Before You Book Skydeck Chicago at Willis Tower: Every Cost, and What's Worth It
By the BeatTheCrowd team · Prices last checked 2 November · 3 min read
Skydeck Chicago, on the 103rd floor of Willis Tower, is famous for The Ledge, glass boxes that stick out from the building 1,353 feet up. There's general admission, Expedited Entry, CityPASS bundles and date-based prices. Most of them sound worth paying for. You don't need the most expensive one to have a great visit. In this guide we walk through what each option costs, what you really get, and how to choose the right one, whether that's a quiet weekend morning or a busy weekday school-trip afternoon.
At a glance
General admission (adult, 12+)
From $32, by date
Youth (3-11)
From $24. Under 3 free
Expedited Entry
From $55
The Ledge
Included
CityPASS (5 attractions)
$144 adult, $114 youth
Hours (Oct-Feb)
9 am to 8 pm, Sat to 9 pm
Quietest
Weekends, in our data
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The real total: cheapest ticket vs what most visitors pay
General admission starts at $32 for adults and $24 for youth aged 3-11, and under-3s are free. Prices vary by date and availability. The Ledge is included in every ticket. Expedited Entry, which puts you in a priority line for the lift, starts at $55.
Visitor
What they buy
One adult
Most visitors
General admission
From $32
No queues
Expedited Entry
From $55
Several attractions
CityPASS, with Expedited Entry
$144 for five attractions
🎟️ Book skip-the-line tickets
Check the crowds, find the best time slot, and book through our authorised partner.
Prices last checked: 2 November. Prices vary with the season, peak and off-peak dates and promotions, and we recheck them every month. Visitor-reported costs are marked as estimates, and US$ figures are rough conversions.
Ticket options: what each one gets you
Ticket
Adult
Youth (3-11)
What you get
Verdict
General admission
From $32
From $24
Skydeck and The Ledge
The right choice for most visitors
Expedited Entry
From $55
From $55
A priority line, typically 2-4 lift rides from the top
Only on busy weekday afternoons
CityPASS
$144
$114
Skydeck with Expedited Entry plus four other attractions
Worth it if you'll use three or more
Official prices. Expedited Entry sales can pause during the day. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing.
The Ledge
The Ledge is four that stick out about 4 feet from the 103rd floor, so you can look straight down. It's in general admission. On busy days there's a separate queue for it at the top. the reason to choose Skydeck over 360 Chicago.
The crowd tax: why weekday middays cost more
Our crowd data shows an unusual pattern: Skydeck is busy on weekdays, roughly 10-11 am until 3-4 pm from Monday to Thursday, and around noon to 2 pm on Friday, while weekends are moderate all day. Late afternoons and evenings are moderate every day. On those weekday middays, the lift and Ledge queues are where Expedited Entry earns its price.
When
Crowds (our data)
What to buy
9 am, weekdays
Moderate
General admission
About 10 am to 4 pm, Monday to Thursday
Busy
Expedited Entry if short of time
Late afternoon and evening
Moderate
General admission: sunset and city lights
Saturday and Sunday
Moderate all day
General admission
Crowds by day and time
Which ticket is worth it?
Most visitors: general admission, from $32, at the weekend or after 4 pm.
Weekday midday, short on time: Expedited Entry.
Several Chicago attractions: CityPASS.
Families: under-3s are free, and youth tickets start at $24.
Short on time? What you'd regret missing
The Ledge, looking straight down.
Lake Michigan and the skyline.
Sunset, if you can time it.
Getting there
The Skydeck entrance is on Jackson Boulevard, in the Loop. The Quincy 'L' station is a short walk away. A regular CTA fare covers it.
Weather and visibility
Low cloud and fog can hide the view, especially in winter. Look up at the top of the tower before buying.
What can go wrong
You go on a weekday midday: busiest in our data.
Expedited Entry sales pause: they can stop during the day.
Cloud: check the top first.
You arrive within 30 minutes of closing: last entry has passed.
What one person really spends
Level
What's included
One adult
Typical
General admission
From $32
In a hurry
Expedited Entry
From $55
City break
CityPASS, five attractions
$144
A youth (3-11) adds from $24. Under-3s are free.
FAQs
How much is Skydeck Chicago?
+
From $32 for adults and $24 for youth 3-11, by date. Under-3s are free. The Ledge is included.
Is The Ledge included in the Skydeck ticket?
+
Yes, with general admission.
Is Skydeck Expedited Entry worth it?
+
Only on weekday middays, the busiest time in our data. It costs from $55.
Is Skydeck in CityPASS?
+
Yes, with Expedited Entry. CityPASS costs $144 for adults and $114 for youth.
When is Skydeck Chicago least crowded?
+
In our data, at weekends and on weekday late afternoons and evenings. See our crowd forecast.
Heading to Willis Tower?
See how busy it is right now and the quietest hours for your date, then walk in when the line is short.
How we research: every guide is written by the BeatTheCrowd team from official sources and recent traveller reports, cross-checked against each other. Crowd figures come from our own crowd data. Prices last checked 2 November. Prices and rules change, so always confirm on the official site before you book.
glass boxes
included
Our verdict:
Is Expedited Entry worth it?
Expedited Entry costs about $23 more than general admission. Our verdict: in our data, Skydeck is busiest on weekday middays and moderate at weekends, so it's only worth it on a weekday between late morning and mid-afternoon if your time is short.
What visitors say
Visitors love standing on The Ledge and the views across Chicago and Lake Michigan, and the exhibits on the way up. The most common complaints are queues, both for the lift and for The Ledge, so the advice is to go early or late, or at the weekend.
