New York Pass Comparison (+ Discount)

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Man and woman standing in the middle of Time Square with no crowd

Attraction passes are a great way to save money when visiting new places. And it’s a really simple concept; the more days or attractions you bundle, the more money you’ll save. We’ve used attraction passes in cities all around the world, and we truly believe that New York is the one city that works the best with a pass because there’s so many iconic things to see and do.

In this New York pass comparison guide we show you the 4 major NYC passes with pros and cons for each pass to help you decide which is the perfect fit for your plans. (Are you interested in saving even more money? We have an exclusive discount for our readers with our favorite NY pass, so keep reading to take advantage!)

Disclosure: We received New York Sightseeing Pass and New York CityPASS tickets in order to share our opinion about these products but this is not a sponsored post.

Our NYC Experience

Man and Woman pointing to the Statue of Liberty from the top of One World Observatory
Here we are at the top of One World Observatory on a cloudy day (Sightseeing Pass)

What do we know about visiting NYC? Well, Kristen is a New York state native, we’ve visited countless times and we even lived in NYC for 4 months in 2021. We explored Manhattan and Brooklyn non-stop for a third of a year, so we’ve done everything there is to do in the touristy areas. And more importantly, we actually used the attraction passes, as you’ll see in our photos. Read more about us.

So far in New York we’ve used CityPASS, C3 Pass and Sightseeing Pass. (Look for the captions underneath our photos in this guide to see which pass we used at each attraction.) We’ve also used the Go City Pass in Rome, London and Paris so we’re definitely familiar with how these passes work!

You probably have lots of questions about the passes (just like we did), and reading this comparison is the perfect place to find your answers. We’ve got lots of tables and charts to help you understand the passes, and by the end you’ll know exactly which pass to buy and how to use it. Let’s begin!

Travel Tip: We do our best to keep prices and attractions up to date, but they’re constantly changing on each pass. Use the official links in our guide below to always see current prices.

What You Need To Know

Woman looking at the Empire State Building from Top of the Rock
Kristen at Top of the Rock (CityPASS)

1. There are four passes available for your visit to New York: Sightseeing Pass, CityPASS, Go City and New York Pass (same company as Go City).

2. Each company offers different types of pass based on number of days or number of attractions. You have a total of 7 New York passes to choose from, but we’ll break them down so it’s easy to understand.

3. A NY pass will give you instant access to the most iconic landmarks, museums, observation decks, walking tours and boat cruises at a heavily discounted price. The more attractions you visit, the more you’ll save.

4. You’ll receive an email with the pass after buying, and you’ll have 12-24 months to activate it. You can download the pass to your phone or print it so you have a hard copy. We typically download them to our phones and always keep the batteries charged!

5. Your pass is considered active once it has been scanned at the first attraction via a QR code.

6. Major attractions often require timed reservations, so you’ll have to show your timed entry reservation along with your New York pass.

Travel Tip: Some attractions have “required” or “recommended” reservations. Our advice is to always make reservations (even if they only say recommended) because you’ll guarantee entry, especially if you plan to visit in summer.

Days Or Attractions Pass?

Person walking through the New York Botanic Gardens
Kristen at the New York Botanical Gardens (Sightseeing Pass)

Before you choose which company offers the best pass for your plans, you need to decide whether you want a pass based on days or attractions. Let’s take a quick look at both:

A day based pass basically means you have unlimited access to attractions for a specific amount of days (1-10). The more days, the more attractions you can fit and the more you’ll save. It works better if you plan to see and do as much as possible in NYC.

Here are the 3 New York DAY Pass options with pros and cons:

  1. NY Sightseeing DAY Pass
  2. Go City New York All-Inclusive Pass
  3. New York Pass by Go City

Pros

  • Unlimited amount of attractions so you can do as much as you want
  • Better value for money as long as you’re quick and plan well
  • Best suited for a 1-5 day trip

Cons

  • Must be used in consecutive days
  • You might feel obligated to rush around to make the most of your money

An attractions based pass basically means you specify exactly how many attractions you want to see. Now, just when you thought it was getting easier to understand, we have to throw a wrench in the works! There are two different types of attractions based passes:

  • You choose a specific number of attractions and the price increases incrementally based on the number (ie. 3 attractions costs $80, 4 attractions costs $100 etc).
  • You choose a pass with a specific number of attractions and a specific price (ie. a 3-attraction pass costs $80, you then have to choose those 3 attractions).

