A new index released by easyJet identifies Europe’s best budget ski resorts for last-minute travel, with Bulgaria’s Bansko ranking first after scoring highly on low lift pass prices, equipment hire costs, accommodation and local spending.
The airline’s Cheap Ski Index assesses accessibility from the UK alongside daily costs including transport and beer, as snowfall is forecast across major European resorts in the coming weeks.
The index highlights what easyJet calls the “four B’s of budget ski” — Bansko and Borovets in Bulgaria, Białka Tatrzańska in Poland, and Bardonecchia in Italy — all offering access to the slopes for under £50 a day. The findings come as wet winter conditions in the UK push travellers to consider short-notice ski breaks across continental Europe.
Budget rankings spotlight Eastern and Southern Europe
Bansko tops the ranking with a daily lift pass priced at £48, ski hire at £15, hotel costs averaging £45 per night and local transport at £34, bringing the total daily spend excluding beer to £142. Flights from the UK to Sofia start from £34.99. Beer prices average £1.23, underlining the resort’s low-cost appeal for travellers seeking affordable après-ski options.
Located at the foot of Bulgaria’s Pirin Mountains, Bansko combines wide pistes with a preserved old town that carries UNESCO protection. Its compact layout and relatively short transfer time of about two hours from Sofia Airport make it accessible for short breaks and late bookings, particularly for travellers prioritising value over luxury facilities.
Białka Tatrzańska in southern Poland ranks second, with lift passes at £33 and total daily costs excluding beer at £143. Flights to nearby Kraków start from £30.99, positioning the resort as a competitive option for beginners, families and groups looking to keep spending low while still accessing reliable snow infrastructure.
Borovets, Bulgaria’s oldest ski resort, places third with total daily costs of £148 excluding beer and flights from £34.99. The resort offers more than 58 km of slopes spread across three mountain zones — Sitnyakovo, Yastrebets and Markudjik — and is the only Bulgarian resort offering night skiing, extending usable slope hours for short stays.
Bardonecchia in Italy completes the top four with daily costs of £158 excluding beer and flights from £23.99 to Turin. Despite hosting events during the 2006 Winter Olympics, the resort remains less crowded than some Alpine competitors, offering wide visibility slopes and strong late-season snow reliability.
Airline data highlights value-driven winter travel
The index also ranks Pal-Arinsal in Andorra, Sauze d’Oulx and Sestriere in Italy, La Molina in Spain, and France’s Les Deux Alpes and Morzine. While French resorts appear further down the list due to higher accommodation and lift prices, easyJet notes that flexible travel timing can still deliver relative savings compared with peak-season Alpine pricing.
Pal-Arinsal, reachable via flights to Barcelona or Toulouse, combines beginner-friendly terrain with mid-level slopes suited to intermediates, while Sauze d’Oulx continues to attract British skiers seeking lively après-ski culture at lower prices than many French or Swiss resorts.
Les Deux Alpes and Morzine appear at the lower end of the affordability spectrum, with daily costs excluding beer reaching £243 and £271 respectively. However, easyJet suggests these destinations can still serve as budget-friendly alternatives for travellers willing to book late or travel midweek when accommodation prices soften.
Kevin Doyle, easyJet’s UK country manager, said, “As people start to look at booking a break on the slopes, we hope that our new index spotlights just some of the resorts where equipment hire, hotels and hospitality can be found for fantastic value, so that Brits can comfortably experience the beauty of some of the most underrated mountain towns.”
Doyle added that snowfall forecasts across Europe are expected to stimulate short-notice bookings. “With a flurry of snow set to dust Europe in the coming weeks, last-minute ski getaways are sure to be top of mind for many,” added Doyle.
He also highlighted network access as a driver of demand: “Direct flights from 13 airports across the UK make all ten destinations easily accessible, offering more choice and connectivity for snow sports lovers across some of Europe’s best hidden-gem resorts,” said Doyle.
easyJet operates more than 640 routes to over 140 destinations across 35 countries and carries approximately 50 million passengers to and from the UK each year. The airline continues to position its short-haul network as a gateway for flexible winter travel, as consumers respond to price pressures and unpredictable weather.
For travellers weighing spontaneous winter escapes, the index suggests that emerging ski destinations in Eastern and Southern Europe increasingly outperform traditional Alpine resorts on price, without compromising accessibility or basic infrastructure. As snowfall builds across the continent, demand is expected to remain strongest among value-driven travellers seeking snow reliability without premium resort pricing.
