Empire State Building Ticket Prices

If you are planning a trip to New York you have surely thought about visiting the Empire State Building, one of the most famous tourist attractions in the city. But how much do tickets cost, is there a discount for visitors, do children pay admission?

In the following post we clarify all these questions and some more, so you can evaluate in more detail how much budget you need to see New York at your feet in all its splendor.

From 39€ you can get a ticket without queues, with self-guided tour and with the possibility of cancellation to the Main Deck of the Empire State, something important to consider to have greater flexibility in the trip and that can be useful when planning your stay in New York.

Going up to the observation deck on the 86th floor of the Empire State Building is a must-do on your trip. You may have seen it many times in movies and television, but seeing in person this jewel of the Art Deco movement is a different story.

From this open-air observation deck you will have spectacular panoramic views of the New York skyline (Flatiron Building, Bryant Park, Chrysler Building, Times Square, the Statue of Liberty ...) and on clear days you can even see other states like Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut.

A supplement of more than 25 Euros you will have to pay on the website of the Empire State to climb to the glass observation deck (Top Deck) with which the Empire State has on the 102nd floor, which will increase the price of admission to the viewpoint and that, to tell the truth, is not worth too much having enjoyed the magnificent views that are already on the Main Deck and that are quite similar.

What is the difference between the Empire State Main and Top Deck?

The main difference between the two is the height at which each viewpoint is located inside the skyscraper (320m vs. 373m.) and that to climb to the Top Deck on the 102nd floor is a more exclusive visit because it is done with a transparent glass elevator that offers unique views during the ascent.

If you like to contemplate the Big Apple from the heights, my advice is to invest that money in accessing another of the skyscrapers with viewpoint that are in the city for example:

• The Edge
• One World Observatory
• Top of the Rock

When buying tickets to the Empire State you should keep in mind that prices go up when it is high season in the city, that is, in summer and on special dates such as Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas. In addition, there will be a greater number of visitors who will share the visits with you.

So if you are not a friend of crowds when it comes to sightseeing and prefer not to alter your travel budget too much, a good time to go to New York and climb the Empire State Building is around spring or fall when you can find good prices and less crowds compared to the high season.

Children under 6 years old get free admission to the Empire State Building while older children need a ticket to enter, although there are reduced rates to access the Main Deck for children from 6 to 12 years old starting at 33€.

This way you can save a little bit on your budget to visit the Empire State with your family, it never hurts!

With the Empire State's reduced rates, you can save a little bit on your wallet. For example, certain age groups such as seniors 62 years and older or children 6 to 12 years old can benefit from reduced rates with tickets starting from 33 € compared to the price of the general adult ticket (from 39 €).

Do not lose sight of the reduced rates when booking your tickets to the Empire State Building because they will help you save money that you can spend on other activities during your stay.

From 116 € you can get the New York CityPASS to go to the Empire State both in the morning and at sunset to take the pulse of the city at two very different times of the day.

However, as the Empire State is one of the most iconic tourist attractions in New York, most of the tourist cards that exist to see it include it, although except with the New York CityPASS, with the others you can only access it once.

If you want to know more about New York tourist passes I recommend you to read the post The best tourist card in New York.

New York sightseeing passes

In any case, in this table we compare at a glance all the tourist cards that allow you to enter the Empire State.

Inside the skyscraper there are several restaurants where you can eat after visiting the Empire State Building if you have an itch: Tacombi, State Grill & Bar or Chipotle.

However, if after enjoying the views of the New York skyline you want to take a walk near the skyscraper and discover other places to try American cuisine, in the post Where to eat around the Empire State I give you some ideas.