Here are the 4 New York ATTRACTION Pass options with pros and cons:

  1. NY Sightseeing FLEX Pass
  2. New York CityPASS
  3. New York C3 Pass
  4. Go City New York Explorer Pass

Pros

  • You have between 9-60 days to use up your attractions (depending on pass)
  • Better for longer trips because you can space out attractions
  • Does not have to be used on consecutive days
  • Only pay for what you definitely want to see or do

Cons

  • Set number of attractions limits how much you can visit
  • Not as much savings as a DAY based pass
 

What Is The Best New York Pass?

New York Sightseeing Pass for NY pass comparison purposes
Our NY Sightseeing Pass from 2022

In this comparison of the New York passes we’re going to show you tables, price lists and a complete breakdown of attractions. It’s well worth reading so you understand the finer details, but if you’re in a hurry and you just want our top recommendation, it’s the New York Sightseeing Pass.

We’ve dealt with all the companies offering passes, and we had the best experience with Sightseeing. They also have exclusive attractions, lots of flexibility and great value for money. And the best part is we’ve teamed up with Sightseeing Pass to offer our readers an exclusive 5-10% discount on any attraction pass.

Want to save money in NYC?

Click the button below to automatically apply a genuine 5-10% off any NY Sightseeing Pass.

Get Discounted Pass

It doesn’t matter if Sightseeing Pass are running a seasonal promotion, you’ll always save an additional 5-10% on top of the promotion by clicking our links in this guide.

While we personally think Sightseeing Pass is the best company to work with, it might not suit your needs. So continue reading to see the how the other passes compare.

Is There A Catch?

Woman sitting on a couch in nyc to compare ny passes
Kristen relaxing on the Friends couch at Madame Tussauds (Sightseeing Pass)

There’s no catch with our discount or buying the passes in general. But like all things that save you money, there are some minor catches to be aware of:

  • You have to put a little bit of effort in to get the most out of your pass.
  • You can’t reserve time slots in advance for every attraction.

The purpose of a pass is to save money by bundling attractions, and it will save you money. But in return, you’ll need to get organized by booking time slots in advance where possible and arriving to attractions at times of day when they won’t be packed full of tourists.

We used our 3 day Sightseeing Pass during our trip to New York in April and we never had to wait in lines. But if you visit in July or August, it will naturally be busier so you can’t arrive at Top of the Rock at 5pm expecting to get straight up for sunset. There will be a long line, whether you buy a pass or an individual ticket.

So another way to look at this is: You’ll save time and money by using a pass and being organized.

If you read reviews about attraction passes online, you’ll find either 1 star or 5 star reviews. The 1 star reviews are from people who didn’t plan or read the fine print. The 5 stars reviews are from people who properly planned and saved a bunch of money. And we’re going to show you exactly how to make the most of your New York attraction pass.

Money Saving Example

Mark and Kristen at Spyscape (Sightseeing Pass)

Let’s take a look at how much money you can save using a New York Sightseeing Pass with our exclusive discount versus paying for individual attractions. Below is an example of how you can plan attractions for a 4 day NYC itinerary (with general admission adult prices from the official websites):

Travel Tip: If you’re visiting New York City from abroad, keep in mind you’ll have to add sales tax and/or processing fees onto some attractions.

