new york tourist attractions pass

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With The New York Pass®, you can explore the best attractions, tours and experiences, for one money-saving price.

Choose the duration (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, or 10 consecutive days) of your pass and take your pick from over 100 attractions. 

Then, start your trip prep!

Let the planning begin! 

Here's a few tips to get you started...

You'll find all the information you need to start planning your sightseeing.

The app includes entry information, opening hours and a handy digital map.

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You'll just need to enter the confirmation number that can be found in your confirmation email.

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Although many attractions don't require a reservation, some are pretty popular and need to be booked in advance.

Look out for the 'reservations required' stamp in the app when browsing attractions. If a booking is required, just click on the attraction and you'll find all the info you need to make it happen!

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New York City Attraction Passes: Which Pass is Best for You?

Last updated: April 18, 2023 . Written by Laurence Norah - 6 Comments

New York City is not what you might call a budget destination. Whilst there are many free sights and attractions in the city, most of the popular locations charge an entry fee, and this can be quite high. In our experience, attraction fees are one of the main costs of travel in the USA .

The good news is that if you plan on visiting a number of attractions in New York, you can take advantage of one of the various New York city attraction passes that are available.

If you take advantage of these passes, you can end up saving a lot of money. However, you will have to decide if each pass is worth it for your visit, based on the attractions you really want to see.

In this post, I’ll go through and compare the main attraction passes you can choose from when visiting New York City, to give you an idea of what’s on offer. I’ll also share an idea of how much you can save with each pass, based on some suggested itineraries for a visit to New York City.

By the end of this post, you’ll have an idea of whether a city attraction pass makes sense for your visit to New York, and which New York attraction pass is going to be the best option for your trip.

Prices are correct as of time of writing, and as with all our content, we’ll do our best to keep them updated.

Note that pass prices usually increase in April each year. However, the passes are normally valid for one or two years from purchase, so you can save by investing in advance!

Overview of the Main New York Attraction Passes

There are a number of attraction passes available for visitors to New York City. They each offer different things and are available at different prices.

Below, you’ll find an overview of the main passes you can choose from, and what they offer. There are two main types of pass – those which include a larger number of attractions (around 100) over a shorter time period (usually 1-10 days), and those which offer a limited number of attractions (2 – 10) over a longer period (30 – 60 days).

Which will work for you will vary very much depending on your trip and travel style, and what you hope to see.

If you are visiting for only a couple of days and want to fit in as much as possible, then a pass that lets you visit a lot of attractions can be a good idea. Many New York attractions are open fairly late, so you really can see a lot if you have the stamina for it.

On the other hand, if you want to go a bit slower and just see a few attractions, or you plan to sightsee over a longer period of time, then a pass that offers fewer attractions over a longer time period might be best.

We’ve included both types of attraction pass in this round-up so you can get an idea of what’s available.

The New York Pass

If you want a pass that has pretty much everything included, the New York Pass is an excellent option. This is our favourite pass for sightseeing in New York City, simply because it offers so much.

In fact, at the time of writing, the New York Pass offers free entry to over 100 attractions across the city. These include a lot of high value and popular attractions like the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Hop on Hop Off Bus, Statue of Liberty, 9/11 Memorial Museum, One World Observatory, and many many more.

The card also includes walking tours, bike rentals, boat cruises – even a Yankees stadium tour!

Of course, all of these attractions come at a price, and the New York Pass is definitely one of the more expensive passes on our list. A 2 day pass, such as you might need for our two day New York itinerary , costs $232 per person as of April 2023.

However, if you were to visit all the paid attractions in that itinerary, including taking the Hop on Hop Off bus tour, you would be looking at around $325 in attraction entry costs. So straight away the New York Pass would save you almost $100!

See further on in the post for some suggested itineraries and examples of cost savings for each of the passes in this guide.

What we really love about the New York Pass is just how much it includes. When we use an all-inclusive pass like this, we find that it means we often end up doing things we might not have done, just because they are included. So we don’t need to think twice about adding a museum or two to our tour, or taking a walking tour, or hiring a bike.

It also includes skip-the-line access at a wide range of attractions so in addition to saving you money, the pass can also save you time.

Finally, the pass also includes discounts, which include shopping, theatre tickets and dining options.

Overall, if you plan on visiting many of New York’s top attractions, we can highly recommend the New York Pass to save money.

The pass is available either as a physical pass or as a mobile pass. You can check prices, and buy yours in advance of your trip from the official site here .

We also recommend checking prices on GetYourGuide as sometimes they have better deals. Check prices for the New York Pass on GetYourGuide here .

Passes can be activated up to 24 months from purchase.

New York Explorer Pass

If you aren’t sure you want to commit to a pass that includes most of the attractions in New York, then you might instead consider the New York Explorer Pass from GoCity.

This pass has you choosing how many attractions you want to visit in New York. You can choose 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 10 attractions, and the pass is priced from $92 to $400 depending on how many attractions you choose.

The pass actually covers over 90 attractions in New York. However, you can only visit the number of attractions you pick. You don’t need to pick the exact attractions in advance – just the number you want to visit.

The pass is also valid for quite a long time—up to 60 days in fact. So if you are in New York City for a little bit longer, you don’t need to feel quite so rushed to see everything in two days.

To get the most value out of the New York Explorer Pass you will want to make sure you use it for the highest priced attractions that you want to visit. In addition, the more attractions you choose, the greater the savings.

It’s possible to save up to 50% on attraction entry using the pass. However, this will require you to think carefully about exactly which attractions you want to visit, and plan your use of the pass accordingly.

We think the New York Explorer Pass is a good option if you are a well organized traveller who likes to plan carefully. It’s also a good option if you have a little bit longer in the city, as you can spread out your sightseeing over a bit more time.

The New York Explorer Pass is only available for purchase as a digital product, which you display on your phone. However, you do have the option to print the pass if you prefer a physical pass to carry with you. We would advise this as a good idea anyway, so you don’t have to rely on your phone battery for a long day of sightseeing.

You can check prices for the New York Explorer Pass, and book yours in advance from the official website online here .

We also recommend checking prices on GetYourGuide as sometimes they have better deals. Check prices for the New York City Explorer Pass on GetYourGuide here .

New York CityPASS

We haven’t used the New York CityPASS , but we have used CityPASS products in a number of other cities in the United States, and find they offer great value for money.

The CityPASS products generally offer admission to a specific set of attractions, which are usually the most popular attractions in a city.

The standard New York CityPASS for example, offers the following:

• Empire State Building
• American Museum of Natural History
• Top of the Rock Observation Deck OR Guggenheim Museum
• Ferry Access to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island OR Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
• 9/11 Memorial & Museum OR Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

The pass comes in three versions. There’s the standard CityPASS which offers five attractions as outlined above. This costs $138 for adults and $118 for children.

There’s also a C3 version , where you can visit 3 attractions. This additionally includes the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), City Cruises, and Edge at Hudson Yards, as well as the options on the 5-attraction version. The 3 choice C3 Pass retails for $96 for adults and $74 for children.

Finally, there’s a C-All version . This includes everything with the exception of the American Museum of Natural History, and means you can visit 10 attractions. This 10 choice pass retails for $194 for adults and $144 for children.

Obviously, to take full advantage of the pass savings for either pass you will need to visit five attractions on the CityPASS, three attractions on the C3 Pass and all ten attractions on the C-All Pass.

For the CityPass and C3 Pass this shouldn’t be too hard if you have at least 2 or 3 days in the city, however we’d recommend the C-All Pass for those with at least 3 or 4 days in the city to be sure you have time to do everything.

The passes are valid for nine days from first use, so you will have plenty of time do so. If you visit all the attractions, you can definitely make significant savings. This pass does cover many of the most popular paid attractions in the city, but it is obviously limited to just these attractions.

Passes are available either as a booklet or as a mobile pass. You can check prices, and buy your New York CityPASS online in advance from the official site here , and here for the C3 pass .

The New York Sightseeing Pass

The Sightseeing Pass company offers two types of passes for New York. They have an all-inclusive attraction pass where you choose how many days validity you want, and they have a pass where you can choose from a number of attractions you want to visit. You can compare these two passes here .

For most visitors, we’d say that the day-based pass would make the most sense. It includes access to over 80 attractions in New York, so should cover the majority of attractions most visitors will want to visit in NYC.

It also includes walking tours, Hop on Hop off sightseeing bus tours, and more. You can see the full list of included attractions and activities here . Note that as of April 2023 it does not include the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

It also has some exclusive inclusions, like the Bronx Zoo. Passes range in price (as of April 2023) from $159 – $509 for an adult, and passes can be activated up to two years from purchase date, giving you plenty of time to use one.

One advantage of this pass over the New York Pass is that they offer a six-day version, which the New York Pass does not.

The New York Sightseeing pass is a digital only product, however you can print out the pass at home if you prefer a physical pass you can use at attractions.

You can check prices and buy your New York Sightseeing pass in advance from the official site here .

We also recommend checking prices on GetYourGuide as sometimes they have better deals. Check prices for the New York Sightseeing Pass on GetYourGuide here .

Which New York Attraction Passes Include Transport?

Many attraction passes around the world actually include public transport.

For New York, none of the attraction passes we are aware of include any public transport. The good news is that public transport in New York is not expensive. See our guide to getting around New York here for more information.

However, most of the New York attraction passes do include Hop on Hop off bus tours, airport shuttles, boat tours, and bike rental. So you still have options to get around with the pass, even if it’s not by public transport.

Which New York Attraction Passes are Family Friendly?

If you’re travelling as a family, you will no doubt already be aware that visiting attractions can quickly become a costly exercise. The good news is that many attractions offer lower prices for those travelling with children. However, free admission and child discounts vary a lot in terms of age requirements from attraction to attraction.

For example, the Empire State Building offers free admission for those under 6 and discounted admission for those age 6-12. Those age 13 and older pay the same adult admission price.

Some passes might make less sense for families, depending on the child’s age and the specific attractions you want to visit. In terms of pass availability for children, they are as follows:

• The New York Pass – child pass available for children ages 3-12 inclusive.
• New York Explorer Pass – child pass available for children ages 3-12 inclusive.
• New York CityPASS – child pass available for children aged 6-17 inclusive.
• New York Sightseeing Pass – child pass available for children ages 3-12 inclusive.

As you can see, the New York CityPASS might be a good deal, depending on the age of your child as the age range it considers as a child is wider. So if you are travelling as a family, definitely keep this in mind when planning your trip. Many attractions in New York are free for those aged 5 and under, so a pass wouldn’t make sense in these cases.

If you are travelling with a child, or anyone else who qualifies for any kind of discount, make sure to have ID or other proof so you can prove eligibility if required.

Comparison of New York Passes: Prices & Features

Here’s an overview of each pass, and some of the highlights it includes, as well as the price range.

Of course, an attraction pass is no good if it doesn’t cover the attractions you want to visit.

Here’s a list of the main attractions passes for New York along with the top ten most visited paid attractions in the city.

As you can see, most passes cover the most popular attractions, with the CityPASS having a few exceptions. The New York Sightseeing Pass does not currently include the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

Also note that the Metropolitan Museum of Art was removed from all the passes we are aware of in April 2022. The CityPASS includes the Museum of Modern Art on the 3 and 10 attraction versions only.

Choosing the right pass for you will likely be a question of which attractions you really want to visit, and ensuring your pass includes those attractions.

It’s also worth noting that whilst the passes include entry to many attractions, some attractions like the Empire State Building for example have multiple ticket types. So you will want to check exactly what is included when purchasing your pass.

As an example, standard entry to the Empire State Building is included, but if you wish to visit at sunset there is a small additional fee to pay as these tickets are more expensive. You pay this when reserving your timeslot.

Finally, I wanted to provide a comparison specifically of the New York Pass and the New York Sightseeing Pass , as these are the two most comparable passes on the list. These both offer a similar set of attractions and work in a similar way. The New York Pass has a few more attractions, including the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

Here’s how they compare as of April 2023. Note that these are the full retail prices, and do not include any promotional pricing. Both passes do run deals from time to time, so always check their websites for the most recent prices.

I’ve highlighted the lower cost passes in bold above. Again, you will want to compare prices when you book.

At the time of writing, the New York Pass offers lower prices for nearly every option. It also includes the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

2 Day New York Itinerary Price Saving Example

Understanding which pass works for you might be easiest if you look at a sightseeing itinerary for the city. I’ll base this on our 2 day New York itinerary , which has you visiting the following:

• Day 1: Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, Wall Street, 9/11 Memorial & Museum, World Trade Center Station, Brooklyn Bridge, Boat Tour, Times Square, Top of the Rock
• Day 2: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Guggenheim Museum, Central Park, Museum of the City of New York, Grand Central Station, New York Public Library, Empire State Building

Obviously, some of these attractions are free. However, you have to pay for the following. Prices are correct as of April 2023, but they can vary so do always check when making your own calculations.

We’ve tried to ensure we include the full price you pay including any taxes or service fees to make it as accurate as possible.

• Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island – $24.5 USD
• 9/11 Memorial & Museum – $33 USD
• Boat Tour – $49 USD
• Top of the Rock- $43.55 USD
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art- $30 USD
• Guggenheim Museum – $25 USD
• Museum of the City of New York- $20 USD
• Empire State Building- $51.17 USD

I think this is a fairly representative set of attractions that covers the highlights that most visitors to the city would be interested in.

I will also add that this is a very busy itinerary, and whilst achievable, some visitors will likely want to take a slower pace. When considering the value of a pass, you definitely need to weigh the cost against a reasonable list of attractions that you plan to visit.

However, assuming you do follow our itinerary, let’s see which pass offers the best cost savings. I’ll base this on 2 adults visiting.

The total attraction price for all the above would be $276.22 USD per person, or just over $500 for two adults. Let’s look at the prices for each pass we recommend and the associated savings. Specifically, for these attractions you would need:

• A 2 Day New York Pass
• A 7 Choice New York Explorer Pass
• A standard CityPass + individual attraction tickets
• A 2 Day New York Sightseeing Pass

As you can see, in this scenario two of the passes offer cost savings.

For the CityPASS, you have to pick and choose between some of the options, in which case I opted to use the pass for the higher priced option if both were on the itinerary. It offers the greatest savings for this specific example.

The all includsive New York Pass come next in terms of savings. The day-based New York Pass would be my pick in general as it offers good savings and I have the option of visiting an extra attraction.

The New York Sightseeing Pass doesn’t offer savings on this itinerary, largely because it doesn’t currently include the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

I would suggest that for this 2-day itinerary, either the New York CityPASS or the New York Pass would be my pick. If I wanted the flexibility of being able to add on more options, then I would definitely go with the New York Pass.

As always, there’s no one size fits all – savings are always going to come down to your own itinerary and what you plan to see.

3 Day New York Itinerary Price Saving Example

Let’s look at a longer trip now, and a 3-day itinerary example. What we’ll do is take our 2-day itinerary and add some sights.

Of course, you can change this itinerary around to suit, but I think visiting these attractions in three days would work for most visitors to the city who don’t mind a busy time sightseeing.

We also have a 3 day New York itinerary if you’d like some more ideas.

• Day 3: American Museum of Natural History, Whitney Museum of American Art, Hop on Hop off bus tour, Walking Tour

The prices for all the above paid attractions are as follows (as of November 2022):

• Guggenheim Museum- $25 USD
• American Museum of Natural History – $28 USD
• Whitney Museum of American Art – $25
• Walking tour – $35 (varies but this is an average)
• Hop on Hop off bus tour – $80 (also varies depending on company)

In total you are now looking at $444.22 per person, or $888.44 for two adults. That’s a lot of money for three days of sightseeing!

Let’s look at the prices for each pass we recommend and the associated savings. Specifically, for these attractions you would need:

• a 3-day New York Pass
• A 10 Choice New York Explorer Pass
• A CityPass + individual attraction tickets
• A 3-day New York Sightseeing Pass

When we add in the extra day and some additional attractions, things change up a bit. The 3-day New York Pass offers the best savings for this specific itinerary, whilst the New York CityPASS offers the lowest savings.

The savings are high enough for some of these passes that even if you skip quite a few attractions for a more leisurely visit, you will still save a considerable amount.

Of course, your savings will vary depending on what you choose to visit, so it is well worth doing a little research to check for your planned attractions.

So Which New York Attraction Pass is Best?

The bottom line is that most visitors will save money with an attraction pass if they plan on visiting a number of attractions in New York city.

However, there is no one size fits all answer. As this post has hopefully shown, it depends on the type of trip and how much sightseeing you want to do.

If you are visiting New York for 2 or 3 days, and plan on seeing 3 – 4 paid attractions each day, then I would normally recommend the New York Pass as in our experience it offers the greatest flexibility and most inclusions.

You will just want to check to be sure that what you want to see is included. I’d also add that all the passes regularly run special offers, so just see which has the best offer for your trip.

If you plan on visiting fewer paid attractions each day, or are visiting the city for longer and want to spread out your sightseeing, then you will probably find that the New York Explorer Pass or New York CityPASS is a better choice. You may have to pay for some additional attractions, but the total cost saving will probably be better.

Finally, if you are planning on visiting a number of cities during your time in the USA, consider the Sightseeing USA pass . This lets you choose from 5 to 30 attractions (from a list of 300) across a number of cities in the USA, so might work out to be a good option for you depending on your overall itinerary.

Further Reading

Hopefully this guide to New York attraction passes has given you some ideas on how to save money on your next trip to the city.

We also wanted to share some more content we’ve written on visiting New York City and travelling in the USA in general, to ensure you have all the information you might need. We’ve also got a few third party resources to recommend that we think you might find helpful for your trip.

• To help you plan, we have a guide to spending 2 days in New York City and 3 days in New York City
• We have a detailed guide to getting around New York , which should help you plan your transport in the city
• We have a complete guide to visiting the Empire State Building
• If you enjoy walking tours, check out our  review of some of the Take Walks New York walking tours
• Wondering how much to budget for your trip? We have a guide to  how much it costs to travel in the USA  to help you plan
• If you’re heading on from New York and thinking of hiring a car, take a look at our  tips for driving in the USA
• If you’re looking for a guide to New York, we can recommend the  Frommer’s EasyGuide to New York City .

And that’s it for this guide! As always, if you have any feedback, comments or questions, just pop them in the comments section below and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. Safe travels!

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There are 6 comments on this post

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18th April 2023 at 6:57 pm

Hi Laurence, thanks so much for the extra info and advice – much appreciated, and thanks we’re really looking forward to visiting NYC for the first time!

Laurence Norah says

18th April 2023 at 7:11 pm

Hey Lisa, it’s my pleasure! If you have any more questions as you plan feel free to reach out. NYC is an awesome city, you guys will have a great time!

18th April 2023 at 6:16 pm

Thanks so much for the amazing level of detail – will be visiting NYC in a couple of weeks and this info is invaluable. If booking observation decks (like Summit, ESB etc) using a pass – is there an additional cost if we wanted to visit during Sunset (I can see booking directly that charges increase at sunset). Thanks!

