Which New York City Attraction Pass is Best? A Comparison of Sightseeing Passes in NYC in 2024
The Ultimate Travel Guide to New York City Attraction Passes—Which New York Pass is Best in 2024
There are so many attraction pass options. It takes time to decide which New York City attraction pass is best for your vacation. That’s why I’ve created this list that compares all the major attraction passes in New York City. So that you can make an educated decision for your trip.
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Planning a trip to New York City can be downright overwhelming. I know because I’ve done it. New York is a major city with so many things to do. So, how do you make the most of your trip with the time you have available and still see and do everything you want to do within your budget?
That’s where the New York City attraction pass comes in. But with almost a dozen options to choose from, how do you know which New York City attraction pass is best? Well, that depends on you and what you’re looking to get out of your trip.
To help you out, I’ve curated this list of all the major New York attraction passes. I’ve included the popular New York CityPASS, New York Explorer Pass, and New York Pass. I will go over all the major differences between the passes and help you decide which one is right for your vacation.
Plus, I’ll answer all the frequently asked questions about the New York City attraction passes and how they work.
In a rush? Here’s Which New York City Attraction Pass is Best, at a glance:
✨ The pass with the most bang for your buck: New York CityPass.
✨ The most flexible attraction pass: Sightseeing FLEX pass.
✨ The best pass overall: Either the New York Pass or the Go City All-Inclusive Pass.
2024 Updates
If you’ve used a New York City attraction pass before, or have previously done your research for an upcoming trip, make sure you also know these quick updates for 2024!
Do the New York City attraction passes include admission to the MET?
Unfortunately, no.
As of March 1, 2022, no third parties are permitted to sell admission to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, more commonly known as the MET.
This means that none of the New York City attraction passes will include entrance to this famous museum. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit it anyway!
If art is something that intrigues you, then visiting one of the most famous art museums in the world in one of the most famous cities in the world is definitely a bucket list experience worthy of squeezing into your NYC itinerary. You can book admission to the MET directly by clicking on their website here.
ADVENTURER’S NOTE: If you live in New York and have a valid New York State ID, you will be granted admission into the MET, and the MET’s medieval counterpart, Th Cloisters, on a donation-based entry fee.
Meaning, you can choose what you want to pay, and free is one of the choices! This discounted/free entrance is also granted to students enrolled in schools in the states of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
There’s a new observation deck in town—Summit One Vanderbilt
In case you haven’t heard, the Empire State Building and the Top of the Rock are no longer the only places in town to get an unobstructed view of the New York City skyline. In fact, there are five popular places to catch a glimpse of NYC’s infamous layout. And the newest one is Summit One Vanderbilt.
The observation deck lies at the top of the One Vanderbilt skyscraper in Midtown, which was built in 2020. The deck itself opened in October 2021. Even though it is a few years old, many people still aren’t aware of the one observation deck that aims to defy the standards of observation decks everywhere.
The Summit takes up four floors at the top of the 93-story building. In addition to being a cool place to touch the sky, the tower also offers one-of-a-kind art installations and sensory experiences. These unique features set the Summit apart from its counterparts, making it a very worthwhile adventure.
Purchase your ticket to experience this one-of-a-kind observation deck here.
Why buy a New York City attraction pass?
The New York City attraction passes can be an amazing tool for first-time NYC travelers and returning visitors. They’re even great for locals who want to explore a little more around their town. You’d be surprised how many NYC residents haven’t even been to some of the most significant attractions. Like to see the Statue of Liberty!
The New York City attraction passes are great tools because they will both save you money. They’re also an amazing resource to help you find unique excursions that you may have never heard of before. Like the Fotografiska New York, a modern photography museum located in the Flat Iron District and offered by Go City.
While each pass has its similarities to the others, they are all designed in their own specific way. Each one offers a different number of attractions and day options. This is great because it means you can pick a pass that will work best for the type of traveler you are. It’s another way to customize your trip to your ideal vacation.
However, this also means you can’t pick a pass based on price alone. There are many factors to look at, including the types of attractions the pass includes, the number of attractions or days included, and the pass’s validity.
Luckily, I’ve done all the hard work of comparing each of the major passes for you. This comprehensive guide will help you compare each one until you find out which New York City attraction pass is best for your vacation.
What is a New York City attraction pass, and how do they work?
There’s no doubt about it—New York City is expensive. Attraction passes are one way to help cut the cost of your trip. They allow you to book the most popular attractions at a discounted rate.
