radar, which means fewer crowds and shorter lift lines. But if you're looking for massive terrain, options over 2,000 acres in North America are scarce—outside of Oregon’s Mount Hood Meadows and British Columbia’s Big White, Indy doesn't have much in the way of true destination resorts.

3. Severe Blackout Restrictions on Base Pass
   The Indy Base Pass comes with severely restrictive blackout dates across several partner mountains, including some resorts that prohibit access on all weekends and holidays. The Indy Plus Pass has no blackouts, but for non-renewing pass holders, this upgrade is likely to only be a few hundred dollars less than the Mountain Collective Pass, which also comes with a two-day limit for its partners but features many of the same destination-grade partners as Ikon.

4. 250 “Resorts”—But What Kind?
   The 250 Resort Guarantee sounds massive, but we’re not sure how many of those will be downhill resorts vs. cross-country areas yet. Also, it’s entirely possible that some of these new resorts will be overseas, making them less practical for Indy’s largely North American audience. While we’re expecting expansion, it’s unclear if we’ll see any large new additions, especially after Powder Mountain’s departure a few years back.

5. Easy Renew Caveats
   If you’ve had an Indy Pass before and have the means to renew, Easy Renew is a no-brainer, letting you lock in the lowest price ($299 Base, $419 Plus) before the public sale. But if you forget or opt not to enroll in Easy Renew, you’ll have to pay close to full price for the pass.

Indy’s niche remains clear: affordable access to a huge quantity of independent ski areas. If you don’t mind smaller hills and short stays at each individual mountains, it’s an excellent deal. But if you’re chasing huge vertical, a destination-grade resort experience, or minimal blackout dates (on the Base Pass), you may want to weigh the Epic, Ikon, or Mountain Collective Passes instead.

For more information on the Indy Pass, check out our breakdown of Indy vs. Epic, Ikon, and Mountain Collective in video form below.