If you’re an avid skier, there are a few destinations you likely have on your radar for an international ski trip. Switzerland, France, Italy, and Austria are all famous for their wide runs and après-ski activities, and Canada is known for its diverse terrain and extended season. For unbelievable powder, though, you’ll want to head to Japan, home to “japow,” the dry, light, deep snow that blankets the country’s mountains.
With more and more international travelers headed to Japan—2025 was a record year for tourism—and social media feeds flooded with videos from Hokkaido and snapshots of slope-side katsu curry and ramen, the temptation to fly across the world to ski is heightened. But before you book a last-minute flight to Tokyo, let’s dive into the real cost of skiing in Japan (and see how it stacks up against U.S. prices).
To estimate trip costs, we needed guidelines. For consistency’s sake, we’re assuming you’re a U.S.-based traveler interested in on-piste skiing. You’ll also be renting equipment at the destination, skiing four days in peak season (taking into account that you’ll lose a day traveling to Japan), and requiring accommodations for six nights.
With more than 450 ski areas in Japan—and around the same number in the U.S.—we had to narrow things down a bit. Similar to the methodology we used to compare skiing in Europe vs. the U.S., we identified 10 popular ski areas—five in the U.S. and five in Japan—and grouped them into pairs based on snow quality, terrain, and overall experience. Finally, we used the following methodology to evaluate each one. Keep in mind that prices and currency conversion rates are subject to change.
Methodology
A skier in Vermont.
Nicolas Coe/Travel + Leisure
Airfare
We calculated airfare costs using round-trip economy fares from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to the nearest major airport for each ski destination, all searched on Google Flights this January. Flights were priced for the same peak-season travel window of Feb. 22 through Feb. 28, 2026. To avoid outliers, we averaged the fares for the three top departing flights.
On-the-ground Transportation
On-the-ground transportation costs were calculated using the most common shared or public transfer option from the chosen airport to each ski resort. For U.S. destinations, this typically meant an Uber (rates calculated via Uber Estimate) or shared shuttle service. If it made more sense logically to rent a car, we chose that option and pulled prices from Kayak.com. Japanese resorts were priced using a combination of bus, train, and shared transfer, where applicable. All transportation costs are round-trip, per person, and based on published fares available as of January 2026.
Lift Ticket Prices and Ski Passes
Lift ticket prices reflect four days of adult window pricing (Feb. 24 to Feb. 27), including any applicable resort-specific discounts, as listed on each resort’s official website on Jan. 23 (taxes not included). We also noted if the resort is on the Epic Pass, Ikon Pass, or Indy Pass, but did not factor that into the final tally.
Rentals
Ski equipment rental costs were based on published performance rental packages (skis, boots, and poles) rented directly from each resort or a nearby partner, priced for four full days. Daily rates were collected as of January 2026 and converted to U.S. dollars where required.
Lodging
Average nightly rates were sourced from Google Hotels’ “What You’ll Pay” feature, using four-star hotels for consistency (unless otherwise stated). Nightly rates were multiplied by six for the U.S. destinations. Notably, there were some U.S. ski areas where the only available accommodations were Airbnbs; for those, we pulled one of the more affordable listing prices and ensured the property was listed as a “guest favorite.” For the Japanese destinations, we calculated the cost of staying four nights at the ski resort (Feb. 23 to 27) and two nights near the relevant Japanese airport using the same Google Hotels feature.
Food and Drink
Food and drink costs were not included due to the variation in individual spending.
A skier on top of a slope in the United States.
Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure
Niseko United vs. Snowbird, Utah
Niseko United
Round-trip airfare: $708 to Narita International Airport (NRT); $100 to/from New Chitose Airport (CTS) and NRT
On-the-ground transportation: $77 via Hokkaido Resort Liner Ski Bus
Four-day adult lift ticket: $285
Epic, Ikon, or Indy Pass accepted: Ikon Pass
Rentals: $180
Lodging: $1,380 for four nights at the ski resort; $134 for two nights at a hotel near NRT
Estimated total cost: $2,864
Snowbird
Round-trip airfare: $157 to Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
On-the-ground transportation: $104 via Snowbird Shuttle
Four-day adult lift ticket: $561
Epic, Ikon, or Indy Pass accepted: Ikon Pass
Rentals: $346
Lodging: Ski resort accommodations not available for the given dates; Airbnbs available in Alta for around $611 for six nights
Estimated total cost: $1,779
Conclusion: It’s cheaper to ski in the U.S.
