Hit the Slopes on a Budget: 8 Destinations To Use Points and Miles for a Memorable Ski Trip

Skiing is normally an expensive kind of vacation, but if you pick just the right destination, it’s easy to save on ski trips using points and miles.

Start by picking ski spots you can get to using points and miles. If destinations are too far away from major airports, you might have to pay top dollar for trains or rental cars. Before you book your plane tickets, you’ll also want to make sure there are hotels and ski resorts nearby where you can earn or redeem points. If not, you can always look into booking them using credit card travel credits.

And don’t discount ski trips abroad. I’ve actually had more affordable ski trips using points and miles for flights than spending hundreds on gas to drive to U.S. ski destinations — so keep an open mind when it comes to the slopes and where they’re located. Lift tickets are often more affordable in Europe, too.

These are some of the top ski destinations in 2026 where you can use your points and miles, from the Alps to the Rockies and beyond.

1. Park City (Utah)

Park City’s ski resorts are easily accessible, about a 40-minute drive from Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), and traveling to SLC is relatively affordable. We found tickets as low as 12,500 Delta SkyMiles and $6 from Eugene (EUG), Oregon, and 44,000 Delta SkyMiles and $6 to fly in business class from Nashville (BNA), Tennessee.

Once there, stay at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Park City (starting at $243 or 40,000 IHG One Rewards points per night), which is a short distance from both Park City and Deer Valley resorts (the hotel offers a shuttle, or you could ride with Uber Ski) and walking distance from plenty of shops, restaurants, and supermarkets. For a significantly more elevated, ski-in/ski-out experience, consider the Hyatt Centric Park City ($636 or 35,000 World of Hyatt points per night), nestled in the snow-capped Wasatch Mountains.

My top tips for making the most of your Park City ski adventure are to avoid visiting during the Sundance Film Festival, when everything is more expensive, and to be sure to stop and enjoy the brand-new SLC Amex Centurion Lounge on your way out, home to a hearth room with a fireplace and a mountain-facing terrace.

2. Lake Tahoe (California and Nevada)

You have various options for skiing in Tahoe, an area that offers everything from bunny slopes to black diamond runs. If you want to fly into Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) and hit the slopes that same day, many resorts in North Tahoe are fairly close by.

We also love the idea of riding the rails to Tahoe on Amtrak’s California Zephyr, which runs between Chicago and San Francisco. Get off at Truckee, California, then drive to the slopes (anywhere from 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, depending on where you go). A one-way trip in coach from San Francisco to Truckee costs around 3,000 Amtrak points or $83. You could easily cover the trip for a family of 4 using the welcome offer on the Amtrak Guest Rewards^® Mastercard^®:

• Earn 12,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 billing cycles of account opening.

The fancy Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe is a 16-minute drive from Truckee, and the ski-in/ski-out resort has access to the Highlands Gondola and a ski concierge to attend to your every need. A stay there costs well over $1,000 per night, but you can score it for just over 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night on specific dates. Or stay at the Everline Resort & Spa, a ski-in/ski-out resort near the Palisades Tahoe ski area (rates at the World of Hyatt Category 8 resort start at $300 or 35,000 points per night).

3. Aspen (Colorado)

Aspen is known for its extended ski season, which typically spans from November to April. Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) is a short drive away from many of the town’s ski resorts, so you can fly in and hit the slopes on the same day. According to searches on point.me, you can take the nearly 4-hour flight to Aspen from Chicago on American Airlines for as low as 15,000 AAdvantage miles or 15,700 United miles in February 2026.

Stay at the Hoffmann Hotel Basalt Aspen, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, which sits at the base of the mountains and overlooks a small lake. It costs $334 or 90,000 Hilton Honors points per night, but you have to drive to get downtown and to the slopes. If you stay at the W Aspen, you’ll be right in the town center and a 15-minute drive from a skiing paradise. Rates start at $1,300 per night or 124,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. Additionally, the hotel boasts the only year-round rooftop venue in Aspen.

4. Stowe (Vermont)

Stowe’s skiing scene features the steep slopes of Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak and is renowned for some of the finest snow quality on the East Coast.

Stowe is about an hour’s drive from Burlington International Airport (BTV) in Vermont, but I didn’t mind because I was able to score a one-way, nonstop flight on Delta from New York (JFK) for 5,000 Flying Blue points (which I transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards). For the scenic route, consider the Ethan Allen Express train, which runs from Albany, New York, to Burlington.

Although we reviewed the Lodge at Spruce Peak in summer, it’s equally fantastic in winter, thanks to its ski-in/ski-out options and nearby Over Easy Gondola (rates at the Category 8 Destination by Hyatt resort start at $400 or 35,000 points per night).

