Published June 17, 2026 08:05AM
It might be 80 degrees outside, but the smartest skiers are already planning winter.
That’s because many of next season’s most sought-after ski trips are booking up right now. The best guides, lodges, and peak-season dates are going fast—if not already gone.
Whether your bucket list includes skiing Japan’s legendary powder, chasing first tracks by helicopter, or finally tackling a classic European ski route, summer is often the difference between making it happen and spending another winter wishing you had.
These are the hottest ski trips of the 2026-’27 season—plus what you need to think about and how to start the process before it’s too late.
The Devil’s in the Details
If your bucket-list ski trip is a vacation at an upscale resort, Alpine Adventures’ Director of Sales and Marketing Nathan Boyd says, “I don’t think you’re going to go wrong with any.”
But researching factors like airport transfers, holiday schedules in other countries, and off-snow priorities like cuisine and cultural experiences can help skiers choose the right destination at the right time, says Boyd. Travel agents, he adds, often pay for themselves for travelers booking higher-end destinations, as they can offer insider deals on big-ticket items like accommodations and lift passes, as well as insider insights.
Boyd notes that the lodging options in top European destinations are often mom-and-pop spots, and usually release their availability for the coming winter around April. Once they do, it’s game on.
“A lot of things are already booked,” he says.
Chasing the Big One
For skiers whose dreams lie outside of the resort, it’s especially important to plan ahead.
Adventures like heli-skiing, catskiing, and hut-based trips are always subject to limited availability, especially in popular locations. And while there are adventures out there for every skill level, when excursions turn into expeditions, the preparation goes way beyond getting your passport in order.
“Once you start backcountry skiing, your skills need to go way up,” says Alaska-based IFMGA Guide Joe Stock.
If your goals involve exploring glaciers and remote travel, he explains, it’s essential to develop technical skills, safety education, and relationships with guides. This opens up a whole new world of options, but it takes time.
Stock recommends skiers start with less consequential local backcountry trips and hone their touring skills. He also advises pursuing avalanche education courses, and then adding in glacier travel and safety skills.
Finally, Stock says, serious skiers should find an AMGA-certified guide they like working with on smaller trips, and plan larger ones with that specific person. Developing a personal relationship with your ski guide will only add depth and value to your trip.
This Hottest Ski Trips of the 2026-’27 Season
With these tips in mind, we’ve rounded up some can’t-miss experiences you should book this summer for next winter’s travel season.
Hokkaido, Japan
“Japow” got its nickname for a reason, and the Hokkaido area promises what Aussie Claire Hopper, snow travel manager for Scout Ski, calls “a once-in-a-lifetime trip.”
She recommends a custom trip with a private guide, who will be familiar with the area’s avalanche terrain and can help skiers find the best powder in the region’s sidecountry, backcountry, and smaller resorts. “Having that local expert to take you off-piste, show you all the little secret spots, definitely elevates your trip,” she said.
These trips book up quickly, but that’s not the only reason to plan ahead here.
“You have to have restaurant reservations, and you need to be booking them in July and August,” Hopper said. Her favorite spot, for example, is a tiny sushi bar called Tara Zushi, which seats a handful of guests and doesn’t even have a website.
Deplar Farms, Iceland
There’s something for skiers of all skill levels on the Trollaskagi Peninsula, complete with views of the sea and epic side quest opportunities under the country’ s famous midnight sun.
A handful of outfitters operate heli-tours in the region, and Hopper recommends Eleven, which flies skiers out of its own private property, Deplar Farm. Guests can book the whole lodge, half, or just a room and a shared copter, and plan excursions like whale watching, snowmobiling, and surfing to diversify their adventure.
The ski season runs from March through June, and no trip would be complete without a dip in an Icelandic geothermal pool or cold plunge. Eleven has one on-site, and hot springs abound throughout the country, including Forest Lagoon outside the nearby city Akruyeri.
Chamonix, France
The famous Haute Route from Chamonix, France to Zermatt, Switzerland is one trip “everybody wants to do,” says Stock. “You’re skiing for a week through these big jagged gnarly mountains,” he says. “It’s quite the journey.”
And the week-long hut-based trip is one skiers simply must plan ahead for, including developing advanced ski skills and safety education.
Outfitters from around the world offer tours, but they must be booked early, as travel on the route is naturally limited by conditions and the availability of the huts that serve it.
However, Boyd says Chamonix deserves a spot on any skier’s bucket list regardless of whether they plan to tackle the Haute Route.
Nearly a dozen ski areas serve the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc Valley, with slopes for every skill level. The region boasts its own list of world-class descents including the Vallée Blanche, a 20-kilometer backcountry glacier run often considered the longest lift-served ski run in the world.
But, the best accommodations will fill up fast. Some of Boyd’s favorite spots, like La Folie Douce, a hotel known for its party vibes, are already booking their last rooms during peak dates right now. If that doesn’t motivate you to get planning, we don’t know what will.