18th April 2023 at 6:50 pm

My pleasure! So this is a great question. The answer is yes, depending on the attraction. For the Empire State Building for example there’s a $10 fee (+ tax) for booking the sunset when using the New York Pass, which I think would also apply to other passes which include the ESB.

I’d also advise when planning to visit any attraction which requires a reservation to check availability for the time you want to go before purchasing the pass if possible, and booking your reservation as soon as you can. The reservation page is here for New York Pass holders: https://reseller.esbnyc.com/WebStore/landingPage?cg=LPMakeReservation86 for example (you can go through this before purchasing a pass to check availability and any extra fees.

For the New York Pass you can see booking instructions for every attraction which requires booking here .

I’ll also update the post to include this info. Have a great time in New York!

Mary Grehan says

4th January 2023 at 9:17 pm

Thanks for the excellent info

5th January 2023 at 8:30 am

My pleasure Mary, have a great time in New York City!

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Sightseeing Pass, New York Pass, Go New York Card, CityPASS Compared

Types of nyc attractions passes, best discount card for nyc attractions, nyc sightseeing pass.

• Go directly to the New York Sightseeing Pass Website to check out the details of the pass
• Compare prices at: New York Passes and NYC Attractions Passes , where there are always great deals and discounts
• Unlimited Hop on Hop off Buses – valid for the whole duration of day passes or 72 hours in Flex Products. Brooklyn Hop on Hop off Tour and Night Tour are also available
• Exclusive attractions Central Park Zoo, Bronx Zoo, NY Aquarium, Airport Transfer
• For each New York Sightseeing Pass you purchase you receive a credit code valid for up to $40 – Use this credit towards the purchase of Empire State Building Observatory, helicopter rides, attractions, Broadway packages, day trips to places like Niagara Falls and Washington, D.C. and dinner cruises. See Sightseeing Pass $40 credit for options.
• Choice of 11 different Food on Foot tours (usually $50 each)
• 3 Day ticket to all MET locations
• Free Roundtrip Bus to Woodbury Commons (huge discount shopping) with 8 different departure times.

USA Sightseeing Pass – 11+ US Cities

The new york pass.

• Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Tours ($59 value)
• Central Park Bicycle Rentals & Tours ($63 value)
• Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises ($44 value)

Go New York Explorer Pass

• Empire State Building Early Bird Access – Tuesdays and Thursdays Early Bird entry from 7.30AM, a full 30 minutes before general admission. Enjoy exclusive observatory access before it opens with a New York Explorer Pass (Go Card)!
• CitySights Double Decker Downtown Tour OR NY Night Tour ($39)
• Top of the Rock Observation Deck and Museum of Modern Art (“Rock MoMA” $30 value) OR Top of the Rock and NBC Studios Tour (“Rock Pass” $35 value)
• National 9/11 Memorial and Museum with Hop on Hop off Water Taxi ($25)

New York CityPASS

Download the free attractions pass comparison, how to compare nyc attractions passes.

• Includes free general admission to the Museum, Rose Center for Earth and Space and Space Show
• Additional discounted rate to all other special exhibits or films not included.
• Special Exhibit or IMAX  Adult $9.50, Child $8
• Includes free general admission to the Museum and Rose Center for Earth and Space
• Discounted rates to any of the special exhibits or films that are not included with general admission.
• Space show add Adult $12.50, Child $9.50, Special Exhibit or IMAX add Adult $8.50, Child $6.50 (2018 prices)

New York Attractions Pass Questions and Reviews

• New York Explorer Pass vs. The New York Pass for bus tour? Hello! From everything I have read, the hop on hop off bus tour option on both passes, once purchased, is supposed to cover all fees for the tour selected….
• NY City Pass or NY Pass Review or Explorer Pass? Which is best?? We want to see all the “tourist” stuff!
• CityPASS Was a Great Introduction to New York The Passes made our enjoyment of New York so much better than if we had tried to find our way around by taxi or pot luck. I highly recommend this to anyone going to New York for the first time or for those who have not been there in a long time. I Love New York and definitely plan to return.
• Can you buy a NYC Attractions Pass at Costco? As of late 2018, one version of the Explorer Pass , offering 4 attractions is available at Costco for a price slightly lower than buying directly at the Explorer Pass site. If you use our top value picks, then you will definitely save money on your pass. Another great place to get to this pass is at NYC Attractions Pass Groupon
• What is the Best Attraction Pass for New York? Well, we certainly hope this page has helped you answer that question for yourself. Our city offers a lot of discounts and passes, so finding the best attraction pass for New York for your trip will take some research. If you can narrow down what you’d like to do, go for the Explorer Pass or New York CityPASS . If you can’t choose until you’re here, then go ahead and get the New York Pass .
• Can you Buy the New York Pass in New York? Yes! All the sightseeing passes are available for physical pick up in New York City at their offices, bus tour stops and attractions. All the sightseeing passes are also available on your smartphone, so you no longer need to physically buy the pass.

Additional NYC Attractions Pass Discount Advantages

• Budgeting – know what you’re going to spend and potential exchange rate bonus
• Lines – unpredictable, but they may gain you an advantage, they certainly can’t hurt
• All come with mini guide books and coupons to different things

Full Disclosure of NYC Attractions Pass Discounts

• Choose from 100 sights
• Choose 1-10 days or # of Attractions
• Unlimited Hop On Hop Off Bus
• New York Sightseeing Pass
• Includes 100 tours and attractions
• Choose 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 or 10 Days
• New York Pass
• Choose from 90+ sights
• Good for 60 Days
• Explorer or All Inclusive Pass
• New York City Vacation Planner

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In 2017 I was able to build my own pass. Can I still do so

Hi Vincent – both the Sightseeing Pass and the Go NY Explorer pass (they change their name too often to keep up) offer customizable passes. The Sightseeing Pass offers a Flex Pass.

Before I purchase this pass, is there a map or list of places where transportation will pick you up?

Hi Monica – the websites for each pass describe in detail which attractions are included. If you get a pass that includes a bus tour, then you will also get details on using those buses for transportation. For passes that don’t include bus tours, you can use NYC public subways & buses or taxis.

Hi! We had plans to travel in December. Given everything that has happened, I thought that it would not be possible. However, I would like to ask you about these wonderful passes for when we have the opportunity to go. Our plan would be in December, they are a few days, 9. which would you recommend us? Is there one that already comes with the plan done?

Hi Natasha – hope you are safe and well. I’m a bit confused by your question – are you asking for a 9 day NYC itinerary? Are you asking which is the best NYC Attractions Pass for a 9 day trip? If you could help me understand your question better, I’d love to help you. Stay Safe!

Are there pass prices for seniors? Should we just go on our own for less money? Are any passes good for Hop on Hop Off for more than 1 day?

Hi Sheri. Some of the passes offer Senior rates, but I think most are just adult and child pricing. I can’t answer whether or not you will save by going on your own as it all depends on what you want to see and over how long of time period.

For the HOHO Buses, please read the descriptions above. There are plenty of choices for more than one day of bus tours.

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What Is The Best New York Pass For You In 2024? My Tips After 25 Visits!

How to find the best sightseeing pass for nyc.

With so many different sightseeing passes out there, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. This New York Pass comparison guide is here to help you easily spot the differences between all major New York attraction passes so that you can quickly determine the very best NYC pass for you.

You will also like:

• Try our NYC Attraction Pass Savings Tool
• New York on a Budget

I have visited New York more than twenty times and have tested every sightseeing pass multiple times on my many visits. None of the pass providers have paid me to write about them; my reviews of New York attraction passes and my experiences are 100% authentic. If you have any questions, always feel free to contact me at  [email protected] !

In my New York pass comparison, I’ll show you which attraction pass is the best for you. With it, you will not only save money but also time!

Attention, the prices will increase in March, make sure you get the cheaper February prices now!

Looking for a shortcut? Click here to  👉 compare the NYC attraction passes , 👉  see my personal recommendation  or 👉  calculate your savings with the New York Attraction Passes.

Don't know where to start? Then try THIS!

Want a New York trip that’s as unique as you are? Our New York Pass comparison tool is here to help. Answer two simple questions and I’ll show you the two best sightseeing passes to suit your needs. Make it easy for yourself and start planning your New York visit now!

Question 1: How many attractions are on your itinerary?

Depending on how many attractions there are, this limits the choice of the right passes considerably.

more than 10

Question 2: Would you like to spread your visit to the attractions over your entire trip? Or are you planning full days of sightseeing?

In the first case, attraction-based passes are ideal. They are valid for 2 to 12 attractions.

In the second case, day-based passes are better. With them, you can visit as many attractions as you like on 1 to 10 consecutive days.

I want to see it all and visit unlimited New York attractions each day.

I would like to visit my attractions flexibly on several days and also plan days without sightseeing.

1. Why should you buy a New York Attraction Pass?

Quite simply, they save you a ton of money ! There are nine different New York Sightseeing Passes available which are all slightly different, meaning that you will be able to find one that suits your specific needs. As you will see here, they can make your NYC trip much easier and help you save money & time.

Before my many trips, I often found it hard to know beforehand how much I would save with each of the attraction passes for the city and whether they would be worth purchasing. Here I will share my knowledge and experience with you so that you don’t have the same issues I had.

2. How do New York Attraction Passes work?

All New York Attraction Passes function identically . After you purchase a pass, you have 12 to 24 months to activate it, which will automatically happen when you visit your first attraction.

You can visit each attraction only once when using a pass; the only exception to this is the New York CityPASS . With this pass, you can visit the Empire State Building twice within the same day!

Once you purchase an NYC pass, you will be able to select from several delivery options. The easiest way to obtain your pass is the mobile pass, as it will be emailed to you right away. To use your pass, simply present it at your selected attraction . Attendants will then scan the QR Code and give you your ticket!

3. Comparison: Which New York Attraction Pass should you choose?

So, what is the best attraction pass for visiting attractions in New York City? Let’s find out by comparing them:

Which Museums are included in the New York Sightseeing Passes?

The New York City tourist passes are the best way to save money on entry fees at the NYC attractions. Many museums and exhibitions in New York City like The Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum , the 9/11 Memorial and even the Fotografiska New York are included in the different sightseeing passes. But which are the best museum passes for New York City? Here is a quick overview:

How can I make reservations at attractions with my New York Pass?

It depends on the attractions and your sightseeing pass. At the Empire State Building, you ALWAYS need a separate ticket (it’s free) because you must commit to a specific time and date. For most attractions, you just go to its location and you will receive the next free time slot. You can also choose the time slot that suits you best. From my experience, I have found that this is always in periods of 15 minutes to 4 hours.

• How to reserve with your New York Pass
• How to reserve with your Go New York Explorer Pass
• How to reserve with your Sightseeing DAY Pass
• How to reserve with your Sightseeing FLEX Pass
• How to reserve with your All-Inclusive Pass

4. My recommendations

I have been to NYC more than twenty times and have tested every attraction pass multiple times , so you can be sure that these are real and honest reviews from me!

My top picks

For those who want to visit many attractions and plan with a fixed budget, the New York Pass is the best day-based sightseeing pass. With it, you can visit as many attractions as you like and take as many tours as you want. It is the best “all you can eat” pass in my opinion, also providing the most ‘fast lanes’ and attractions.

👇 Don’t forget to use my promo code “LOVINGNYP10” to get an extra 10% off 👇

BUY NEW YORK PASS

If you want to spread your visits to attractions out over several days, or you want to take a break from sightseeing for a day, the Explorer Pass New York is perfect. For me, it is the best attraction-based pass because it includes all the major attractions and tours in NYC!

Note: If you don’t want to take the ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, get the New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass  – it will be much cheaper!

GET EXPLORER PASS »

5. How To Find The Best Sightseeing Pass

Finding the right New York attraction pass is not as hard as it looks. Due to the different makeup of each pass, each one serves a specific purpose!

It’s important to understand a key difference: some New York City sightseeing passes are attraction-based , meaning you choose the number of attractions you can visit beforehand, while others are day-based , meaning that you choose the number of days you can visit attractions beforehand. Besides the type and validity, other differences can be found when it comes to included attractions, advantages, pricing, and discounts.

Day-Based Passes

When purchasing NYC day passes, you will select the number of days you would like to go sightseeing in New York City. During the selected time frame, you can visit as many attractions as you want ! You could also say that these types of passes are all-inclusive passes.

If you want to see a lot in a short period of time, you should go for a day-based pass!

Please note that day-based NYC passes work on calendar days , rather than 24-hour periods, meaning that if you activate your pass at 7:00 pm, you only have five hours left on your first day. Your New York Attraction Pass will only be activated when you visit your first attraction.

• You can visit as many attractions as you want within the time frame you purchase, which may be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 days.
• All costs are covered
• Huge savings are possible
• The days must be used consecutively.

These are all day-based NYC Tourist Passes that are currently available. For each, I’ll show you which attractions you can visit with it, how much it costs, and if the pass is worth it!

New York Pass

• Sightseeing Day Pass

New York All-Inclusive Pass

Attraction-based passes.

Attraction-based passes are sightseeing passes such as the New York Sightseeing Flex Pass, CityPASS, and the Go New York Explorer Pass . They allow you to visit up to twelve attractions and are very flexible in terms of time; from the first use, the passes are valid for up to 60 days.

If you want to be flexible and do your sightseeing spread out over several days, then this type of New York Attraction Pass is the way to go!

• Valid up to 60 days
• You do not commit to see any particular attraction, just the number of attractions you wish to see.
• Limited to the number of attractions you selected (3 to 12)

Here are all current attraction-based passes for New York City. For each, I’ll show you which attractions you can visit, how much it costs, and if the pass is worth purchasing!

• Sightseeing Flex Pass

Go New York Explorer Pass

You’re still not quite sure 🤔.

Then our New York Pass Savings Calculator is the answer to all your questions! It calculates instantly which New York Pass is the best for you – individually tailored to your sightseeing. He will also show you if a NYC pass is not worth it.

Try NYC Attraction Pass Savings Calculator

Extra tickets are required here

For these attractions, you must book a separate ticket and present it TOGETHER with your respective New York Attraction Pass at the ticket counter:

6. What is the best attraction pass for New York City?

If you are looking for a shortcut to the best NYC attraction pass right away, here is my list of the best, including alternatives:

#1 The best New York City Tourist Pass for first-time visitors

Especially if you are in New York for the first time and want to see as many of the attractions and sights as possible, the day-based passes are a good idea. My favorites are the Sightseeing Pass NYC and the New York Pass .

They are quite similar, and you will not go wrong with either one. The good thing about these sightseeing passes is that you can see as many attractions as you want!

#2 The best New York Attractions Pass for selected attractions

If you already know exactly what you want to do in New York City, then I recommend the Sightseeing FLEX Pass , New York Explorer Pass (now called Go New York Explorer Pass) or the CityPASS New York .

All three sightseeing passes are attraction based and you can choose exactly how many attractions you wish to see.

#3 The best NYC Pass for families

In my opinion, the best sightseeing pass for families is the Sightseeing FLEX Pass , which I have used several times with my family. With it, you can be flexible with your time, and it offers a 50% discount on children’s passes.

Still not sure? Calculate your savings here .

7. What are the day-based sightseeing passes for New York?

For each of the passes, I’ll show you which attractions you can visit with, how much it costs, and if the pass is worth purchasing! At the end of the section, you can compare which is the better pass for you in the New York Pass vs. Sightseeing Pass comparison.

NOTE: The newest observation deck SUMMIT One Vanderbilt , is not yet included with any attraction pass for New York. Tickets for the One Vanderbilt observation deck can be purchased here .

What attractions are included in the New York Pass?

The New York Pass includes an extensive list of attractions, museums, walking tours, bus tours, and cruises. The Empire State Building, the 9/11 Memorial Museum, The Edge at Hudson Yards and the One World Observatory are included.

Here is a small selection of the 110+ attractions:

• Empire State Building
• One World Observatory
• Edge Hudson Yards
• Top of the Rock
• Ferry to Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
• Circle Line Cruises
• 1-Day Hop on Hop off with BIG BUS (valid for 24 hours)
• 9/11 Memorial Museum
• The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
• American Museum of Natural History

You can find the full list of included attractions here.

How much does the New York Pass cost?

New York Pass prices start at $142 for the 1-day pass and go as high as $399 for the 10-day pass. You save more, the larger your pass is and the more attractions you visit.

Is the New York Pass really worth it?

Yes!  If you visit at least 2 attractions a day, the New York Pass will be worth the money. Compared to other passes, the New York Pass offers most fast lanes , including main attractions like the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock , MoMA, and Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises.

Just like the Sightseeing Pass, the New York Pass includes over 100 unique attractions and tours. The biggest advantage you’ll get when you buy the New York Pass is the access to fast lanes. It offers fast tracks for many of New York’s top attractions, such as the Empire State Building and the Top of the Rock.

How to use the New York Pass?

The New York Pass is a great unlimited pass option, ideal for seeing a large number of attractions in a short period of time. Purchase the pass online to receive your mobile pass. You can then show this at the counter when entering the attraction in order to receive your entrance tickets – simple!

👇 Don’t forget to use my promo code “LOVINGNYP10” to get up to 31% off! 👇

  BUY NEW YORK PASS

New York Sightseeing DAY Pass

On top of that, our promo code LNYOffer can save you up to an additional 40% !

What attractions are included in the New York Sightseeing DAY Pass?

This day-based pass also has a lot to offer; with it you can visit more than 100 of the most popular attractions. You can visit four observation decks, use the hop-on hop-off buses, and visit the American Museum of Modern Art or the Guggenheim Museum.

• The Edge Hudson Yards
• Hop on Hop off with BIG BUS (1 Day Classic Ticket, valid for 24 hours)

Here you can find the list of all attractions included in the Sightseeing DAY Pass .

How much does the Sightseeing DAY Pass cost?

Is the New York Sightseeing Pass worth it?

Yes!  The New York Sightseeing Pass can save you a ton of money, provides you with a lot of flexibility in terms of attractions, as well as removes a lot of the hassle from your NYC Sightseeing trip. As the pass with the best value for money of the lot, it is definitely worth it if you are planning on up to 10 days of consecutive NYC sightseeing.

In order to get the most out of your sightseeing pass, you should plan on visiting around 2-3 NYC attractions with your pass each day.

The longer you purchase the pass for the fewer attractions you need to visit per day to make sure the pass is worth the money. If you purchase a Sightseeing Pass for 6 days for example (~$334, you get unlimited sightseeing for ~$56 per day, which is below the price of many attractions tickets purchased on their own. This means that you only need to visit one attraction a day for 7 days to make this pass worth it! This is what makes this the best value for money pass of the bunch.

How to use the NYC Sightseeing Pass?

