Is New York CityPASS Worth It? An Honest Verdict and How to Get the Most Out of It
Is it worth it?
- Worth itYes if 5 of its 10 big sights are on your list. At $149, it beats single tickets for most first-timers.
- Skip itNo if you only want 2-3 of them. Single tickets are cheaper.
- Skip itNo for SUMMIT. It isn't one of the 10.
- $149 adult
- Pick 5 of 10
- 9 days to use it
What is New York CityPASS?
New York CityPASS lets you pick 5 attractions from a list of 10 big ones, and use them within 9 days of your first visit.
In New York it's the classic first-timer bundle: five of the ten big sights, spread over nine days, with no pressure to rush.
The seller advertises savings of up to 51% compared with buying each ticket separately. Realistic for most first-timers who'd visit five of the ten.
- Attractions
- 5 of 10
- Price
- $149 adult, $129 child
- Time to use
- 9 days
- Advertised saving
- Up to 51%
How to get the most value out of New York CityPASS
Pick the five priciest you'd visit anyway; the Empire State, Edge and Top of the Rock are $42-49 each.
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Leave reservations to the day | Most of the 10 attractions need a reservation. Book them in the CityPASS app. |
| Pick Top of the Rock and Edge | Similar skyline views. Pick one deck plus the Guggenheim or the Natural History Museum. |
| Reserve the 9/11 Museum for the afternoon | Morning slots are calmer, and the memorial pools are quieter early. |
| Head to the 9/11 Museum without checking how busy it is | Check the 9/11 Museum's live crowd level on beatthecrowd.co first. If it's busy, do another New York sight on your pass and come back later. |
Before you set off for the 9/11 Museum, check how busy it is right now on beatthecrowd.co. An hour in a queue is an hour of your pass gone.
Check live crowds in New York →Who New York CityPASS is for
Good fit
- First-timers who want the classics
- A 4-9 day trip
- Families: child tickets are $129
Skip it if
- You only want 2-3 of the sights
- SUMMIT is your must-see
- $149 adult
- Pick 5 of 10
- 9 days to use it
What the pass covers
Pick 5 of these 10 attractions, one visit each:
The big sights
- Empire State BuildingBook a slot
- Top of the RockBook a slot
- EdgeBook a slot
- Statue of Liberty & Ellis IslandBook a slot
- 9/11 Memorial & MuseumBook a slot
- Intrepid MuseumIncluded
- Guggenheim MuseumIncluded
- Circle Line cruiseBook a slot
- Whitney MuseumIncluded
- $149 adult
- Pick 5 of 10
- 9 days to use it
Pass vs individual tickets
Five of the big sights usually cost $170-220 bought separately, so the $149 pass wins if you'd visit five of them.
Worked example: 5 classics
| Attraction | Adult ticket bought separately |
|---|---|
| Empire State Building (86th floor) | From $46 |
| Top of the Rock | About $42-47 |
| Edge | From about $49 |
| Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island ferry | About $25.50-26 |
| 9/11 Museum | About $33-36 |
| Total separately | About $195-205 |
| New York CityPASS | $149 |
- $149 adult
- Pick 5 of 10
- 9 days to use it
Fine print
- Validity
- 9 days from your first visit or reservation; start within a year of purchase.
- Reservations
- Most attractions need one.
- Fee
- $2 processing fee per ticket.
- Refunds
- CityPASS gives a full refund on unused tickets within 365 days of purchase. Once you've visited any attraction it can't be refunded, and tickets bought through a reseller are refunded by that reseller.
Is it safe? Where people lose money
- Reassuring: New York CityPASS is CityPASS's own product, sold through GetYourGuide.
- Reassuring: Refunds: CityPASS gives a full refund on unused tickets within 365 days of purchase. Once you've visited any attraction it can't be refunded, and tickets bought through a reseller are refunded by that reseller.
- Watch out: Most of the ten attractions need reservations.
- Watch out: $2 processing fee per ticket.
Where people lose money
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Leave the ninth day for your last picks | The nine days run from your first visit. Book all five early. |
| Pick a museum with free hours | Some museums have free or pay-what-you-wish evenings; use slots on the paid sights. |
| Queue at the 9/11 Museum at peak time | Check beatthecrowd.co for the 9/11 Museum's quiet hours before you go. |
Queuing is the easiest way to lose value in New York. Check which sights are quiet right now on beatthecrowd.co, starting with the 9/11 Museum.
Check live crowds in New York →- $149 adult
- Pick 5 of 10
- 9 days to use it
Alternatives
Planning your order and avoiding queues is the simplest way to get full value: see how busy New York’s attractions are right now →
- $149 adult
- Pick 5 of 10
- 9 days to use it
FAQs
Is New York CityPASS worth it?
+
Yes if five of its ten attractions are on your list. Five big sights usually cost about $170-220 separately, against $149.
Which attractions are on New York CityPASS?
+
Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Edge, Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, 9/11 Memorial & Museum, American Museum of Natural History, Intrepid, Guggenheim, Circle Line and the Whitney. You pick 5.
How long is it valid?
+
9 days from your first visit or reservation.
Does New York CityPASS include MoMA or SUMMIT?
+
No. Neither is one of the 10. MoMA is on the Go City passes; SUMMIT is on none.
How much is New York CityPASS for kids?
+
$129 for a child, against $149 for an adult.