tourist passes for new york

Save on Attractions

Save on admissions to some of New York City's most iconic attractions with these passes. Each offers a different experience, but all give you substantial savings.

ATTRACTION PASSES

See the best of New York City with these preset attraction passes.

Experience NYC’s best attractions with CityPASS tickets. Save 40% on admission to Empire State Building Observatory , American Museum of Natural History, plus your choice of 3 of the following attractions: Top of the Rock® Observation Deck,  Ferry Access to Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island,   9/11 Memorial & Museum, Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises, Intrepid Museum , Guggenheim Museum. 

CityPASS tickets may be purchased online and will be conveniently delivered to your smartphone. Tickets are valid for 9 consecutive days including the first day of use—and come with a 365-day, no-fee return policy.

Price:  Adult $146 (value $244), Child (ages 6-17): $124 (value $237)

You save: 40% off admission prices

Great for: Anyone who wants to hit all the biggies.

C3 by CityPASS

Save up to 37% on admission at 3 top attractions with New York C3 tickets. Valid for 9 consecutive days including the first day of use. Buy online for instant mobile delivery. New York C3® Price: Adult: $104, Child (ages 6 -12): $82

Go City New York

Go City gives you the freedom to do what you want, when you want. Choose 2 to 10 top New York experiences and explore at your own pace—your Explorer Pass is valid 60 days. With 95+ hand-picked options to choose from, save up to 45% when exploring the Big Apple. Enjoy unmissable views from the top of the Empire State Building, hop-on Big Bus Tours to explore the Big Apple by open-top bus, cycle your way around Central Park or visit the iconic Guggenheim Museum—this pass is perfect if you want to tick a few firm favorites off your bucket list and save money when doing so.

Your Explorer Pass includes:

Access to 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 attractions

Must-see attractions, popular activities and fun experiences

Digital pass and guide—download to your mobile device or print at home

The New York Pass

The New York Pass is the ultimate sightseeing pass. Get free admission to over 100 attractions, tours, museums and more including the Empire State Building, 9/11 Museum, Top of the Rock and more. Choose the duration that best fits your visit, then put your wallet away and enjoy entry to as many attractions as you wish to visit. Passes are available for one, two, three, five, seven or ten days. Passes are valid for two years from the date of purchase. Every Pass includes a one day Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus tour and our 230-page full-color guidebook available in English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin, German, French and Dutch. Physical or instantly delivered mobile passes are available.

Price:  Starting from $134 for adults and $99 for kids ages 4–12

You save:  Savings varies according to number of attractions visited; potential savings of over $400

Great for:  The fast mover who wants to do it all. There is no limit to the number of attractions you can visit with the New York Pass.

NYC Borough Pass

NYC Borough Pass is your key to exploring the vibrant neighborhoods, rich cultures and fascinating history of New York City. Immerse yourself in authentic local stories through access to iconic attractions such as the New York Botanical Garden, MoMA PS1, Alice Austen House Museum and Kings County Distillery; one-of-a-kind musical and theatrical experiences at Apollo Theater and Repertorio Español, plus Harlem gospel and jazz performances; and a variety of themed neighborhood tours. Choose the pass duration that suits your travel—1 day, 3 days, 7 days or 90 days—and get ready for a unique exploration of NYC. Download your digital pass to your mobile device and unlock a whole new side of New York City. Price: Starting from $79 You save: Savings depend on pass duration and usage. The more you see, the more you save! Great for: Locals and travelers seeking authentic and immersive experiences while exploring the neighborhoods of New York City. With NYC Borough Pass, the journey is the destination.

The Sightseeing Pass - New York

The Sightseeing Pass has 2 NYC Pass options with access to over 150 attractions and offers and with exclusive ‘NYCTOURISM’ promo code, visitors are always guaranteed best possible deal. All passes are refundable with Sightseeing Pass cancellation cover and grant “visit anytime” privileges to many attractions that normally require timed entry tickets – offering most flexibility to see NYC attractions.

With Sightseeing FLEX Passes you choose how many attractions you like to see and you have up to 60 days for it.

With Sightseeing DAY Passes you can see as many attractions as you like for the number of days you choose the Pass for.

Sightseeing Passes are easy to use and you can easily save 50% on attraction gate prices. Don’t forget: with ‘NYCTOURISM’ code you get the best deal there is.

Additional restrictions may apply. New York City Tourism + Conventions hereby disclaims any responsibility and/or liability for acts by any third party.

New York CityPASS

Is the new york citypass worth it.

The New York CityPASS was one of the first New York attraction passes and still belongs to the most popular ones. As a CityPASS holder, you can visit 5 major New York attractions for a discounted price. Once paid, all admissions are fully covered by the pass. Here’s everything you need to know about the New York CityPASS.

You'll also love this:

• New York Pass Comparison
• New York Pass Savings Calculator

Table of Contents

What is the New York CityPASS?

The New York CityPASS allows you to  save money on admissions to New York’s main attractions. In fact, with the CityPASS, you can save up to 40% on entry tickets. The City Pass NYC is valid for 9 consecutive days following the first day of use, meaning you can visit the 5 attractions at your own leisure. You do not need to nail down your attraction choices beforehand. Instead, you can choose your next spot as you go!

The New York CityPASS one glance

• visit 5 out of 8 attractions
• includes museums, observation platforms, and cruises
• no bus tour included
• valid for 9 consecutive days after activation
• mobile, print or shipping ticket options
• available online

BUY CITYPASS

How does the New York CityPASS work?

Step 1: Purchase it

Once you purchase the City Pass for New York, it will instantly be emailed to you . You can then choose between printable or mobile ticket options. Please note that buying your City Pass online is much cheaper than buying it from a vendor in New York. Thanks to instant delivery, you can purchase your pass online even if you’re already in New York. Once you received your pass, you will have one year to activate it .

For an additional fee of approximately $13, you can have printed booklets shipped to your address . If you decide to order the printed booklet, you need to do so in advance as you have to consider the shipping time of 7-10 days. 2-day shipping would cost you an extra $25. We don’t recommend the printed booklet as you will be just fine using your phone or printing out your ticket. If you pay $25 for shipping alone, you reduce your savings significantly and may as well just purchase your tickets at the ticket counters.

Step 2: Activate it

Your NY City Pass will automatically be activated the first time you use it . Once you present your pass at your first attraction, it will be scanned and you will have 9 consecutive days to visit all remaining attractions. That gives you plenty of time to discover New York City at a relaxed pace.

Step 3: Use it

Simply present your pass at the ticket counter of your selected City Pass attraction. Upon scanning the QR code on your phone or printout, you will receive your standard admission ticket in return. Your CityPASS fully covers admissions and there won’t be any additional charges.

How much does the CityPASS cost?

The New York CityPASS costs $138 for adults, meaning that you pay an average of $28 per attraction. For kids from 6-17, the City Pass 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.

Available Upgrades and Extras with the CityPASS

• Visit the 102nd floor of the Empire State Building for $35-38 +tax
• 15% discount at Showtime Pictures and The Official Empire State Building Store
• Jump the line at the Empire State Building with an Express Pass for $33
• Receive $5 off your Rockefeller Center Tour 20% off purchases of $20 or more at Top of the Rock Retail Shops if you present your CityPASS
• Upgrade to any Circle Line cruise of higher value for $5-25
• 10% discount on the purchase in the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space museum store

New York City Pass Attractions

The New York CityPASS includes a total of 8 attractions, of which you can visit 5 . Two of the five tickets are pre-selected for you and can’t be changed. For the other three, you have a choice between six options. You do not need to make these choices when you purchase the City Pass NYC. The pass allows you to stay flexible and choose your attractions as you go .