Hakuba Valley vs. Aspen Snowmass, Colorado
Hakuba Valley
Round-trip airfare: $715 to Haneda Airport (HND)
On-the-ground transportation: $148 via Nagano Snow Shuttle
Four-day adult lift ticket: $256
Epic, Ikon, or Indy Pass accepted: Epic Pass
Rentals: $115
Lodging: $824 for four nights at the ski resort; $186 for two nights at a hotel near HND
Estimated total cost: $2,244
Aspen Snowmass
Round-trip airfare: $269 to Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE)
On-the-ground transportation: $110 via Uber
Four-day adult lift ticket: $792
Epic, Ikon, or Indy Pass accepted: Ikon Pass
Rentals: $371
Lodging: $5,916 for six nights
Estimated total cost: $7,458
Conclusion: It’s cheaper to travel to Japan to ski.
Furano vs. Big Sky Resort, Montana
Furano
Round-trip airfare: $715 to HND; $264 to/from Asahikawa Airport (AKJ)
On-the-ground transportation: $70 train to/from AKJ and Furano Train Station
Four-day adult lift ticket: $204
Epic, Ikon, or Indy Pass accepted: Ikon Pass
Rentals: $153
Lodging: $588 for four nights at the ski resort; $186 for two nights at a hotel near HND
Estimated total cost: $2,180
Big Sky Resort
Round-trip airfare: $249 to Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN)
On-the-ground transportation: $26 via Uber to Skyline bus stop, $10 to Big Sky via Skyline
Four-day adult lift ticket: $821
Epic, Ikon, or Indy Pass accepted: Ikon Pass
Rentals: $360
Lodging: $7,338 for six nights
Estimated total cost: $8,804
Conclusion: It’s cheaper to travel to Japan to ski.
Rusutsu Resort vs. Sierra-at-Tahoe, California
Rusutsu Resort
Round-trip airfare: $708 to NRT; $100 to/from CTS
On-the-ground transportation: $64 via shuttle bus
Four-day adult lift ticket: $301
Epic, Ikon, or Indy Pass accepted: Epic Pass
Rentals: $201
Lodging: $2,248 for four nights at the ski resort; $134 for two nights at a hotel near NRT
Estimated total cost: $3,756
Sierra-at-Tahoe
Round-trip airfare: $202 to Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO)
On-the-ground transportation: $430 to rent a small car for the entirety of the trip
Four-day adult lift ticket: $406
Epic, Ikon, or Indy Pass accepted: Ikon Pass
Rentals: $308
Lodging: $696 for six nights
Estimated total cost: $2,042
Conclusion: It’s cheaper to ski in the U.S.
Kiroro Ski Resort vs. Mt. Baker Ski Area, Washington
Kiroro Ski Resort
Round-trip airfare: $708 to NRT; $100 to/from CTS
On-the-ground transportation: $16 via train from CTS to Sapporo; $32 via Hokkaido Resort Liner Ski Bus between Sapporo and Kiroro
Four-day adult lift ticket: $225
Epic, Ikon, or Indy Pass accepted: Indy Pass
Rentals: $199
Lodging: $392 for four nights at the ski resort; $134 for two nights at a hotel near NRT
Estimated total cost: $1,806
Mt. Baker Ski Area
Round-trip airfare: $483 to Bellingham International Airport (BLI)
On-the-ground transportation: $337 to rent a small car for the entirety of the trip
Four-day adult lift ticket: $388
Epic, Ikon, or Indy Pass accepted: N/A
Rentals: $304
Lodging: Airbnbs available in the area for $940 for six nights
Estimated total cost: $2,452
Conclusion: It’s cheaper to travel to Japan to ski.
Bottom Line
Flights are more expensive to Japan, but the cost of lift tickets, rentals, and lodging at U.S. ski resorts quickly inflate the cost, particularly in notoriously expensive places like Big Sky and Aspen.
AloJapan.com