Travel Tech: Save Big on Lift Tickets With Liftopia

Dreaming about hitting the slopes this weekend, but afraid a quick getaway isn’t in your holiday budget? Think again. Last-minute skiing or snowboarding trips can be affordable, thanks to Liftopia.com.

Users can score deals on next-day lift tickets, rentals, and lessons as well as find bargains weeks in advance. Most deals seem to average between 40 percent and 50 percent off resort prices, but the site boasts that users can find discounts of up to 80 percent.

As the largest retailer of lift tickets on the Web, Liftopia.com offers deals from more than 150 Alpine resorts across North America as well as resorts in Europe, Australia, and South America. This includes big names like France’s Chamonix Mont Blanc (we found 27 percent off ski rentals) and smaller resorts (we found 49 percent off lift tickets for smaller mountains in Vermont and New Hampshire). More resorts are being added.

Liftopia is user-friendly. Simply enter the region you want to visit and trip dates, and Liftopia.com spits out a list of mountains offering deals and discounts. The site also provides users with information about each resort, including altitude, acreage, amenities, photos, and reviews from users who also designate their ski skills as beginner, intermediate, and advanced.

Just be sure your dates are set before you purchase. There is little to no room for cancellations. Liftopia.com is able to offer steep discounts because users buy tickets that are date-specific and nonrefundable.

Deals can sell out fast, but new ones are added throughout the season.