There are different types of New York City attraction passes. We’ll go over each in detail in a moment.
How do the New York City attraction passes work?
With a New York City attraction pass, you choose between a number-of-days pass or a number-of-attraction pass. Meaning you either choose how many days you want the pass to cover or the specific attractions you want available on the pass.
Once you choose your pass, you will receive an email with a link that allows you to download the pass straight to your phone. Alternatively, some passes can mail you your ticket for an extra fee or hold it for your to pick up in person in NYC. But if you have a smartphone, the most convenient way to access your pass will be straight from your cellphone.
After you purchase your pass, there will be a set amount of time when you can activate the pass before it expires. Usually, this is about 24 months after the date of purchase. Your pass will activate after you’ve scanned it at your first attraction.
To enter attractions, all you need to do is show the QR code from your phone. Remember that some attractions require reservations. The pass will give you directions on booking a time slot for those activities. You will only be able to visit each attraction once for each pass. So be sure to plan your excursions wisely!
ADVENTURER’S NOTE: There is one exception to this rule, and that is the New York CityPASS. With the New York CityPASS, you can visit the Empire State Building twice in one day.
This is awesome because it means you won’t have to pick between a daytime view or a nighttime view of the skyline. You can do both! Talk about bucket list goals.
What New York City attraction passes can you buy?
There are seven main New York City attraction passes. We’ll go over each one to help you decide which one is best for your vacation.
- The New York Pass
- The New York CityPASS
- The New York C3
- The Sightseeing DAY Pass
- The Sightseeing FLEX Pass
- The Go City Explorer
- The Go City All-Inclusive
Which New York City attraction pass is best for your adventure?
How do you know which New York City attraction pass is best for your trip to the Big Apple?
Before you decide which pass to buy, think of what your overall vision for your trip is. Consider how many days you have available and what you want those days to look like.
Do you want a fast-paced vacation where you squeeze in a lot of activities in a short period of time? Or are there only a few specific attractions that you care to see, and you’d be okay with skipping some of the other popular stuff?
Knowing what you want your trip to NYC to look like will help you decide which New York City attraction pass is best for your vacation and travel style.
Types of attraction passes in New York City
Now that you know what your vision for your trip looks like, take a look at the different types of attraction passes available in New York City.
Day-based passes, aka all-inclusive passes
This type of pass is like choosing food at an all-you-can-eat buffet. While you’re at the buffet, you can eat as much as you want for the price of one entry, but as soon as you walk out the doors, everything becomes off-limits.
For these passes, you pick the number of days that you’ll be visiting New York. During those days, you can visit as many attractions as you want.
Pros: Unlimited attractions = more bang for your buck. At least if you’re quick enough to fit in a lot of excursions.
Cons: Possible pressure to rush around and do as much as possible during your time in the city. Not great for those who like to relax and go with the flow on their trips.
Types of day-based passes:
Attraction-based passes
While the day-based pass is an all-inclusive smorgasbord like at a buffet, the attraction-based pass is more like ordering off a menu at a restaurant.
For this type of pass, you choose the attractions that you want to visit. The price of the pass adjusts for each new attraction that you add. You get to pick the attractions that are included, but your pass will only include those that you select.
Pros: You get to customize your order, have control over the attractions included, and can take things slow if you’re not into the hustle-energy type of vacation.
Cons: Limited to the attractions that you purchase.
Types of attraction-based passes:
Pre-packaged passes
This is sort of like the attraction-based pass, except you don’t get to pick the attractions included in your bundle. These passes come with a set number of attractions already picked out for you—usually the most popular excursions.
Pros: You won’t experience decision fatigue because the choice of attractions is already made for you. You will see the most popular attractions at a bundled discounted rate.
Cons: No control over the choice of attractions.
Types of pre-packaged passes:
Bus tour combo packages
I know you’ve seen the big double-decker buses in movies or tv shows that drive around big cities like NYC and London. This is exactly what we’re talking about here.
These hop-on-hop-off bus tour combo packages will transport you to NYC’s biggest attractions and photo ops. And they’ll provide educational commentary while they’re at it.
You could purchase a bus tour ticket on its own, but many of the New York City attraction passes include a bus tour as an option for one of your attractions. And at a discounted rate, too!
So, if a bus tour is on your agenda, I’d recommend booking one of the New York passes instead of booking a bus tour directly.
