Kitzbühel has two high seasons: mid-January during the Hahnenkamm race week, when the town fills completely and hotels charge peak rates, and the general ski season from mid-December to late March. The race week in January is worth experiencing once — the atmosphere is electric — but book months ahead and expect to pay accordingly.
The shoulder ski months of early December and late March are cheaper and quieter, with usually adequate snow on the higher runs. Snow reliability on the lower slopes is a perennial problem: the town sits at only 762 metres, and warm winters can make conditions difficult below the mid-mountain.
Summer (June to September) is pleasant but very different in character: the crowds thin dramatically, the cable cars run for hikers and mountain bikers, and the Schwarzsee lake warms up for swimming. Summer rates are considerably lower than in winter.