FIXED ATTRACTIONS

The fixed attractions included in the New York City Pass are already selected for you. You cannot switch a fixed attraction for another one.

• 1. Empire State Building

The Empire State Building was renovated and includes a new museum, making a visit even more worth it. The City Pass offers includes two admissions to the Empire State Building. This means you can visit the Empire State Building twice on one day: during the day AND the night!

• 2. American Museum of Natural History  

The American Museum of Natural History is one of the most popular museums in the world and also a great pick if you are traveling with children. Standard admission also includes access to the Rose Center for Earth and Space. Yet,  you don’t necessarily need a pass to save money.

You can visit the American Museum of Natural History for less – without a pass!

We are not here to advertise something that you don’t need. Our goal to help you find the best New York City Attraction Pass for you so that you can maximize your savings. The American Museum of Natural History is one of the museums that offer pay-what-you-wish admission, meaning you can choose the amount you pay. It does not mean that it is free per se, however, you can pay whatever you can afford. For a full list of museums that offer free admission or pay-what-you-wish admission, check out these free museums in NYC .

ATTRACTION CHOICES

As for your remaining three attractions, you have a choice of six given options. You can easily choose three of these six attractions spontaneously when you are in the city and you don’t have to decide yet when purchasing the CityPASS.

3. Top of The Rock  

4. Guggenheim Museum

5. Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise

6. Ferry to Liberty Island & Ellis Island

7. Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

8. 9/11 Memorial Museum

To figure out whether the New York City Pass is the best pass for you, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of the pass, followed by my honest opinion of the City Pass.

Pros of the NY CityPASS

• you can save up to 40% off regular ticket prices
• offers discount in some attraction stores
• it can be the cheapest pass if you’re completely happy with the offer
• it’s great for museum lovers

Cons of the NY CityPASS

• two attractions are preselected, whether you want to visit them or not
• you are limited in choosing your remaining three attractions
• you don’t need a pass to save at the American Museum of Natural History
• it’s not suited for repeat visitors

Who is the New York CityPASS for?

• The CityPASS for New York can be a good pass for first-time visitors, as in includes many top attractions, museums, and cruises.

My personal opinion

Generally speaking, I do not recommend buying the CityPASS. Considering the fact that you are very limited in your choices and don’t even need a pass to visit the American Museum of Natural History, I think there are better providers out there that let you customize your pass while saving a considerable amount of money.

If you do want to visit the Empire State Building twice and/or are completely happy with all CityPASS attraction choices, then the pass can be worth it for you. The best way for you to find the best pass is by using our Savings Calculator . Simply select the attractions and tours you are interested in and the tool will automatically calculate which pass will yield you the largest savings. It can be as simple as that!

Compare the NY CityPASS with other passes

Are you not sure if the CityPass NYC is the best option for you? Head to our Ultimate New York Pass Comparison to see how the New York City Pass performs against other popular attraction passes out there.

The Ultimate New York Pass Comparison

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...

How long is the CityPASS valid for?

Once you purchase your CityPass for New York, you have one year to activate it. That means you can already purchase your pass as far as one year in advance. Upon activation, which is the first use, you have 9 consecutive days to visit all the attractions. I don’t recommend buying the pass that far in advance. You can even purchase your pass when you’re already in New York City. Thanks to the instant digital delivery, you’ll have your pass in no time.

Where can I buy the CityPASS?

You can buy the New York CityPASS online or in New York. It is cheaper, however, to buy your pass online which is why we always recommend buying it online. The pass will immediately be emailed to the address you provided making it even more convenient to buy the pass.

Does the New York City Pass include fast lanes?

The NY CityPass includes standard admission. You have, however, the option to upgrade or add extras to certain attractions at an additional charge.

Can I return my CityPASS?

Refunds are only available for unused passes under certain circumstances. To request a refund for your already purchased CityPASS, visit the official CityPass website.

Do I need to pay extra for attractions with the CityPASS?

The City Pass NYC is no discount booklet. It already fully covers standard admission, meaning you won’t have any additional costs unless you choose to upgrade your ticket.

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

NYC Attraction Pass Savings Calculator

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 !

Get exclusive content, real insider tips, and the best deals in NYC for FREE!

Start of your trip: We will remind you with current events when you are in NYC!

New York Pass Comparison

Which city sightseeing pass should you buy.

Latest update: May 13, 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!

Finding the Universe

Travel tales, photography and a dash of humor

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!

Enjoyed this post? Why not share it!

There are 6 comments on this post

Please scroll to the end to leave a comment

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!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Let me know when there's a reply to my comment (just replies to your comment, no other e-mails, we promise!)

Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter where we share our latest travel news and tips. This also makes you eligible to enter our monthly giveaways!

We only ask for your e-mail so we can verify you are human and if requested notify you of a reply. To do this, we store your data as outlined in our privacy policy . Your e-mail will not be published or used for any other reason other than those outlined above.

The Ultimate Guide to New York City Attraction Passes + Prices

Home | Travel | North America | United States | New York | NYC | The Ultimate Guide to New York City Attraction Passes + Prices

When traveling abroad, get a policy from one of the  best travel insurance companies . Y ou can get a  5% discount   on Heymondo , the only insurance that pays medical bills upfront for you, HERE!

You’ll never run out of things to do in this city, so if you want to save money and see as much as possible, consider a New York City attraction pass . Whether you’re visiting for a day, a week, or long term, there is an NYC pass for you.

The options range from one-day and multi-day passes that let you see unlimited attractions, to longer-term passes that cover a specified number of activities. There are even shorter-term cards that let you see some of NYC’s most popular and expensive attractions at a discounted rate.

This guide will help you find the New York sightseeing pass that best suits your trip and preferences. I’ll tell you each card’s time limit, included attractions, advantages, and disadvantages so you can easily compare these options:

• The New York Pass
• GoCity New York Explorer Pass
• New York Sightseeing Day Pass
• New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass
• New York CityPass
• New York C3 Pass

At the end of this guide, I will also give you some tips to make the most of your NYC pass. But, while each of these NYC attraction passes help you save money, if it’s your first time here, we recommend the New York Pass , which includes over 100 activities and validity for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, or 10 days.

What is a New York City attraction pass?

A New York attraction pass can help you make the most of your time in the Big Apple by saving you money on all kinds of activities, attractions, sites, NYC museums , and tours. Most New York City sightseeing passes have a digital option or mobile app, so you can quickly scan your pass and skip the ticket line.

An attraction pass is ideal for families, groups, and first-time visitors, and there are several options available. The New York Pass and the NY Sightseeing Day Pass allow you to visit unlimited attractions for several consecutive days. Meanwhile, the GoCity New York Explorer Pass and the NY Sightseeing FLEX Pass are valid for a longer period of time but limit the number of attractions you can visit. Finally, the New York CityPass and NEW YORK C3 Pass are good if you only want to visit a few specific premium attractions.

In this article, I’ll review each New York attraction pass , comparing their pricing and included attractions, so you can choose the best card for your needs .

