New York Pass and other passes

Choosing the right New York Pass to make the most of your visit to New York can mean the difference between a good trip and a great one. And to that end, here's a comprehensive comparison of the different passes to find the one that's perfect for you.

• New York Pass - From $ 146 From 1 to 10 days to visit 115 attractions
• New York CityPass - From $ 128 9 days to visit 5 attractions
• New York Explorer Pass - From $ 68 60 days to visit 2 to 10 attractions
• New York Sightseeing Pass - From $ 153 Two options: the days you choose to visit 150 attractions or the attractions you choose to visit in 60 days

When buying the New York Pass you should know that it is a day pass, and you pay according to the number of days of validity you choose. Beware, because they are not 24-hour days, but from the time of activation of the pass you have until midnight before it counts as a full day, and your pass is gone in the carriage like Cinderella (or simply stop working in the attractions).

The New York Pass includes 100 attractions, including New York's most popular: Manhattan Sightseeing Bus, 9/11 Museum, Manhattan Cruise, Statue of Liberty, Madame Tussauds Museum, Empire State Building and Top of the Rock. You can choose a duration of between one and ten days for this pass, but my recommendation is to avoid the one-day pass, as it will most likely not work out for you.

More details: All about the New York Pass

What's included

Practical information about New York

• Recommended if: you like to go all out on your trips and see a lot of things in one day
• Duration: from one to ten days
• Price: from $ 146.
• You will save up to: 450€ (on a 7-day pass)

The New York CityPass includes three fixed attractions and three attractions to choose from several options, making a total of five attractions, which you can visit in a maximum of 9 days from its first use. It is the most popular pass among people visiting New York, as it includes tickets to the essential "landmarks" of the city and its duration is adjusted to most trips.

Compared to buying individual tickets to each attraction, you can save up to 72€ with this pass, in addition to skipping the line to buy the ticket at each site you visit.

More details: Everything you need to know about the New York CityPass

What's included

Practical Information

• Recommended if: you will be in New York for less than 10 days and want to see the main attractions.
• Number of attractions: 5 (New York's main attractions)
• Duration: 9 days from the moment of activation
• Price: from $ 128
• You will save up to: 72€

Purchasing the New York Explorer Pass is a perfect option to personalize your New York experience to the fullest, as you can choose 3, 4, 5, 7 or 10 attractions and pay according to the number of attractions you choose. From the moment you activate the pass, you have a full month to visit the attractions you have chosen, so you can take your trip at your leisure.

If you want to get the most out of the New York Explorer Pass, I recommend that you choose attractions that cost €25 or more to maximize your savings. And again, if you want to save as much as possible, make a list of the places you want to visit and compare if it is better to buy the tickets separately.

More details: All the details about the New York Explorer Pass

What's included

Practical Info

• Recommended if: you have a clear idea of which attractions you want to visit and you will be in New York for a couple of weeks.
• Number of attractions: 3, 4, 5, 5, 7 or 10
• Duration: 30 days from the moment of activation
• Price: from $ 68
• You will save up to: 150€ (on a 7-day pass)

If you are going to buy the New York Sightseeing Pass you have two options: the Day option or the Flex option. The first works for days and each day is valid from activation until midnight. It has some differences like the other passes, such as including credit to spend at the attractions and a free meal at the restaurant of your choice from a list of popular New York sites.

The Flex option allows you to pay based on the attractions you visit instead of per day. Otherwise, it includes the same as the regular version, except for the entrance to the Empire State Building. It is recommended if you are interested in the discounts offered by the pass but want to explore at your own pace without having to visit multiple attractions in the same day and you have 30 days to use it from the moment of activation.

More details: What you should know about the New York Sightseeing Pass

What's included

Practical Information

• Recommended if: your second time in New York or if you are traveling on a budget.
• Duration: from one to ten days
• Price: from $ 153
• You will save up to: 390€ (on a 10-day pass)

Buying a tourist card has several advantages, above all, saving money (they allow you to enter the main attractions at a flat or reduced rate) and saving time, as most attractions have a special queue for holders of these passes.

All passes give you access to its main monuments, buildings and points of interest. What varies between passes is their duration and the number of attractions you have access to.

Alex's Tip

It will be much easier to choose a pass if you make a list in advance of the attractions you want to visit.

Depending on what you prefer to pay

Before continuing, the most important thing to note is that there are two types of New York Pass: by number of days, and by number of attractions.

Depending on the type of traveler you are

Finding the perfect pass for you depends entirely on the type of trip you are taking to New York. This is very important, as you will avoid buying a pass that is too big for your stay in New York, or worse, too small. Depending on how long you are going to be in New York and the type of traveler you are, I recommend one New York Pass or another.

Alex's Traveller Tip

Passes are activated simply by using them for the first time at an attraction.

Which passes include fast-track access?

All passes have fast-track access at selected attractions. The CityPass includes fast-track access at 5 of its 9 attractions, while the New York Pass has it at 11 of 100 and the Sightseeing Pass (in its two versions) at 10 of 115. However, the fact that they have fast-track access does not exempt you from going through security controls.

Which attractions have free access for children?

I recommend that you check each site's specific policy first. In general, most children under the age of 3 get free admission to all New York attractions. If your children get in free to most of the attractions you plan to visit, don't buy them a pass!

How do I buy my pass?

You can purchase any of the passes conveniently online and receive all the corresponding information in your email. There are usually two options: have the pass sent to your home or pick it up at one of the tourist offices in New York.

How do I activate my pass?

Generally, by using it at any attraction included in the pass. From that first use, the time of the pass will start to count and at 12 midnight that same day you will be considered to have used the pass for one day, and so on.

Latest tips

Buying a New York Pass, in most cases, means organizing your trip in a very specific way. Plan very well what you want to see, on what day, and at what time. If you are the type of person who travels in a more spontaneous and improvised way, I recommend that you don't buy a pass.

So far, the comparison between the different New York Passes you can choose for your trip to New York. Now, let's eat up the Big Apple!