Pros: This is great if you want to see a lot really quickly and don’t want to hassle with the subway system or a taxi while exploring.
Cons: These kinds of tours are often rushed as they’re trying to show you the entire city in just a few hours. They also often only include a couple of pre-selected attractions.
New York City attraction passes that include bus tours:
Comparison at a glace—An overview to help determine which New York City attraction pass is best for your adventure
Below you will find two charts for a quick overview of the differences between each pass. This will help you figure out which New York City attraction pass is best for your trip. We will go into each pass in more detail in a minute.
Which New York City attraction pass is best for your trip?
What does each New York City attraction pass include?
A closer look at the New York City attraction passes—A comprehensive guide to which New York City sightseeing pass is best for every type of trip
Okay, so the above charts give us a quick comparison of each of the most popular New York City attraction passes and what they include, but let’s dive in a bit deeper. In the next section, I will describe each pass in detail so you can see what each pass includes or skips. This way, you can be confident in deciding which New York City attraction pass is best for you.
Here, we will go into all the most frequently asked questions about each major New York City attraction pass.
After describing all the passes, I’ve also put together a FAQ section to help you gain even more clarity on which New York City attraction pass is best for your vacation. Click here to skip to the FAQ.
The New York Pass
What kind of pass is the New York Pass?
The New York Pass is a day-based pass. This means you choose the number of days you’re visiting New York City. And unlimited attractions are included with the pass price.
What attractions are included in the New York Pass?
When it comes to finding which New York City attraction pass is best, the New York pass is top of the line as far as what attractions are available to choose from. With more than 100 attractions to choose from, the New York Pass includes every popular attraction in New York City.
Click here to see if the attractions you’re looking for are included with this pass.
Does the New York Pass include the NY Sightseeing Bus (Hop-On Hop-Off) Tours?
Yes! The New York Pass includes the Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off 1-day ticket as one of the attraction options.
How much does the New York Pass cost?
The price of the New York Pass varies depending on the number of days you choose. The pass starts at $142 for a 1-day adult pass and can go up to $369 for a 10-day adult pass.
How to use the New York Pass?
Using the New York Pass is easy. Simply purchase it online, see which attractions you want to visit, then look to see which ones need a reservation and schedule one if necessary. Otherwise, show up at the attractions of your choice, and they will scan your phone at the attraction entrance.
Will I get a refund if I do not use the New York Pass?
Yes! As long as you call their customer service within one year of purchase and haven’t activated the pass yet, you will be able to receive a refund.
How do I make the most out of the New York Pass?
The New York Pass must be used within consecutive days, and the number of days depends on how many you reserved the pass for. So if you activated a three-day pass on a Monday, the pass expires at the end of the day on Wednesday. This means that to make the most out of the New York Pass you’ll need to plan your trip itinerary wisely.
With the New York Pass, you can visit 100+ attractions, but you can only visit each attraction one time. So, look over the list of offered excursions and pre-plan how many you want to visit and on what days. This way, once you’re in New York, you can spend more time exploring and less time figuring out where to go next.
Is there any limitation while using the New York Pass?
Yes, the only limitation is that you can only visit each attraction once when using the New York Pass.
Is the New York Pass worth it?
If you want a jam-packed trip where you can see as many New York attractions as possible at a low price, then yes, the New York Pass is worth it.
Where can I purchase the New York Pass?
Click here to purchase the New York Pass.
New York CityPASS
What kind of pass is the New York CityPASS?
The New York CityPASS is a prepackaged pass. In other words, it’s an attraction-based pass with limitations. These limitations are that you only get to choose some of the attractions that are available. While the pass offers some negotiable elements, the New York CityPASS has fewer attraction options. And some elements cannot be changed.
What attractions are included in the New York CityPASS?
The New York CityPASS includes entry to 5 attractions per pass. Every ticket includes the first two attractions on the list. For the last three, you get to pick either one OR the other.
- Empire State Building
- American Museum of Natural History
- Top of the Rock Observation Deck OR Guggenheim Museum
- Ferry Access to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island OR Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
- 9/11 Memorial & Museum OR Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Does the New York CityPASS include the NY Sightseeing Bus (Hop-On Hop-Off) Tours?
Unfortunately, no. The New York CityPASS does not include bus tours.
How much does the New York CityPASS Pass cost?
The New York CityPASS is $129 per adult.
How to use the New York CityPASS Pass?