Day 1:

  • Statue of Liberty Ferry = $24.50
  • Madame Tussauds: $38.99 + $3.46 tax = $42.45
  • Empire State Building 86th floor: $44.00 (+ $5.00 processing fee + $4.35 tax) = $53.35

Day 2:

  • Circle Line Landmarks midweek sailing: $35.00
  • MoMA: $28.00
  • One World Observatory: $44.00 (+ $5.00 processing fee + $3.91 tax) = $52.91

Day 3:

  • American Museum of Natural History: $28.00
  • SPYSCAPE: $44.00 (+ $3.91 tax) = $47.91
  • Edge at Hudson Yards 10:00am visit: $41.00 (+ $3.64 tax) = $44.64

Day 4:

  • Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum: $36.00
  • New York Botanical Gardens: $35.00
  • Top of the Rock sunset visit: $52.00 (+ $4.88 tax) = $59.88

The total cost of this 4 day itinerary is $485.64. Now let’s compare this price to the cost of a NY Sightseeing Pass with our discount:

  • Total cost of 12 attractions with no pass: $485.64.
  • A NY Sightseeing DAY Pass for 4 days with our discount is $274.55.
  • A NY Sightseeing FLEX Pass with 12 attractions and our discount is $291.12.

And there you have it, you can save $211.09 with the DAY pass or $194.52 with the FLEX pass.

Need help planning your visit to NYC?

Where Are Those Morgans popular New York City travel guidebook will help you with planning every aspect of your trip, including airport links, subway, attractions, itinerary ideas, restaurants, hotels and map!

View NYC Guidebook
Where Are Those Morgans NYC travel guidebook

The 4 New York Attraction Passes

As we mentioned earlier, there are four New York attraction passes, and two are run by the same company (Go City). Here they are again:

  • NY Sightseeing Pass
  • New York CityPASS
  • Go City New York
  • The New York Pass by Go City

Between the four companies, you have 7 pass options. One of our biggest frustrations (especially when writing this guide!) is that the names are so similar and it’s easy to get confused by all the jargon. But once you take a deeper look into each option, you’ll notice subtle differences.

Below is a chart we created to show you an overview of each New York pass compared against each other. By looking at the information in this way, it’s easier to see the differences with each pass.

High level comparison of the popular new york city attraction passes

We’ll discuss all of these passes in detail throughout the rest of this guide, but it’s important to consider which attractions are included on each because each pass offers different options.

New York City is one of the most sought after travel destinations in the world and there’s so much to do as a first time visitor. Here’s what we consider the major attractions in the city:

  • 9/11 Memorial and Museum
  • American Museum of Natural History
  • Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
  • Edge Hudson Yards
  • Empire State Building
  • Ferry Access to Statue of Liberty + Ellis Island
  • Guggenheim Museum
  • Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
  • Modern Museum of Art (MoMA)
  • One World Observatory
  • The Met
  • Top of the Rock

We created the chart below to help you easily identify which attractions are included on each pass:

Chart comparing the top attraction in New York City on each NY pass

As you can see, many of the top highlights are included on most passes. But if you want to visit a specific attraction, you have to make sure it’s included on the pass you wish to buy.

There’s also a few important updates for 2024 you need to know about:

  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) is no longer included on any attraction pass. However, NY State residents or students based in NY, NJ or CT will receive free admission with a valid ID.
  • The 9/11 Museum is no longer available on the NY Sightseeing Pass, but you can book a 9/11 Ground Zero Walking Tour instead. Then, you can reserve a timed entry ticket for 9/11 separately on its official website or with Get Your Guide, Viator or Tiqets.
  • New York’s newest observation deck SUMMIT One Vanderbilt features immersive exhibits and stunning views over Manhattan, but it’s not currently available on any NY pass. You can book tickets on the official website or with Get Your Guide, Viator or Tiqets.
Man taking a photo in the mirrors at Summit One Vanderbuilt
Mark taking a photo at SUMMIT One Vanderbilt (not available on any pass)

More Highlights

Even if you’ve already seen the top attractions, a New York City attractions pass can still be a good option for you because there are lots of lesser known museums and unique activities included.

Below is a comparison graph featuring museums in New York City, including which ones are available on each individual pass:

Chart comparing the unique museums found on each New York City attraction pass

Our NYC museum pass comparison

This graph does not included the full list of options, but it gives you a good idea about which pass you should purchase if you plan to visit several museums.