1. The New York Pass

The New York Pass is a digital pass for over 100 NYC attractions. Not only does it include several New York museum passes , but you’ll also have access to all kinds of tours, NYC observation decks , the Big Bus Tour (one of the best hop-on hop-off bus tours in NYC ), and more. You can purchase a pass for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, or 10 days, but you must use it for that specific number of consecutive days. It’s the best NYC pass for first-time visitors since it includes lots of touristy activities, so we recommend it if you want to see some of the best attractions in NYC during your 2-day itinerary or 10-day itinerary to NYC .

Attractions included

• 9/11 Memorial & Museum
• 9/11 Museum Workshop: Hands-On 9/11 Tour
• American Museum of Natural History
• Best of Brooklyn Walking Tour in Williamsburg
• Best of NYC Cruise by Circle Line
• Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off: 1-Day Classic Ticket
• Broadway and Times Square Tour
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden
• Brooklyn Bridge Bike Rentals by Blazing Saddles
• Brooklyn Bike Rental by Unlimited Biking
• Brooklyn Bridge Walking Tour
• Brooklyn Bridge and DUMBO Neighborhood Tour
• Brooklyn Museum of Art
• Catacombs by Candlelight Tour
• Central Park Bike Rental by Unlimited Biking
• Central Park Bike Tour by Unlimited Biking
• Central Park Sightseeing Walking Tour
• Central Park TV & Movie Sites Walking Tour
• Christmas Lights Walking Tour of Brooklyn
• City Rambler – A Walk Through History
• Clipper City Tall Ship – Statue of Liberty Cruise
• Colonial New York Retold Walking Tour
• Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
• Deno’s Wonder Wheel
• El Museo del Barrio
• Empire State Building Observatory
• Escape Virtuality
• Food on Foot Tours
• Fotografiska New York
• Fraunces Tavern Museum
• Ghosts of Greenwich Village Tours
• Graffiti & Street Art Walking Tour of Brooklyn
• Greenwich Village Walking Tour
• Greenwich Village at Night Walking Tour
• Hamilton Tour
• Harbor Lights Cruise by Circle Line
• Harlem Bike Rental by Unlimited Biking
• Harlem Gospel Tour by Inside Out Tours
• Harlem Highlights Bike Tour by Unlimited Biking
• Harlem Jazz Series
• Harlem Walking Tours
• High Line Chelsea Meatpacking Tour
• Holiday Markets & Lights Tour
• How Money Was Made: Wall Street Walking Tour
• International Center of Photography Museum
• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
• LEGOLAND Discovery Center – Westchester
• LEGOLAND Discovery Center New Jersey
• Landmark Cruise by Circle Line
• Liberty Cruise by Circle Line
• Liberty Super Express Cruise
• Madame Tussauds Admission + MARVEL Universe 4D
• Marvel & DC Superheroes Tour
• Masters of the Camera
• Museum at Eldridge St.
• Museum of Arts and Design
• Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
• Museum of Sex
• Museum of the City of New York
• NYC Bus Tour of Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens
• NYC Slavery and Underground Railroad Tour
• NYC TV & Movie Bus Tour
• New York Botanical Garden
• New York City News Media Walking Tour
• New York City Sketching Art Tour
• New York Hall of Science
• New York Historical Society
• One World Observatory
• Pride Walking Tour
• Rockefeller Center Tour
• SEA LIFE Aquarium New Jersey
• Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden
• SoHo, Little Italy, & Chinatown Walking Tour
• Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
• Patrick’s Cathedral Tour
• Staten Island Children’s Museum
• Staten Island Ferry Audio Guide & Empire Outlet Coupons
• Staten Island Museum
• Staten Island Zoo
• Statue of Liberty Ferry and Ellis Island Immigration Museum
• Surrey Rental on Governors Island
• Tastes of the Lower East Side Walking Tour
• The Cathedral of St. John the Divine
• The Museum of Chinese in America
• The Official Chinatown Walking Tour
• The Official Little Italy Walking Tour
• The Paley Center for Media
• The Skyscraper Museum
• Top of the Highline and Vessel Tour
• Top of the Rock Observation Deck
• Whitney Museum of American Art
• Yankee Stadium Tours
• Best for : First-time visitors, families
• Pros : 365-day money-back guarantee, variety of passes, number of attractions
• Cons : You must use the pass in the consecutive days

2. GoCity New York Explorer Pass

Another New York City attraction pass you may like is the GoCity New York Explorer Pass . It works at over 100 attractions, and you have 60 days to use it, so it’s a good option if you’re going to be in the city a few times over the next couple of months or staying long term. Simply download the mobile app and pick the activities you’d like to do as you go. This GoCity New York Explorer pass has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10-attraction option, so it’s best for people who know specifically what they’d like to see.

• Best of NYC Cruise: Circle Line Sightseeing
• Broadway & Times Square Walking Tour
• Brooklyn Bridge Bike Rental by Unlimited Biking
• Brooklyn Bridge Guided Bike Tour by Unlimited Biking
• Brooklyn Bridge and DUMBO Walking Tour
• Brooklyn Museum & Brooklyn Botanic Garden Combo
• Central Park Walking Tour
• Circle Line NYC Landmarks Cruise
• Clipper City Tall Ship: Daytime or Sunset Statue Sail
• Empire State Building
• Graffiti & Street Art Walking Tour in Brooklyn
• Guggenheim Museum
• Guided Harlem Highlights Bike Tour by Unlimited Biking
• Harbor Lights Cruise: Circle Line Sightseeing
• Harlem Gospel Tour (Sunday Service)
• High Line – Chelsea – Meatpacking District Neighborhood Walking Tour
• Holiday Markets & Christmas Lights Walking Tour
• Liberty Cruise: Circle Line Sightseeing
• Masters of the Camera NYC Rooftop Photoshoot
• NYC Slavery & Underground Railroad Walking Tour
• New York Historical Society Museum
• Perfect Picnic
• Secrets of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island – Walking Tour
• SoHo – Little Italy – Chinatown Neighborhood Walking Tour
• Patrick’s Cathedral Tour with Express Entry
• Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ferry
• Surrey Bike Rental on Governors Island (2 hours)
• The Museum of The City of New York
• The New York Botanical Garden: Garden Pass
• The Whitney Museum of American Art
• Top of the Rock Observatory
• Woodbury Common Bus Tour (Round Trip + VIP Coupon Book)
• Yankee Stadium – Classic Tour
• Best for : People who know exactly what they want to see
• Pros : You can choose the attractions as you go, you have 60 days to use it
• Cons : You’re limited to a specific number of attractions

3. New York Sightseeing Day Pass

With a mobile app and access to over 150 attractions, the New York Sightseeing Day Pass is another solid choice. Select a New York sightseeing pass for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 10 days, and do as many activities as you want during that time. You’ll get access to popular attractions like observation decks and museums, as well as premium tours. The card has a 1-year money-back guarantee, and you can get a refund for your non-used pass if you purchase Sightseeing Pass insurance.

