How much do ski lessons cost?
So you’re thinking about booking some ski lessons but aren’t sure how much they cost?
Whether it’s your first ski holiday, you’re going skiing for the first time since having children, or taking a friend away to show them the slopes, there are many reasons you may be looking to book ski lessons.
Are you wondering how expensive ski lessons are, or how to find the cheapest ski lesson? Read on…!
The cost of your ski lesson will depend on the following factors:
- group vs private lessons
- the ski resort/ski area you are visiting
- market competition
- the time of year you are skiing
- time of the day
With all this in mind, it is clear to see that prices do vary, but it’s really not all that complicated when you break it down.
The guide below will help give you a rough idea of what to expect when shopping around for your perfect ski lesson.
3 tips for saving money on your ski lessons:
- visit outside of school holidays/high season
- book afternoon lessons
- opt for group lessons
Book your ski lessons as early as possible to avoid missing out – especially during busy weeks like Christmas and school holidays.
Use SkiBro for a full view of the market so you can shop around and see exactly what’s available in your ski resort and make sure you get the best deal possible.
You’ll never pay any more booking with SkiBro than you would going direct, and you can benefit from other perks like Free Cancellation, Book Now, Pay Later and payment in installments.
Please note that the prices below are ballpark figures and that you may find outliers on either side of the price ranges given.
Group Lesson Prices
Group ski lessons are by far the most cost effective way of learning to ski or snowboard – especially if you are a beginner or are looking to save your pennies.
A group ski lesson is a great way to find your feet and will generally be priced between €175 and €350 for five mornings of lessons.
This price will depend on the following factors, and will vary from resort to resort:
- the length of the lesson
- how many people are in each group
- morning or afternoon lesson
- time of year
Smaller group sizes often have a dramatic effect on ski lesson prices, but as with many things in life, you often get what you pay for – in this case it’s a larger share of the instructor’s attention in small groups.
Kids group ski lessons
Price range: €175 – €550 for five days
Ski lessons are an important part of any family ski holiday.
Kids group ski lessons will last between 2 – 3 hours for a half day lesson, and between 4 and 7 hours for a full day lesson with an allocated lunch break.
The time of day that you choose for the lessons will also vary the cost. Kids group ski schools will typically have three time slots to choose from. These will usually look like:
- morning ski school (5 Mornings, 2.5hours / day) between €195 – €325
- afternoon ski school (5 Afternoons, 2.5 hours / day) €175 – €300
- full day ski school (5 Days, 7.5 hrs/day, excluding lunch) €350 – €550
Some schools will offer package deals for full day lessons that will include ski hire and a meal. The more days you book, the better deal you will receive.
If the school offers a supervised lunch option, these are a very good deal. They will include a meal and drink with supervision over the lunch break starting at €10 per child, per day.
And if you’re booking a full day of ski school with lunch supervision, it can double up as day care giving you the freedom to go enjoy the mountain!
Adult group ski lessons
Price range: €165 – €300 for five days
If you’re an adult beginner skier, ski lessons are a must. You could learn more in one day versus weeks of trying to teach yourself – and avoid injuries and bad form in the process!
Adult ski school groups are usually made up of smaller numbers compared to kids groups. Prices sometimes vary compared to kids lessons, or are equal.
There will be an option of a morning or afternoon ski or snowboarding lessons. Not every school will offer adult afternoon group lessons as they tend to prioritise the kids’ lessons.
An example of the cost of adult group skiing lesson in Tignes are:
- 5 Mornings, 3hrs / day €215
- 5 Afternoons, 3hrs / day €165
If you’re passed the beginner stage, then a refresher lesson might be more worthwhile. Some ski schools run ‘refresher’ group courses or a ‘ski clinic’ that cater to those who have specific goals or to re-jig your confidence.
A confidence-building one-day ski clinic in Chamonix will cost around €50 for a three hour lesson at the beginning of the week. There are of course, other ski clinics and refresher courses that will run for three or five days giving you more tuition time.
Move advanced skiers will also be able to find more advanced group ski clinics and group off-piste courses with skiers of a similar level in many resorts.
Private Ski Lesson Prices
Price range: €50 – €100 per hour
Private lessons can vary in duration from one hour to seven hours.
“How much do private ski lessons cost?” Is a bit of a tricky question to answer.
The cost of private ski or snowboarding lessons is significantly different in cost compared to group lessons. However, the rate of progression often is faster with private tuition.
Learning at your own pace, with your own instructor who doesn’t need to divide their attention across a class.
Check out this post for a full breakdown of the differences between group and private lessons.
A private ski lesson generally ranges from €50 – €100 per hour. With this, you’ll enjoy many extra perks that you don’t get with a group lesson including:
- flexible meeting points
- one-on-one tuition with your own instructor
- the ability to learn at your own pace, and
- flexible timings
Taking ski lessons from a qualified instructor will get you to the next level no matter if you’re a beginner or expert. There is always something new to be learnt!
Factors that Influence Ski Lesson Pricing
Ski resort
Much like house prices are different in London to Liverpool, the same is true with ski lessons and ski resorts.
More expensive ski resorts such as Verbier in Switzerland will start at CHF 75 per day for group lessons and CHF 540 per day for private lessons.
Don’t let this put you off!
There are many ski resorts across the Alps that will offer ski lessons at fairer prices. Try checking out Avoriaz and Val Thorens in France, or Lech and St Anton in Austria. These popular resorts have more competition and so represent a market average. The cost of lessons will cost around €30 – €50 per day for group lessons and between €300 – €400 per day for private lessons.
Visiting some of the smaller, less mainstream resorts will also offer lessons at a more budget friendly rate.
Time of year
Ski schools will often have different prices depending on what time of year you are visiting. The busy Christmas season and school holidays will see an increase in prices.
During February holidays in France, it is not uncommon for families to pay €500+ per day for a private instructor.
In contrast, the same private ski instructor during low season may charge €350 per day.
Ski schools will often become a little less flexible and may require you to book for a minimum number of days (or sometimes a full week).
Competition
While more expensive resorts will have more expensive ski lessons, there are generally more schools to choose from.
This should, in theory, bring down the prices of ski lessons and create a fair market. However, there are only a limited number of ski instructors to serve a booming ski industry.
When the demand for a ski lesson is high, and there are limited instructors, the prices inevitably go up.
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Despite a potential sticker-shock, ski lessons often represent a great value for money. You’ll learn and progress much more quickly with lessons, whilst becoming less prone to injury and accidents, all of which add up to a much more pleasurable ski holiday, and better holidays for the rest of your life.
When you book ski school, don’t forget to ask them if you need a ski pass for your lesson! Many resorts have free beginner’s areas that don’t require you to purchase lift passes.
Now you have an idea of how much ski lessons will cost you, the next question is how many ski lessons do you need? Click here to read on.