READ: Our 10 favorite museums in New York City

What’s The Cheapest Pass?

Earlier we told you we think the NY Sightseeing Pass offers the best deal with the most flexibility and biggest savings. This is our conclusion after personally using the passes ourselves.

But we’re scientists by trade and we always use data to prove our conclusions. So we’ve created two more charts for you to easily see the financial benefits of the NY Sightseeing Pass when used in conjunction with our additional 5-10% discount.

Price comparison for the day based NY passes

This is what you can instantly see:

  • NY Sightseeing Pass and The New York Pass offer the most day options
  • Go City and The New York Pass are always a few dollars more expensive
  • Your savings will exponentially increase as you add more days
  • Our discount with the Sightseeing Pass yields the cheapest prices every time

>> Buy the NY Sightseeing DAY Pass here

We think the day based attraction pass offers the best value, but if you only want to visit a few attractions, an attraction pass is better suited for you. Here are the prices:

Price comparison for the attraction based NY passes

This is what you can instantly see:

  • NY Sightseeing Pass offers the most attraction options
  • An adult New York CityPASS is slightly cheaper, but you can only choose between certain attractions
  • A NY Sightseeing FLEX option for 5 attractions is the cheapest price for children
  • Your savings will exponentially increase as you add more attractions

>> Buy the NY Sightseeing FLEX Pass here

Travel Tip: According to our statistics and hundreds of bookings, the NY Sightseeing 3 DAY Pass is the most popular option.

Now, let’s take a closer look at each pass individually!

New York Sightseeing Pass

Example of the New York Sightseeing Pass
An example of the NY Sightseeing Pass on a phone

This pass offers both a day and attraction based option for New York visitors. You can purchase the DAY pass or the FLEX pass which features a certain number of attractions. Here is a quick overview (prices include our 5-10% discount):

DAY Pass:

  • 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 day validity
  • Visit as many attractions as possible
  • 115 attractions
  • Adult prices range from $141.55 to $379.05
  • Child prices range from $98.10 t0 $255.50

>> See full prices for the DAY pass here.

FLEX Pass:

  • Visit 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 or 12 attractions
  • 60 day validity
  • 121 attractions
  • Adult prices range from $75.05 to $291.65
  • Child prices range from $62.10 to $225.00

>> See full prices for the FLEX pass here.

We like NY Sightseeing because it offers the most attractions compared to other New York passes. Here are the popular attractions included:

  • Empire State Building
  • Top of the Rock
  • Circle Line Landmarks Cruise
  • One World Observatory
  • Edge Hudson Yards
  • American Museum of Natural History
  • Guggenheim
  • Statue of Liberty Ferry (DAY pass only)
  • Big Bus New York
  • The Ride

This pass also has exclusive attractions including the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, New York Aquarium, Museum of Broadway, National Lighthouse Museum and Go Airlink airport shuttle. These attractions are great for kids or visitors who want to experience something unique.

But that’s not all. This pass features special discounts on popular experiences such as Edge City Climb and Charm Manhattan Helicopter Tours. These must be purchased at time of checkout and sell out quickly so we recommend booking as soon as possible.

To see the full list of attractions, click here to visit the official NY Sightseeing Pass website.

READ: How to find the best NYC helicopter tour

How To Choose Between DAY Or FLEX

Person walking into the Bronx Zoo
Mark walking into the Bronx Zoo (Sightseeing Pass)

Before purchasing this pass, you’ll have to decide between a day or attraction option. If you want the most flexibility, buy the DAY pass. If you only want to visit a few attractions or are planning to visit New York for a longer period of time, buy a FLEX pass because you have 60 days of validity.

We loved using our DAY pass to run around the city and check off many top attractions because it was a fun way to explore. At checkout, you’ll choose between 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 days. Remember, to get the most of out this pass you’ll need to make reservations and plan your days out.

The FLEX option is good if you’d rather take your trip a little slower and visit NYC with less pressure. During checkout, you’ll decide between 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 or 12 attractions. No matter how many attractions you purchase, you then have 60 days to visit all of them once your pass is activated.