The NYC Sightseeing Pass is a piece of cake to use! After purchasing the pass online, you will receive an email with your pass. You can from here print the pass or save it to your phone. Once you are in NYC and ready to go sightseeing with your New York tourist pass, choose which attraction you want to visit on the go and head towards it with your Sightseeing Pass in hand. Choose as you go, simply show your Pass at each attraction for free admission; easy!

Buy Sightseeing Day Pass

New York Pass vs. Sightseeing Pass

I often get the question whether the New York Pass or the New York Sightseeing Pass is better. While there are differences, both passes are worth the money and you won’t go wrong with either of them.

For both New York Day Passes, the attractions and included tours are almost identical. You can visit all the major attractions, except for SUMMIT One Vanderbilt and The Met. Both include a 1 Day Classic Hop-on Hop-off bus ticket and many of the boat and walking tours!

So, what are the differences between the two? New York Pass is a little better in terms of boat tours because it’s the only one that includes the Circle Line Best-Of Cruise (which takes you all the way around the island of Manhattan). The Sightseeing Pass is better in two aspects: first, it is cheaper than the New York Pass with our exclusive discount code (as you can see in the table), and it’s also available in a 6-day version!

The All-Inclusive Pass is managed by the same company as the New York Pass. It functions the same as the New York Pass in how it works, the available attractions and tours, and prices. Since it is quite new compared to the New York Pass, I would recommend the original.

8. What are the attraction-based sightseeing passes for New York?

Note: The newest observation deck,  SUMMIT One Vanderbilt , is not yet included with any NYC pass. Tickets for the One Vanderbilt observation deck can be purchased here .

New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass

It also gives you a large amount of flexibility since you do not need to decide on which attractions to visit beforehand. All that you have to do is show your Sightseeing Pass at the first attraction (included in your pass) that you wish to visit.

Attractions included in New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass

These are what I consider to be the top attractions and tours you can visit with the Sightseeing Pass FLEX (there are over 100 in total):

Here you can find the list of all attractions included in the Sightseeing FLEX Pass .

How much does the Flex Pass cost?

     BUY NYC SIGHTSEEING FLEX PASS

Is the New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass worth it?

The NYC Sightseeing Flex Pass is most definitely worth it if you are looking to visit up to 12 NYC attractions on non-consecutive days, all while saving money and remaining flexible during your trip. If you visit all of the attractions you have purchased with your pass, it is definitely worth it alone for the amount of money you can save. It is however also extremely worth it because of the flexibility that the New York tourist pass gives you. Choose as you go, simply show your NYC Sightseeing Pass at each attraction for free admission, for as many attractions as you purchased!

Compared to the cost of tickets individually, you save over 40% with the Sightseeing Flex Pass for 10 attractions. This is quite relaxed possible, because you have 30 days to visit these attractions.

How to use the NYC Sightseeing FLEX Pass?

The NYC Sightseeing Flex Pass is super simple to use. Once you have purchased the pass you will receive an email with a QR code (that you can either print or save to your phone), which you can then scan at attractions to gain free entry.

Does the NY Sightseeing FLEX Pass include the NY Sightseeing Bus (Hop-On Hop-Off) Tours?

Yes! The New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass includes the Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tours (Uptown & Downtown Bus Loops) which count as just one choice and are valid for 24 hours.

Attractions included in Go New York Explorer Pass

With the Explorer Pass, you can visit many amazing attractions like the Empire State Building, the Top of the Rock, and the observation deck Edge Hudson Yards, as well as take walking tours, the hop-on hop-off bus tours, and boat tours.

Also included are major museums like MoMA, the Guggenheim, the 9/11 Memorial Museum, and the American Museum of Natural History. Here is a selection of the most popular attractions and tours you can visit with the Explorer Pass (there are over 110 in total):

• 20+ Walking Tours
• Hop on Hop off with BIG BUS (1 Day Classic-Ticket, valid for 24 hours)

Here you can find the list of all attractions included in the Go New York Explorer Pass .

How much does the Go New York Explorer Pass cost?

The prices depend on the number of attractions you want to visit with it:

Is the New York Explorer Pass worth it?

The Go New York Explorer Pass also pays off pretty quickly, in the example I spread 10 paid attractions over 3 days (and a few free ones too) – saving you $135 per person compared to the single tickets. You could also spread them over even more days, after all you have 60 days to use the Explorer Pass in New York.

How to use the New York Explorer Pass?

After deciding on how many attractions you would like to purchase the Explorer pass for, you can make the purchase online for your desired pass. You do not need to decide beforehand which attractions you would like to visit!

👇 Don’t forget to use my promo code “GO5LOVING” to get up to 31% off! 👇

GET EXPLORER PASS

New York CityPASS

You can choose 5 out of 8 attractions:

• Top of the Rock OR Guggenheim Museum
• Ferry to Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island OR Circle Line Cruises
• 9/11 Memorial Museum OR Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

How much does the New York City Pass cost?

The New York CityPASS costs $138 for adults, meaning that you pay an average of $27 per attraction. For kids from 6 – 17 years, the CityPASS costs $118. A CityPASS is likely not worth it for kids younger than 6, as many attractions will be free for them anyway. Because the pass is already heavily discounted, there is no further New York City Pass promo.

Is the New York CityPASS worth it?

If you want to focus on museums, the New York CityPASS is an option for you. It is limited to the most important attractions and is also quite affordable. If you also want to do hop-on hop-off bus tours or more boat tours, then the New York Pass , Sightseeing Pass NYC and the Explorer Pass are better.

GET New York CityPASS

9. Other NYC attraction passes

In addition to the options mentioned so far, there are three other sightseeing passes that I’ll briefly name here for the purpose of being a comprehensive NYC Pass Guide. I can’t really recommend any of them, because they don’t offer you more than the New York Pass, DAY Pass, Explorer Pass, FLEX Pass and the CityPASS.

It is rather the other way around: with them you are less flexible, if you change your sightseeing program on the trip. The reasons can be manifold: maybe the weather is worse or better than planned or you spontaneously feel like visiting another sight!

C3 Pass by CityPASS

Recently, the company behind CityPASS New York has started offering two more options: the C3 Pass (limited to 3 attractions) and the C-All Pass, which lets you visit 10 attractions. The C3 Pass is – once activated in NYC – valid for 9 days. You can save up to 36% (depending on the attractions and tours you choose).

Attractions included in C3 Pass

You can choose 3 attractions from these 10:

• The Edge at Hudson Yards
• Top of the Rock Observation Deck
• Guggenheim Museum
• Ferry Access to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
• Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
• 9/11 Memorial & Museum
• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
• City Cruises

How much does the C 3 Pass cost?

The C 3 Pass costs $96 for adults (13+), the price for children (5-12 years) is $74.

Is the C 3 Pass worth it?

It depends! If you select the attractions whose regular ticket price is the highest with the C3 Pass, you can save up to 36% with it.

However, I personally recommend another NYC Pass – either the Sightseeing FLEX Pass or the Go New York Explorer Pass . Why? Both have a much larger selection of attractions and the popular hop-on hop-off buses are also included. Plus, both alternatives are at least as reasonably priced.

If you’re not sure whether the C3, Explorer Pass or Sightseeing FLEX Pass is right for you, just try my free New York Pass savings calculator ! It will calculate in a few seconds which one will save you the most!

C-All Pass by CityPASS

The C-All pass is a bit of a cheat because its name is misleading. With this pass you can visit up to 10 attractions. You can choose from 11 attractions and boat tours, which are these:

Attractions included in C-All Pass

You can choose 10 attractions from these 11:

How much does the C-All-Pass cost?

The C-All Pass costs $212 for adults (13+), the price for children (5-12 years) is $157.

These Sightseeing Passes are better

As with the C 3 Pass, however, I recommend other NYC Passes for the same reasons.

With up to 10 attractions, both the day-based and attraction-based passes are an option for you. It’s best to try my free New York Pass savings calculator !

Are the New York City Attraction Passes worth purchasing?

I’ve put together two very common itineraries for a visit to New York City that will help you see if a New York sightseeing pass is worth purchasing, and which would be best.

New York City in Two Days

This itinerary includes seven attractions that I spread over two days.

Several of the sightseeing passes are worth purchasing – you can customize and recalculate here , and here is my itinerary for two days in New York City  in full detail.

New York City in Three Days

This itinerary includes eight attractions that I spread out over three days.

With a three-day itinerary, several New York passes are worthwhile – you can customize and recalculate here, and here is my itinerary for three days New York City in full detail.

Is the New York MetroCard included in the New York Pass?

In many cities, the discount passes also include free use of public transportation. Unfortunately, this is not the case with the New York Passes. They cover the tourist attractions and tours, but not fares for the subway and buses. For public transportation use, you need an OMNY account, the new digital version of the MetroCard.

What about fast lanes at attractions?

Attraction passes primarily focus on price, not on time. That being said, the passes do include a few fast lanes that allow you to skip the standard waiting line. However, there are not that many of them, and the CityPASS does not offer any fast lanes. You can, however, upgrade your tickets at the attractions for an additional cost.

Which hop-on hop-off buses are included with New York passes?

We often get the question which hop-on hop-off bus tour providers are included with the sightseeing passes and which loops you can take.

Since Covid, there is only one provider: BIG BUS! All sightseeing passes (except the CityPASS New York) include the 1 Day Classic Ticket. This allows you to do both the Uptown and Downtown loops within 24 hours. Taking both loops counts as one attraction, not as two.

Which New York passes are available in 2023?

There are six main sightseeing passes: the New York Pass, the Explorer Pass, the CityPASS New York, the Sightseeing FLEX Pass, the Sightseeing DAY Pass, and the New York All-Inclusive Pass. In addition, there are three more to choose from with the C 3 Pass, C-All Pass, and the Turbopass New York, but I can’t recommend them to you without some hesitation.

Which New York Pass is best to buy for one day?

Many may recommend the New York Pass for one day, and while it is a good option, I recommend its main competitor, the New York Sightseeing DAY Pass. With it, you can do just as much as with the New York Pass, but it is much cheaper ($129 compared to $142) with my discount code: LNYOffer!

You can buy the Sightseeing Pass for one day in New York cheap here.

Is the Sightseeing Pass for New York worth it?

Absolutely! The New York Sightseeing Pass is available in two options, suitable for every type of travel. The FLEX Pass is an attraction-based pass, which I have used on my last four visits to New York. The day-based version is the DAY Pass. With either pass, many major attractions and tours are included, and you can save a lot of money. With my exclusive discount code, LNYOffer, you can save even more!

You can buy the Sightseeing Pass for New York  here.

Where can you buy the New York Pass?

You can now only get the New York Pass online (with a discount!). I strongly recommend that you buy the New York Pass online in advance; on the official site, there are additional discount promotions that will help you to save even more.

Is a New York Pass worth it for you?

In general, the more paid attractions you want to visit, the faster a New York Pass will pay off for you. You can easily visit two to three attractions per day without any added stress.

Furthermore, the longer that the New York Pass is valid, the cheaper it will be for you. Most of the attractions cost between $30 and $60, and with a New York Pass valid for seven days or more, you only need to visit one attraction per day to make it worth your while. The most popular New York Pass is the New York Pass for five days, making each day cost just under $50.

My tip: Here you can calculate if and which New York Pass is useful .

Can I visit an attraction more than once with the New York Passes?

With the New York Pass, the Go New York Explorer Pass, the Sightseeing DAY Pass, and the FLEX Pass, you can visit each attraction exactly once. Only with the CityPASS New York can you visit the Empire State Building on the same day; once during the day and again in the evening.

Are the New York Passes activated at the time of purchase?

No; all sightseeing passes are not activated at the time of purchase. They will activate when you use them for the first time at one of the valid attractions and are valid for 1 to 60 days, depending on the type of NYC pass.

NYC Attraction Pass Savings Calculator

New York on a Budget: The 19 Best Money-Saving Tips for 2024

I'm a true New York fan! Not only have I visited the city over 25 times but also have I spent several months here at a time. On my blog I show you the best and most beautiful spots of the city, so that you have a really good time! You can also find lots of insider tips in our New York travel guide . Also check out my hotel finder for New York !

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New York Pass Comparison (+ Discount)

by Mark and Kristen Morgan

Published: August 29, 2022

Attraction passes are a great way to save money when visiting new places. And it’s a really simple concept; the more days or attractions you bundle, the more money you’ll save. We’ve used attraction passes in cities all around the world, and we truly believe that New York is the one city that works the best with a pass because there’s so many iconic things to see and do.

In this New York pass comparison guide we show you the 4 major NYC passes with pros and cons for each pass to help you decide which is the perfect fit for your plans. (Are you interested in saving even more money? We have an exclusive discount for our readers with our favorite NY pass, so keep reading to take advantage!)

Disclosure : We received New York Sightseeing Pass and New York CityPASS tickets in order to share our opinion about these products but this is not a sponsored post.

Our NYC Experience

What do we know about visiting NYC? Well, Kristen is a New York state native, we’ve visited countless times and  we even lived in NYC for 4 months in 2021 . We explored Manhattan and Brooklyn non-stop for a third of a year, so we’ve done everything there is to do in the touristy areas. And more importantly, we actually used the attraction passes, as you’ll see in our photos. Read more  about us .

So far in New York we’ve used CityPASS , C3 Pass and Sightseeing Pass . (Look for the captions underneath our photos in this guide to see which pass we used at each attraction.) We’ve also used the Go City Pass in Rome , London and Paris so we’re definitely familiar with how these passes work!

You probably have lots of questions about the passes (just like we did), and reading this comparison is the perfect place to find your answers. We’ve got lots of tables and charts to help you understand the passes, and by the end you’ll know exactly which pass to buy and how to use it. Let’s begin!

Travel Tip : We do our best to keep prices and attractions up to date, but they’re constantly changing on each pass. Use the official links in our guide below to always see current prices.

What You Need To Know

1. There are four passes available for your visit to New York: Sightseeing Pass, CityPASS, Go City and New York Pass (same company as Go City).

2. Each company offers different types of pass based on number of days or number of attractions . You have a total of 7 New York passes to choose from, but we’ll break them down so it’s easy to understand.

3. A NY pass will give you instant access to the most iconic landmarks, museums, observation decks, walking tours and boat cruises at a heavily discounted price. The more attractions you visit, the more you’ll save.

4. You’ll receive an email with the pass after buying, and you’ll have 12-24 months to activate it. You can download the pass to your phone or print it so you have a hard copy. We typically download them to our phones and always keep the batteries charged!

5. Your pass is considered active once it has been scanned at the first attraction via a QR code.

6. Major attractions often require timed reservations, so you’ll have to show your timed entry reservation along with your New York pass.

Travel Tip : Some attractions have “required” or “recommended” reservations. Our advice is to always make reservations (even if they only say recommended) because you’ll guarantee entry, especially if you plan to visit in summer.

Days Or Attractions Pass?

Before you choose which company offers the best pass for your plans, you need to decide whether you want a pass based on days or attractions. Let’s take a quick look at both:

A day based pass basically means you have unlimited access to attractions for a specific amount of days (1-10). The more days, the more attractions you can fit and the more you’ll save. It works better if you plan to see and do as much as possible in NYC.

Here are the 3 New York DAY Pass options with pros and cons :

• NY Sightseeing DAY Pass
• Go City New York All-Inclusive Pass
• New York Pass by Go City
• Unlimited amount of attractions so you can do as much as you want
• Better value for money as long as you’re quick and plan well
• Best suited for a 1-5 day trip
• Must be used in consecutive days
• You might feel obligated to rush around to make the most of your money

An attractions based pass basically means you specify exactly how many attractions you want to see. Now, just when you thought it was getting easier to understand, we have to throw a wrench in the works! There are two different types of attractions based passes:

• You choose a specific number of attractions and the price increases incrementally based on the number (ie. 3 attractions costs $80, 4 attractions costs $100 etc).
• You choose a pass with a specific number of attractions and a specific price (ie. a 3-attraction pass costs $80, you then have to choose those 3 attractions).

Here are the 4 New York ATTRACTION Pass options with pros and cons :

• NY Sightseeing FLEX Pass

New York CityPASS

• New York C3 Pass
• Go City New York Explorer Pass
• You have between 9-60 days to use up your attractions (depending on pass)
• Better for longer trips because you can space out attractions
• Does not have to be used on consecutive days
• Only pay for what you definitely want to see or do
• Set number of attractions limits how much you can visit
• Not as much savings as a DAY based pass

What Is The Best New York Pass?

In this comparison of the New York passes we’re going to show you tables, price lists and a complete breakdown of attractions. It’s well worth reading so you understand the finer details, but if you’re in a hurry and you just want our top recommendation, it’s the New York Sightseeing Pass .

We’ve dealt with all the companies offering passes, and we had the best experience with Sightseeing. They also have exclusive attractions, lots of flexibility and great value for money. And the best part is we’ve teamed up with Sightseeing Pass to offer our readers an exclusive 5-10% discount on any attraction pass.

Want to save money in NYC?

Click the button below to automatically apply a genuine 5-10% off any NY Sightseeing Pass.

It doesn’t matter if Sightseeing Pass are running a seasonal promotion, you’ll always save an additional 5-10% on top of the promotion by clicking our links in this guide.

While we personally think Sightseeing Pass is the best company to work with, it might not suit your needs. So continue reading to see the how the other passes compare.

Is There A Catch?

There’s no catch with our discount or buying the passes in general. But like all things that save you money, there are some minor catches to be aware of:

• You have to put a little bit of effort in to get the most out of your pass.
• You can’t reserve time slots in advance for every attraction.

The purpose of a pass is to save money by bundling attractions, and it will save you money. But in return, you’ll need to get organized by booking time slots in advance where possible and arriving to attractions at times of day when they won’t be packed full of tourists.

We used our 3 day Sightseeing Pass during our trip to New York in April and we never had to wait in lines. But if you visit in July or August, it will naturally be busier so you can’t arrive at Top of the Rock at 5pm expecting to get straight up for sunset. There will be a long line, whether you buy a pass or an individual ticket.

So another way to look at this is: You’ll save time and money by using a pass and being organized .

If you read reviews about attraction passes online, you’ll find either 1 star or 5 star reviews. The 1 star reviews are from people who didn’t plan or read the fine print . The 5 stars reviews are from people who properly planned and saved a bunch of money . And we’re going to show you exactly how to make the most of your New York attraction pass.

Money Saving Example

Let’s take a look at how much money you can save using a New York Sightseeing Pass with our exclusive discount versus paying for individual attractions. Below is an example of how you can plan attractions for a 4 day NYC itinerary (with general admission adult prices from the official websites):

Travel Tip : If you’re visiting New York City from abroad, keep in mind you’ll have to add sales tax and/or processing fees onto some attractions.