• 9/11 Ground Zero Museum Workshop
• 9/11 Tribute Museum
• Best of Brooklyn Walking Tour – Brooklyn Unplugged
• Big Bus NY Classic Tour – 1 Day
• Bowlmor Times Square
• Brooklyn Children’s Museum
• Brooklyn Christmas Lights Tour (at Dyker Heights) – Brooklyn Unplugged
• Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine – General Admission
• Central Park Bike Tour or Rental by Fancy Apple
• Central Park Zoo
• Circle Line Landmarks Cruise
• Circle Line Liberty Cruise
• City Sightseeing/Hornblower Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Cruise
• El Museum del Barrio
• Escape Game New York
• ExperienceFirst – Greenwich Village Walking Tour
• ExperienceFirst – High Line and Chelsea Walking Tour
• ExperienceFirst – Inside Broadway Walking Tour
• ExperienceFirst – Lower Manhattan walking Tour
• ExperienceFirst – Secrets of Hudson Yards, High Line & The Vessel Tour
• ExperienceFirst – SoHo and Little Italy Walking Tour
• Food on Foot Tours – Midtown Mix Guided Food Tour
• Fotografiska NY
• Gray Line CitySightseeing Best of Manhattan Tour
• Gray Line CitySightseeing Brooklyn Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
• Gray Line CitySightseeing Downtown Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
• Gray Line CitySightseeing Night Tour
• Gray Line CitySightseeing Uptown Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
• Hamilton Happy Hour Tour
• Hornblower Cruises – Alive After Five
• Hush Tours – Walk This Way Thru Harlem Tour
• International Center of Photography
• LOL Times Square Comedy Club
• LOL Times Square Magic
• Macy’s Historical Tour
• Madame Tussauds New York
• Madison Square Garden All-Access Tour
• Manhattan and Beyond Tours – Central Park Walking Tour
• Manhattan by Sail – Clipper City Daytime Statue Sail
• Manhattan by Sail – Shearwater Statue Sail
• Museum at Eldridge Street
• Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust
• National Lighthouse Museum
• New York Historical Society Museum and Library
• Northlandz Miniature Wonderland
• NY Aquarium
• NYC Fashion Window Walking Tour
• On Location Tours – Central Park TV and Movie Sites Tour
• On Location Tours – NYC TV and Movie Tour by Bus
• Queens-Flushing Meadows International Food Excursion
• Radio City Museum Hall Stage Door Tour
• Scavenger Hunts – New York
• South Street Seaport Museum
• Spirits on Foot – Beer, Spirits & Wine Crawl
• Patrick’s Cathedral Tour – Gold Pass
• Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Roundtrip Ferry Tour
• Woodbury Common Premium Outlets
• Best for : First-time visitors, families with kids
• Pros : Variety of attractions and day passes
• Cons : You must use the pass for the number of consecutive days

4. New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass

If you have a few top attractions that you’d like to see during your trip, consider the New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass . Choose from over 100 attractions, including bus tours, shows, and meals. Depending on the New York FLEX Pass you select, you’ll get access to 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, or 12 activities. Plus, this pass is valid for 60 days, so it’s convenient if you’re going to be in NYC sporadically over the next couple of months.

• Buffalo Wild Wings – Brooklyn
• ExperienceFirst – Lower Manhattan Walking Tour
• Radio City Music Hall Stage Door Tour
• Sea Life Aquarium American Dream – New Jersey
• Best for : Seeing the most popular attractions; people who have limited sightseeing time during a long-term stay
• Pros : You have 60 days to use your pass

5. New York CityPass

The New York CityPass is valid for nine days and saves you 40% at five of the top NYC attractions. This NYC pass includes admission to the Empire State Building and the American Museum of Natural History. Then, you can choose between the Top of the Rock or the Guggenheim; a ferry ride to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island or a Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise; and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum or the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

While it’s a bit more complicated, it’s a good New York attraction pass if you want to see a few of these premium sites and you have a longer stay in the city.

• Top of the Rock Observation Deck or Guggenheim Museum
• Ferry Access to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island or Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise
• 9/11 Memorial & Museum or Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
• Best for : People who only want to do NYC’s top activities and visit the best observation decks and museums for the cheapest price
• Pros : 365-day money-back guarantee, you have 9 days to use it
• Cons : It only includes 5 attractions, you don’t have a wide selection

6. New York C3

The New York C3 Pass can help you save up to 34% on some of NYC’s most exclusive attractions, and it has a 365-day risk-free return policy for unused cards. The New York C3 pass is valid for nine days and grants you access to three premium attractions. There is a mobile pass option, which is especially convenient for large groups. On the downside, the C3 card only gives you 11 attractions to choose from.

• Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
• City Cruises
• Ferry Access to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
• The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
• Best for : Visitors who are short on time or on a budget
• Pros : Great savings on some of NYC’s most iconic attractions
• Cons : You must use the pass within 9 days of activating it, there are only 11 attraction options

Which New York City discount pass is best?

If you’re not sure which card to choose, here is a New York City attraction pass comparison chart so you can see which ones include the activities and attractions you definitely want to see. The prices in parentheses show the regular admission price, so you can calculate your savings with each card.

Looking at all the options, my top recommendation is the New York Pass if it’s your first time in the Big Apple or you plan to do a lot of sightseeing . Specifically, the three-day card will give you plenty of time to see the most popular attractions.

If you aren’t planning to see that many things, and saving on prime attractions is what you’re after, then grab a pen and a piece of paper and run this quick calculation:

• Choose which of the starred attractions in the chart you want to visit no matter what.
• Add up the ticket prices of those attractions.
• Check the price for each of the tourist pass options (take into account the days you want to spend visiting those attractions or the number of attractions you want to see.)
• Check if all the passes include the starred attractions you want to visit. If not, add up the prices of those attractions to the cost of that pass to have the total cost per option.
• Compare the total cost of visiting your favorite attractions without a pass with the total cost per tourist pass (cost of the passes + cost of attractions not included.)

At this point you should know which is the cheapest option for you, but if you’re still unsure and are deciding between two options, repeat the calculation with other non-starred attractions you want to visit, too. If the difference is not that much, I recommend getting an all-inclusive pass, like the New York Pass or the New York Sightseeing Day Pass .

Tips to make the most of your NYC pass

With a bit of planning, your New York City sightseeing pass will pay for itself. Be sure to take the time to see which attractions are close to each other so you can maximize your time and savings. To help you out, here are some examples of how to use your NYC attraction pass for 2, 3, 4, or 5 days to make the most of your time.

Best New York citypass for a 2-day itinerary

• Recommended pass : 2-Day New York Pass
• Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Ticket (regularly $60)
• Central Park Bike Tour (regularly $52)
• Museum of Modern Art (regularly $25)
• Empire State Building (regularly $48)
• Ferry to Liberty & Ellis Islands (regularly $25)
• 9/11 Memorial & Museum (regularly $28)
• One World Observatory (regularly $45)
• Brooklyn Bridge & DUMBO Tour (regularly $35)
• Harbor Lights Cruise (regularly $44)
• Total cost without pass : $365
• Total cost of 2-Day Pass : $189
• Savings : $176

Best New York citypass for a 3-day itinerary

• Recommended pass : 3-Day New York Pass
• Bronx, Brooklyn & Queens Bus Tour (regularly $79)
• THE EDGE at Hudson Yards (regularly $44)
• Total cost without pass : $488
• Total cost of 3-Day Pass : $219
• Savings : $269

Best New York citypass for a 4-day itinerary

• Recommended pass : 4-Day New York Pass
• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum (regularly $33)
• High Line & Chelsea Walking Tour (regularly $39)
• Lower East Side Food Tour (regularly $35)
• Total cost without pass : $595
• Total cost of 4-Day Pass : $249
• Savings : $346

Best New York citypass for a 5-day itinerary

• Recommended pass : 5-Day New York Pass
• American Museum of Natural History (regularly $23)
• Guggenheim Museum (regularly $25)
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art ($25. Not included in this pass)
• Patrick’s Cathedral Tour (regularly $25)
• Total cost without pass : $693
• Total cost of 5-Day Pass : $279 + $25
• Savings : $389

Please, take into account that these aren’t the itineraries I recommend for 2, 3, 4, and 5-day trips. It’s just an example to show you how much you can save by using a tourist pass. Apart from attractions and tours, I recommend booking some time to just walk around the city by yourself and take in the views; it’s one of the best free things to do in NYC.

