If you look at the prices for the most popular New York attractions, you will soon realize that the more places you plan to visit, the more money you need to spend. And to be honest, the admission fees for some of the sights are not particularly cheap.
But hear me out before you cancel your trip and start looking for a budget option. Like many other major tourist cities, New York offers some great tourist cards that can save you a lot of money.
Since you can quickly lose track of the wide range of different New York passes, we would like to compare the most popular tourist cards in this New York Pass comparison. This way, you can quickly figure out which pass is the best for your trip to the city that never sleeps.
After a brief overview and a quick NYC Pass comparison, let’s take a closer look at the individual cards and their advantages and disadvantages. That way, you’ll know exactly which New York discount pass is right for you.
What to find out in this post
- 1 New York Pass Comparison – An Overview
- 2 Which New York Pass is the best?
- 3 What kinds of New York Passes are available?
- 4 The different New York Cards compared
- 5 The New York Pass
- 6 The New York Sightseeing Pass
- 6.1 Included Highlights in the New York Sightseeing Pass
- 6.2 Attraction- or Day-based?
- 6.3 Price
- 6.4 Included Days
- 6.5 Included number of attractions
- 6.6 Available Attractions
- 6.7 Pros & Cons New York Sightseeing Day Pass
- 6.8 Is suitable for…
- 6.9 Pros & Cons New York Sightseeing Flex Pass
- 6.10 Is suitable for…
- 7 New York City Explorer Pass
- 8 New York Citypass
- 9 New York Freestyle Pass (Currently not available)
- 10 Included Attractions – An Overview
- 11 Savings per Pass
- 12 Conclusion
- 13 Which pass fits which kind of traveler?
- 14 FAQ about New York Tourist Cards
- 15 More New York?
New York Pass Comparison – An Overview
| Pass / Features | The New York Pass | New York Sightseeing Day Pass | New York Sightseeing Flex Pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attraction- or Day-Bases | Day-Based | Day-Based | Attraction-Based |
| Included Attractions | 100 + | 100 + | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 or 12 Attractions |
| Available Attractions | 100 + | 100 + | 100 + |
| Validity | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 10 Days | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 10 Days | 30 Days |
| Hop-on-Hop-Off | 1 Day included | Included | Bookable |
| Price | from $ 142 | from $ 154 | from $ 74 |
| Pass online | Check Pass | Check Pass | Check Pass |
| Pass / Feature | New York City Explorer Pass | New York Citypass | New York Freestyle Pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attraction- or Day-Based | Attraction-Based | Attraction-Based | Attraction-Based |
| Included Attractions | 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 10 Attractions | 6 | 3, 5 or 7 Attractions |
| Available Attractions | 85 + | 9 | 50 + |
| Validity | 30 Days | 9 Days | 3 Days |
| Hop-on-Hop-Off | bookable | not included | included |
| Price | from $ 74 | $ 129 | Currently not available |
| Pass online | Check Pass | Check Pass | Currently not available |
Which New York Pass is the best?
After you’ve been able to get a small overview of which passes to choose from in the table above, we now want to find out which of the New York passes is the best (for you personally). First of all, let’s take a closer look at the individual passes.
To check the passes in more detail, we have to determine the main differences between the passes.
What kinds of New York Passes are available?
Based on attractions
This pass type includes various attractions from which you can choose a specific number. For example, if you book a pass including five attractions, you can visit five attractions with that pass (Makes sense, right?). You usually have a big time frame (around 30 days) to see all the attractions you have chosen.
Pros of Attraction-based Passes
- You are more flexible regarding time (You have around 30 days to visit the attractions)
- You only pay for the attractions that you really want to see
Cons of Attraction-based Passes
- You can only see the number of attractions that you have booked
- Often just worth it for the more expensive attractions
The Attraction-based pass is great for you if…
- You already know which/how many attractions you want to see
- The chosen attractions are cheaper with the pass than the single tickets
- You want to see only a few or some attractions
The Attraction-based pass is NOT great for you if…
- You only want to see one attraction
- the single tickets together are cheaper than the pass
- you want to see a large number of sights
- rather decide spontaneously which and how many attractions you would like to see
Attraction-bases Passes
- New York Sightseeing Flex Pass
- New York City Explorer Pass
- New York Citypass
- New York Freestyle Pass
Based on days
When purchasing one of the passes based on days, you choose a specific time slot, e.g., three days, in which you can theoretically visit all the attractions included in the pass.