• Statue of Liberty Ferry = $24.50
• Madame Tussauds: $38.99 + $3.46 tax = $42.45
• Empire State Building 86th floor: $44.00 (+ $5.00 processing fee + $4.35 tax) = $53.35
• Circle Line Landmarks midweek sailing: $35.00
• MoMA: $28.00
• One World Observatory: $44.00 (+ $5.00 processing fee + $3.91 tax) = $52.91
• American Museum of Natural History: $28.00
• SPYSCAPE: $44.00 (+ $3.91 tax) = $47.91
• Edge at Hudson Yards 10:00am visit: $41.00 (+ $3.64 tax) = $44.64
• Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum: $36.00
• New York Botanical Gardens: $35.00
• Top of the Rock sunset visit: $52.00 (+ $4.88 tax) = $59.88

The total cost of this 4 day itinerary is $485.64 . Now let’s compare this price to the cost of a NY Sightseeing Pass with our discount:

• Total cost of 12 attractions with no pass: $485.64 .
• A NY Sightseeing DAY Pass for 4 days with our discount is $274.55 .
• A NY Sightseeing FLEX Pass with 12 attractions and our discount is $291.12 .

And there you have it, you can save $211.09 with the DAY pass or $194.52 with the FLEX pass .

Need help planning your visit to NYC?

Where Are Those Morgans popular New York City travel guidebook will help you with planning every aspect of your trip, including airport links, subway, attractions, itinerary ideas, restaurants, hotels and map!

The 4 New York Attraction Passes

As we mentioned earlier, there are four New York attraction passes, and two are run by the same company (Go City). Here they are again:

• NY Sightseeing Pass
• Go City New York
• The New York Pass by Go City

Between the four companies, you have 7 pass options. One of our biggest frustrations (especially when writing this guide!) is that the names are so similar and it’s easy to get confused by all the jargon. But once you take a deeper look into each option, you’ll notice subtle differences.

Below is a chart we created to show you an overview of each New York pass compared against each other. By looking at the information in this way, it’s easier to see the differences with each pass.

We’ll discuss all of these passes in detail throughout the rest of this guide, but it’s important to consider which attractions are included on each because each pass offers different options.

Popular NYC Attractions

New York City is one of the most sought after travel destinations in the world and there’s so much to do as a first time visitor. Here’s what we consider the major attractions in the city:

• 9/11 Memorial and Museum
• American Museum of Natural History
• Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
• Edge Hudson Yards
• Empire State Building
• Ferry Access to Statue of Liberty + Ellis Island
• Guggenheim Museum
• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
• Modern Museum of Art (MoMA)
• One World Observatory
• Top of the Rock

We created the chart below to help you easily identify which attractions are included on each pass:

As you can see, many of the top highlights are included on most passes. But if you want to visit a specific attraction, you have to make sure it’s included on the pass you wish to buy.

There’s also a few important updates for 2024 you need to know about:

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) is no longer included on any attraction pass. However, NY State residents or students based in NY, NJ or CT will receive free admission with a valid ID.
• The 9/11 Museum is no longer available on the NY Sightseeing Pass, but you can book a 9/11 Ground Zero Walking Tour instead. Then, you can reserve a timed entry ticket for 9/11 separately on its official website or with Get Your Guide , Viator or Tiqets .
• New York’s newest observation deck SUMMIT One Vanderbilt features immersive exhibits and stunning views over Manhattan, but it’s not currently available on any NY pass. You can book tickets on the official website or with Get Your Guide , Viator or Tiqets .

More Highlights

Even if you’ve already seen the top attractions, a New York City attractions pass can still be a good option for you because there are lots of lesser known museums and unique activities included.

Below is a comparison graph featuring museums in New York City , including which ones are available on each individual pass:

This graph does not included the full list of options, but it gives you a good idea about which pass you should purchase if you plan to visit several museums.

READ : Our 10 favorite museums in New York City

What’s The Cheapest Pass?

Earlier we told you we think the NY Sightseeing Pass offers the best deal with the most flexibility and biggest savings. This is our conclusion after personally using the passes ourselves.

But we’re scientists by trade and we always use data to prove our conclusions. So we’ve created two more charts for you to easily see the financial benefits of the NY Sightseeing Pass when used in conjunction with our additional 5-10% discount .

This is what you can instantly see:

• NY Sightseeing Pass and The New York Pass offer the most day options
• Go City and The New York Pass are always a few dollars more expensive
• Your savings will exponentially increase as you add more days
• Our discount with the Sightseeing Pass yields the cheapest prices every time

>> Buy the NY Sightseeing DAY Pass here

We think the day based attraction pass offers the best value, but if you only want to visit a few attractions, an attraction pass is better suited for you. Here are the prices:

• NY Sightseeing Pass offers the most attraction options
• An adult New York CityPASS is slightly cheaper, but you can only choose between certain attractions
• A NY Sightseeing FLEX option for 5 attractions is the cheapest price for children
• Your savings will exponentially increase as you add more attractions

>> Buy the NY Sightseeing FLEX Pass here

Travel Tip : According to our statistics and hundreds of bookings, the NY Sightseeing 3 DAY Pass is the most popular option.

Now, let’s take a closer look at each pass individually!

New York Sightseeing Pass

This pass offers both a day and attraction based option for New York visitors. You can purchase the DAY pass or the FLEX pass which features a certain number of attractions. Here is a quick overview (prices include our 5-10% discount):

• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 day validity
• Visit as many attractions as possible
• 115 attractions
• Adult prices range from $141.55 to $379.05
• Child prices range from $98.10 t0 $255.50

>> See full prices for the DAY pass here .

FLEX Pass :

• Visit 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 or 12 attractions
• 60 day validity
• 121 attractions
• Adult prices range from $75.05 to $291.65
• Child prices range from $62.10 to $225.00

>> See full prices for the FLEX pass here .

We like NY Sightseeing because it offers the most attractions compared to other New York passes. Here are the popular attractions included:

• Circle Line Landmarks Cruise
• Statue of Liberty Ferry ( DAY pass only )
• Big Bus New York

This pass also has exclusive attractions including the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, New York Aquarium, Museum of Broadway, National Lighthouse Museum and Go Airlink airport shuttle. These attractions are great for kids or visitors who want to experience something unique.

But that’s not all. This pass features special discounts on popular experiences such as Edge City Climb and Charm Manhattan Helicopter Tours . These must be purchased at time of checkout and sell out quickly so we recommend booking as soon as possible.

To see the full list of attractions, click here to visit the official NY Sightseeing Pass website.

READ : How to find the best NYC helicopter tour

How To Choose Between DAY Or FLEX

Before purchasing this pass, you’ll have to decide between a day or attraction option . If you want the most flexibility, buy the DAY pass. If you only want to visit a few attractions or are planning to visit New York for a longer period of time, buy a FLEX pass because you have 60 days of validity.

We loved using our DAY pass to run around the city and check off many top attractions because it was a fun way to explore. At checkout, you’ll choose between 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 days . Remember, to get the most of out this pass you’ll need to make reservations and plan your days out.

The FLEX option is good if you’d rather take your trip a little slower and visit NYC with less pressure. During checkout, you’ll decide between 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 or 12 attractions . No matter how many attractions you purchase, you then have 60 days to visit all of them once your pass is activated.

Is The NY Sightseeing Pass Worth It?

Yes, we think the NY Sightseeing Pass is worth it because you get a lot of bang for your buck, especially with our additional discount thrown in for good measure. It has lots of top attractions but it also has unique activities like the Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium which are great for the kids.

One more important thing to note is that transportation is included on the NY Sightseeing Pass. In addition to walking tours or bout tours, you’ll also have access to the Go Airlink Airport Shuttle and Big Bus New York with hop-on hop-off option. All this is covered on the attraction page here if you want to read more.

READ: Our NY Sightseeing pass review

We’ve used CityPASS in major cities across the United States including Seattle , Denver , San Francisco and New York City. This pass is different from the others because it offers specific attractions at a set price point .

You can choose between the New York C3 Pass or the New York CityPASS which offer 3 and 5 attractions respectively. It’s often a cheaper option , but the catch is you’ll be limited to choosing between a very small number of attractions. Here’s a quick overview:

• 9 day validity
• With CityPASS, you choose 5 out of 8 attractions but 2 are non-negotiable
• With the C3 Pass, you choose 3 out of 10 attractions
• Adult prices range from  $96 and $138
• Child prices range from  $74 and $118

>> See a full price list for the New York CityPASS here .

We like CityPASS because it’s a basic option offering the top attractions in the city. Below you’ll find a chart we created to help you easily understand your options with CityPASS.

To summarize, these are the popular attractions included with the New York CityPASS:

• 9/11 Museum 
• Circle Line Cruises
• Intrepid Museum
• Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island 
• Edge at Hudson Yards
• Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

The New York C-All Pass allows you to visit these 10 attractions at a good price. But if you compare this to the other options, we think your money will be better spent on the other NY Sightseeing or Go City options because you’ll be able to pick from 100+ attractions instead of just the 10 listed above.

How To Choose Between A C3 Or CityPASS

Before buying this pass, you’ll have to decide how many attractions you want to visit . If you want to visit 5 attractions, buy the CityPASS. If you want to visit 3 attractions, buy the C3 Pass. And if you want to visit the Edge or the Modern Museum of Art (MoMa), you’ll need to buy the C3 Pass.

But no matter which pass you purchase, you’ll have 9 days to visit all attractions . We’ve used both the C3 and CityPASS in NYC, and both worked out great for us because we wanted to see those exact attractions.

READ : Tips for visiting Edge at Hudson Yards

Is The New York CityPASS Worth It?

Yes, we think the New York CityPASS is worth it if you want to see 3-5 top attractions in the city and nothing more. CityPASS is unique because it focuses only on the most popular NYC attractions, which might suit you more.

The New York CityPASS is our second favorite option because you can see top attractions at a cheap price point. While there are only a few attractions on this pass, we like the simple concept and their user friendly website.

Remember, you must visit the Empire State Building and the American Museum of Natural History with a CityPASS. However, you can visit the ESB twice in the same day and you’ll also receive entry into both the permanent and special exhibits inside the history museum.

>> Buy the New York CityPASS here

The C3 Pass is great if you only want to see 3 attractions that are included in the 10 available. It also helps to save by bundling with MoMA or Edge .

>> Buy the New York C3 Pass here

There are no additional transportation offers with this pass, but you’ll have access to Circle Line Boat Cruises and the ferry to the Statue of Liberty . You can also score deals on Broadway musicals or plays. Head to the official website here to learn more.

READ: Our New York CityPASS and C3 Pass review

Go City New York Pass

Go City offers attraction passes in major cities around the world. We’ve used them in Paris, London and Rome so we know how they work. The Go City New York Pass is set up very similar to the NY Sightseeing Pass. There’s a day based option called the All-Inclusive Pass and an attraction based option called the Explorer Pass . Here’s a quick overview:

All-Inclusive Pass :

• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 10 day validity
• 103 attractions to choose from
• Adult prices range from $150 to $401
• Child prices range from $110 to $286

>> See full prices for the All-Inclusive pass here .

Explorer Pass :

• Visit 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 attractions
• 92 attractions to choose from
• Adult prices range from $80 to $280
• Child prices range from $70 to $232

>> See full prices for the Explorer pass here .

We like Go City because it offers a large amount of activities . Here are the popular attractions included:

• Circle Line Sightseeing
• Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island  
• Modern Museum of Art

Another feature of this pass is the exclusive attractions including Yankees tickets . All of the other attractions are the same as the NY Sightseeing Pass with the exception of the 9/11 Museum . And there are also no special discounts on other experiences in the city.

READ : Top of the Rock vs Empire State Building

How To Choose Between All-Inclusive Or Explorer

Similar to the NY Sightseeing Pass, you’ll have to decide between a day or attraction option. If you want the most flexibility, buy the All-Inclusive pass. If you only want to visit a few attractions or are planning to visit New York for a longer time period, buy the Explorer pass because you have 60 days of validity.

The All-Inclusive Pass will give you the most options because it features 103 attractions, but you’ll be limited by time. During checkout, you’ll choose between 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 10 days . We highly recommend you make reservations and plan out your days to make the most of this pass.

The Explorer option is good for those visitors who only want to see some of the top attractions. At checkout, you’ll pick between 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 attractions , but then you have 60 days to visit all of the attractions on the pass.

Is The Go City New York Pass Worth It?

Yes, we think the Go City New York Pass is worth it because you can choose from numerous attractions and it will save you money. However, Go City are typically higher priced passes and they don’t offer as much choice as the NY sightseeing Pass with the exception being the 9/11 Museum.

The Go City New York Pass is our least favorite option because it can be expensive. However, compared to the New York CityPASS, you have more attraction options. We also don’t like how Go City inflates attraction prices on their website.

An All-Inclusive pass would be good if it’s your first visit and you want to see as much as possible or you’re visiting with children. This pass is very similar to the NY Sightseeing DAY Pass and The New York Pass so be sure to compare prices and attractions.

>> Buy the Go City New York All-Inclusive Pass here

An Explorer pass would be good if you want to see select attractions or you’re interested in museums. We think it’s also good for returning visitors who want to see unique attractions. This pass is very similar to the NY Sightseeing FLEX Pass so compare prices and attractions before purchasing.

>> Buy the Go City New York Explorer Pass here

If you’re looking for the Big Bus New York  with hop-on hop-off option, it’s included on the Go City New York Pass. This will help you travel through Manhattan’s Uptown and Downtown loops. But be sure to read our tips at the end of this guide regarding the Big Bus tour.

The New York Pass

This last pass is essentially the same as Go City’s All-Inclusive pass because it’s owned by Go City. Prices and attractions are identical to the pass we just discussed and there are no attraction based options available. Here’s a quick overview:

• 105 attractions to choose from
• Child prices range from $110 to $288

>> See full prices for the New York Pass here .

Personally, we’d purchase the NY Sightseeing Pass over this option because it’s a cheaper price with more flexibility and attractions. But if you want to visit the 9/11 Museum as one of your attractions, this might be a good option for you.

Here’s a summary of everything we discussed:

• NY Sightseeing DAY Pass – Best for first time visitors, returning visitors or families with children who want to see it all. This is the cheapest day option with the most flexibility, but if you want to visit the 9/11 Museum, you’ll have to purchase tickets separately (active and retired military visit for free). Buy it here .
• NY Sightseeing FLEX Pass – This pass is great for visitors who want to visit 1-12 attractions with the most flexibility or those who want to visit numerous museums. However, the 9/11 Museum and Statue of Liberty Ferry are not included. Buy it here .
• New York CityPASS – Good for those who want to visit 5 of the top attractions, but you’ll be limited to a total of 8 attractions with 2 non-negotiable options. Buy it here .
• New York C3 Pass – Good for visitors who only want to see 3 of the top attractions. Very limiting compared to other passes, but it comes at a cheap price. Buy it here .
• Go City New York All-Inclusive – Similar to NY Sightseeing DAY Pass, but more expensive with less attractions and no 6 day option. The Bronx Zoo and the New York Aquarium are not included. Buy it here .
• Go City New York Explorer – Similar to the NY Sightseeing FLEX, but more expensive. You can purchase up to 10 attractions on this pass. The Bronx Zoo and the New York Aquarium is not included. Buy it here .
• The New York Pass – Essentially the same as the Go City All-Inclusive option run by the same company. Buy it here .

READ : Famous New York City quotes

Our Top Tips

• We don’t recommend using Big Bus as your means of transportation around the city if you have a day pass because you’ll be limited by bus schedules and traffic. You should use the subway to make the most of your time. Walking tours, bike rentals or boat tours would also be a good option.
• Some passes offer special offers and discounts so read the fine print . There are additional benefits to be had that could save you extra money on experiences, shops and restaurants.
• We typically average about 3-4 attractions per day by using the subway and visiting attractions that are located close to each other. Keep in mind, most attractions are open from 10:00am-6:00pm with a few exceptions such as the New York city observation decks .
• Verify attractions on the official websites with our links . New York City is always evolving and new attractions open every year so head over to the official websites for current information.
• Always make reservations when possible , especially if you visit in the peak summer season. New York is a very busy place and if you don’t make reservations, you’ll be waiting in long lines.
• Visit the expensive attractions to get the most out of your pass . This includes the Empire State Building, Edge, One World Observatory, Big Bus, various walking tours and so many more fun attractions.
• You can find seasonal activities such as the Rink at Rockefeller Center and Dyker Heights Christmas lights tour on NY Sightseeing and Go City options.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding New York City attraction passes.

What About Fast Track Or Skip The Line?

In our experience using these passes, we never had to wait in line for any attraction because we made advanced reservations and avoided peak times . The most popular attractions will require a timed entry ticket therefore fast track or skip the line are a moot point. If you can’t make a reservation, you should plan to visit that attraction early in the morning at opening time before it gets busy. However, you might have to wait in a security line which is unavoidable.

How Much Money Can You Save?

Depending on the pass you purchase, you can save 20-60% . But be sure to shop around to find the pass that better suits your needs such as a day or attraction based option.

What Is The Best Way To Buy A New York Pass?

You should buy your attraction pass online because you’ll receive the pass instantly via email. This way you can start making reservations for your attractions straight away. Always buy the passes from the official websites (links in this guide) or reputable third parties like Get Your Guide and Viator .

Are NY Passes Legit?

Yes, the New York passes are legit. We’ve personally used Sightseeing and CityPASS in New York, and we’ve also used other passes around the world. You will save both time and money if you take the time to plan your trip.

More New York Guides

• Best things to do in New York City
• Tips for visiting New York in April
• Where to stay when visiting New York
• Which NYC observation deck is the best?
• How to plan a 4 day NYC itinerary
• Best things to do in Lower Manhattan
• Epic New York City photo locations
• How to find the best pizza in NYC
• Guide to the best NYC bagels

Want more New York content? Head over to our New York Travel Guides to explore the Finger Lakes, Adirondacks and the best of NYC.

We hope this detailed comparison of the various New York attraction passes helps with planning your trip to NYC!

Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.

Happy Travels ,

Mark and Kristen

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Mark and Kristen Morgan are travel, hiking and photography experts. Over the last 6 years traveling full time, they have explored more than 40 countries and 30 US states.

Where Are Those Morgans has been featured in USA Today, Gestalten, Get Your Guide, CityPASS and Condé Nast Traveler along with various other publications. Read more about us .

8 thoughts on “New York Pass Comparison (+ Discount)”

Hello, this is an awesome article, thanks! However, it seems like the NY Sightseeing have changed their prices, as they are not the same as found in your article… Could it be that they have updated them not long ago? We will be staying from the 12th to the 17th of August and I want to show my kids the most interesting vistas and neighborhoods. Is there a coupon code that can be used as the links don’t seem to work? Thanks

Hi Oli, We recently updated this guide with 2023 summer prices mid-June, but now that we are in the middle of summer, unfortunately prices will be at their highest. The prices fluctuate throughout the entire year so our prices are only meant to be a guideline to show how much you can save. That being said our links will always give you 10% off the current price.🙂 You will need to use our links to receive the 10% discount. We just checked our links and can confirm they are working so we recommend you clear the cookies on your browser and try again. Since you will be visiting in August, we also recommend you make reservations for attractions when possible and for the attractions you can not reserve, try to arrive early in the day when the attractions open so you make the most of your trip. Hope you have an amazing time in NYC with your kids!