Are these NYC passes worth it?

As you can see from the New York City tourist attraction pass comparison chart and the sample itineraries, an NYC CityPass is worth it , especially if you want to do a lot of sightseeing or you’d like to experience some of the more expensive attractions. As long as you run the calculation above and make sure you purchase the right pass for your trip, you’ll save money while enjoying the best places to visit in Manhattan !

I hope you found an NYC pass you’d like to use during your trip. If you have any questions or are still unsure about which NYC pass is best for you, feel free to leave me a comment below. Have a great time in New York City!

Don't miss a 5% discount on your HeyMondo travel insurance  

and the only one that pays all your medical bills upfront for you!

Ascen Aynat

6 replies on “ The Ultimate Guide to New York City Attraction Passes + Prices ”

We were disappointed to learn the site seeing pass does not include the 9/11 museum.

Hi James, Yes, the New York Sightseeing Pass is the only NYC card that doesn’t include the 9/11 Museum (although it does include a 9/11 walking tour).

Hi Karen I’m bamboozled by all the options! If you buy the passes, is entry free to the sites or discounted?

Hi Niamh, Typically, entry is included (free) if you have the attraction pass. However, different passes include different attractions, so take a look at the chart in this article to see which attractions are included in each pass.

Hello Ascen,

My husband and I are taking our son and 10 year old grandson to NYC for a 3-day visit in June. We are considering either the 3-day NYC pass or the Sightseeing Day pass. We would like to upgrade the Ellis Island/Statue of Liberty visit to include the pedestal access and possibly the crown. We would also like to upgrade the Empire State building 86th floor ticket to include the 102nd floor viewing. Do either pass include the upgrade, or would we need to purchase a ticket upgrade when we arrive at the attraction? Would it be best to purchase tickets before we go for specific days? Can we purchase the passes this early and do we need to specify which days we want to use them for? If we don’t specify days, could the attraction be full for the day? Thank you for your information. So helpful!!

Hi Karen, You can get the 3-day pass and upgrade your ticket once you reach the attraction.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

• Philadelphia
• Washington DC
• New Orleans
• Fort Lauderdale
• Smoky Mountains
• San Francisco
• Los Angeles
• California & Vegas
• Malaga - Costa del Sol

Email Address is invalid

Please enter your password

The email address or password provided is incorrect. Please try again or click 'Forgot Password' to reset your password.

Don't have an account?

• My Account Log Out
• Maps & Guides
• Sightseeing Pass App
• Travel Tips
• New York With Kids
• Cancellation Cover

UP TO $150 OFF

Spring sale, offer ends: mon 20 may 2024, sightseeing pass prices are going up in june. buy in advance and take advantage now. you have 12 months from the date of purchase to activate your passes - all non-used passes are refundable with sightseeing pass insurance..

• 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.

Why Sightseeing Pass

NYC Sightseeing Pass is designed to save you money even when visiting just 2 Attractions. Created by local New Yorkers for visitors and locals alike, Sightseeing Passes have already helped over 1 Million customers.

Plan your Trip before you arrive

Sign up to NYC travel tips, free subway, bus and attraction maps. Planning in advance is a key to a successful trip.

Entry to 4 Observation Decks & $60 Heli Offer, Central Park and Bronx Zoos, NY Aquarium, Go-Airlink Airport transfer, The Cauldron NYC - Potion making for Beginners and the Museum of Broadway only with The Sightseeing Pass.

New York Monthly Travel Guides

An expert guide to new york.

Read our monthly guides and learn what to expect, what the weather is usually like, what to wear, how to get around easily and what are the best events in the city during your trip.

Newsletter Sign Up

Daily insiders Travel Tips for selected destinations

Buy The New York Pass® directly from us!

Access all these perks that you won’t get anywhere else...  .

• Check Icon Exclusive risk-free guarantee. Save or your money back!
• Check Icon Extra flexibility – 365-day cancellation and two-year validity.
• Check Icon Direct customer support from our dedicated team.

With The New York Pass®, you'll get access to 100+ top New York attractions for one low price.

Why you should buy directly from the new york pass®, 100+ attractions to choose from with the new york pass®.

Tick off the top things to do in New York:

• Empire State Building
• Top of the Rock
• One World Observatory
• 9/11 Memorial and Museum
• Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Tours
• Statue of Liberty ferry
• Madison Square Garden
• New York Yankees tickets
• Plus loads more...

Join millions of happy customers – New York Pass® users have made over 4 million attraction visits!

The new york pass® is highly rated, but don't just take our word for it, why choose the new york pass®, plan on the go.

The only pass that guarantees you'll save money. It's risk free, literally...

💰 Savings guarantee:  you'll save money with The New York Pass vs. buying individual tickets and we’ll refund the difference if you don’t!

💵  365-day cancellation policy:  plans changed? No problem! You can refund any unused passes for free within 365 days of purchase, totally free!

⏱️  Two-year validity:  you've got two years to activate your pass. Buy from us today, to guarantee the best price!

Ready to explore New York for less?

Buy now to lock in unbeatable savings on 100+ attractions.

You have two years from purchase to use it. So snap up a great deal today and don't sweat about having to use it straight away. 

There's no need to pick before you purchase. You can choose whichever attractions you want to visit as you go. Some require advanced reservations and some you can turn up to on the day - our handy app has all the information you need to plan your trip.

We know you'll make great savings on your city sightseeing, which is why we offer our savings guarantee. If you somehow don't save on entry, we'll refund the difference.

The Go City app is your key to exploring the city. Download for free to your Apple or Android device and follow the instructions in your confirmation email to sync your pass to the app. Then all you've got to do is show your pass at each attraction.

Plus, we've loaded the app with plenty of useful attraction info, itineraries and much more to make planning and exploring even easier.

Once you've purchased your passes, you'll receive a confirmation email with details on how to download and activate them.

Certain attractions will require a reservation. If this is the case, you will find all booking information listed on our  reservations page  and the individual attraction pages on our website and app. Some advance reservations will require a pass number or order reference number to secure your booking. This will not activate your pass.

Sorry, you can only visit each attraction once.

Have a 5% discount, on us!

More savings? You're welcome. Sign up to our newsletter and receive exclusive discounts, vacation inspiration and much more.

• Thick check Icon By signing up, you agree to receiving email updates in accordance with The New York Pass privacy policy . We do not sell your personal data.

The Purposely Lost

• Get In Touch
• FREE Travel Planner
• Shop My Favorites
• Story Archives

Find Lyndsay's Favorites

History Travel + Local Experiences

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

This post may contain affiliate links! I will receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you purchase something recommended here.

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!

Get your list of Free Activities in New York City

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase – the best things in life are free. Why not begin your adventures with this book of the best free activities in New York City!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

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.

• The Best Observatories in New York City
• Your Guide To New York City Museums Free Admission and Pay-As-You-Wish
• How To Understand NYC Streets: The New York Grid System Explained
• Your Guide to the Best Free Things To Do in New York City
• Favorite Features: Popular Movies & TV Shows Set in New York City

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.