Pros of Day-based Passes
- You have a wider choice of attractions to visit
- You are more flexible because you don’t have to commit yourself to attractions in advance
Cons of Day-based Passes
- You’re under time pressure because you only have a certain amount of time to see all of your desired sights
The Day-based pass is great for you if…
- want to see a lot of attractions in New York City
- the pass is cheaper than the admission fees of your attractions
The Day-based pass is NOT great for you if…
- you only want to see a few sights
- the single tickets together are cheaper than the pass
- you are rather flexible in terms of time
Day-based Passes
- The New York Pass
- The New York Sightseeing Day Pass
The different New York Cards compared
The New York Pass
The New York Pass is one of the most popular passes available. This is an attraction-based pass that includes more than 100 attractions and tours.
Included Highlights in the New York Pass
- Empire State Building Observatory
- Top of the Rocks Observation Deck
- 1 Day Hop-on-Hop-off with Big Bus
- Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
- Museum of Modern Art
- Madame Tussauds
- 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- American Museum of Natural History
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Central Park Bike Tour
- Guggenheim Museum
- and many more
Attraction- or Day-based?
Day-Based
Price
From $ 142 (2 Days $ 170, 3 Days $ 206 …) Check all Prices here
On the website, as with GetYourGuide, you can always find discounts, so you never really pay the full price (full price starts at $ 240).
Included Days
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, or 10 Days
Available Attractions
100 +
Pros & Cons New York Pass
Pros New York Pass
- Most highlights in New York are included
- If you want to see a lot, you can save a lot
Cons New York Pass
- One World Observatory is not included
- only worth it if you really see many attractions
- possible time pressure
Is suitable for…
- Travelers who want to see many attractions
- The more, the more you can save
Check further information and prices of the New York Pass
The New York Sightseeing Pass
The New York Sightseeing Pass is unlike the other passports presented here, available as both: a time-based option (Day Pass) and an attraction-based version (Flex Pass). This pass also contains more than 100 attractions in the City.
Included Highlights in the New York Sightseeing Pass
- One World Observatory
- Top of the Rocks Observation Deck
- Hop-on-Hop-off Bus
- Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
- Museum of Modern Art
- Madame Tussauds
- 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- American Museum of Natural History
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Central Park Bike Tour
- Guggenheim Museum
- Ripley’s Believe it or not
- and many more
Attraction- or Day-based?
Both available
Price
Day Pass from $ 154 (Check the exact prices here) and Flex Pass from $ 74 (Check the exact prices here)
Included Days
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, or 10 Days
Included number of attractions
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, or 12 Attractions
Available Attractions
100 +
Pros & Cons New York Sightseeing Day Pass
Pros New York Sightseeing Day Pass
- Most highlights in New York are included
- If you visit a lot, you can save a lot
- Includes Hop-on-Hop-Off Bus every day
Cons New York Sightseeing Day Pass
- The Empire State Building Observatory is not included
- only worth it if you really see many attractions
- possible time pressure
Is suitable for…
- travelers that want to see many attractions
- The more days you choose, the more money you save
Check further information and prices of the New York Sightseeing Day Pass
Pros & Cons New York Sightseeing Flex Pass
Pros New York Sightseeing Flex Pass
- You can choose between most highlights in New York
- Time flexible (You have 30 days after activating your card)
Cons New York Sightseeing Flex Pass
- Only the attractions you choose are included – more attractions cost more
Is suitable for…
- Travelers that want to see a few attractions
- Travelers that have been to New York before
Check further information and prices of the New York Sightseeing Flex Pass
New York City Explorer Pass
The New York Explorer Pass is great for anyone who wants to visit just a few attractions in the city. It is an attraction-based pass where you can choose between over 85 attractions. Simply choose how many attractions you want to have included in your pass.
Included Highlights in the New York City Explorer Pass
- Empire State Building Observatory
- Top of the Rocks Observation Deck
- 1 Day Hop-on-Hop-off with Big Bus
- Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
- Museum of Modern Art
- Madame Tussauds
- 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- American Museum of Natural History
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Central Park Bike Tour
- Guggenheim Museum
- Ripley’s Believe it or not
- and many more
Attraction- or Day-based?
Attraction bases
Price
From $ 74 (3 Attractions $ 94…) Check all prices here
Included number of attractions
2, 3, 4, 5, 7, or 10 Attractions
Available Attractions
85 +
Pros & Cons New York City Explorer Pass
Pros New York City Explorer Pass
- Many of the highlights in New York are included
- Time flexible (You have 30 days after activating your card)
- You pay only for the attractions you really want to see
Cons New York City Explorer Pass
- One World Observatory is not included
- Only the attractions you choose are included – more attractions cost more
Is suitable for…
- Travelers who want to see a few attractions
- Travelers who are not first-time visitors
Check further information and prices of the New York City Explorer Pass
New York Citypass
This pass is a bit differently designed than the other New York Passes on our list. For the price, you get access to 6 attractions. There are a total of 9 attractions to choose from, of which three are already fixed. For the other three attractions, you can choose between two attractions for each. After activating the pass (when visiting the first attraction), you have nine days to see all six selected attractions.