Hello! Thank you for the planning advice. What is the promo code to receive your extra 10% discount.

Hi Nicole, thanks for reading! Any NY Sightseeing link or button in this guide already has the 10% discount applied 🙂 You must use our links to receive the discount. Have a great time in NYC!

Hi! I love your posts. You helped me a lot with my out west trip 2 years ago. We are going to NYC -5 of us in June. Debating the passes. Can you help me understand which of the NY sightseeing pass I should get – flex or day – want to do 9/11 museum for sure and I read about the issue with this pass. With either- do I need to book 9/11 directly with the museum ? We will be there 6/7-11. Any thoughts on which pass you would buy ? Want to do the bus hop on and off tour, 9/11, Statue of Liberty, Empire State , top of rock and possibly a boat tour. Also a Broadway show. Debating lion king , wicked and Hamilton. And a Yankees game. Would love any help !

Thank you so much. Jenny

Hi Jenny, we just sent you an email with our recommendations and have a wonderful trip to NYC! 🙂

Hi. I have clicked the link to purchase the NY pass with your 10% discount but this doesn’t seem to be applied. Can you please help?

Hi Sophie, We just sent you an email regarding the discount 🙂

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UP TO 33% OFF

Offer ends: tue 7 may 2024.

• Choose from 150+ attractions and offers
• One digital pass to enter top attractions
• NYC Pass with 4 Observation decks
• Huge savings and ticket-free entry
• 2 Great Pass options for every budget

The only Pass that includes Empire State Building, Top of The Rock, Edge, One World Observatory and $60 discount on NY Helicopter Tour

Choose the right Pass for you

Two simple money-saving options: DAY or FLEX

Choose 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 days of unlimited Sightseeing for the duration of the Pass.

• Best for first time visitors wanting to see all of New York.
• Great for families with children , who like to relax and enjoy hop-on, hop-off buses and food offers.
• Also for visitors with an open plan, who enjoy visiting attractions on the go .

Save up to 70% when visiting 3 attractions per day.

Prices: From $35 per day.

Visit any 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 or 12 attractions from 100 options over 60 days.

• Best for locals or visitors who may have already been to New York and want to visit only a few popular attractions.
• Great for visitors with a tight budget for sightseeing.
• Also for visitors on a business trip , with limited time for sightseeing.

Save 50% or more when visiting just 2 attractions per day.

Prices: from $22 per attraction visit.

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New York Pass Comparison

Which city sightseeing pass should you buy.

Latest update: March 6, 2024

In a nutshell

• There are 4 city sightseeing passes with which you can save time and money.
• There are time-based passes (for as many attractions as you want in a limited amount of time) and attraction-based passes (for a certain number of attractions).
• If you want to see as many attractions as possible , we recommend the New York All-Inclusive Pass or the New York Sightseeing Pass .
• The All-Inclusive Pass or the New York City Pass are the best choice if you want to see the most important sights in a short amount of time.
• If you want to visit the major sights without any stress , you should pick the Sightseeing Flex Pass , Explorer Pass or New York City Pass.

In our article we’ll show you which New York passes are available, what advantages and disadvantages they have and which one is the best for you.

Our recommendation for those in a hurry: this is the best New York pass

In this article, we compare all of the New York passes in-depth and show you through detailed sample calculations which pass is the best choice for each type of traveller. If that’s too much information for you though, we can totally understand that.

That’s why, for those of you in a hurry, we’ll start right away with a very brief summary of the article and answer the question: which New York pass is the best?

#1 The best New York pass if you want to see as many attractions as possible:

Best choice: New York All-Inclusive Pass or New York Sightseeing Pass

If you’d like to see as many attractions in New York as possible, the New York All-Inclusive Pass is the best option according to our calculation.

But the New York Sightseeing Pass hardly does any worse here, so it’s worth comparing the included attractions and matching them to your personal agenda.

Depending on how many sights in New York you’d like to visit and how much time you have, you can save more than a hundred dollars with the New York All-Inclusive Pass.

You can buy the New York All-Inclusive Pass here You can buy the New York Sightseeing Pass here

#2 The best discount pass if you want to see the most important sights quickly (in 3 days):

Best choice: New York All-Inclusive Pass or New York City Pass

If you want to see the most important sights in a short amount of time, the savings aren’t very high with any of the passes.

In this case, you can think about whether you might want to buy your tickets individually instead. You’ll still have the most savings with the New York City Pass here, which we always like to use ourselves.

You can buy the New York City Pass here

If you’d like to use the Hop-on-Hop-off-busses as well and rent a bike in Central Park, then the savings with the New York All-Inclusive Pass and the New York Explorer Pass are the biggest.

You can buy the New York All-Inclusive Pass here You can buy the New York Explorer Pass here

#3 The best New York pass if you leisurely want to see the most important sights:

Best choice: Sightseeing Flex Pass, Explorer Pass or New York City Pass

If you want to give yourself a little more time (e.g. 5 or 7 days) and would rather visit the most important sights in New York a little more gradually, you also have the choice between three passes.

The differences of savings between these three passes are not very great. It really just depends on which sights you’d like to see the most. Simply take a look at what’s included in each pass and compare it with your personal to-do list.

You can buy the Sightseeing Flex Pass here You can buy the Explorer Pass here You can buy the New York City Pass here

#4 If you only want to see very few attractions

Best choice: buy individual tickets instead of a New York pass

If you’d only like to visit a very few selected attractions or want to decide what you’ll see on short notice and prefer to be flexible, a pass is generally not worth it.

To avoid having to stand in never-ending lines everywhere you go, we’d recommend that you always get your individual tickets online.

Now you know which passes are the best choice. If you also want to know exactly why that is, then keep reading the rest of our great New York pass comparison. If our brief summary was enough for you, we’re happy to have helped.

How do the New York passes work?

The New York passes are offered specifically for tourists. Maybe you’ve already seen something similar in other cities. These passes are often called City Cards as well.

You buy the passes for a certain amount and can then use them to visit different sights, museums and attractions . Besides that, you can take part in numerous guided city tours for free and take various bus and boat rides .

There are two types of New York passes:

#1 Time-based passes

There are passes that are valid for a specific amount of time , e.g. for 3, 5 or 7 days. In this time, you can go to all of the sights, tours and attractions that are included in the pass.

#2 Attractions-based passes

The second type are passes that can be used for a certain number of sights and attractions . So you buy these passes for 5, 7 or 10 attractions, for example, and are more flexible time-wise.

All of the New York passes now work on your mobile phone too. You used to have to pick up the passes somewhere, which was always a little time-consuming.

Today, you’ll simply get an email with a mobile pass after your purchase. You can then comfortably present it on your smartphone at all sights. You don’t necessarily need internet when on the go, as you can easily save your pass and then show it offline as well.

Alternatively, there’s also the possibility of printing out the pass yourself. Anyone who doesn’t have a smartphone or doesn’t trust their battery-life can choose this option. In any case, there’s no annoying pick up on-site.

What New York passes are there?

In most cities there’s only a single City Card. In New York, there are four offers to choose from. There are actually five, because one of the passes is available in two very different options. That doesn’t make it any less difficult, but that’s what our New York pass comparison is for.

In the following table, you’ll find an initial overview of the available passes. You’ll then find more detailed information about every pass, as well as the advantages and disadvantages.

#1 The New York All-Inclusive Pass

The New York All-Inclusive Pass is one of the most popular and extensive passes for New York.

What does the New York All-Inclusive Pass offer?

The New York All-Inclusive Pass enables access to more than 100 attractions , such as:

• Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, One World Observatory and Statue of Liberty
• The new observation deck Edge
• Around 30 museums
• 1 day Hop-on Hop-off busses with Big Bus
• Boat rides with Circle Line
• Numerous tours

What does the New York All-Inclusive Pass cost?

You can find the prices for the New York All-Inclusive Pass in the following table.

On the website of the New York All-Inclusive Pass, there’s a year-round sale. That means that you don’t actually have to pay the regular prices for the pass, there’s always around 20 to 30% discount on the regular price.

We’ve therefore written the reduced prices directly on the overview as well:

Beware of supposed discount codes for the New York All-Inclusive Pass: discount codes for the New York All-Inlusive Pass circulate on some websites that allow you to get a 20% rebate off the pass. This discount is only on the original price of the pass though. Because the prices on the site are always reduced anyways, sometimes you’ll pay more with a discount code than without.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of the New York All-Inclusive Pass:

• Very large selection of attractions
• The longer the pass is, the cheaper it is per day

Disadvantages of the New York All-Inclusive Pass:

• Only one day Hop-on Hop-off-Bus
• Slightly non-transparent pricing

Our verdict on the New York All-Inclusive Pass

The New York All-Inclusive Pass is especially worth it if you’d like to visit a lot of attractions or want to go on guided tours.

If you want to see only a few select museums and sights, it won’t get any cheaper with the New York All-Inclusive Pass.

But if you want to visit a ton of attractions, you can save over a hundred dollars with the pass.

You can buy the New York All-Inclusive Pass here

#2 New York Sightseeing Pass

Along with the New York All-Inclusive Pass, the New York Sightseeing Pass is the most extensive of all the New York passes.

What does the New York Sightseeing Pass offer?

More than 100 attractions are included in the New York Sightseeing Pass, such as:

• Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Statue of Liberty and One World Observatory
• The new viewing platform Edge is included in the Sightseeing Pass.
• Almost 30 museums
• 1 day Hop-on Hop-off busses from Big Bus
• Large selection of boat rides

What does the New York Sightseeing Pass cost?

The New York Sightseeing Pass is the only pass that exists in two different variations :

1. The normal Sightseeing Pass, also called the Day Pass, which is valid for a certain number of days . On these days, you can use all of the attractions.

2. Alternatively, you can opt for the Flex Pass. With this, you decide how many attractions you’d like to visit with the pass beforehand. You then have 30 days to visit these attractions.

Advantages of the Sightseeing Pass:

• In all, the best offers of all passes
• Empire State Building and One World Trade Observatory are included
• All popular museums are included

Disadvantages of the Sightseeing Pass:

• The Sightseeing Pass is expensive
• The two different price models can be confusing

Our verdict on the New York Sightseeing Pass

The New York Sightseeing Pass is definitely the most extensive of all the passes , and with the two pricing schemes, the Day Pass or the Flex Pass, the pass is an interesting option for almost all travelers .

Anyone who’d like a little more flexibility and who doesn’t want to visit 3 attractions per day would be well advised with the Sightseeing Flex Pass.

You can buy the Sightseeing Pass over the booking platform GetYourGuide. It’s usually a little cheaper there.

Buy the Sightseeing Flex Pass from GetYourGuide Buy the Sightseeing Day Pass from GetYourGuide

#3 New York Explorer Pass

What does the New York Explorer Pass offer?

The New York Explorer Pass includes more than 95 attractions , such as:

• The Empire State Building, Top of the Rock and the Statue of Liberty
• 1 Day Hop-on Hop-off busses with Big Bus can be chosen as an attraction
• Various boat rides

What does the New York Explorer Pass cost?

With the New York Explorer Pass, you don’t decide on a certain number of days, but rather on a certain number of attractions , which you can visit within 60 days.

Advantages of the Explorer Pass:

• All major museums in New York are included
• Fair pricing: you only book as much as you need
• No time stress, since it’s valid for 60 days
• Empire State Building and One World Observatory are included

Disadvantages of the Explorer Pass:

• Hop-on Hop-off busses are only bookable as an attraction, but not part of the standard package

Our verdict on the New York Explorer Pass

The New York Explorer Pass is a good option for anyone who doesn’t want to visit countless sights and museums .

Through it’s simple pricing scheme , you can figure out very easily whether the pass is worth it for you. Almost all of the important sights are included in the pass, so you’ll be all set for your New York trip.

The Explorer Pass is very similar to the Sightseeing Flex Pass. The savings with each pass are often nearly the same.

Both passes are very good options. If you want to save every dollar you can, you should calculate exactly which pass is cheaper.

You can buy the Explorer Pass here

#4 New York City Pass

The New York City Pass is the smallest of the five New York passes , but it can still be worthwhile.

What does the New York City Pass offer?

8 attractions are included in the City Pass, of which you can visit 5 .

Two of them are set. For the other three attractions, you have a choice between two options for each:

• Empire State Building
• American Museum of Natural History
• Top of the Rock OR Guggenheim Museum
• The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island OR boat ride with the Circle Line
• 9/11 Memorial and Museum OR Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

What does the New York City Pass cost?

The pricing scheme of the New York City Pass is very easy. There aren’t any price scales, like with the other passes. The pass simply costs 121 dollars .

After you visit the first attraction with the pass, you have 9 days to see the rest of the sights and museums.

Advantages of the City Pass:

• Simple pricing
• Many important sights are included
• High flexibility because of the long validity period of 9 days
• The only pass with which you can visit the Empire State Building twice (day and night)

Disadvantages of the City Pass:

• No Hop-on Hop-off bus
• One World Trade Center and the Museum of Modern Art are not included

Our verdict on the New York City Pass

The New York City Pass is an ideal choice for anyone who’s looking for a simple and uncomplicated pass and doesn’t want to busy themselves with countless attractions and options.

Because the attractions are more or less fixed and only a few possible variations exist, it’s relatively easy to decide whether the pass is of interest.

If you want to visit all 5 attractions, the City Pass is a good option. If one of the attractions doesn’t interest you, the pass is generally still a good choice. If two or more attractions don’t interest you, then the City Pass isn’t for you.

You can buy the City Pass here

Differences of the New York passes

We’ve now introduced the different New York passes. Since that’s a lot of info to take in all at once, in this section, we’d like to sum up the significant differences and similarities of all the New York passes.

That way you’ll get a better impression of which New York pass you should buy and which ones aren’t worth it for you.

Difference #1: time-based or attraction-based

To start with, there are two types of New York passes:

• Passes that are valid for a specific amount of time. In this time, you can visit all of the attractions included in the pass.
• Passes that are only valid for a certain number of attractions.

Both types of passes have their advantages and disadvantages. You can see which pass works by which model in this summary:

Time-based passes:

• New York All-Inclusive Pass (1 to 10 days)
• New York Sightseeing Pass (1 to 10 days)

Attraction-based passes:

• New York Sightseeing Flex Pass (2 to 12 attractions)
• New York Explorer Pass (2 to 10 attractions)
• New York City Pass (5 attractions)

The time-based passes are especially worth it if you want to see as many attractions as possible . The longer the validity of the pass, the cheaper it becomes per day.

Besides that, these passes are a good choice if the additional offers , such as bike rentals, city tours or boat rides, are important to you. In these cases, you usually get away cheaper with a time based pass.

Those passes where you decide on a fixed number of attractions are especially recommended if you only want to visit the most important sights in New York and want to remain as flexible as possible.

Difference #2: included attractions

The New York passes don’t all include the same sights and attractions. For most travelers, the most important difference is surely the tickets for the famous lookout points in New York.

If you’d like to see very specific museums or do specific activities, it’s worth checking beforehand whether these activities are included in each of the New York passes.

So that you don’t have to do the strenuous work of searching for all this information, we will show you which attractions are included in the passes in the following table. Alongside the must-sees, we’ve also included other very popular attractions, so you can get a good overview.

As you can see, the Sightseeing Pass is something like the all-around worry-free package. All of the important attractions are included here.

Difference #3: Hop-on Hop-off busses

A significant difference between the passes is the use of the Hop-on Hop-off busses. Many travelers really like to use this mode of transportation to explore a city like New York.

The busses go along a fixed route and generally stop at all points relevant to tourists. With a ticket for the busses, you can get on or off at any time , so you can conveniently get from one sight to the next.

What’s more, there’s an audio commentary on the busses. So you can use these busses either for a classic city tour, or really just to get from one attraction to the next.

There are two big providers of these bus tours in New York: Big Bus and Grayline. Both companies each offer two different routes through Manhattan. Grayline also operates a further line that brings you to the most important places in Brooklyn.

If you’d like to use these busses, then we suggest the New York Sightseeing Pass , the New York All-Inclusive Pass , and the New York Explorer Pass . All three offer the Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with two different routes, valid for one day

The City Pass does not offer any Hop-on Hop-off busses.

Which New York Pass is suitable for whom?

Now we of course want to answer the question of all questions: which New York pass is the best?

Needless to say, we can’t give the ultimate answer here, since not every New York pass is the best option for every person.

So we’ve put together three different types of travelers and our recommendation for the best New York Pass for each type of traveler .

These are the types of travelers:

• Those who want to visit as many ticketed attractions as possible
• Those who quickly want to visit the most well known sights
• Those who want to visit the most well known sights calmly

Traveler #1: as much as possible

Are you one of the travelers who wants to see as much as possible in New York? Then the time based New York passes are interesting for you.

A typical itinerary could look like this:

Empire State Building ($48) Top of the Rock ($44) One World Observatory ($45) Edge ($44) 9/11 Museum ($28) MoMA ($25) Guggenheim Museum ($25) Museum of Natural History ($23) Bicycle rentals in Central Park ($25) Hop-on-Hop-off-Bus tour ($60) Boat ride, for example with Circle Line ($35) 2 further attractions according to your interests (ca. $60) 2 guided tours ($70) Total price: $532

In total, that’s 15 attractions, which you can manage well over 7 days. For all of that, you’d have to spend around 530 dollars for individual tickets.

In the following table, you can see how much you’d save with one of the New York Passes.

Note : the New York City Pass isn’t made for this type of travel, since they both only include relatively few attractions. We’ve therefore not included it in this table.

If you want to see a ton of attractions in New York and also have enough time (in our example, 7 days), then the New York All-Incusive Pass is the best option for you.

The savings with the New York Explorer Pass and the New York Sightseeing Flex Pass is only a little lower, so it’s worth taking a look at the included attractions. Your own itinerary will probably look a little different than our example itinerary.

Traveler #2: quickly see the most important sights

If you’d like to visit as many attractions as possible in New York in as little time as possible, we’ve put together a small example itinerary that you can be done in three days .

If you’re really fast, you can probably even complete it in 2 days, but then it’d be really stressful. So we’d prefer to base it on 3 days.

For us, the following attractions are some of the highlights in New York:

Empire State Building ($48) Top of the Rock ($44) One World Observatory ($45) 9/11 Museum ($28) Two museums, for example Met, MoMA or Guggenheim ($50) Boat ride, for example with Circle Line ($35) Total price: 250 dollars

Optional: Bike tour through Central Park with a rental bike ($20) Optional: Hop-on Hop-off bus tour ($60) Total price with Hop-on Hop-off bus und bike rental: $330

In retail sales, you’d pay a total of 250 dollars for the most important sights if you don’t incude the Hop-on Hop-off busses and would rather explore Central Park by foot. If you’d like to use the busses and to go through Central Park on a bike, you’re up to 330 dollars.

