Lift passes compared

If it all goes to plan, some 1.4 million lift passes will be sold this year - enough to cover the population of greater Auckland. 100,000 of them will be bought by overseas visitors who'll pump $340 million into our economy.

Day passes

Prices of lift passes at some fields are comparable to the world's glamour resorts. Treble Cone charges NZ$99 for a day pass whereas St Moritz charges NZ$87. However, nearly every mountain field offers a student discount on day passes (Ruapehu and Roundhill are the exceptions). And every mountain will drop the price for secondary and primary school pupils, although the age range varies from field to field.

Often, children under the age of six and senior citizens over the age of 75 ski for free. In addition, senior skiers over 65 will receive discounts at several fields.

Guide to the table

Lift passes are for full access to all lifts for a day on commercial fields during peak season. Prices are as listed on ski fields' websites.

• In most cases Adult means older than 17 or 18 (most skifields offer discounts for adults over 70).
  A at Snowplanet, anyone over 12 is an "adult".
  B discounts for adults over 65.
  C discounts for adults over 60.
  
  
• Youth and child ages vary considerably from field to field. Check individual websites for more details. We have noted child ages in brackets. An age range (eg 6-12) means the Child price is different from the Youth price; a single age (eg 6+) indicates the price is the same for both Child and Youth. Ages are inclusive (eg 6+ means 6 and over). Children younger than the stated age have free access to lifts.

Not your usual ski fields

You don't recognise some of the ski fields in our tables? Snowplanet is an indoor ski slope. Waiorau Snow Farm is a cross-country ski venue. Snow Park is a terrain park for tricks. Mt Potts is New Zealand's 16th commercial ski field. The ski areas at Mt Potts are accessible by helicopter and you're charged on the number of runs you want to do. We haven't included it in our table.