The five major airports serving the western ski country are Denver International Airport, Salt Lake International Airport, Reno-Tahoe International
Airport, Albuquerque International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport. Chances are you will be passing through one of these airports on your ski vacation.
When purchasing your ticket, your best bet may be to search for the best price early in the fall before the ski season gets underway. It is worth noting though that air carriers will evaluate their ticket sales for the first two months of the year in early December, and if their traffic is down they will begin to offer discounted tickets for these months. But since you do not know if this is going to occur, booking early if you know your plans may work out better for you.
Check the weather in your hub cities before you head to the airport. Being winter time, delays due to inclement weather are frequent. You may want to check with your carrier for and alternate route to your destination if this is a concern. You also may want to consider booking a hotel room in the hub city if it seems like you
could be caught there overnight, then cancelling if you do not need to use the room. Spending the night in an airport is generally not a lot of fun for most travelers!
Commuter flights into your mountain ski resort are a real convenience, and can save a lot of time. However there is always the risk of weather delays, the possibility of missing a connecting flight on the return trip, or having to arrange a last minute car rental if the mountain airport has to be shut down.
If maximizing your time on the ski slopes is the biggest thing for you, consider the Salt Lake City ski resorts. They are close to the city, and an early arrival can get you on the slopes at a decent time that first day. Likewise, you can spend the last day by getting some skiing in then making a later flight out.