When you purchase your tickets, you have one year from the date of purchase to activate your pass. The pass is activated when you visit your first attraction. It stays active for nine consecutive days, including the date it was first used on. Some attractions will need reservations, so make sure to review your attractions and make reservations ahead of time.
Will I get a refund if I do not use the New York CityPASS Pass?
Yes. You can request a refund for your New York CityPASS here if it has been less than a year from your date of purchase and you have not activated your pass.
How do I make the most out of the New York CityPASS Pass?
Since the New York CityPASS only includes five attractions, to make the most bang for your buck, I recommend only purchasing this pass if you are interested in going to all five included attractions.
Is there any limitation while using the New York CityPASS Pass?
Yes. The New York CityPASS only includes options to go to five attractions. So if you are interested in any attraction that is not included or would like to visit two attractions in an option, it would be better to choose a different pass for your trip. For instance, it’s not possible to go to both the Top of the Rock AND the Guggenheim Museum with the CityPASS.
Is the New York CityPASS Pass worth it?
The New York CityPASS is worth it if you do not intend to visit more than five attractions during your trip to the Big Apple AND you are interested in all the attractions the pass provides.
However, if you want to visit more than five attractions or are not interested in some of the attractions the New York CityPASS includes, then a different pass would be better for your trip.
Where can I purchase the New York CityPASS?
Click here to purchase the New York CityPASS.
New York C3 from CityPASS
What kind of pass is the C3 Pass?
Think of the C3 Pass as a “choose three” plan. The C3 Pass is also offered by CityPASS. Only instead of having the ability to visit five attractions, you can pick from a list of 11 attractions and choose three to visit.
What attractions are included in the C3 Pass?
- Empire State Building
- Top of the Rock Observation Deck
- Ferry Access to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
- 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- American Museum of Natural History
- The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
- Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
- Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
- Guggenheim Museum
- City Cruises – Limited Days of the Week
- Edge at Hudson Yards
Does the C3 include the NY Sightseeing Bus (Hop-On, Hop-Off) Tours?
No bus tours are included among the options with the C3 Pass.
How much does the C3 Pass cost?
The C3 CityPASS is $92 per adult ticket.
How to use the C3 Pass?
When you purchase the C3 Pass, you will have one year from the date of purchase to activate the pass. The pass activates at the first attraction you visit and is valid for nine consecutive days. You can visit any of the 11 attractions offered, but you will only be able to visit three in total. Keep in mind that some attractions require reservations.
Will I get a refund if I do not use the C3 Pass?
Yes. You can request a refund for your New York CityPASS here if it has been less than a year from your date of purchase and you have not activated your pass.
How do I make the most out of the C3 Pass?
The C3 Pass is great if you only want to visit a few of the top attractions in the city. To make the most of the C3 Pass, make sure that you visit all three of your allotted attractions.
Is there any limitation while using the C3 Pass?
The C3 Pass includes all the most popular attractions in NYC. However, it only has 11 choices, and you can only pick three of them. You might want to consider a different discount pass if there are more than three attractions that you are interested in visiting.
Is the C3 Pass worth it?
The C3 Pass only has 11 options out of hundreds of NYC experiences. So it doesn’t have the most expansive catalog of options to pick from. However, it is one of the more budget-friendly options. And it’s a great choice if you don’t have a lot of excursions you want to explore.
Where can I purchase the C3 Pass?
Click here to purchase the C3 Pass.
The New York Sightseeing Pass
The Sightseeing DAY Pass versus the Sightseeing FLEX Pass— Which New York City attraction pass is Best?
The New York Sightseeing Pass offers two different options depending on what kind of trip you want to plan. They have BOTH a day pass and an attraction pass option.
With the New York Sightseeing DAY Pass, you can enjoy unlimited sightseeing at more than 150 attractions within the number of days (between 1 & 10) you picked.
With the New York Sightseeing FLEX pass, you choose the attractions you want to visit when you purchase the pass. You can choose up to 12 attractions out of 100+ options. And you have up to 60 days to visit all the attractions you chose. Because of the flexibility, this pass is excellent for locals or people who have been to NYC before.
What attractions are included in the New York Sightseeing Pass?
Just like the New York Pass, the New York Sightseeing Pass offers more than 100+ attractions. It’s the same whether you go with the FLEX or DAY pass. This means that any of the most popular excursions will be included with this pass.
Does the New York Sightseeing Pass include the NY Sightseeing Bus (Hop-On Hop-Off) Tours?