Is The NY Sightseeing Pass Worth It?

Two people sitting with a wax figure of the queen at a new York City wax museum visited with the New York Sightseeing Pass
Mark and Kristen sitting with the Queen at Madame Tussauds (Sightseeing Pass)

Yes, we think the NY Sightseeing Pass is worth it because you get a lot of bang for your buck, especially with our additional discount thrown in for good measure. It has lots of top attractions but it also has unique activities like the Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium which are great for the kids.

One more important thing to note is that transportation is included on the NY Sightseeing Pass. In addition to walking tours or bout tours, you’ll also have access to the Go Airlink Airport Shuttle and Big Bus New York with hop-on hop-off option. All this is covered on the attraction page here if you want to read more.

READ: Our NY Sightseeing pass review

New York CityPASS

Examples of the New York CityPASS
An example of the New York CityPASS on a phone

We’ve used CityPASS in major cities across the United States including Seattle, Denver, San Francisco and New York City. This pass is different from the others because it offers specific attractions at a set price point.

You can choose between the New York C3 Pass or the New York CityPASS which offer 3 and 5 attractions respectively. It’s often a cheaper option, but the catch is you’ll be limited to choosing between a very small number of attractions. Here’s a quick overview:

  • 9 day validity
  • With CityPASS, you choose 5 out of 8 attractions but 2 are non-negotiable
  • With the C3 Pass, you choose 3 out of 10 attractions
  • Adult prices range from $96 and $138
  • Child prices range from $74 and $118

>> See a full price list for the New York CityPASS here.

We like CityPASS because it’s a basic option offering the top attractions in the city. Below you’ll find a chart we created to help you easily understand your options with CityPASS.

Chart comparing the 3 New York CityPASS option

To summarize, these are the popular attractions included with the New York CityPASS:

  • American Museum of Natural History
  • Empire State Building
  • 9/11 Museum 
  • Circle Line Cruises
  • Guggenheim Museum
  • Intrepid Museum
  • Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island 
  • Top of the Rock
  • Edge at Hudson Yards
  • Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

The New York C-All Pass allows you to visit these 10 attractions at a good price. But if you compare this to the other options, we think your money will be better spent on the other NY Sightseeing or Go City options because you’ll be able to pick from 100+ attractions instead of just the 10 listed above.

How To Choose Between A C3 Or CityPASS

Special exhibit featuring dinosaurs at the American museum of natural history
Dinosaur exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History (CityPASS)

Before buying this pass, you’ll have to decide how many attractions you want to visit. If you want to visit 5 attractions, buy the CityPASS. If you want to visit 3 attractions, buy the C3 Pass. And if you want to visit the Edge or the Modern Museum of Art (MoMa), you’ll need to buy the C3 Pass.

But no matter which pass you purchase, you’ll have 9 days to visit all attractions. We’ve used both the C3 and CityPASS in NYC, and both worked out great for us because we wanted to see those exact attractions.

READ: Tips for visiting Edge at Hudson Yards

Is The New York CityPASS Worth It?

Close up of the Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty on a cloudy day (CityPASS)

Yes, we think the New York CityPASS is worth it if you want to see 3-5 top attractions in the city and nothing more. CityPASS is unique because it focuses only on the most popular NYC attractions, which might suit you more.

The New York CityPASS is our second favorite option because you can see top attractions at a cheap price point. While there are only a few attractions on this pass, we like the simple concept and their user friendly website.

Remember, you must visit the Empire State Building and the American Museum of Natural History with a CityPASS. However, you can visit the ESB twice in the same day and you’ll also receive entry into both the permanent and special exhibits inside the history museum.

>> Buy the New York CityPASS here

The C3 Pass is great if you only want to see 3 attractions that are included in the 10 available. It also helps to save by bundling with MoMA or Edge.

>> Buy the New York C3 Pass here

There are no additional transportation offers with this pass, but you’ll have access to Circle Line Boat Cruises and the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. You can also score deals on Broadway musicals or plays. Head to the official website here to learn more.

