Italian ski resorts dominate the top 10 with the best value for money for adults and families | News
With one in twelve British holidaymakers1 set to hit the ski slopes in Europe, the 19th annual Post Office Travel Money Ski Resort Report, produced in partnership with Crystal Ski Holidays, shows that Italian ski resorts will be the best for value – although lesser-known resorts in Norway and Finland are now moving up the rankings to rival Italy and its closest rival Bulgaria in the top 10 best value for money. With price increases averaging more than 10 percent year on year, the Italian ski resorts of Bardonecchia and Passo Tonale are once again rated as the cheapest options for both adult and family skiers among the ski areas surveyed
Using local prices for a lift pass, ski equipment, tuition, meals and drinks, researched by Crystal Ski Holidays and converted into pounds by the Post Office to calculate a week’s resort costs for a family of four2, Passo Tonale is rated as the best value of the 30 family ski resorts surveyed for the second year in a row. Despite an above-average increase of 14.4 percent year-on-year, the barometer cost of £1,797 at Passo Tonale was half that of the most expensive ski resort, Saalbach, where prices rose 20.5 percent to £4,060.
The Italian resort has beaten all the competition thanks to its money-saving free ski pass offer when a child up to eight years old is on skis with a paying adult. This made it more than nine per cent cheaper than its nearest rival Bardonecchia, where prices rose by 10.5 per cent to £1,984.
Tuition costs are one of the leading causes of rising prices for families. The most significant increase was in Kranska Gora, which fell from second to fourth place in the family table after rising 23.5 per cent year-on-year to £2,117. Previous reports have commented on the volatility of tuition costs from one year to the next at the Slovenian resort and this season is no exception. At £666 for a week’s tuition for two adults and two children aged six and eight, prices are 67 per cent higher than last year’s cost of £399 – although they are cheaper than the 2023/24 season, when researchers priced the ski school at £810.
With lower ski school prices this year, Andorra’s Soldeu is the only resort to see the barometer price fall to £2,602, down 3.7 percent from 18th place last season and 11th in the table.
Laura Plunkett, head of Post Office Travel Money, which is responsible for one in four UK currency transactions, said: “Families may have to dig deeper into their pockets this coming ski season, but there is still plenty of value to be had if they choose carefully. The free lift passes for younger children at Passo Tonale make it an unbeatable choice for parents with children under nine, while the price drop we picked up at Soldeu also makes this family-friendly ski area an attractive option.
“However, parents on a budget should be aware of the widely varying prices for ski school if their children need lessons. New to the Ski Resort Report this year, Pyha offers excellent value at half the price that families might pay at more expensive French resorts. Our advice is to check prices before booking.”
Although Italian resorts still take the majority of the top 10 places for family skiing, Scandinavian resorts are now competing with them to offer great value for money in the coming season. With a barometer price of £2,404, Pyha has taken seventh place in Finland, ahead of Sestriere (9th, £2,500) and La Thuile (10th, £2,576). Norway’s Geilo and Beitostølen take fifth and sixth place, with barometer costs of £2,179 and £2,293. This is thanks to competitive prices for ski passes, equipment rental and tuition, although higher costs for meals and drinks prevent the three Nordic ski areas from rising further on the barometer.
In the main barometer for adult skiers, Bardonecchia tops the rankings for the third year in a row at £601 per week and is one of six Italian resorts in the top 103 with the best value for money. Although prices in Bardonecchia have increased by 10.5 percent since last season, skiers will pay more than 11 percent more in Borovets, second in the resort with a total cost of £668, almost 19 percent more than last season. season. In fact, Bulgarian ski resorts have recorded the largest price increases this year. A second resort, Bansko, has fallen to fourth place in the barometer table after prices rose 23.3 per cent to £706.
Norway’s Geilo is in third place with a barometer price of £704 – only marginally higher than a year ago (+0.1 percent) and the smallest increase in the 32 ski resorts surveyed for adult skiing.
The higher prices are due to both the decline of the British pound against European currencies in recent weeks and higher local costs for the eight barometer items. Increases in the cost of lift passes are the biggest cause of these local price increases. British skiers traveling to European resorts can expect to pay an average of 10.7 percent more for a six-day ski pass than a year ago, and in some cases those costs have more than doubled in the past decade.4
Laura Plunkett, head of Post Office Travel Money, said: “Due to the depreciation of the pound against the European currency in recent weeks, costs at ski resorts are likely to play a big role in destination choice this year – especially as our research has once again shown that prices vary dramatically across Europe.
“The weaker pound makes it crucial for skiers to do their homework before booking and consider the higher costs of ski passes, equipment and ski school at resorts compared to the package price. The great value available in Italy and Bulgaria makes their resorts a good choice for budget-conscious skiers. However, Norway’s Geilo and Le Corbier in the French Alps are lesser-known resorts that also offer excellent value for bargain hunters.”
Although there are no Austrian or Swiss ski resorts in the top ten best value for money, there is one French resort in the list. Le Corbier has returned to seventh place in the top ten ski resorts with a barometer total of £784, up just 5.4 per cent on last season. Wengen in Switzerland again ranks as the most expensive resort among the survey at £1,372 for the barometer items, more than double the cost of the same items in Bardonecchia and Borovets. However, prices have only increased by 4.8 percent year-on-year.
Scott Britton, head of Crystal Ski Holidays, commented: “As a one-stop shop for ski holidays, we want to help our customers find good value for money in a wide range of destinations – and this year’s report confirms that budget-conscious skiers are still spoiled for choice. Bardonecchia once again tops the list of best value for money, demonstrating that Italy continues to offer competitive prices without compromising on the skiing experience.
“But what is especially encouraging is the diversity of resorts in the top 10: from the Alpine charm of France to the Scandinavian landscape of Norway and the scenic slopes of Bulgaria. For us, this reinforces the importance of offering a broad and flexible program that caters to different tastes, budgets and travel styles – all with the convenience of having everything taken care of in one simple booking.”
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About Crystal Ski Holidays
Crystal Ski Holidays, part of the TUI Group, is Britain’s largest ski package provider, taking customers to more than 150 resorts in 14 countries across Europe, North America and Japan, flying from 19 UK airports. All packages include flights, transfers and accommodation and are covered by ABTA and ATOL protection. In addition, Crystal offers alternative travel options for most French resorts such as the ski train and self-drive via LeShuttle, which can also be booked in one easy package.
1 Survey conducted for Post Office Travel Money by Yonder in May 2025 among 2,121 British adults. Eight percent of those planning to travel abroad indicate that they are planning to take a winter sports holiday.
2 The Post Office Travel Money Ski Resort Report has been compiled, in partnership with Crystal Ski Holidays, based on adult prices for one week (six active days) at 32 European resorts suitable for different levels of skiing and 30 European resorts suitable for families. Costs are based on mid-season and entry-level prices for skis and boots. Daily ski school opening hours vary depending on the resort. Lunch prices are based on two courses excluding drinks. The items examined were:
1. Ski lift pass for a week (6 days)
2. Ski equipment for a week (6 days)
3. Ski school lesson (5-6 days of half-day lessons)
4. Cup of coffee
5. Bottle of Coca-Cola
6. Glass of house wine
7. Bottle of beer
8. Six lunches on the slopes
3 The other Italian resorts in the top 10 are: Sauze (5th, £734, up 10.5 per cent), Sestriere (6th, £745, up 4.9 per cent), Cervinia (8th, £820, up 10.8 per cent), newcomer Kronplatz (9th, £837, up 7 per cent) and La Thuile (10th, £837, up 15.9 per cent).