• Your Guide to the Best Spring Activities in New York City
• The Ultimate Summer Bucket List for New York City
• The Best Fall Activities in New York City
• The Best Fall Festivals in New York City
• Your Perfect New York City Christmas Itinerary
• Terrific Tours to Celebrate Christmas in New York City

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.

• Here’s What to Expect Glamping on Governor’s Island with Collective Retreats
• The Best Things to do in Poughkeepsie, New York
• The Most European Cities in North America
• The Most Important Things to do Before Traveling
• Your Guide to the Best Travel Essentials for Women

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.

You've successfully joined our subscriber list.

You’ll Also Love

How to Make Friends in NYC: The Friendship “Dating” Game

Become Purposely Lost

I'm Lyndsay! Thank you so much for joining me here at The Purposely Lost.

Latest on Instagram

• Affiliate Disclaimer
• Cookie Policy
• Privacy Policy
• Terms and Conditions
• Accessibility Statement
• United States
• Travel Tips

Copyright © 2024 The Purposely Lost · Theme by 17th Avenue

Copyright © 2024 · Mia On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your browsing experience and analyze the use of the website. Learn More

NYC Subway Pass

Which metrocard to buy.

How to pay for your NYC subway ride can be confusing if you are visiting NYC.

Should you get a pay-per-ride or an unlimited MetroCard, or maybe you just pay with OMNY using a contactless credit card?

But, once you understand the basics, the choices aren't so daunting.

As local tour guides who not only use the subway for personal transport but also for our tours, this is definitely one of the topics we get asked about the most.

And, it's our hope, that this post will help you determine which form NYC subway MetroCard is best for you.

And, if you would like to have someone show you how to use the subway in NYC, then consider taking our subway tutorial.

Like most of our tours, it's free to book and runs on the pay-what-you-wish model.

Let's get going!

• Unlimited vs. Pay-Per-Ride Card vs. OMNY
• How to Purchase a MetroCard
• Tips on Using the Subway
• Which Subway App is Best?
• Subway or Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus?
• Things to Do in NYC

Is There a New York Subway Pass for Tourists?

New York City does not currently offer a subway pass intended only for tourists. However, you don't have to worry!

We'll show you where and how to purchase a card, and how much to spend, with special tips for tourists and visitors.

UNLIMITED vs. PAY-PER-RIDE METROCARDS 

There are two types of cards to choose from: a Pay-Per-Ride card and an Unlimited Ride card.

With a Pay-Per-Ride card, your card will deduct $2.90 every time you take the subway/bus.

An Unlimited Card costs a flat fee and you can use the subway/bus as many times as you want within a set number of days.

When deciding which card is best , think about how long your trip is and how many times you think you might be taking the subway.

Also, consider the number of people in your party. 

*Before buying a MetroCard, read below about NYC's OMNY program which began its rollout in 2019.

Pay-Per-Ride MetroCards

• Add money to your card and each time you 'swipe' your card to enter the subway, $2.90 will be deducted from your card balance.
• There is a one-time $1 fee when you purchase a card. Don't throw your card away when it runs out of money, or you will have to pay $1 again when you buy a new card.
• You can buy a single-ride card for $3, but it is unlikely you will need this type of card.
• See below for what deals are available.
• Up to 4 people can use the same MetroCard. It will still cost $2.90 per person per ride but you do not need to pay the $1 fee for multiple cards.
• Each ride includes a free transfer (within two hours) between subway lines, bus, and subway, or between buses.
• This card can be used on the JFK AirTrain connecting the airport to the subway system (additional cost applies). See our  Manhattan to/from JFK Airport .
• See below for other transportation systems that accept the Metrocard.

Before we continue, we are running this poll in our  NYC Travel Tips  Facebook group.

Would you like the option of a 1-hour subway tutorial tour? Click the link to vote or  email us .

Unlimited MetroCards

This card is valid for unlimited subway and bus rides until midnight from the day of first use. You can choose a 7-day unlimited card or a 30-day unlimited.

There is a $1 fee when you purchase a card. *Do not throw away your card when it expires, or you will have to pay $1 again for a new card.

An unlimited 7-Day MetroCard costs $33 and allows unlimited swipes. See below for what deals are available.

While a single ride costs $2.90, the Unlimited card saves you money because the more you use it, the cheaper each ride is.

• for 13 trips = $2.53/ride
• for 15 trips = $2.20/ride
• for 20 trips = $1.65/ride

If your stay is 30 days or longer, consider a 30-day unlimited card for $127 ($63.50 reduced fare).

Important rules that apply to Unlimited MetroCards:

• It can only be used by 1 person.
• Once you have swiped the card to enter the subway, it cannot be used again for 18 minutes. 
• Unlimited Ride MetroCards are not accepted by the JFK AirTrain , Express buses or PATH trains.
• See below for other transportation systems that accept this card.

As an alternative to using a MetroCard, riders can now tap to pay at the turnstile!

Metrocard machines were scheduled to be phased out in 2023, but this date is now 2025.

With the new OMNY system, you can tap a credit or debit card onto the OMNY reader, smartphone, or wearable device.

You also have the option of buying an OMNY card, a durable hard card ( see more below ).

The OMNY tap-to-pay method is available at all subway stations in NYC and all MTA-operated buses. 

A great feature of the OMNY system is the weekly fare cap .

Starting on a Monday, once you pay for 12 rides, with the same device or card, you can ride for free for the rest of the week through Sunday.

A few important things to know: 

• OMNY only offers the “pay-per-ride” option so you will pay full price every time you tap to pay. Unlimited passes and other concessionary prices will be added to the system later.
• You get most of the same features of a MetroCard such as free transfers and the ability to pay for yourself and up to 3 other people on the same card. 
• OMNY accepts Visa®, Mastercard®, American Express®, Discover®, and JCB networks. But debit cards requiring a pin cannot be used at this time. Be sure to check the MTA website to see if your card is accepted by OMNY.

If you want to switch to the OMNY tap system but do not have a credit card or contactless form of payment, you can purchase an OMNY card.

OMNY cards are not sold in subway stations yet. You can buy them and reload them at stores like Walgreens, CVS and 7-Eleven.

Since MetroCards are still available until the end of 2024, so until then, it may not be worth buying an OMNY card, which costs $4 more than a MetroCard.

On the other hand, if you use a pay-per-ride MetroCard, you do not get to take advantage of the OMNY fare cap mentioned above .

Find out more about the OMNY card here .

You could also listen to our NYC Travel Tips podcast episode on the NYC subway. You can get our podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

What other transportation systems accept the MetroCard?

In addition to the New York City subway and bus system, both unlimited and pay-per-ride cards can be used on:

• Staten Island Railway (stay and explore Staten Island after taking the free  Staten Island Ferry )
• Roosevelt Island Tram (to get one of the best  skyline views of NYC . Learn more by reading our post on riding the tram and visiting Roosevelt Island . 
• New Jersey PATH trains between Manhattan and certain locations in New Jersey (an extra fee applies for the pay-per-ride MetroCard). 

See the official MTA website  for:

• subway and bus maps
• service status and delays
• planned service changes
• the MTA TripPlanner to figure out your route.

DECIDING WHICH CARD IS BEST FOR YOU 

When deciding what card to get, ask yourself how many times you think you will be taking the subway within the number of days you will be here.