Included Highlights in the New York CityPass
- Empire State Building Observatory
- American Museum of Natural History
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Top of the Rocks Observation Deck or Guggenheim Museum
- Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island or Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise
- 9/11 Memorial & Museum or Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Attraction- or Day-based?
Attraction-based
Price
$ 129
You can find the ticket currently at GetYourGuide.
Included number of attractions
6 Attractions
Available Attractions
9
Pros & Cons New York Citypass
Pros New York Citypass
- If you want to see exactly these attractions, this is a great deal
- Time flexible (you have 9 days after activating your card)
Cons New York City Explorer Pass
- One World Observatory & other major attractions are not included
- Little flexibility in the choice of sights
Is suitable for…
- travelers that want to see precisely those attractions
Check further information and prices of the New York CityPass
New York Freestyle Pass (Currently not available)
This passport is similar in concept to the other Attractions Passes, except that you only have 72 hours to explore them. You can choose the number of included attractions when purchasing the pass. All passes include 72 hours of hop-on-hop-off.
Included Highlights in the New York Freestyle Pass
- One World Observatory
- Top of the Rocks Observation Deck
- Hop-on-Hop-off Bus
- Museum of Modern Art
- Madame Tussauds
- 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- American Museum of Natural History
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Central Park Bike Tour
- Guggenheim Museum
- Ripley’s Believe it or not
- and many more
Attraction- or Day-based?
Attraction-based
Price
Currently not available
Included number of attractions
3, 5, or 7 Attractions
Available Attractions
50 +
Pros & Cons New York Freestyle Pass
Pros New York Freestyle Pass
- Many of the main attractions are included
- Many tours & restaurant visits, which are not included in other passes
- Hop-on-hop-off for 72 hours included
Cons New York City Freestyle Pass
- Empire State Building is not included
- Low flexibility & time pressure as you only have 72 hours to visit the attractions
- Pass must be picked up in New York
Is suitable for…
- Travelers who have little time
- Travelers who want to use the hop-on-hop-off buses for 72 hours
Included Attractions – An Overview
| Pass / Attractions | New York Pass | Sightseeing Pass | Explorer Pass | Citypass | Freestyle Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empire Statue Building | X | X | X | ||
| Top of the Rocks Observatory | X | X | X | X | X |
| One World Observatory | X | X | |||
| Museum of Modern Art | X | X | X | X | |
| 9/11 Memorial | X | X | X | X | X |
| Metropolitan Museum of Art | X | X | X | X | X |
| American Museum of Natural History | X | X | X | X | X |
| Madame Tussauds | X | X | X | X | |
| Guggenheim Museum | X | X | X | X | X |
| Ripley's | X | X | X | ||
| Hop-on-Hop-Off | X | X | X | X | |
| Central Park Bike Rental | X | X | X | X | |
| Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island | X | X | X | X | |
| Boat Tour | X | X | X | X | X |
Savings per Pass
Sample Itinerary 1
- 9/11 Memorial: $ 26
- Empire State Building Observatory or One World Observatory: $ 44
- 1-Day Hop-on-Hop-off Bus: $ 45
- Metropolitan Museum of Art: $ 30
- Central Park Bicycle Rental: $ 7.50
- Museum of Modern Art: $ 25
- Top of the Rock Observation Deck: $ 40
- Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island: $ 24
- Guggenheim Museum: $ 25
- American Museum of Natural History: $ 28
| Pass | Sample Itinerary 1 | Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Price without Pass | $ 294.5 | |
| Price with New York Pass | $ 238 | $ 56.5 |
| Price with New York Sightseeing Day Pass | $ 259 | $ 35.5 |
| Price with New York Sightseeing Flex Pass | $ 254 | $ 40.5 |
| Price with New York City Explorer Pass | $ 224 | $ 70.5 |
| Price with New York Citypass | $ 226.5 ($129 + $ 40 + $ 25+ $ 7.5 + $ 25) | $ 68 |
Sample Itinerary 2
- 9/11 Memorial: $ 26
- Empire State Building Observatory: $ 44
- 1-Day Hop-on-Hop-off Bus: $ 45
- Metropolitan Museum of Art: $ 30
- Central Park Bicycle Rental: $ 7.50
- Museum of Modern Art: $ 25
- Top of the Rock Observation Deck: $ 40
- Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island: $ 24
- Guggenheim Museum: $ 25
- American Museum of Natural History: $ 28
- Boat Cruise around Manhattan: $ 41
| Pass | Sample Itinerary 2 | Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Price without Pass | $ 335.50 | |
| Price with New York Pass | $ 238 | $ 97.5 |
| Price with New York Sightseeing Day Pass | $ 259 | $ 76.5 |
| Price with New York Sightseeing Flex Pass | $ 261.5 ($ 254 + $ 7.50) | $ 74 |
| Price with New York City Explorer Pass | $ 231.5 ($ 224 + $ 7.5) | $ 104 |
| Price with New York Citypass | $ 254.5 ($ 129 + $ 40 + $ 25 + $ 7.5 + $ 25 +$ 28) | $ 81 |
Important! As you can see in this example, you should always check if all the sights you want to visit are included before (!) you purchase your pass. If you have to pay for certain attractions separately from your pass, the money you can save with your pass is way less.