Yes! Both the New York Sightseeing FLEX and DAY Passes include options for five different hop-on, hop-off tours.
How much does the New York Sightseeing Pass cost?
The New York Sightseeing DAY Pass starts at $144 for a one-day pass for an adult and goes up to $369 for a 10-day pass.
The New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass starts at $74 for two attractions and tops at $284 for the 12 attraction option.
How to use the New York Sightseeing Pass?
DAY Pass
Just like the New York Pass, the New York Sightseeing DAY Pass starts with you picking the number of consecutive days (up to 10) you want the pass to be active for. Once you’ve decided how long you will be exploring the town and purchased your plan, the pass will download to your phone and won’t become active until you scan it at the first attraction you visit. After that, you can visit unlimited attractions a day until your pass expires on the day you selected for it to end.
FLEX Pass
Just like the New York CityPASS, the New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass is an attraction-based pass. However, unlike the CityPASS, the FLEX Pass has more than 100 attractions to choose from. And you don’t have to pick and choose between two options. With the FLEX Pass, you can pick up to twelve attractions to visit.
Like the DAY pass, the FLEX pass activates when you scan it at the first attraction you visit. However, with the FLEX pass, you have up to 60 days to visit all the attractions you chose to include.
Will I get a refund if I do not use the New York Sightseeing Pass?
The New York Sightseeing Pass requires you to purchase the company’s insurance in order to get a refund on unused passes. Insurance costs 4% of your total order. Unlike the other passes, if you don’t purchase insurance, you will not be eligible for a refund.
How do I make the most out of the New York Sightseeing Pass?
The New York Sightseeing Pass is set up so you can customize the pass to the type of trip that you want to have. Before you purchase a pass, consider how many attractions you want to visit and how much the regular prices at these attractions will cost.
If you are only going to be in the city for a few days and you want to make the most out of your time—as in see as many attractions as you can—then the DAY pass may be the best New York City sightseeing pass for your trip.
However, if you only have a few attractions that you want to see, then being able to pick them out with the FLEX pass could save you up to 50% on regular-priced tickets.
Is there any limitation while using the New York Sightseeing Pass?
Both the DAY and FLEX passes include more than 100 attractions in NYC. Check this list to ensure that the attractions you are interested in are included. The only limitation with either pass is, like the others, you can only visit an attraction once for your admission to be included with the discount pass.
Is the New York Sightseeing Pass worth it?
The New York Sightseeing Pass is worth it if…
A) You have a lot of attractions that you want to see in a short period of time. (DAY Pass)
B) If you are a local to NYC, live near the city, or will be in the city for an extended period of time and want to explore many of the main attractions within 60 days. (FLEX Pass)
Does the New York Sightseeing Pass include the MET?
Unfortunately, none of the New York passes include entrance to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, aka The MET. However, you can purchase a ticket for the MET’s main location on Fifth Avenue for $30 or $17 if you have a student ID.
The MET’s Medieval collection is held at their Cloisters location in Upper Manhattan at Fort Tryon Park. Admission here is also $30 for adults or $17 for students.
As I mentioned in the intro for the article, the MET is also free to New York residents, as long as you have a valid ID. In some cases, employees will also allow admission if you have a piece of mail proving you have a New York address.
Where can I purchase the New York Sightseeing Pass?
Click here to purchase either the Sightseeing DAY Pass or FLEX Pass. You can select at the top of the page which pass you are interested in purchasing.
Go City New York Pass
The Go City Explorer Pass versus the Go City All-Inclusive Pass— Which New York City attraction pass is Best?
To figure out which of any of these Go City New York City attraction passes are best for your trip, you will need first need to determine the type of vacation you want to have. The wonderful thing about travel is that it can be customized to your heart’s content!
Like the New York Sightseeing Pass, the Go City attraction pass comes with two options to help you customize your trip. The Explorer Pass is Go City’s version of an attraction pass. And the All-Inclusive is their version of a day pass.
Explorer Pass
Just like the Sightseeing FLEX Pass, with the Go City Explorer Pass, you choose the attractions you want to visit ahead of time. However, with the Explorer Pass, you can only choose up to 10 attractions, while you can pick 12 with the Sightseeing FLEX Pass. So, if you want to visit more than ten attractions, the Sightseeing FLEX Pass would be a better fit for your trip.