Why isn’t the Statue of Liberty included? We find that the Statue of Liberty isn’t really worth it if you don’t have a lot of time in New York. The trip to the island is relatively time consuming. So we’d instead suggest a boat tour that also takes you very close to the statue. That’ll save time and is just as impressive.

In both of the following tables, we’ve listed how much you’d save for all passes – both with and without a bus ticket and a bike rental.

Savings without Hop-on Hop-off bus and bike rental:

Without the Hop-on Hop-off bus, the New York Explorer Pass , the New York City Pass and the New York Sightseeing Flex Pass are the best options.

Depending on which attractions are the most important to you, another one of the passes could be a good choice. The differences of savings aren’t so big here that we could make an ultimate recommendation.

Savings with Hop-on Hop-off bus and bike rental:

Note : The New York City Pass doesn’t offer the Hop-on Hop-off tours or bike rentals. We therefore haven’t factored it into this table.

If you’d also like to use the Hop-on Hop-off buses and would like to rent a bike in Central Park, then either the New York All-Inclusive Pass or the New York Explorer Pass  is the cheapest option.

Traveler #3: see the most important sights without any stress

We like to see all of the important attractions in a city, but we don’t like to do it in a rush.

We also sometimes enjoy just wandering through the streets and neighborhoods of a city, instead of rushing from one attraction to the next. Just the same, we of course want to see the major highlights.

So we would rather distribute the attractions mentioned above across a longer time period , for example, 5 or 7 days.

For this scenario, we’ve also created two tables in which we show you which pass is the best solution for you then.

Savings without Hop-on-Hop-off-Bus and bike rental:

With the unhurried options, the savings aren’t so huge , as with the fully packed 3 day itinerary. The City Pass , the Sightseeing Flex Pass and the Explorer Pass are very close to one another here.

Savings with Hop-on-Hop-off-Bus and bike rental:

Note : The City Pass isn’t taken into account in this table, since it doesn’t include buses or bicycles.

Because the Hop-on Hop-off tours and bike rentals are relatively expensive, the savings are higher again. The New York Explorer Pass or the Sightseeing Flex Pass are once again the most lucrative here. You can also save a couple of bucks with the New York All-Inclusive Pass .

In our example, the Explorer Pass was a little better than the Sightseeing Pass.

New York without a pass

Does there absolutely have to be a New York Pass? Of course not! You can also discover the best attractions in New York without a pass.

If you don’t plan on visiting a lot of ticketed attractions , we’d suggest that you do it without a pass. You can also jump the line for the ticket desk at most attractions, even without a pass, by booking your tickets online ahead of time. We’d definitely recommend doing that.

You do always save some money with the passes, but with just a few sights, the savings usually aren’t so high. It’s then better to stay flexible and go without a pass.

In the following table, we’ve shown you an overview of which ticket you can buy beforehand online, also without using any of the passes.

Frequently asked questions

To conclude, we’ve put together the answers to frequent questions about the different passes for you.

Do you have another question? Then just write a comment to us below and you’ll receive an answer from us very shortly.

Do the New York passes also work for the subway?

In many cities, you can also use the City Cards for public transportation. Unfortunately, that’s not the case in New York and actually not with any of the providers.

To use the subway in New York and public busses, you have to buy a separate metrocard.

Are there reduced passes for kids?

Yes, for all of the New York passes that were introduced here, there’s also a reduced option for kids. Little kids (usually up to 3 years) are usually free.

How do I get my pass after ordering it?

You used to have to pick up the passes in New York, which was time consuming. Luckily that isn’t so anymore. Nowadays, you receive your pass by email directly after your purchase.

You can then just show your pass on your smartphone at each attraction. If you don’t have a smartphone, you can also easily print out the passes.

Are the passes cheaper on site?

No, you always get the best prices online.

Can I visit individual sights more than once with the pass?

No, unfortunately that’s not possible. You can only visit each attraction once with your pass.

Only exception : with the City Pass, you can go up the Empire State Building twice in one day, once in the morning and once in the evening.

We drew a detailed conclusion at the very beginning of our New York pass comparison. So here’s just a very brief summary again:

Cheapest pass with as many attractions as possible:

New York All-Inclusive Pass New York Explorer Pass Sightseeing Flex Pass

Cheapest pass for the most important sights in 3 days:

New York All-Inclusive Pass New York Explorer Pass New York City Pass

Cheapest pass for a relaxed New York itinerary:

New York Explorer Pass Sightseeing Flex Pass New York City Pass

Info: Our New York pass comparison is updated regularly. Nevertheless, some things can suddenly change. It’s best to check the conditions and included attractions before you make the final decision to buy one of the passes. Thank you!

That was our New York pass comparison

We hope that we could make your search for the perfect New York pass a little easier. After we almost got desperate during our own search for the right pass, we’ve put extra work into this comparison to make it easier for you.

Do you still have questions or ideas? Then we’re happy to hear your comments!

Travel, Hiking, Food

What’s the Best New York Pass: A Complete NYC Pass Comparison Guide to Pick the Best Tourist Pass

Wondering what tourist pass is the best for New York City? This blog compares Go City vs. New York CityPASS vs. Sightseeing Pass so you can decide what is the best New York City tourist pass. This NYC pass guide also shows you how much money you can save with a tourist pass and the best money saving strategies.

<Updated April 2024 to reflect the newest price increase on all the passes>

Visiting New York City and want to see the most famous attractions but worried about the costs? There are so much to do in New York City it can get a little overwhelming without even considering costs.

New York is by no means cheap to visit. Unlike London where museums are free, attractions in New York City cost money and sometimes quite a lot of money. On average each attraction costs between $30-$50 a person! That can add up quite quickly if you want to do multiple things in New York during your trip.

Although New York City can be expensive to visit, it certainly doesn’t mean you need to spend all that money on attractions! One of the best ways to save money while visiting New York City is to purchase an attraction pass.

Just like how there are so many things to do in New York , there are also seemingly a million different NYC tourist pass you can get. It doesn’t matter if you are visiting New York for Christmas or in the spring or fall , these New York Attraction passes can help save you a lot of money.

To save you the headache of trying to figure out what is the best New York City attraction pass, I will help you compare the most popular New York passes and explain how each of them work, what are the differences between these New York passes and help you to decide which New York attraction pass is the best pass for you.

In this post I will also show you examples of when you should NOT get a New York attraction pass and how to optimize the value of the pass you purchase.

This blog contains occasional affiliate links, where I receive a small commission on sales of the products/hotels that are linked at no additional cost to you. In addition, as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases .

What are the New York Passes You Can Buy?

There are 7 New York City attraction passes on the market currently, each with its unique offerings and features:

• New York Pass (by Go City)
• Go City Explorer Pass (by Go City)
• New York CityPASS (by CityPASS®)
• New York C3 (by CityPASS®)
• New York C-All (by CityPASS®)
• Sightseeing Pass – Day Pass (By Sightseeing Pass)
• Sightseeing Pass – FLEX Pass (By Sightseeing Pass)

Quick Summary: What’s the Best New York Pass for Tourists?

If you are short on time and really do not want to read through my super detailed comparison guide to know every single difference between all the New York passes, then here is a super quick summary for you!

Best New York Tourist Pass Overall

My vote goes to the New York Explorer Pass for being the best NYC pass overall. It is flexible, easy to use, reasonably priced, has a large number of attractions and tours. It is perfect for both first time visitors as well as returning visitors and even locals.

Best NYC Attraction Pass for First Time in New York Visitors

If you are visiting New York City for the first time, then you have a limited number of days, and you want to see as many attractions as possible within those days.

The best NYC pass for first timers are either the New York Pass or the New York CityPASS .

The New York Pass (also called All Inclusive Pass) has the most number of attractions, so you can literally visit everything famous in NYC using this pass. On the other hand, the CityPASS covers the most essential tourist spots in New York City and you have 9 days to use it.

Best New York Pass When Traveling with Children

The Sightseeing Pass – FLEX Pass is the best NYC Pass if you are traveling with children. This pass includes the most famous zoos in New York City that no other pass covers.

When traveling with children, you know things always take longer than expected. So it makes sense to purchase the FLEX pass which is based on the number of attractions rather than days, giving you plenty of flexibility to take your time and enjoy everything with your famiy.

Best NYC Pass For a Relaxing Trip

To see the most essential New York City attractions without feeling rushed, then you should consider either the New York Explorer Pass or New York CityPASS . Both of these passes are valid for a longer time period than the all inclusive passes, therefore you can take your time to tour New York City.

The Cheapest New York Discount Pass

The cheapest pass is either the 2 choice New York Explorer Pass and the 2 attraction New York Sightseeing Pass and just by going to 2 observation decks in NYC you would already be saving money.

Read Next : Complete Guide to the Empire State Building

How do the New York City Discount Passes Work?

Each of the New York attraction pass lets you pay upfront for either the number of days you will be using the pass, or the number of attractions you want to see. Once you have the pass, you will be able to visit a numbers of attractions, museums, city tours and sightseeing buses for free (usually within a certain time period). Is it as simple as that!

You don’t need a paper pass to enter attractions. Once you make a purchase, you will get a confirmation email, which allows you to download the pass or load it on your App (if you purchase a Go City Pass, you will use the Go City app for example). You can then present the QR/ Bar code when entering an attraction.

You do need to make a reservation (for free) at some of the most popular attractions in order to visit.

New York City attraction passes fall under two different types :

• Day Passes (all Inclusive)

Attraction Based Passes

New york attraction based pass vs. day passes (all inclusive passes), attraction based passes for nyc.

The attraction based passes give you a much longer time period to see a pre-determined number of attractions. You decide how many attractions you want to visit then purchase the pass accordingly (generally between 1 – 12 attractions).

Attraction based passes include the following:

Go City Explorer Pass

• New York CityPass

New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass

New york city day passes (all inclusive).

These All Inclusive passes allow you to visit a large number of attractions within a limited period of time. Generally restricted to 2 – 10 consecutive days, you can decide what (and how many) attractions you want to see within this time period.

All Inclusive (day based) passes include the following:

• Go City New York Pass

New York Sightseeing DAY Pass

Do you need a new york attraction pass.

The answer is yes and no. You never NEED anything, you can always pay for individual attractions at full price. But if you want to save a lot of money on New York City attractions then yes, you probably should get a New York attraction pass.

New York attraction Pass can help you save money and time when used correctly .

You can save up to 30-50% per person on attractions in NYC when you buy a New York attraction pass, if you plan well .

Read Next : Christmas in New York City – Best Photo Spots and Decorations

Best New York City Attraction Pass: Comparisons in Detail

Below you will find my super detailed comparison of all the NYC Pass to understand what they each cover, cost, and their pros and cons. This will help you make the decision on what is the best pass for NYC for you.

New York Pass aka All-Inclusive Pass (by Go City)

The New York Pass by Go City is one of the most popular passes for New York City. It includes over 100 attractions, tours, museums, etc.

How does the New York Pass work?

New York Pass is all inclusive pass based on the number of consecutive days you plan to sightsee. New York Pass offers whole day passes for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10 days.

If you are planning visit New York City for 3 days, you can buy the 3 day New York Pass and visit different attractions and tours included with the New York Pass for 3 days straight.

For each attraction you visit, you scan the QR code of the New York Pass on your app or print out confirmation. You also need to make reservations at some attractions (can’t just show up).

New York Pass activates the moment you visit your first attraction or when you book your attractions . If you buy a 3 day New York Pass and you visit your first attraction at 1pm on Monday, your 3 day New York Pass will be valid on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

It will stop working at midnight Wednesday. You can visit unlimited number of attractions each day, but you can only visit an attraction once (no repeats!)

You have a 2 years to get a refund for unused New York Pass.

What attractions are included in the Go City New York Pass?

New York Pass covers over 100 New York City tourist attractions and tours , so I will not list all of them here. You can see them on the website here .

New York Pass includes 4 major observation decks

• Empire State Building
• Top of the Rock
• One World Observatory
• Edge <– one hour access before it opens to the general public

It also includes some of the most famous tourist attractions and cruises in NYC

• 9/11 Memorial & Museum
• Statue of Liberty Ferry
• Guggenheim Musem
• Circle Line Cruise
• American Museum of Natural History
• Intrepid Sea Air and Space Museum
• New York Yankees Game Tickets
• Free beer from Brooklyn Brewery
• Big Bus 1 day Hop-on Hop-Off Tour (2 days of this until March 21st)

New York Pass also includes Madame Tussauds , Museum of Sex , New York Hall of Science , Central Park Bike Rental , Brooklyn Botanical Garden , New Museum , Whitney Museum of American Art , a number of walking tours, bike tours, and other museums and gardens.

The New York Pass also includes very local attractions such as Luna Park at Coney Island and Deno’s Wonder Wheel at Coney Island. Luna Park is the famous amusement park in New York City that you probably have seen in Movies such as Cloverfield.

Go City New York Pass cost

If you sign up on the website you can get an additional 5% off.

There are promotions throughout the year, but prices do change every month and they have been going up consistently. Therefore I would recommend purchasing ASAP (you can always get a refund and re-purchase if prices go down).

Sometimes it is cheaper to purchase the  New York Pass from Getyourguide , a third party seller. They don’t change their prices as often! So be sure to check both Get Your Guide and the  official New York Pass website to see which one is cheaper.

*6 day New York Pass is only available from Getyourguide .

Is public transportation included in the New York Pass?

Public transportation is not included in the New York Pass.

However the New York Pass provide you one day access on the hop-on hop-off bus with Big Bus Tour.

What are the pros and cons of the Go City New York Pass?

Pros of New York Pass:

• It offers A LOT of attractions and tours. It includes the most famous museums, observation decks, and tours in NYC as well as hop on hop off bus for one day
• Has a partnership with Stasher so you can store your luggage at a 15% discount.
• Generous refund policy

Cons of New York Pass:

• You are restrained on how many days the pass covers
• Not suitable for people who like to slow travel

You can see a full review of New York Pass here .

Do you save money with the New York Pass?

The more days you buy, the more money you can save with the New York Pass.

When you buy a 2 day New York Pass, it costs $214, averaging to $107 a day, that means you need to do at least 3 attractions to break even.

However when you buy a 5 day New York Pass, it costs $339, averaging to about $67.8 a day, that means you only need to do 2 attractions to break even.

Therefore if you can average 2-3 attractions a day (depending on how many days you buy), you can save money with the New York Pass.

Purchase your New York Pass here or here (sometimes cheaper).

Go City Explorer Pass and New York Pass both fall under Go City, so you can imagine they cover pretty much the same attractions and tours (although New York Pass covers a few more attractions than the Go City Explorer Pass).

How does Go City Explorer Pass work?

Go City Explorer Pass is an attraction based pass that let you access a specific number of attractions that you purchase. Go City Explorer Pass offers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 attractions for different price points. You can only go to each attraction once (no repeats)!

You have 60 days to use after activation; activation is when you enter your first attraction or when you book the attraction since some attractions require advanced reservation.

For example, if you buy a 3 attractions pass, you go to one attraction on June 1, then you have 90 days including June 1st to go to the other 2 attractions that are left on your Explorer Pass, pretty simple right?

New York All Inclusive Pass vs New York Explorer Pass, What’s the Difference?

The major difference between New York Pass and the Explorer Pass is that one is based on the number of days and the other one is based on the number of attractions.

What attractions are included in the Go City Explorer Pass?

Go City Explorer Pass covers over 100 New York City tourist attractions and tours. You can see them on the website here .

It covers the same major attraction as the New York Pass, but it also covers Spyscape and Secrets of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Walking Tour and Woodbury Commons Bus (if you love designer brands this is a MUST DO) that are not covered by the New York Pass.

Again, you get one hour access before the general public at the Edge.

Go City Explorer Pass cost

Read next : Complete Review of the New York Explorer Pass by Go City .

Is transportation included in the New York Explorer Pass?

Public transportation is not included in the New York Explorer Pass.

However the New York Explorer Pass provide you one day access on the hop-on hop-off bus with Big Bus Tour if you choose to use that as one attraction.

What are the pros and cons of Go City New York Explorer Pass?

Pros of New York Explorer Pass

• Flexibility: you have up to 60 days to go to al the attractions
• Generous Refund Policy: 1 year full refund policy
• Comprehensive Attractions: 95+ attractions are included
• Includes some unique attractions not covered by the New York All Inclusive Pass

Cons of Go City Explorer Pass

• Child Pass can be expensive: some attractions offer free admission for those under 6
• Not as child friendly as the All inclusive Pass (does not include the amusement parks on Coney Island and the New York Hall of Science)
• Certain museums are not included on the Explorer Pass (like the New Museum)

Buy your Go City Explorer Pass here or here (sometimes cheaper) .

New York CityPASS®

New York CityPASS is a very popular pass for first timers in New York City, as it covers the most essential attractions.

How does the New York CityPASS work?

New York CityPASS is an attraction based pass offers 5 attractions (Empire State Building, American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) plus 3 attractions of your choice from a list of 6). You have 9 days to use it all after activation.

You have one year from purchase date to use the New York CityPASS before it expires. You can request a refund if you change your travel plan and will no longer need to use it.

You can only visit each attraction once with New York CityPASS except Empire State Building, where you can go up twice in one day with the AM/PM experience!

What’s the difference between Go City New York Pass and New York CityPASS?

New York Pass is based on the number of days and it has over 100 attractions and tours. New York CityPASS offers 5 attractions (you can pick 3 from a list of 6 plus Empire State Building and AMNH).

What attractions are included in the New York CityPASS®?

New York CityPASS® only include 5 attractions, and they are:

• Empire State Building (you can visit twice in one day!) ($64 value)
• American Museum of Natural History ($28 value if you are not a resident of NY, NJ or CT)

Then you can choose 3 of the following attractions

• Top of the Rock Observation Deck ($40 value)
• Guggenheim Museum ($30 value)
• Ferry access to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island ($24.5 value)
• Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises ($41 value)
• 9/11 Memorial & Museum ($33 Value)
• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum ($36 value)

How much does New York CityPASS® cost?

Does the new york citypass include transportation.

New York CityPass does not include transportation such as the subway or the hop on hop off bus.

What are the pros and cons of New York CityPASS?

Pros of New York CityPASS

• Includes the most essential New York City attractions
• Cheaper than some of the other 5 attraction passes
• The only pass that includes AM/PM Experience at the Empire State Building

Cons of New York CityPASS

• Very limited in the number of attractions. There are no tours included
• Does not have Edge, One World Trade Center, MOMA, etc
• Does not include a hop on hop off bus
• You HAVE to go to the Empire State Building and American Museum of Natural History

Purchase your New York CityPASS® here or here (sometimes cheaper).

New York C3 Pass

New York C3 Pass is run by CityPASS®, the same company that operates the New York CityPASS®.