Also, take into account the number of people in your group and their ages as there are offers for seniors and toddlers. (See  below ).

If you think you will be taking the subway  at least 12 times,  the Unlimited Card will likely save you money.

If you think you will take the subway just a few times, go for the Pay-Per-Ride card. 

Remember that an Unlimited Card can be used only by one person, and you would each have to buy your own Unlimited card.

But if you are traveling with several people, it makes sense to buy a Pay-Per-Ride card since up to 4 people can enter the subway with the same card.

The card will deduct $2.90 for each person when you enter.  

Deals to take into account:

For families, up to 3 children can ride for free with one fare-paying adult, provided all the children are under 44 inches (112 cm) tall.

This policy is good for subways and local buses, no matter which type of MetroCard you choose.

Seniors 65 years+ and also individuals with qualifying disabilities may qualify for reduced fares.

See  below  to learn how Reduced Fare cards work. 

Reduced-Fare Customers - Deals to take into account:

Seniors 65 years and over and those with qualifying disabilities can get a reduced fare.

• Bring your valid ID, such as your passport or driver's license that shows your age
• Go to the station agent in the booth where you will show your ID and pay $2.90 for a non-refillable MetroCard good for TWO rides.
• You do not have to pay the $1.00 new card fee.
• Not all stations have agent booths.
• This 2-trip MetroCard will be accepted at all subway stations, local buses, and Staten Island Railway.
• This card is not accepted  for any other bus lines or the Roosevelt Island Tram.
• For more information, click here .

Student MetroCards

Student MetroCards are distributed by NYC schools and allow eligible students 3 free rides per school day to and from school and school-related activities and events.

Note: To receive a refillable reduced-fare MetroCard, you must apply and wait a few weeks to receive it. So unless you plan on staying in NYC for a very long stay, stick with the non-refillable card.

Taxis and Uber

If you like to take taxis, then having a pay-per-ride MetroCard may be your best choice. 

You might find that taking a taxi makes more financial sense, especially if you are going short distances.

Not only does a taxi save you time (if there is no traffic), but in some cases, a taxi can be cheaper for most trips under 2 miles (3.2 km), especially if you have 3 or 4 people in your group.

 See our posts on  how to take a taxi in NYC and use Uber in NYC .

PURCHASING YOUR METROCARD 

MetroCards can be purchased from the vending machines at subway stations and some shops and newsstands around the city.

Check here to see what merchants near you sell MetroCards nearest you.

The easiest way is to purchase your card at a station from the vending machines.

There are two types of machines pictured here: the larger machines on the right let you pay with cash, credit cards, or ATM/debit cards.

The smaller machines are for credit or debit cards only.

Paying with a credit or debit card:

If you pay with your credit card, you will be asked to enter your zip code after you dip your card.

If you do not have an American zip code, you can use 99999 for a zip code. 

Paying with cash:

If you pay with cash and pay with a large bill and not the exact amount, you will receive the difference back but in $1 coins, not bills. 

The machine can only return up to $9 in change.

Tip:  Always get a receipt in case you lose your card or it does not work. 

Here is a step-by-step instructional video.

TIP:  A good way to have fun and get an in-person lesson about the subway is to take our  Manhattan in One Day Tour . 

Once you have purchased your card, here are some tips on how to use it! 

Make the most of your metrocard and subway travel.

Foreign Language Speakers 

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) website offers translations of their site.

Simply look in the lower left-hand corner of the page and you will see an option for Google Translate.

Ride the Subway with a Tour Group

Our New York Subway Art Tour , our  All-in-One Tour , and our Manhattan Night Tours use the subway.

This will help you familiarize yourself with the New York Subway System.  

You'll get an expert lesson on using your card, including how fast to swipe your card through the turnstile.

Swiping too fast or too slow won't work - you have to find just the right speed!

MetroCard Offers Offers and Deals

For certain attractions, theater tickets, and events. Most New Yorkers do not even know this!

Click  here for what concessions are being offered currently.

We can also tell you where to find cheaper tickets for major attractions and Broadway shows .

Enjoy the ride!

Perhaps the best part of riding the subway is the great free musical performances you'll come across. 

Our post on  where to find NYC street performers and music in the subway will lead you straight to them!

Other means of traveling around NYC

• Travel by various  ferries .
• Take a  hop-on, hop-off bus tour .
• Take a hop-on, hop-off boat tour, or cruise .

See which bus tours, cruises, and ferries are included in  NYC concessionary tourist passes .

Choose a Destination... I want them all PLUS general travel tips. Amsterdam Berlin Boston Charleston Chicago Dubai Lisbon London Los Angeles Miami Nashville New York City New Orleans Paris Philadelphia Prague Rome San Francisco Washington DC

About The Author

Stephen Pickhardt

North america, united kingdom & ireland, middle east & india, asia & oceania.

How To See New York's National Parks For Free

• Explore history and natural beauty inexpensively at free national parks in New York State.
• Discover 22 national parks in New York, with 10 located in NYC, offering unique sites and history.
• Save money with America The Beautiful Pass, granting access to national parks and more for $80 yearly.

When visiting New York, many choose to go to New York City to see the sights. Central Park, the Empire State Building, museums, the Brooklyn Bridge, and more are huge tourist locations in the city. However, they are also crowded and many cost a great deal of money to enjoy as well.

For those who want to visit New York to learn more about the history of the state as well as the nation, there are national parks scattered throughout the state to explore. Some are trails, while others are national historical places. Many are many decades to centuries old, but there are some that have only been designated a park of the National Park System within the last several decades.

But, with visiting national parks, the price can be steep, especially if visitors would like to see more than one. Fortunately, there are national parks that can be visited for free in New York. While some may have small parking fees or a ferry fee, the ability to tour them with a guide costs nothing, cuts down on costs while visiting the state tremendously, and allows visitors to see free scenic natural wonders in New York State .

7 National Parks Within Driving Distance Of New York City

How many national parks there are in new york, there are 22 national parks in new york state.

New York may seem like nothing more than a concrete jungle, but there is a lot of history and natural beauty that has been preserved within not only the state but New York City itself, as a result of the National Park Service lands, monuments, and more.

In New York State, there are 22 national parks that make up the natural wonders that are solely unique to the state . Surprisingly enough, there are 10 alone located in New York City. Each site is unique unto itself and draws nearly 12 million visitors to the area every year to see the historic sites in the state run by the NPS as well as visit the small towns near these protected scenic areas .

Some of the most popular national parks in New York include:

• Appalacian National Scenic Trail
• Harriet Tubman National Historical Park
• Fire Island National Seashore
• Fort Stanwix National Monument
• Saratoga National Historical Park

While these are some of the most popular, they also cost money to visit, whch could deter those visiting New York from going, especially if they are on a budget.

But, what some do not know is that there are free national parks to visit in New York. While some may have nominal parking fees, the ability to visit the site and have a tour costs nothing.

7 National Parks To Visit For Each Type Of Traveler

Which national parks in new york are free, there are 10 national parks in new york that can be visited for free.

Despite there being many national parks in New York, not all of them are free. However, there are some that are and are some of the most popular national monuments and memorials throughout the nation. All of which are worth visiting to understand the history of not only New York, but of the US as a whole in some instances.

While the entrance to the parks is free, in some instances, there will be nominal fees for parking or ferry rides. Checking the prices to see if they fit within a budget and whether ferry rides fit into a schedule is recommended before making plans to visit the national parks.