All-Inclusive
Just like the Sightseeing DAY Pass, with the Go City All-Inclusive Pass, you can choose up to 10 consecutive days to visit attractions while exploring NYC. Like the other all-inclusive passes, you can visit as many attractions as you like within the time frame that you choose.
What attractions are included in the Go City New York Pass?
Like the New York Sightseeing Pass and the New York Pass, there are more than 100 attractions to choose from with the Go City New York Pass, and most major attractions are on the list.
Does the Go City New York Pass include the NY Sightseeing Bus (Hop-On Hop-Off) Tours?
Yes! The Go City New York Pass includes three different bus tours to choose from:
- The Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
- The NYC Bus Tour of the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens
- The NYC TV and Movie Bus Tour
How much does the Go City New York Pass Pass cost?
Explorer Pass
The Go City Explorer Pass starts at $74 per person and includes two attractions. You can choose up to 10 attractions for an additional cost. The 10-attraction package starts at $249.
All-Inclusive Pass
The Go City All-Inclusive Pass starts at $142 per person for unlimited access to attractions for one day. You can choose up to 10 days for an additional cost. The 10-day package starts at $369.
How to use the Go City New York Pass?
The rules for using the Go City New York Pass are the same as the other New York City attraction passes. Once you decide which Go City New York Pass is best for your trip, you will receive an email with your QR ticket, and the ticket will become active when it is scanned at the first attraction you visit.
Will I get a refund if I do not use the Go City New York Pass?
Yes! The Go City New York Pass understands that plans can change. Therefore, they offer a refund up to 90 days from your purchase date.
How do I make the most out of the Go City New York Pass?
The key to planning a great vacation is knowing exactly what you want from your trip. Traveling to New York City is a big deal for most people, and who knows when you’ll make your way to that part of the world next. Therefore, I recommend knowing what kind of traveler you are before you purchase any of these passes.
Are you the type of person who wants to see as much as possible in a short period of time? If so, then the Go-City All-Inclusive Pass or another all-inclusive pass might be the right choice for you.
Otherwise, if there are only a few select attractions that you want to see while you’re in town, then picking a day-based or attraction-based pass like the Go City Explorer might be your best option.
Either way, picking the pass that matches the type of traveler you are is the best way to make the most out of any pass.
Is there any limitation while using the Go City New York Pass?
The Go City New York Pass offers more than 100 attractions to choose from, so the only limitation is if the attraction of your choice doesn’t happen to be on the list. Check here to make sure the places you want to visit made the Go City cut!
Is the Go City New York Pass worth it?
Every pass on this list is worth it for a specific type of traveler. Either Go City New York Pass option is worth it for New York City visitors, as long as the attractions you are interested in visiting are on the list. With more than 100 excursions to choose from, your choice adventure is probably there.
Where can I purchase the Go City New York Pass?
Click here to purchase the Go City Explorer’s Pass.
Click here to purchase the Go City All-Inclusive Pass.
FAQs to help you determine which New York City attraction Pass is Best:
Do any New York Passes include transportation?
With the exception of the stops made during the Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off tour, which drives you to each destination on the tour, transportation is not included with any of the passes.
However, some of the passes, like the Sightseeing Pass, include bike rentals to help you get around certain areas, like the 58 miles of trails curving through Central Park.
For the most part, you will need to plan your own transportation to arrive at each tour meeting point or attraction entrance. However, New York has an excellent subway system that makes it super easy to travel to any part of town at a very affordable rate of $2.75. And, if the subway isn’t your style, then taxis, Uber, and Lyft are always available.
Which New York Passes require reservations?
All passes have attractions that require reservations ahead of time, especially excursions that include tours or cruises. Before you show up at an attraction, make sure to check and see if a reservation is required.
All passes will send you instructions on making a reservation for a desired attraction after you make your purchase.
Which New York Passes have skip-the-line or fast-pass options?
All the New York Passes include skip-the-line access at most general admission entries. Some attractions may require you to make a reservation in advance, which means you won’t have to wait in line!
How does my New York City attraction pass get activated?
All New York City attraction passes are activated when they are scanned at the first attraction you visit. This is great news because it means they are not activated at the time of purchase.
However, some passes will expire if not used before a certain time period, so make sure to check how long your pass of choice will last before activation.
FAQs to help you decide which New York City attraction pass is best for your vacation:
Which New York Pass is best for first-time visitors?