How does C3 Pass work?

C3 Pass is also an attraction based pass that provides you access to 3 attractions in New York City from a list of 10. Unlike the New York CityPASS, the C3 Pass includes the Edge observation deck.

After activation, you have up to 9 days to visit the 3 attractions before the pass expires. Activation starts when you enter your first attraction.

What attractions are included in the New York C3?

New York C3 Pass includes 10 attractions you can choose from.

• Empire State Building ( only one entry instead of 2 entries) ($44 Value)
• Edge at Hudson Yards ($36 Value)
• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum ($36 Value)
• The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) ($25 value)

How much does C3 cost?

Does the new york c3 pass include transportation.

New York C3 Pass does not include transportation; it does not include hop-on-hop-off buses.

What are the pros and cons of New York C3 Pass?

Pros of New York C3 Pass

• Cheaper than other 3 attraction passes
• Includes the most popular attractions and museums

Cons of New York C3 Pass

• Does not include hop on hop off bus or One World Observatory
• No tours are included
• You have to pick the most expensive attractions in order to save money

Purchase your New York C3 pass here .

New York C-All Pass

New York C-All Pass is also by CityPASS®, the same company that operates the New York CityPASS® and New York C3 Pass.

How does the C-All Pass work?

The C-All Pass is an attraction based pass that offers one-time admission to 10 attractions.

Once you purchase the C-All pass online, you have one year to activate the pass.

Activation starts when you visit your first attraction; then you have 9 days to visit all 10 attractions, which gives you plenty of flexibility.

What attractions are included in the New York C-All Pass?

New York C-All pass includes 10 attractions.

• Empire State Building ($44 Value)
• American Museum of Natural History ($28 Value)

How much does New York C-All Pass cost?

Does the new york c-all pass include transportation.

The New York C-All Pass does not include subway access or hop-on hop-off bus in New York City.

What are the pros and cons of New York C-all Pass?

Pros of C-All Pass

• Cheapest 10 attraction pass
• Includes some of the most popular attractions and museums

Cons of C-All Pass

• Very limited flexibility: you cannot choose your attractions
• You have a limited number of attractions
• Does not include tours or hop on hop off bus

Purchase your New York C-all Pass here .

How does the New York Sightseeing DAY Pass work?

The Sightseeing Day Pass is a day-based all inclusive pass, it works very similarly to the New York Pass by Go City.

The pass is based on the number of consecutive days you want to spend in New York and you can visit as many attractions as you like once within one day. Sightseeing Day Pass offers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 day passes.

Your pass activates when you use it at your first attraction. You can purchase the pass up to 12 months in advance and if you need to cancel an unused pass, you have 12 months to cancel from purchase date.

What attractions are included in the New York Sightseeing Day Pass?

New York Sightseeing DAY Pass offer very similar choices of attractions as the New York Pass. You can see all the attractions it offers on its official website .

New York Sightseeing DAY Pass offers a few unique tours and attractions the other passes do not offer , and these include:

• Bronx Zoo ($37.75 retail price)
• Central Park Zoo ($19.95 retail price)
• The Rink at Rockefeller Center ($65 retail price)
• One way share-ride transfer from NYC area airports to Manhattan Hotels ($45 value)
• HERO NYC: The Winter Forest of the Northern Lights ($35)
• LOL Times Square Comedy Club ($25.5 retail price)
• LOL Times Square Magic ($20 retail price)
• National Lighthouse Museum ($5 retail price)
• Museum of Broadway ($39 retail price)
• NY Aquarium ($32.95 retail price)
• St. Patrick’s Cathedral Tour – Gold Pass ($25 retail price)

How much does New York Sightseeing DAY Pass cost?

Prices are subject to change and there are seasonal discounts and special deals on either the off i cial website or on Get Your Guide , a partner website.

What’s the difference between the Sightseeing DAY Pass and Go City New York Pass?

The major difference between the 2 NYC passes is the number of attractions they each offer and sometimes the price.

As listed above, there are a number of attractions and tours that Sightseeing DAY Pass offers that are not included on the New York Pass.

Vice versa, there are also things that the New York Pass offers that Sightseeing DAY Pass does not offer, such as 911 Memorial and Museum.

Is transportation included in the New York Sightseeing DAY Pass?

Public transportation is not included in the New York Sightseeing DAY Pass.

However the New York Sightseeing DAY Pass provide you one day access on the hop-on hop-off bus .

It also includes a one way ride-share transfer from New York City Area airport to Manhattan Hotel. This is a great perk that no other passes offer. It saves you so much money by not having to take Uber.

What are the pros and cons of New York Sightseeing DAY Pass?

Pros of New York Sightseeing DAY Pass

• Offers some unique attractions and tours
• Very family friendly with zoos and children’s museums and the NY Aquarium
• Generous cancellation and refund policy
• Best for those traveling with children
• Offers discounts at some restaurants, luggage storage, Drunk Shakespeare and admission to attractions at American Dream

Cons of New York Sightseeing DAY Pass

• Check if your child needs to pay for tickets at attractions before you pay for children passes
• Can get expensive the more days you purchase
• Does not include 911 Memorial & Museum

Purchase your New York Sightseeing DAY Pass here or here (sometimes cheaper).

The FLEX pass and the DAY Pass are both from the same company. The FLEX Pass work exactly the same way as the Go City Explorer Pass mentioned above.

How does the New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass work?

The FLEX Pass is based on the number of attractions instead of the number of consecutive days. You have 60 days to visit the attractions after activation.

New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass offers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, or 12 attractions (Go City Explorer Pass does not offer the 12 attraction option).

What attractions are included in the New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass?

The Sightseeing FLEX Pass pretty much covers the same attractions as the New York Sightseeing DAY Pass. You can find the complete list here .

Both the Sightseeing DAY pass and FLEX Pass also offer discounts on certain shops and tours (tours that are not included in the attraction list that is).

New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass cost

Is public transportation included in the new york sightseeing flex pass.

Public transportation is not included in the New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass.

However the New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass provide you one day access on the hop-on hop-off bus with Big Bus Tour if you choose to use that as one attraction.

It also includes a one way ride-share transfer from New York City Area airport to Manhattan Hotel if you use that as one attraction.

What are the pros and cons of New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass?

Pros of New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass

• Includes exclusive attractions not found on other passes
• Includes many discounts for restaurants, attractions, Drunk Shakespeare, etc
• Best for those traveling kids or New York Locals

Cons of New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass

• Does not include Statue of Liberty Cruise

Purchase your New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass here or here (sometimes cheaper).

Read Next : Complete Guide to Visit the One World Observatory

Summary of Best New York City Attraction Pass Comparison (Go City New York Pass vs. New York CityPASS vs. Sightseeing Pass)

Here is the summary that shows major differences between the different New York City attraction passes.

Attractions Each New York City Tourist Pass Covers (or Not Cover)

The chart below shows you the difference in what attractions each New York City attraction pass covers so you can see the major difference between each NYC pass.

** American Museum of Natural History and the Empire State Buildings are mandatory with the CityPASS. You use it or you lose it. ** Passes from Go City let you visit the Edge 1 hour before it opens to the general public

Best New York Attraction Pass: What Else to Know

The more days/ attractions you purchase, the cheaper it is per attraction . Let me show you what I mean by this. A 1 day Go City New York Pass is $154 whereas a 5 day New York Pass is $339, averaging to be around $68 a day.

Therefore it is a lot more economical to buy the 5 day pass (assuming you are staying for 5 or more days and the tours/ attractions you go to actually cost more than $68 a day). It actually is pretty do-able, you just need to go to 2 Observation Decks a day or 2-3 tours a day.

None of the passes include SUMMIT One , the newest observatory in New York. Does this matter to you? Maybe, maybe not, but it’s something you should be aware of.

You can read my detailed guide on SUMMIT One .

None of the passes include the MET , which is probably THE museum you need to visit when you are in New York City.

Reservation is required for some attractions. Many tours and some attractions (like Empire State Observatory, Statue of Liberty, American Museum of Natural History, MoMA, etc.) require you to reserve a spot ahead of time whereas others do not. You will need to know which ones require reservation so you don’t just show up and get turned away.

NY, NJ, or CT Residents can get free or discounted tickets to some museums and attractions. So if you are a local, do some research on where you can for free (pay as much as you like) before deciding which pass to buy.

You may need to combine different New York attraction passes : no one pass covers it all even though some come pretty close to it. If you want to do a lot of sightseeing you may need to combine a day pass with an attraction based pass to see everything.

Best New York City Attraction Pass Money Saving Strategy

Based on the example above, here are some of my tips on picking the best tourist pass for New York City and how to save money.

• Map out all the attractions you want to visit in New York City (save them on Google Maps). For inspiration, take a look at my 4 Day New York Itinerary
• Use Google Sheets (or a Note Pad) to list the price of each attraction
• Sum up the total cost of all the attractions you want to visit and see if purchasing a NYC Pass makes sense
• If you plan to do fewer than 3 attractions and tours a day, you should consider getting the FLEX Pass or Go City Explorer Pass since a day pass is roughly the cost of 3 attractions
• Money saving strategy for All-Inclusive day passes : start early, pack your day, go to at at least 3 attractions, and spend no more than 2 hours on each attraction
• Money saving strategy for attraction based passes : go to the most expensive attraction (hop on hop off bus, tours, bike rental, cruises, the rink at Rockefeller Center, etc)
• If you get a day pass, make sure tourist spots you want to go to are included, therefore you don’t need to pay out of pocket
• If you do end up paying out of pocket, use your pass towards the most expensive tours, and pay the least expensive ticket yourself

What is the Best New York Tourist Pass for Who?

I get it, not everyone has the same travel style. Some like to cram everything in whereas others like to slow travel. Some want to plan a super detailed itinerary down to the minutes, whereas others just want to wing it.

So depends on the type of traveler you are, the New York attraction passes may or may not be a good fit for you.

All Inclusive Passes

Time based attraction pass:

• New York Pass
• Sightseeing Day Pass

Best for those who:

• Like to jam pack their days
• Have only a few days in NYC
• Want to do tours, observation decks and museums
• Good with planning routes to maximize the day

Attraction based attraction pass with longer expiration period:

• Explorer Pass
• Have more time in NYC
• Like to slow travel
• Prefer to spend more time in museums
• Just want to wing it since there’s more time
• Want to do tours, observation decks and an emphasis on museums

No Passes Needed

Don’t need a pass, can just buy individual tickets

• Not planning to do too many paid attractions
• New York City locals that want to do museums
• Kids under 4
• Only want to do SUMMIT One or the Met

Other Questions You May Have About Picking the Best New York City Tourist Pass

Are New York City Attraction Passes legit? Yes, the passes are legit and I have used them myself. This is not a too-good-to-be-true scam.

Can I buy the pass in person? Nope, you can only buy a New York attraction pass online.

Can I repeat attractions with a NYC pass? Nope, each attraction can only be visited once, except the Empire State Building AM/PM offering with CityPASS.

Do the New York Passes include public transportation? Public transportation is not included with any NYC pass, but Go City and New York Sightseeing Passes include an one day hop on hop off bus.

Do I still need a reservation with a New York City tourist pass? Yes, some attractions (like the Empire State Building) requires you to make a reservation.

Do I get skip the line privilege with a New York attraction Pass? Yes and no. For the attractions that you need to book ahead of time, you get a timed slot, which essentially allows you to skip the queue. But for attractions that you don’t need to book ahead of time, you don’t get a special skip the line privilege, unless it’s stated on the pass for that particular attraction. Keep in mind that some busy attractions actually have a separate line for New York attraction pass holders, helping you to get in faster.

Do kids need a New York attraction Pass? Kids under 3 are generally free. For kids between the age of 4 to 12, there are usually discounts for each of the NYC pass. You need to do some calculation to see if your particular itinerary makes the attraction pass worth it for kids.

Do I need a New York Tourist Pass? No, you can always buy individual tickets, especially if you don’t plan on visiting that many. New York City sightseeing passes are good for a particular type of traveler, so you don’t need to feel pressured to buy one.

Read My Other New York City Blogs

If you are planning a New York City trip, you should definitely check out all my New York City blogs and figure out the best things to do to maximize your New York passes.

As a New York City local, I pretty much explored all the popular touristy spots and hidden gems in NYC. If you want to plan a NYC trip like a pro, check out some of my New York City local guides.

New York City Itineraries & Things to Do

• 100+ best things to do in New York City
• New York City itineraries
• New York City observation deck guides (SUMMIT One, One World, Empire State Building)
• Pier 57 Market & Rooftop Park Guide

Christmas and Holiday Season in New York City

• Most Instagrammable Places in NYC during the holidays
• Most Festive Pop Up Bars and Restaurants in NYC during the holidays
• Best Holiday Markets in NYC
• Things to do with kids in NYC during the holidays
• NYC Winter Survival Guide

New York City Seasonal Articles

• Why You should visit NYC in the fall
• Best Fall Hikes in NYC
• What it’s like to visit NYC in March
• What to do in New York City in April
• Where to See Cherry Blossoms in New York City
• Apple Picking in NYC
• Best Sunflower Fields in NYC
• Where to Pick Strawberries near NYC
• Best Pumpkin Patches on Long Island

How to Save Money Traveling to NYC

• New York Pass Review: Is New York Pass Worth it?
• New York Explorer Pass Review

New York City Food Guide

• Best Ice Cream Shops in Lower Manhattan
• Best Brunch Spots in New York City
• Tim Ho Wan Restaurant Review
• Afternoon tea at the Plaza Hotel
• Cutest Plants and Flower Cafes in New York City

Other New York City Guides

• Coolest Airbnbs in New York State
• Best New York Themed Gifts
• Unique Brooklyn Themed Gifts
• Cold Spring Day Trip from NYC
• Construction Themed Amusement Park near NYC

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February 28, 2023 By Lyndsay

New York Passes Comparison: Which Pass is Right for You? (2024)

• 1.1 Overall Best NYC Pass
• 1.2 Best Pass for a First-Time NYC Tourist
• 2 How do New York City sightseeing passes work?
• 3 What are the benefits of using an NYC pass?
• 4.1 Day Pass
• 4.2 Attraction Pass
• 5 Is a New York City attractions pass worth it?
• 6.1 How much does the CityPASS cost?
• 6.2 What are the features of the CityPASS?
• 6.3 Pros of the CityPASS
• 6.4 Cons of the CityPASS
• 6.5 How to Use your CityPASS
• 6.6 Why should you choose a CityPass?
• 7.1 How much does the New York Pass cost?
• 7.2 What are the features of the New York Pass?
• 7.3 Pros of the New York Pass
• 7.4 Cons of the New York Pass
• 7.5 How to Use your New York Pass
• 7.6 Why should you choose a New York Pass?
• 8.1 How much does the Explorer Pass cost?
• 8.2 What are the features of the Explorer Pass?
• 8.3 Pros of the Explorer Pass
• 8.4 Cons of the Explorer Pass
• 8.5 How to Use your Explorer Pass
• 8.6 Why should you choose an Explorer Pass?
• 9.1 How much does the Sightseeing Pass cost?
• 9.2 What are the features of the Sightseeing Pass?
• 9.3 Pros of the Sightseeing Pass
• 9.4 Cons of the Sightseeing Pass
• 9.5 How to Use your Sightseeing Pass
• 9.6 Why should you choose a Sightseeing Pass?
• 10.1 How much does the Freestyle Pass cost?
• 10.2 What are the features of the Freestyle Pass?
• 10.3 Pros of the Freestyle Pass
• 10.4 Cons of the Freestyle Pass
• 10.5 How to Use your Freestyle Pass
• 10.6 Why should you choose a Freestyle Pass?
• 11.1 How much does the New York Tourist Card cost?
• 11.2 What are the features of the New York Tourist Card?
• 11.3 Pros of the New York Tourist Card
• 11.4 Cons of the New York Tourist Card
• 11.5 How to Use your New York Tourist Card
• 11.6 Why should you choose a New York Tourist Card?
• 12.1 What major landmarks are included in each pass?
• 12.2 What pass can you use at the best observation decks in NYC?
• 12.3 What popular New York City tours can you take with each pass?
• 13 Travel Tips for Visiting New York City with a Sightseeing Pass
• 14 What major attractions are not included in the best New York City sightseeing passes?
• 15 Which is the best New York pass to buy for my trip?
• 16 New York Attraction Pass Comparison: FAQs
• 17 NYC Pass Comparison: Wrap-Up

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If you’re planning a trip to New York City, you probably already know that it’s hard to find a decent deal on hotel accommodation, and even harder to organize the logistics of your itinerary.

You know all the sites you want to see, you might even know how to get there, but how will you plan out your days?

And, everything is so expensive, can you bundle entries for discounts?

Enter New York City sightseeing passes.

There are many different types of New York City sightseeing passes.

Some are good for a limited time period, while others are good for a fixed amount of days, or even a fixed amount of attraction options.

If you’re looking for a New York City attractions pass that allows you to save money on your excursions, you need to take a look at the variety of options. 

Take a look at my comparison guide to choose what’s best for you and your group!

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Editor’s Choices: New York Attraction Pass Comparison

Don’t have time to read the whole post? No worries, I’ve got my prime recommendations right here.

Although you can’t go wrong with any of these New York City sightseeing passes, here are my top choices.

Overall Best NYC Pass

With more than 90 major attractions, sites, and experiences, the GO City New York Pass offers the best passes for New York.

Best Pass for a First-Time NYC Tourist

With nine top choices in New York City of which you can choose six, the CityPASS offers the best “bang for your buck.”

How do New York City sightseeing passes work?

Although each discount pass has its own unique offers, they all basically work the same way. For a fixed price, you can access admission to a set of attractions that you choose.

What are the benefits of using an NYC pass?

There are several benefits to including a pass in your New York City sightseeing plans.

• Savings on time and additional costs – These passes save you time, since you’re purchasing a number of entries at once, and money since there’s a saving to bundling your admission to several locations.
• Flexibility with choices and offerings – You get to choose! Pick from the list of the pass’s participating attractions to customize your experience.
• Helps plan your New York City itinerary – You know of the big sites you want to see, but not sure of others? Use your sightseeing pass’s offerings and time limitations as a guide to planning your itinerary. Some passes even have sample itineraries on their websites to inspire you!

What New York City sightseeing passes are there?

There are six major New York City sightseeing passes to choose from:

New York Pass

Explorer pass, sightseeing pass, freestyle pass, new york tourist card.

But within the big five, there are two different types of passes–day-based passes and attraction-based passes.

With a day-based pass, you can visit multiple attractions (in some cases, unlimited attractions) over the course of a day based on its rules, but it will expire after a set number of days. 

Attraction Pass

With an attraction-based pass, you can visit multiple attractions per day or over the course of several days, but you can only visit a set number of attractions offered. 

Is a New York City attractions pass worth it?

Yes, a New York City sightseeing pass is a great way to see all the sights that you want without having to worry about paying for each attraction individually.

