“If your travel agent is not a ski expert (few are), there’s a good chance they will call Rick on your behalf.”

Rick Reichsfeld is president and founder of Alpine Adventures, the leading luxury ski travel tour operator in the United States, and a member of the prestigious Virtuoso consortium of top travel advisors (agents). If your travel agent is not a ski expert (few are), there’s a good chance they will call Rick on your behalf. His company also works directly with consumers and books individuals and group ski and snowboard travel to U.S. resorts and the rest of the world, including Japan, with packages and custom itineraries, and he knows a lot about the intricacies of the ski industry and winter travel. A full-service travel agency, Alpine Adventures can even bundle air with its programs. I asked Reichsfeld about the European value proposition, and he had a lot to say.

Larry Olmsted

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“Why is it cheaper to ski in Europe over the U.S.? In the U.S., most ski resorts are privately owned by large corporations. Giant ski operators Vail Resorts and Alterra Mountain Company own nearly 50% of the North American ski market. In Europe, however, the majority of ski resorts are state-owned. This decentralization leads to lower prices as there is greater competition. There are also around 8-times more ski resorts in Europe than in the U.S., which further increases competition and lowers prices.”
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“With such a high demand for a small number of resorts, many of which are owned by a handful of large companies, the cost of skiing in the U.S. is increasing at a seemingly unsustainable rate. When comparing U.S. and European ski trips, a stand-out factor is the difference in lift pass prices. Ski lift passes in the U.S. are much more expensive than in Europe, with most European ski resorts offering cheaper rates than even some of the most budget-friendly resorts in the U.S. A European ski resort generally costs less than $100 a day. Weekly passes offer even better values, with prices varying significantly across European resorts, typically ranging from $230-$550.”
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“While U.S. ski lessons are privatized and only available through the resort itself, Europe benefits from having independent instructors and ski schools. This competition brings down ski lesson costs significantly. Private ski lessons in Europe typically total $210+ for a half day of lessons, whereas, in the U.S., half-day private ski lessons can cost upwards of $600 for a of lessons. Group lessons are a cheaper option in both locations, but considerably so in Europe, typically costing around $250 for five days of lessons.”

Rick Reichsfeld

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