Alaska airlines is running its popular ‘Ski Free’ programme again this winter, offering free lift passes for ski resorts in the US and Canada to passengers.
1. How to get a free ski pass
Travellers can choose from eight different ski resorts, they just have to keep their boarding pass and exchange it for a free one-day lift pass at one of the ski resorts participating in the promotions. These are the following:
- Alyeska Resort: Fly from Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, and Spokane to Anchorage
- Bogus Basin: Fly from Seattle to Boise
- Eaglecrest Ski Area: Fly from Anchorage, Glacier Bay/Gustavus, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Seattle, Sitka, and Yakutat to Juneau
- Red Lodge Mountain: Fly from Seattle and Portland to Billings
- Red Mountain Resort: Fly from Anchorage, Boise, Portland, San Diego, and Seattle to Spokane
- Schweitzer Mountain Resort: Fly from Anchorage, Boise, Portland, San Diego, and Seattle to Spokane
- Ski Marmot Basin: Fly from Seattle to Edmonton or Calgary
- Whitefish Mountain Resort: Fly from Portland and Seattle to Kalispell/Glacier Park
‘Tis the ski-son! Did you know your Alaska boarding pass doubles as a lift pass? See all the partner resorts where you can ski for free this winter! https://t.co/2KDxBb7yGf pic.twitter.com/jRnNTyE01b
— Alaska Airlines (@AlaskaAir) November 6, 2020
2. Restrictions
There are designated airports for each resort, so passengers must have to fly to and from these specific airports.
Also, most resorts will only let passengers exchange their boarding passes for free ski passes on the actual day of travel, so passengers must travel from the airport straight to the slopes. However there are a few resorts that will issue passes at a later date.
3. Other airline offers in the pandemic
Alaska Airlines also ran the ‘Ski Free’ promotion last year, however it is one of several airlines who are trying to think outside the box in order to attract passengers Early on in the Covid-19 pandemic, Air New Zealand sold flights spanning across 32 different routes for less than £5 which sold out entirely in just an hour.
Several airlines have also launched unlimited flight passes to encourage passengers uptake of flights. For example, Air Canada offered the Infinite Canada Flight Pass in September. Prices for the pass start at $2,260 per month, can be purchased for a one, two or three-month period and allow passengers to take as many flights as they like within Canada during that time. As part of this pass travellers can also change or cancel flights up to an hour before departure with no additional cost. Earlier this year Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia also introduced a year-long unlimited pass for residents to travel to domestic destinations for 499 ringgit (£94), whilst China Eastern launched a weekend-only unlimited flight pass to boost business after the Covid-19 outbreak.