They’re also a good deal if you plan to visit multiple attractions during your stay.

Read on to figure out which one is the best New York pass to buy for your trip!

The New York CityPASS is a great attraction-based pass choice for you if you know which major sites you want to visit ahead of time.  

How much does the CityPASS cost?

The CityPASS costs $138 for an adult and $118 for children (aged 6-17 years.) The New York C3 costs $92 for adults and $72 for children (aged 5-12 years.)

What are the features of the CityPASS?

• Attractions : It offers eight iconic attractions from which you can use your pass for five. Each CityPASS comes with access to the Empire State Building and the American Museum of Natural History. Then, you can select up to three more attractions from the following list: Top of the Rock® Observation Deck, Ferry Access to Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, 9/11 Memorial & Museum , Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises, Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, and the Guggenheim Museum. With the C3 Pass, you can only choose three sites.
• Validity : This pass is valid for nine consecutive days once you activate it for the first time. Once you buy it, you can start using it at any time within one year from the date of purchase.
• Returns : If you can’t use your pass in that year, you can seek returns for it at any point within those 365 days—as long as you have not already activated it.
• Savings : You can save nearly 41% on expenses as compared to buying admission tickets individually from ticket booths at the attractions.

Pros of the CityPASS

• You can save a lot of money by buying this New York attractions pass for yourself. You will pay 41% less than what you usually would while buying individual tickets.
• You have the option of skipping long queues at some of the attractions if you possess this pass, allowing you to save plenty of time.
• It allows you to have an adaptable and workable schedule. You can visit the select attractions in the order of your choice. You also have nine whole days to cover all the places so that you don’t have to rush too much.
• You can use it for nine days at any point within the year of your purchase. If you cannot, you can easily get your money back.
• If the attractions of your choice match the attractions offered by this pass, you can simply opt for this pass and enjoy a flexible schedule.

Cons of the CityPASS

• If you want to visit attractions beyond the ones mentioned here, you will need to buy tickets separately.
• There might be some additional alterations depending on the location itself. For example, you might need to make a prior reservation beforehand for some attractions.

How to Use your CityPASS

You will first need to buy the tickets online, after which the tickets will be delivered to you digitally. Then, you can go ahead and make your reservations for the attractions and start visiting them.

Why should you choose a CityPass?

The CityPass is a worthwhile choice for your New York trip if you’re looking for ways to minimize your expenses and maximize savings.

The attractions are also fixed for you, so you don’t have to spend time figuring out where to go.

The GO City New York Pass is another great option when it comes to New York sightseeing passes.

These day-based all-inclusive passes allow you to visit as many popular attractions as you want to in a time period of your choice.

How much does the New York Pass cost?

There are several cost options for the New York Pass depending on the number of days you want to purchase the pass for. 

Check their website for any discounts available. 

What are the features of the New York Pass?

• Attractions : Purchasing this pass allows you entry to over 100 attractions using a single pass depending on how many days you buy the pass for. You can visit as many landmarks as you want within the given time period. 
• Validity : The validity of your pass depends on the length of pass you purchase. Remember, there are options that range from one day to ten days. However, once you activate it, you have to use it up within the time period. The New York Pass can be used at any point within two years of its purchase.
• Returns : There is a 90-day cancellation period, which means that you can return your inactive pass and get your money back if you request it within 90 days of purchase. If that return window isn’t long enough for you, you can purchase extra insurance.
• Savings : You can end up saving nearly 40% on your expenses or approximately $400 as compared to buying tickets individually.

Pros of the New York Pass

• There are multiple cost options that you can choose from depending on the length of your stay or visit. This allows you to manage your costs effectively as well.
• The pass is accompanied by a guidebook about the locations that can give you more information about them. It also comes in various languages such as English, French, German, Dutch, Mandarin, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.
• You can essentially get access to nearly all the major landmarks in New York City through this pass, allowing you to handpick your attraction choices while saving a ton of money.
• You can use it at any point within two years of its purchase. Once you activate it at your first location, you will have to use its days consecutively.
• You can skip long lines at a few of the locations, giving you an opportunity to save time and energy.

Cons of the New York Pass

• The 90-day free cancellation period is a bit limited. If your trip gets canceled or postponed beyond this period, you will not be able to get your money back unless you paid for extra insurance.
• Since you have the opportunity to choose between 100 locations, it can be a bit overwhelming to cover as much as you can within the limited number of days.

How to Use your New York Pass

You can buy the pass online and then download the app on which your tickets will be delivered. Either make reservations in advance or simply walk into the location to begin your sightseeing.

Why should you choose a New York Pass?

If you want to visit as many major New York City landmarks as possible in a given time period, going with a New York Pass is a fantastic choice which will grant you access to over a hundred locations.

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With a selection of attractions handpicked by experts, the Explorer Pass New York is a great attraction-based choice for thrifty and tech-savvy travelers.

How much does the Explorer Pass cost?

There are several cost options that you can choose from: 

 Discounts might be available separately on the website. 

What are the features of the Explorer Pass?

• Attractions : Depending on which number choice pass option you choose, there are over 90 attractions that you can visit.
• Validity : You can use this pass at any point within 60 days of activating it. Further, the pass itself is valid for two years, so you can choose to use it for 60 days at any point within the two years.
• Returns : You can cancel the pass and get your money back within 90 days of purchase as long as you have not yet activated it. This will, however, include a processing fee that you will need to pay.
• Savings : You can save up to 50% on your expenses if you opt for this pass as compared to buying at the regular ticket price for each attraction.

Pros of the Explorer Pass

• It is a highly flexible option since you can not only choose how many attractions to visit but you can also do so within 60 days, giving you plenty of time to carry out other activities as well.
• You can end up saving plenty of money and time with this pass since you only need to pay for a certain number of attractions that you know you want to visit.
• Since it is valid for two years, you get plenty of flexibility when it comes to choosing when you want to activate it.
• It comes with a booklet with information about the sites in various languages such as English, Spanish and German.
• You do not need to decide which locations you want to visit beforehand; you can simply decide as you go along.

Cons of the Explorer Pass

• While you can choose from over 90 locations, you can only visit a minimum of two and a maximum of ten in a period of two months.
• You cannot cancel or return the pass after 90 days of purchasing, which limits your timeframe in case of any cancellations or postponements.

How to Use your Explorer Pass

Once you purchase the pass online, you will need to download the app to access your tickets. You can then simply show your mobile ticket at the location. In some cases, you might need to make a prior reservation.

Why should you choose an Explorer Pass?

If you only have a limited amount of time to visit some of your favorite attractions in New York City, then an Explorer Pass is an excellent solution for you.

It also give you two whole months to explore after activating it.

From walking tours to interactive experiences, the Sightseeing Pass offers a diverse set of experiences, in addition to the standard attractions.

How much does the Sightseeing Pass cost?

The New York Sightseeing Pass is unique in that it has both a day-based pass and an attraction-based pass. There are two options to choose from:

With the Sightseeing DAY Pass , you choose the number of days you want the pass to be active for and once activated, there’s no limit to the number of fun attractions you can visit.

If they’re a partner of the Sightseeing Pass, you can visit it.

With the Sightseeing FLEX Pass , you choose a set number of attractions you want to visit throughout your trip. 

While a DAY pass expires at midnight on the last day of its cycle, a FLEX pass is active for 60 days after its first use. Both types of passes become active at the time of their first use.

Find available discounted rates on their website.

What are the features of the Sightseeing Pass?

• Attractions : With more than 90 attractions, you’re sure to find several that interest you. There are also 8 sites listed exclusively with the Sightseeing Pass–the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Intro To New York – Live Interactive Presentation & Prizes, LOL Times Square Comedy Club, LOL Times Square Magic, National Lighthouse Museum, NY Aquarium, and the St. Patrick’s Cathedral Tour’s Gold Pass.
• Validity : You can purchase this pass up to 24 months in advance. This pass is valid for nine consecutive days once you activate it for the first time. Once you purchase it, you can start using it at any time within a year.
• Returns : All unused passes are available for returns up to one year after purchase, as long as you’ve bought Sightseeing Pass insurance with it. 
• Savings : With a DAY Pass, you can save up to 70% instead of buying individual tickets, or you can find city attractions coming in as low as $22 per visit with a FLEX pass.

Pros of the Sightseeing Pass

• Both the Sightseeing DAY and FLEX passes have some of the best savings values compared to the other passes. 
• If you really love visiting observatories in NYC , they’re the only pass to include four options.
• With the FLEX Pass, you have an exclusive Product Voucher Option. You can use one of your attractions to receive a $40 credit to use at CitySightsNY.com .
• They have free maps and a guidebook that you can download on their website to help you plan your trip.

Cons of the Sightseeing Pass

• Since you can choose over 90 locations, it can be a bit overwhelming to cover as much as you can within a short period of time.
• With a DAY pass, you must use the pass in consecutive days once the pass is activated. 

How to Use your Sightseeing Pass

You can either use their app for a mobile pass or have a paper copy of your pass available at check-in.

Why should you choose a Sightseeing Pass?

The Sightseeing DAY Pass is great for first-time tourists who have at least 10 of the top headline attractions on their bucket list.

But if you’ve already been to New York City before for sightseeing, the Sightseeing FLEX Pass is perfect to catch some of those sites that you haven’t seen yet at a discount.

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The choice of attractions-based Freestyle Pass allows you to opt for a certain number of sites that you can then explore in a given period of time.

How much does the Freestyle Pass cost?

The cost differs based on the number of attractions you opt for:

What are the features of the Freestyle Pass?

• Attractions : You can choose from more than 50 attractions if you purchase this pass. Depending on the cost option you go with, you can get access to any three, five, or seven of this list of attractions.
• Validity : You will need to use this pass within 72 hours of activation. You can, however, activate it at any point for 72 hours within 14 days of purchase.
• Returns : You can redeem this pass within one year of purchasing it. However, this pass with online tickets is also non-refundable, which means that you will not be able to get your money back in case of cancelations or postponement.
• Savings : You can end up saving up to 40% on your expenses and is a lot more convenient than purchasing individual tickets from each attraction visit.

Pros of the Freestyle Pass

• You can hop on and off any of their tour buses as many times as you want within 72 hours.
• You also get access to a Night Bus Tour and a hop-on and hop-off ferry service.
• You have a pool of over 50 locations that you can choose from, depending on where you want to go and how many valuable attractions you want to visit.
• You can redeem the pass within one year of purchasing it, which allows for some amount of flexibility.

Cons of the Freestyle Pass

• You must use up the pass within 72 hours of activation, which might lead to a packed schedule without too much room for flexibility.
• There are no refund options available for this pass. Once you buy it, you cannot get your money back even if you cancel your trip. This can waste the money that you spend on buying it.
• Even though you receive an online voucher, you must visit one of their visitor centers to exchange the voucher for your tickets to then use at your chosen sites, which can be a hassle.

How to Use your Freestyle Pass

You can buy the pass online, after which you will receive a voucher.

Once you arrive in the city, you will need to exchange your voucher for tickets at any of their centers in New York.

You can then start exploring any of the attractions on offer based on how many tickets you have.

Why should you choose a Freestyle Pass?

If you only have a short trip planned but want to choose from multiple locations, then the Freestyle Pass is a great addition to your trip.

The New York Tourist Card is a basic but convenient pass that provides access to three popular attractions, the Empire State Building, the Museum of Modern Art, and a 1-hour Circle Line cruise of NYC. 

How much does the New York Tourist Card cost?

The New York Tourist Card costs $83 for adults, $81 for seniors (65+), $70 for youth (13-16), $59 for children (6-12), and $19 for children (3-5). Infants (0-2) are free.

What are the features of the New York Tourist Card?

• Attractions : You can visit three major landmarks in New York City–the main deck of the Empire State Building, the MoMA, and pass by the Statue of Liberty on a 1-hour cruise offered by Circle Line. You also receive access to an audio tour of NYC and a 10% discount for additional attractions. 
• Validity : When you purchase the pass, you will select the dates and times of your admission at check-out. The pass will only be active during that time. 
• Returns : This pass is non-refundable. Once you’ve scheduled your entry dates and times, you can not reschedule or postpone.
• Savings : The New York Tourist Card is the perfect pass for travelers who are looking to get a taste of the Big Apple without splurging. 

Pros of the New York Tourist Card

• You will receive access to an audio tour of NYC and a 10% discount on additional attractions.
• You won’t be wasting money on attractions you have no interest in visiting.
• The pass comes with an interactive map of New York City with more than 140 points of interest.

Cons of the New York Tourist Card

• You cannot reschedule your entry dates and times once they’ve been scheduled

How to Use your New York Tourist Card

Once you buy the pass online, you’ll be prompted to schedule your entry times for the three offered attractions.

Then, you’ll present the correct digital ticket on your day and time of entry to access the landmark. 

Why should you choose a New York Tourist Card?

The New York Tourist Card is the perfect option for travelers who want to experience a few of the most famous attractions in NYC without having to spend too much money.

Not only will you get access to three major landmarks in the city, but also an audio tour and discounts on additional attractions.

The pass comes with an interactive map of NYC with more than 140 points of interest, so you can easily plan your trip.

New York City Attraction Passes Comparison Charts

What major landmarks are included in each pass, what pass can you use at the best observation decks in nyc, what popular new york city tours can you take with each pass.

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Travel Tips for Visiting New York City with a Sightseeing Pass

• Utilize New York City’s public transportation – While it might be tempting to jump into a taxi, public transport is actually the fastest mode of transportation in the city! I have a whole guide to learning how to use the subway for you if you need help.
• Take note of individual entry instructions – Many locations require you to wear masks, show proof of vaccination, or have social distancing guidelines that need to be followed. Check online or ask when you arrive to make sure you comply with each site’s rules, and make sure to check hours of operation for each of your attractions in advance.
• Stay hydrated – It’s important to stay hydrated with all of the walking you’ll do. You should always keep a reusable water bottle on hand. If you can’t find a public refill station, you can “buy” filtered water at Starbucks for free! If you need more suggestions on what to add to your travel style, check out my top travel essentials list .

What major attractions are not included in the best New York City sightseeing passes?

👉 A MetroCard for the New York City subway – None of the five passes listed here include a MetroCard for you to get around the city.

However, since taking the subway is the best way to get anywhere, you need to consider what makes the most sense for your trip.

As I go over in my subway navigation guide , an unlimited weekly MetroCard costs $33 for 7 days of unlimited rides on the subway, but you can’t share the card with anyone else, which means that each person will need their own.

Since each swipe costs $2.75, if you plan on taking the subway at least 12 times (or 6 roundtrips), you break even.

Honestly, I highly recommend you take advantage of this flexibility when you’re using a New York attractions pass!

👉 Tickets to a Broadway show – One of the most iconic things to do in the city isn’t included in New York sightseeing passes!

Picking the right show for your trip is a very personal choice, based on you and your group’s interests and preferences, which is why you won’t find a pass adding show tickets anytime soon.

And, you need to choose a performance that fits into your schedule!

While I’ve shown up at a theater and purchased tickets 20 minutes before showtime before, if you only have a limited time in New York City, I would make sure to purchase your tickets in advance.

You can check Playbill for its updated weekly schedule of currently running Broadway shows .

Which is the best New York pass to buy for my trip?

Quite frankly, after comparing all of the New York City sightseeing passes, they each have their own unique benefits. They are each a great choice depending on your needs! However, these are my recommendations:

⭐️ The Overall Best Pass for New York City – With more than 90 major attractions, sites, and experiences, the GO City New York Pass offers the best passes for New York.

There are no limits to the number of attractions you can visit as long as your pass is active, and because there are so many different ways to see New York City, this pass gives you access to everything from walking tours to museums and experiences. 

⭐️ The Best Pass for a First-time Tourist to New York City : – With nine top choices in New York City of which you can choose six, the CityPASS offers the best “bang for your buck.”

It’s the least expensive option relative to the number of attractions included–and with major sites included like the Empire State Building Observation Deck, American Museum of Natural History, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, there are plenty of reasons why you should consider this pass.

⭐️ The New York Attractions Pass with the Most Observation Decks – Both the Sightseeing DAY Pass and Sightseeing FLEX Pass options include four observatories in New York City, more than any other pass.

New York Attraction Pass Comparison: FAQs

Yes, all of these New York passes are real and valid for access to what is advertised. They can help you save both time and money while getting the most out of your trip to NYC by providing you with a convenient way to access the most popular attractions in the city. The passes offer a variety of options such as the Intrepid Air & Space Museum Pass, Hop-off Bus Tour, Empire State Building Observation Deck, Guggenheim Museum, Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, and much more.

No, the New York Metro Card is not included in any of the New York Passes. Although these passes cover many of the popular tourist attractions and tours around the city, they do not cover fares for the subway or buses. For public transportation use, you will need to get an OMNY account, which is a digital version of the MetroCard. If you need more information, take a look at my guide on navigating the subway ! However, if your itinerary includes some of the more expensive attractions, such as the Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island, then investing in a pass like the Explorer Pass could be worth it as it allows access to multiple attractions and can help you save up to 50%.

No, none of these passes will allow you to visit a landmark more than once. The only pass that allows you to access the same landmark twice is the CityPASS New York. However, you’re only permitted entry to the Empire State Building observation deck twice–once during the day and then again at night.

When it comes to getting the most out of your New York attraction passes, planning is key. Before buying a pass, map out your itinerary and list all of the attractions you want to visit, along with their estimated price. This will help you decide if purchasing a pass makes sense for your budget. Once you have your list ready, use this guide to compare New York passes to determine which one offers the best value for your money. For example, if you’re planning on visiting several expensive attractions like the Empire State Building or Ellis Island, then an all-inclusive Go New York Explorer Pass might be worth considering. Alternatively, if you want more flexibility and don’t want to commit to just one activity or attraction, then a Sightseeing DAY Pass or FLEX Pass could work better for you. Also make sure that whichever pass you choose covers all the major attractions that appeal to your family so everyone can enjoy their time in NYC. You can also look for discounts on admission fees for additional activities, such as boat tours and bike rentals, that aren’t included in some passes. With careful planning and research into what each pass offers, you’ll be able to get great value from your New York attraction passes!

Yes, you can visit all of the top NYC attractions without a pass! You just have to purchase each attraction individually, which can mean long ticket lines and extended wait times. However, now that you’ve read our full New York pass comparison of all the different options available, you know the benefits of purchasing a pass, even for one day of jam-packed sightseeing. You can visit some of the most expensive attractions in New York City with a cost-savings sightseeing pass.

NYC Pass Comparison: Wrap-Up

Sightseeing passes for New York City can be a great way to save money and time on your trip.

From the all-inclusive Go New York Explorer Pass, to the flexible Sightseeing DAY Pass and FLEX Pass, there are plenty of options to choose from that cater to different budgets and interests.

With the right research and preparation, you will be able to find the perfect New York City sightseeing pass that fits your needs.

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