READ: Our New York CityPASS and C3 Pass review

Go City New York Pass

Example of the Go City New York attraction pass
An example of the New York CityPASS on a phone

Go City offers attraction passes in major cities around the world. We’ve used them in Paris, London and Rome so we know how they work. The Go City New York Pass is set up very similar to the NY Sightseeing Pass. There’s a day based option called the All-Inclusive Pass and an attraction based option called the Explorer Pass. Here’s a quick overview:

All-Inclusive Pass:

  • 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 10 day validity
  • Visit as many attractions as possible
  • 103 attractions to choose from
  • Adult prices range from $150 to $401
  • Child prices range from $110 to $286

>> See full prices for the All-Inclusive pass here.

Explorer Pass:

  • Visit 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 attractions
  • 60 day validity
  • 92 attractions to choose from
  • Adult prices range from $80 to $280
  • Child prices range from $70 to $232

>> See full prices for the Explorer pass here.

We like Go City because it offers a large amount of activities. Here are the popular attractions included:

  • 9/11 Memorial and Museum
  • American Museum of Natural History
  • Circle Line Sightseeing
  • Edge Hudson Yards
  • Empire State Building
  • Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island  
  • Guggenheim Museum
  • Intrepid
  • Modern Museum of Art
  • Top of the Rock

Another feature of this pass is the exclusive attractions including Yankees tickets. All of the other attractions are the same as the NY Sightseeing Pass with the exception of the 9/11 Museum. And there are also no special discounts on other experiences in the city.

READ: Top of the Rock vs Empire State Building

How To Choose Between All-Inclusive Or Explorer

View of the Empire State Building from an observation deck in New York City
View of the Empire State Building with sprawling Midtown views (CityPASS)

Similar to the NY Sightseeing Pass, you’ll have to decide between a day or attraction option. If you want the most flexibility, buy the All-Inclusive pass. If you only want to visit a few attractions or are planning to visit New York for a longer time period, buy the Explorer pass because you have 60 days of validity.

The All-Inclusive Pass will give you the most options because it features 103 attractions, but you’ll be limited by time. During checkout, you’ll choose between 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 10 days. We highly recommend you make reservations and plan out your days to make the most of this pass.

The Explorer option is good for those visitors who only want to see some of the top attractions. At checkout, you’ll pick between 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 attractions, but then you have 60 days to visit all of the attractions on the pass.

Is The Go City New York Pass Worth It?

View of the Intrepid Sea, Space and Air museum from a helicopter in New York City
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum (available on all NY Passes)

Yes, we think the Go City New York Pass is worth it because you can choose from numerous attractions and it will save you money. However, Go City are typically higher priced passes and they don’t offer as much choice as the NY sightseeing Pass with the exception being the 9/11 Museum.

The Go City New York Pass is our least favorite option because it can be expensive. However, compared to the New York CityPASS, you have more attraction options. We also don’t like how Go City inflates attraction prices on their website.

An All-Inclusive pass would be good if it’s your first visit and you want to see as much as possible or you’re visiting with children. This pass is very similar to the NY Sightseeing DAY Pass and The New York Pass so be sure to compare prices and attractions.

>> Buy the Go City New York All-Inclusive Pass here

An Explorer pass would be good if you want to see select attractions or you’re interested in museums. We think it’s also good for returning visitors who want to see unique attractions. This pass is very similar to the NY Sightseeing FLEX Pass so compare prices and attractions before purchasing.

>> Buy the Go City New York Explorer Pass here

If you’re looking for the Big Bus New York with hop-on hop-off option, it’s included on the Go City New York Pass. This will help you travel through Manhattan’s Uptown and Downtown loops. But be sure to read our tips at the end of this guide regarding the Big Bus tour.

The New York Pass

Example of the New York Pass by Go City
An example of the New York CityPASS on a phone

This last pass is essentially the same as Go City’s All-Inclusive pass because it’s owned by Go City. Prices and attractions are identical to the pass we just discussed and there are no attraction based options available. Here’s a quick overview:

  • 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 day validity
  • Visit as many attractions as possible
  • 105 attractions to choose from
  • Adult prices range from $150 to $401
  • Child prices range from $110 to $288

>> See full prices for the New York Pass here.