5. Niseko (Japan)

My bucket list includes flying in the Japan Airlines premium economy cabin from Chicago (ORD) to Tokyo (HND), which was ranked the best premium economy cabin in the world by Skytrax in 2024 and second best in 2025. It costs just 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles one-way. To reach Niseko, you fly from Tokyo Haneda (HND) to New Chitose Airport (CTS), which costs just over $50 each way in the winter months, and then catch a 2-hour bus ride to Niseko (about $80 round-trip, but free for Hyatt Globalist members). Yes, it’s a hike, but it may actually cost you less than heading to Aspen or Tahoe, if you use your points and miles just right.

Why go so far to ski? Niseko is rumored to have some of the best powder in Asia, as well as a thriving après-ski scene and slopes suitable for skiers of all levels.

Stay at the Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono, a ski-in/ski-out property that’s home to amenities like an indoor pool, onsens, and even karaoke rooms. Rates at the Category 8 hotel can cost up to $2,000 per night, but points rates start at 35,000 World of Hyatt points.

6. Whistler (British Columbia)

Between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains, this Canadian ski area covers a massive amount of terrain — more than 8,000 acres of skiable slopes. The area is under 2 hours by car from Vancouver Airport (YVR), but at least it’s straightforward to get to Vancouver, as airlines such as Air Canada, JetBlue, American, Delta, and United all offer nonstop flights from various U.S. hubs.

According to searches using the Points Path browser extension and Google Flights, a one-way economy trip on JetBlue from New York (JFK) costs as few as 11,000 TrueBlue points, whereas cash prices in economy from Seattle (SEA) are as low as $68 one-way in February.

Stay at the Westin Whistler (winter rates start at $445 or 84,000 Marriott Bonvoy points), where a large majority of the guest rooms and suites have fireplaces, or the Hilton Whistler Resort, a quick walk from the Blackcomb gondolas (winter rates for studios with kitchenettes start at $845 or 85,000 Hilton Honors points per night in January).

7. Zermatt (Switzerland)

Switzerland’s ski scene is most famous for its iconic peak, the Matterhorn, which imposingly towers over the charming town of Zermatt. The picturesque area boasts a lively, Swiss-style après-ski scene, numerous slopes, and other enticing winter activities, including ice skating and snowshoeing.

Though you can fly on SWISS to Zurich (ZRH) or Geneva (GVA), most international visitors fly to Milan, Italy, and then take the train to Zermatt (a 3-hour, 40-minute ride). My top pick for arrival is the famous fifth-freedom Emirates route, one-way from New York (JFK) to Milan (MXP) in first class for 108,000 Emirates Skywards miles or 87,000 miles in business class. Unfortunately, Chase Ultimate Rewards no longer transfers to Skywards, but Bilt Rewards is a solid alternative that transfers at a 1:1 ratio.

Zermatt is an excellent destination to stay at an Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts property if you hold the Platinum Card^® from American Express. Consider staying at the FHR property Mont Cervin Palace, a historic hotel dating back to 1857 ($944.59 or 93,451 Amex Membership Rewards points per night). This means that if you book with your Amex Platinum card or The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, you get additional perks such as:

• 12 p.m. check-in, when available
• Room upgrade (subject to availability)
• Complimentary daily breakfast for 2
• $100 experience credit, unique to each property
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Guaranteed late checkout at 4 p.m.

Plus, you can get up to $300 in statement credits semiannually for up to a total of $600 in statement credits per calendar year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings on the Amex Business Platinum card or the Amex Platinum card.

8. Chamonix (France)

The quaint French ski town of Chamonix is perfect if you’re looking for an idyllic European ski vacation in the French Alps. Fly on SWISS from the U.S. to Geneva for as low as 63,000 Avianca Lifemiles one-way in business class (Lifemiles is a transfer partner of American Express, Bilt, Capital One, Citi, and others). Then you can take a 1-hour train ride to Chamonix.

There are many cute boutique hotels in Chamonix, and you can book a charming French B&B or mountain chalet. I recommend Hotel Mont Blanc for its incredible mountain views and Clarins Spa. Rates start around $400 per night but can go over $1,000 in peak ski season. Book using the Citi Strata Elite card’s $300 hotel credit in Citi Travel, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card $300 credit for Capital One Travel, or the $300 travel credit from the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®. If you have ALL – Accor Live Limitless Reward points (which transfer from Citi, although the ratio isn’t ideal at 1:0.5 or 1:0.35, depending on the Citi card you hold), you could consider a stay at the ibis Styles Les Houches Chamonix.

Final Thoughts

Skiing is always fun, but skiing using points and miles is much easier on your wallet. Head to one of these top ski destinations to spend less on arrival and lodging so you can spend more on cool ski gear, dining, and more fun.