When taking a flight today, most passengers don’t expect to get much for free. Maybe a complimentary soda or biscoff cookie, or a free checked bag on an international flight, if they’re lucky.
But did you know you can actually get a free day of skiing if you book with the right airline? Every year, a handful of the best ski resorts in the United States and Canada partner with Alaska Airlines to offer passengers a free lift ticket for the same day as their arriving flight.
Travelers simply present their Alaska Airlines boarding pass at the participating resort’s ticket office to receive a same-day complimentary ski lift ticket.
As the deal is usually only for the same day as a passenger’s flight with Alaska Airlines, travelers will want to book flights to arrive at the resorts as early as possible. It might take a bit of strategic planning, but it will no doubt be worth it, as single-day lift tickets can range up to $180 per day or more.
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. More resorts are usually added to the program throughout the ski season, especially in January, so be sure to check back often for an updated list.
Idaho’s largest mountain resort, Schweitzer, has confirmed it will honor Alaska Airlines’ boarding passes as a free one-day lift ticket. “Guests arriving on Alaska Airlines into Spokane can show their same-day boarding pass for a complimentary lift ticket valid on their arrival day,” 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 serves Spokane nonstop 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 on 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 Alaska Airlines to Boise and you can hit the slopes on the same day as your flight with a free Bogus Basin lift ticket,” the resort’s deal page says. Travelers can present their boarding pass on the day of their arrival at the Bogus Creek Lodge ticket window and receive a free lift ticket. Passes are limited to one per boarding pass, and the offer will expire at the end of 2025-26 ski season. During peak winter season, Alaska Airlines flies nonstop into Boise Airport (BOI) from 16 airports, including major hubs like Seattle (SEA), Portland (PDX), San Francisco (SFO), Phoenix (PHX), and Los Angeles (LAX), as well as smaller cities like Palm Springs, California (PSP).
At Steamboat Springs, Colorado, which bills itself as Ski Town, U.S.A., travelers can get a free evening ski session following their flight with Alaska. “Fly to Steamboat (HDN) on Alaska Airlines and take advantage of free night skiing that evening,” the resort says. Travelers just need to show their same-day boarding pass to the resort’s ticket office to redeem their free night skiing pass for the evening of their arrival. Guests arriving on Mondays or Wednesdays will be allowed to use their night skiing pass on Thursdays. Alaska Airlines operates seasonal nonstop routes to Steamboat’s Yampa Valley Regional Airport (HDN) from San Diego (SAN) and Seattle (SEA). Both routes launch service on December 20, 2025, and operate three times per week on Wednesday, Saturdays, and Sundays through late March 2026.
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