Sample Itinerary 3
- 9/11 Memorial: $ 26
- Top of the Rocks Observation Deck: $ 40
- Metropolitan Museum of Art: $ 30
| Pass | Sample Itinerary 3 | Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Price without Pass | $ 96 | |
| Price with New York Pass | $ 142 | / |
| Price with New York Sightseeing Day Pass | $ 154 | / |
| Price with New York Sightseeing Flex Pass | $ 104 | / |
| Price with New York City Explorer Pass | $ 94 | $ 2 |
| Price with New York Citypass | $ 129 | / |
Conclusion
As you can see on the example routes, the daily passes are perfect for those who want to see many things. The easiest way to find out which pass is most beneficial to you is, to sum up the cost of each attraction you want to visit and compare it to the cost of each pass. (The same way we did it in our sample itineraries above)
Below, we’ve re-assigned the passes to different travel types to make it even easier for you to find the perfect fit for you.
Which pass fits which kind of traveler?
First-timer
First-time visitors usually want to see everything New York has to offer. And you should do it, too. New York has so many places you need to visit. That’s why the day-based passes are perfect for first-time visitors. The more attractions you visit, the more you can save.
Nevertheless, make sure also to check the attraction-based pass as it might be a good fit as well (it all depends on the prices and amount of your chosen sights and tours).
Museum Lovers
It is usually worthwhile for museum lovers to purchase an attraction pass. Again, the more museums you visit, the more you can save. With many museums, day-based passes pay off, and with fewer to a few museums, you should opt for an Attractions-Based Pass. Especially the New York CityPass can be an excellent deal for museum enthusiasts if you want to discover the museums included in the pass.
Short-time visitors
Short-term visitors often don’t have enough time to see everything they want. It depends on how many attractions are part of your New York itinerary. Depending on the price of your desired attractions, an attractions-based pass can be worthwhile from 2 attractions. If you have, e.g., a boat tour around Manhattan and a visit to the Empire State Building on your list, a pass purchase is totally worth it. If you want to rent a bike in Central Park and visit the Statue of Liberty, purchasing a pass is not really worth it. So make sure to compare prices before purchasing a pass.
Average Visitor
Sure, an average visitor is hard to define. As an average visitor, you will most likely see a few attractions. Accordingly, an Attraction-Based Pass is probably best for you.
Could you find the perfect pass for your trip to New York? Let me know in the comments which pass is best for you and your experiences with it. If you have difficulties choosing one, let me know in the comments as well. Who knows? Maybe I can even help. PS. I definitely won’t judge, as I am the worst when it comes to making decisions 😉
FAQ about New York Tourist Cards
Whether and which New York Pass is worthwhile depends on your personal itinerary. If you want to see a lot, theoretically, any of the New York Passes is worth it.
Buying a New York Pass is not always worth it. If you want to see only a few inexpensive attractions, it may happen that paying the entrance fee is cheaper without a pass.
Day-based New York Passes allow you access to unlimited attractions during the desired pass period. The attraction-based New York Passes give you access to the selected attractions over a more extended period of time.
For first-time visitors who want to visit the essential sights quickly, the New York Pass, the New York Sightseeing Pass, or the New York CityPass is likely to be the most worthwhile. The New York City Explorer Pass can also be profitable if you have more time.
We personally used the New York City Explorer Pass on our last trip and were totally satisfied.
More New York?
Make sure to also read our other New York articles that help you plan a perfect trip.
- New York 4 Days Itinerary
- How to visit New York on a Budget
- The ultimate New York Neighborhood Guide