The free national parks in New York include:

With some of these national parks being located near one another, it may be possible to see several in one day, depending on schedules, parking, and tour times available.

10 Surprising & Scenic Spots Where You Can Be One With Nature In New York City

How to save money with the national park pass, going to the national parks in new york and across the nation does not have to be expensive.

For those who want to see more of the national parks, not only in New York but throughout the rest of the nation, it can get pricey to do so.

For those who have an end goal of seeing all the national park sites within the US, the price alone can make this dream seem impossible. This is because the cost of one park entry can be $30.00 or more per vehicle. With some parks taking more than one day to explore, fees can get astronomical in a very short order.

However, the National Park System does not want to deter anyone from visiting the natural wonders that have been saved over the decades or even centuries. Because of this, the NPS has the America The Beautiful pass available for purchase.

The America The Beautiful Pass has a yearly fee of $80.00. For those who plan on visiting three or more parks, or entering one park three times a year, the pass will have paid for itself.

There is more to know about the America The Beautiful Pass , however. Not only are the national parks covered in the cost of the pass, but there are other agency-run areas that accept it as well. Those agencies include:

• The Forest Service
• Fish and Wildlife Service
• Bureau of Land Management
• Bureau of Reclamation
• US Army Corp of Engineers

While it is recommended to call the area desired to be visited first to ensure the pass is accepted, most of these agency-run locations will honor it.

Be advised, fees for camping, special tours, ferry fees, parking, and boat launching are not covered by the pass. Additional fees may be applicable depending on the activities desired at some of the most beautiful places in the nation.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Senate Approves Bill to Reauthorize F.A.A. and Improve Air Travel

The Senate also passed a short-term extension of the current F.A.A. law to give the House time to clear the longer-term package early next week.

By Kayla Guo

Reporting from the Capitol

The Senate on Thursday passed legislation to reauthorize federal aviation programs for the next five years and put in place new safety measures and consumer protections for passengers, at a moment of intense uncertainty and disruption in the air travel system.

The bill , which still must win final approval in the House before becoming law, would provide more than $105 billion to the Federal Aviation Administration and another $738 million to the National Transportation Safety Board for airport modernization, technology programs and safety. It would also bolster the hiring and training of air traffic controllers, codify airlines’ refund obligations to passengers, ensure fee-free family seating and strengthen protections for passengers with disabilities.

“Aviation safety has been front of mind for millions of Americans recently, and this F.A.A. bill is the best thing Congress can do to give Americans the peace of mind they deserve,” Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, said on the Senate floor on Thursday evening.

It passed in an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 88 to 4, just one day before the current law is scheduled to lapse. The Senate also unanimously approved a short-term extension to allow time for the House to take up and clear the longer-term package next week, a step that would send it to President Biden.

The legislation is a bipartisan compromise negotiated over months by the Senate and House committees with jurisdiction over the F.A.A., after Congress authorized several short-term extensions of the agency when lawmakers failed to meet earlier deadlines. The House passed its version of the bill almost a year ago in a lopsided vote of 351 to 69.

Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington, chairwoman of the Commerce Committee, celebrated the bill’s provisions on consumer protections, aviation safety, air traffic controllers, airport infrastructure and work force development on the floor after passage.

“This is a big moment for aviation,” Ms. Cantwell said. “We have had safety issues and concerns that we need to make a big investment. This legislation is that investment — in safety standards, in protecting consumers and advancing a work force and technology that will allow the United States to be the gold standard in aviation.”

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, the top Republican on the Commerce Committee, said: “This legislation is a strong, bipartisan, bicameral bill that includes hundreds of priorities for senators and representatives, both Republican and Democrat. This bill gives the FAA the safety tools it needs at a critical time.”

As one of the few remaining bills considered a must-pass item this year, the F.A.A. package, which prompted several regional disputes, became a magnet for dozens of amendments and policy riders that threatened to delay it in the Senate.

With the legislation threatening to stall, the House on Wednesday approved a one-week extension for the F.A.A. before leaving Washington for the weekend. The Senate followed suit on Thursday, steering around lingering disputes that had threatened to scuttle the effort and cause a brief lapse for the F.A.A.

The debate came at a time of acute uncertainty about the aviation system, which has had a recent spate of concerning episodes such as dangerous near collisions on runways, plane malfunctions and thousands of flight delays and cancellations.

It was unclear for much of Thursday whether the Senate would be able to push through the legislation and the extension, as senators demanded votes on amendments or threatened to block speedy passage. No amendments were ultimately brought to a vote.

The most intense regional fight was over a provision in the bill that would add five round-trip long-haul flights out of Ronald Reagan National Airport outside Washington. Proponents, which include Delta Air Lines, have said they want to expand access to the nation’s capital and increase competition.

The proposal incensed lawmakers representing the area , who argued that the airport maintains the busiest runway in the country and cannot support additional flights. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner of Virginia and Benjamin L. Cardin and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, all Democrats, filed an amendment to strike the new flights.

Mr. Kaine and Mr. Warner threatened to hold the bill up if they did not receive a vote. But Mr. Cruz blocked an effort to bring up a compromise amendment that would have given the transportation secretary the final say on new flights after considering any effects they would have on delays and passenger safety.

“The Senate abdicated its responsibility to protect the safety of the 25 million people who fly through D.C.A. every year,” Mr. Kaine and Mr. Warner said in a statement. “Some of our colleagues were too afraid to let the experts make the call. They didn’t want to show the American people that they care more about a few lawmakers’ desire for direct flights than they care about the safety and convenience of the traveling public. That is shameful and an embarrassment.”

The senators from Virginia and Maryland were the only votes against the bill.

Another group of senators failed to secure a vote on a proposal to halt the Transportation Security Administration’s expansion of facial recognition technology at airports and restrict it where it is in use.

Senators had also proposed adding a number of unrelated bills, including one that would compensate people harmed by exposure to the nation’s nuclear weapons program , legislation to fully fund the replacement of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, and a credit card competition measure. Senators Marsha Blackburn, Republican of Tennessee, and Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, were pushing for a vote on their bill to protect minors online into Thursday. None of them made it into the final product.

An earlier version of this article misstated the name of the bridge in Baltimore that collapsed. It is the Francis Scott Key Bridge, not the Francis Key Scott Bridge.

How we handle corrections

Kayla Guo covers Congress for The New York Times as the 2023-24 reporting fellow based in Washington. More about Kayla Guo

A Divided Congress: Latest News and Analysis

Biden Impeachment: A crop of freshman Democrats on the House Oversight Committee has countered Republicans’ allegations against President Biden with attention-grabbing charges of their own .

Marjorie Taylor Greene: The hard-right congresswoman from Georgia failed spectacularly  in her bid to depose Speaker Mike Johnson. But for a figure who sees her power in creating chaos, the loss was the point .

Aviation Bill: The Senate passed legislation to reauthorize federal aviation programs  and put in place new safety measures and consumer protections, at a moment of intense uncertainty and disruption in the air travel system.

Ted Cruz: The Republican senator from Texas, who made a name for himself trying to shut down the government over the Affordable Care Act, took on an unfamiliar role as a critical player in pushing through the aviation bill .

Antisemitism Hearing: A Republican-led House committee turned its attention to three of the most politically liberal school districts  in the country, accusing them of tolerating antisemitism, but the district leaders pushed back forcefully .