Free Ski Pass with Gift Card Purchase at Simon Malls

As in the past few years, Simon malls (at least here in MA) are giving away ski passes with purchase of gift cards. The mountains this year are Wachusetts, Cranmore and Wildcat, and have some blackout dates (when I'll get the passes, I'll report on them). For every $250 in gift cards, you get a free pass. Gift cards cost about $3 each, so that means $3 per ski pass instead of $40 and upwards (with the exception of a few special dates, such as 12/18, where Wildcat has $9 and Cranmore $3 ski passes). Limit 10 passes per person.

The gift cards are prepaid credit cards (American Express ), which can be used anywhere AMEX is accepted. Quantities limited.

New for this year: I was told that the Wachusetts pass can either be full mountain pass or learner's package, which includes lesson, lower mountain pass and rentals. I don't have more details on that, but if that is true, it is an excellent cheap way for people to try out skiing!.

I went to the Solomon Pond Mall (Marlborough, MA) and bought $2500 worth of gift cards, and I got ten vouchers for ski passes. Here are a few more details:

(1) passes not valid for school vacations or Saturdays on any of the mountains.
(2) limit 20 per household, 10 per person. I don't think they can actually track down households, and I believe you can buy more cards in other malls.
(3) each gift card costs about $3, and one can load up to $500 per card - so that amounts to $1.50 per ski pass. (not including the extra points one gets from the CC used to purchase these gift cards)
(4) if you buy three cards, you get three nice tins to hold the cards. although there is a "Toll House" ad on them they do not come with cookies.
(5) passes for the learn apckage do exists, but they are valid for mid-week non holiday only.