Most travelers don’t expect to get much for free when flying today. If they’re lucky, maybe a complimentary soda or Biscoff cookie, or a free checked bag on an international flight.
But did you know that you can actually get a free day of skiing if you book with the right airline? Every year, some of the best ski resorts in the United States and Canada partner with Alaska Airlines to offer travelers free lift tickets on the same day as their arriving flight.
Travelers present their Alaska Airlines boarding pass at the ticket office of a participating resort to receive a complimentary same-day ski lift ticket.
Since the deal is typically only for the day of the traveler’s flight with Alaska Airlines, travelers will want to book flights to get to the resorts as early as possible. It may require a little strategic planning, but there’s no doubt that it will be worth it, as single-day lift tickets can range up to $180 or more per day.
Here are the resorts that have confirmed they will honor Alaska Airlines boarding passes for a free lift ticket on the day of your arrival for the 2025-2026 ski season. Typically more resorts are added to the program throughout the ski season, especially in January, so be sure to check back frequently for an updated list.
Schweitzer, Idaho’s largest mountain resort, has confirmed it will honor Alaska Airlines boarding passes as one-day free lift tickets. “Guests arriving in Spokane on Alaska Airlines can show their same-day boarding pass for a complimentary lift ticket valid on the day of their arrival,” the resort said in its pre-season update in late October. The resort, located in Sandpoint, Ohio, is about a 90-minute drive from Spokane International Airport (GEG) in Washington state. Alaska Airlines offers Spokane nonstop service from several airports, including Boise (BOI), Portland (PDX), San Diego (SAN), San Francisco (SFO), Seattle (SEA), Los Angeles (LAX) and a new route from Orange County, California (SNA), which will launch January 7, 2026.
Located 16 miles north of Boise, Idaho, Bogus Basin is another popular resort participating in the Alaska Boarding Pass deal for the upcoming ski season. “Fly with Alaska Airlines to Boise and you can hit the slopes the same day as your flight with a free Bogus Basin lift ticket,” the resort’s deals page says. Hikers can present their boarding pass at the Bogus Creek Lodge ticket window on the day of their arrival and receive a free lift ticket. Passes are limited to one per boarding pass, and the offer will expire at the end of the 2025-26 ski season. During the peak winter season, Alaska Airlines flies nonstop into Boise Airport (BOI) from 16 airports, including major hubs such as Seattle (SEA), Portland (PDX), San Francisco (SFO), Phoenix (PHX), and Los Angeles (LAX), as well as smaller cities such as Palm Springs, California (PSP).
In Steamboat Springs, Colorado, which bills itself as a ski town, USA, travelers can get a free evening ski session after their flight with Alaska. “Fly to Steamboat (HDN) on Alaska Airlines and take advantage of free night skiing that evening,” the resort says. Travelers must show their same-day boarding pass at the resort ticket office to redeem their free night skiing pass for the evening of their arrival. Guests arriving on Monday or Wednesday will be allowed to use their night skiing passes on Thursday. Alaska Airlines operates seasonal nonstop routes from San Diego (SAN) and Seattle (SEA) to Steamboat’s Yampa Valley Regional Airport (HDN). Both routes begin service on December 20, 2025, and operate three times per week on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays until the end of March 2026.
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