If you are visiting the city for the first time and want to cram in as much of the New York experience as possible, then I recommend going with either the New York Pass or the Sightseeing DAY Pass.
Both passes are extremely similar and cover all of the main attractions. What makes these passes great for first-timers is that you can visit unlimited attractions every day of your visit!
Which New York Pass is best for selected attractions?
If there are only a couple of attractions that you want to visit, then I recommend the New York C3 Pass or the Go City Explorer. For both passes, you can gain entry into two attractions for less than $100 per person.
If there are more than two attractions you want to visit and all of them are included with the New York CityPASS, this pass will give you the most bang for your buck as it is only $129 for five attraction entries.
However, the New York CityPASS is limited in what attractions are included. If your bucket list goals aren’t on the list, then you’re better off going with the New York Pass or the Sightseeing DAY Pass, as both have more than 100 options to pick from, and you can visit unlimited attractions
Which New York Pass is best for families?
The Sightseeing FLEX Pass gives a 50% discount for children’s tickets, has a large selection of family-friendly attractions to choose from, and, since it’s an attraction-based pass, it is flexible on which attractions you can pick to visit, leaving you more freedom to choose the better kid-friendly excursions.
Will you need a fast pass or skip-the-line option?
Many of the most popular attractions require a reservation, even if you are using a New York City attraction pass, so always make sure to check if the attraction you’re visiting requires one or not.
Reservations make fast passes irrelevant because your spot is already metaphorically saved in line before you arrive.
Please note that some attractions only recommend booking a reservation in advance, while others require you to book in advance. My advice is to book a reservation whether it’s required or not, as long as the attraction has the option to. This will end up saving you major time and help make your NYC trip as smooth sailing as possible.
ADVENTURER’S NOTE: NYC is a busy place; therefore, it is always wise to book your reservation as far out as possible—aka when you first book your trip. While I know that my spontaneous travelers might not love the idea, some preparation could save you a big headache once you’re in the city.
More FAQs about New York City attraction passes
Are New York City attraction passes legit?
Since you’ve read this far into a blog about which New York City attraction pass is best, there’s a good chance you’re probably seriously considering purchasing a New York City attraction pass. But there might still be a nagging feeling at the back of your neck asking, are New York City attraction passes even legitimate?
I get it. A pass that can get you into pretty much every major attraction and some pretty cool lesser-known attractions and saves you 40-50% of the entrance costs might seem a little too good to be true. But, the thing is, in life, sometimes good deals like this exist, and this is one of them—as long as you use it right.
Follow the guide above about how to make each pass worth it, and you will save money on your trip. However, if you purchase a pass and don’t maximize your experience with it, then it might end up costing you more than it’s worth.
How much do you save with a New York City attraction pass?
Your maximum savings with the New York City attraction passes will depend on how many attractions you visit. On average, you can save between 50 – 70% off of the retail price!
To get the most bang for your buck, make sure that you maximize the pass you choose. That means visiting all the excursions you picked for an attraction-based pass or as many attractions that light you up for a day-based pass.
Which NYC Passes include the MET?
Currently, none of the New York City attraction passes include entry to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. However, all passes except for the New York CityPASS include entry to the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art).
Is hop-on-hop-off worth it in New York?
The hop-on hop-off bus tours are totally worth it IF you are interested in learning more about the city and the top sights in it.
I recommend doing a hop-on hop-off tour on your first day as an introduction to NYC. This way, you will get an overview of all the major sights, which can help you decide which ones you want to spend more time at during the rest of your trip.
Comparing similar passes to determine which New York City attraction pass is best for your trip
Comparing the All-Inclusive Passes: The New York Pass versus The Sightseeing DAY Pass versus The Go City All-Inclusive
The New York Pass, Sightseeing DAY Pass, and Go City All-Inclusive Pass are all-day-based passes and very similar in both attraction options and price. If you’re like me, when you’re faced with too many options that are so close together, it can bring on decision fatigue. But no worries! I got you.
Here are the difference’s between these three passes:
The New York Pass, Sightseeing DAY Pass, and Go City All-Inclusive all give you access to more than 100 attractions, and they all include the most popular excursions, like the MoMA and the Empire State Building.
Each pass comes within only a couple of dollars in price compared to the others. The Sightseeing DAY Pass is two dollars more than the New York Pass and the Go City All-Inclusive, coming in at $144 instead of $142, which, if you’re like me, such a small price difference is pretty much a wash.
However, the Sightseeing DAY Pass is also the only one that offers a 6-day option, with the other two-day passes offering either a 5 or 7-day option. This might not make much of a difference, but if you happen to need exactly a 6-day pass, this could be the difference you need to choose between them.
Otherwise, if a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 10-day option works for you, then I would consider if there are any exclusive attractions that you’re interested in that one of the other passes might not offer. For instance, there is a Hush Tour called Walk This Way Thru Harlem that is currently available with both the Sightseeing DAY and FLEX Passes that is not available with either of the other day pass options.
Comparing the most popular: The New York Pass versus The New York CityPASS
The New York Pass and the New York CityPASS are totally different passes, but they are two of the most popular options. Here’s the difference between the two:
The New York Pass
The New York Pass is a day-based pass with more than 100 attraction options to choose between during your stay in the city. You can choose between 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 10-day passes and can visit unlimited attractions each day. This pass is great if you want to see as many sights and attractions as possible during your trip.
The New York Pass starts at $142 for a one-day pass and can go up to $369 for a 10-day pass. While that might seem like a lot, it’s only about $37 per day for access to unlimited attractions. How cool is that?
The New York CityPASS
Unlike the New York Pass, the New York CityPASS has limited options to choose from, and it comes with a few non-negotiable attractions. This pass gives you access to the five most popular attractions, AND it lets you visit the Empire State Building twice in one day (none of the other passes allow this). This is a great perk because you can see the view from the top of the skyscraper during the day and at night.
The New York CityPASS is $129 per adult and $109 for a child’s pass.
It’s difficult to make an all-out claim on which New York City attraction pass is best between the two because they are so different. What it comes down to is what kind of attractions are you interested in seeing and what type of vacation you want to have while visiting New York City.
Comparing the Attraction-Based Passes: The New York C3 versus The Sightseeing FLEX Pass versus the Go City Explorer Pass
All three of these passes are attraction-based passes, which means that they are based on the number of attractions you want to see, not the number of days that you’re in town. For these passes, you do not get to visit unlimited attractions but must pick the number of attractions you want to be included ahead of time.
The C3
The New York C3 by CityPASS offers the least amount of attractions but is also the cheapest for a package of three options.
The C3 costs $92 for three attractions, and you have the 11 most popular attractions in New York City to pick from. If everything you want to do falls on this list, and you only want to do (or have time for) three things, then this pass will give you the most bang for your buck.
The FLEX Pass and the Explorer Pass
These two attractions are very similar, with just a few minor differences.
Both passes allow you to pick as few as two attractions for your trip for only $74. The Explorer Pass will also let you see as many as ten attractions for $249 per ticket, while the FLEX Pass will let you see up to 12 attractions for $284 per ticket.
Both options have more than 100 attractions to choose from. Either is a great choice if you have a lot of attractions that you want to see but don’t want to go with an unlimited day pass.
They’re also great options if you’re only in town for a day (say you’ve got a layover in NYC) and can only fit in two sightseeing activities.
Final thoughts on which New York City attraction pass is best
New York is one of the top tourist destinations in the world, so of course, there are plenty of excellent options when it comes to finding an attraction pass that is inclusive and will save you money.
All of these passes are great passes and offer a ton of value. There are plenty of options to be able to pick a pass that will customize your trip to match your vacation needs.
With that said, it’s not about finding which New York City attraction pass is best, but rather finding out which New York City attraction pass is best for your trip.
Are you the type of person who wants to see a lot of stuff in a short period of time or who wants to take it slow and only visit a few sights during your trip? Do you want to visit the most popular attractions, or are you more of an off-the-wall type of person who prefers backstreet activities?
No matter what type of trip you envision for your vacation, there is a New York City attraction pass that will work best for you.
Ready to Book Your Trip?
Here are a few helpful services:
Booking.com | Find a comfy place to lay your head after a full day of adventuring.
Vrbo | If you’re looking for a more homey vibe, these rental homes might do the trick.
Expedia | Whether you’re looking for some wheels or a flight, you can find a way to get to your destination here.
Get Your Guide | Find local attractions and tours and book tickets to your excursions.
Viator | Another great resource for local attractions and tours.
TSA | If you’re flying, check out the TSA page to make sure that you pack to TSA regulations.
New York City Attraction Pass | Save 40% at 5 major New York City attractions, including the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty.
World Nomads Travel Insurance | Feel safe while traveling with simple and flexible travel insurance.