Personally, we’d purchase the NY Sightseeing Pass over this option because it’s a cheaper price with more flexibility and attractions. But if you want to visit the 9/11 Museum as one of your attractions, this might be a good option for you.

In Summary

View of lower Manhattan from Empire State Building
View from the Empire State Building of Lower Manhattan (CityPASS)

Here’s a summary of everything we discussed:

  • NY Sightseeing DAY Pass – Best for first time visitors, returning visitors or families with children who want to see it all. This is the cheapest day option with the most flexibility, but if you want to visit the 9/11 Museum, you’ll have to purchase tickets separately (active and retired military visit for free). Buy it here.
  • NY Sightseeing FLEX Pass – This pass is great for visitors who want to visit 1-12 attractions with the most flexibility or those who want to visit numerous museums. However, the 9/11 Museum and Statue of Liberty Ferry are not included. Buy it here.
  • New York CityPASS – Good for those who want to visit 5 of the top attractions, but you’ll be limited to a total of 8 attractions with 2 non-negotiable options. Buy it here.
  • New York C3 Pass – Good for visitors who only want to see 3 of the top attractions. Very limiting compared to other passes, but it comes at a cheap price. Buy it here.
  • Go City New York All-Inclusive – Similar to NY Sightseeing DAY Pass, but more expensive with less attractions and no 6 day option. The Bronx Zoo and the New York Aquarium are not included. Buy it here.
  • Go City New York Explorer – Similar to the NY Sightseeing FLEX, but more expensive. You can purchase up to 10 attractions on this pass. The Bronx Zoo and the New York Aquarium is not included. Buy it here.
  • The New York Pass – Essentially the same as the Go City All-Inclusive option run by the same company. Buy it here.

READ: Famous New York City quotes

Our Top Tips

Many people walking around at Edge nyc
Visitors enjoying Edge at Hudson Yards during sunset (C3 Pass)
  • We don’t recommend using Big Bus as your means of transportation around the city if you have a day pass because you’ll be limited by bus schedules and traffic. You should use the subway to make the most of your time. Walking tours, bike rentals or boat tours would also be a good option.
  • Some passes offer special offers and discounts so read the fine print. There are additional benefits to be had that could save you extra money on experiences, shops and restaurants.
  • We typically average about 3-4 attractions per day by using the subway and visiting attractions that are located close to each other. Keep in mind, most attractions are open from 10:00am-6:00pm with a few exceptions such as the New York city observation decks.
  • Verify attractions on the official websites with our links. New York City is always evolving and new attractions open every year so head over to the official websites for current information.
  • Always make reservations when possible, especially if you visit in the peak summer season. New York is a very busy place and if you don’t make reservations, you’ll be waiting in long lines.
  • Visit the expensive attractions to get the most out of your pass. This includes the Empire State Building, Edge, One World Observatory, Big Bus, various walking tours and so many more fun attractions.
  • You can find seasonal activities such as the Rink at Rockefeller Center and Dyker Heights Christmas lights tour on NY Sightseeing and Go City options.
New York City Guidebook by Where Are Those Morgans

FAQ’s

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding New York City attraction passes.

What About Fast Track Or Skip The Line?

In our experience using these passes, we never had to wait in line for any attraction because we made advanced reservations and avoided peak times. The most popular attractions will require a timed entry ticket therefore fast track or skip the line are a moot point. If you can’t make a reservation, you should plan to visit that attraction early in the morning at opening time before it gets busy. However, you might have to wait in a security line which is unavoidable.

How Much Money Can You Save?

Depending on the pass you purchase, you can save 20-60%. But be sure to shop around to find the pass that better suits your needs such as a day or attraction based option.

What Is The Best Way To Buy A New York Pass?

You should buy your attraction pass online because you’ll receive the pass instantly via email. This way you can start making reservations for your attractions straight away. Always buy the passes from the official websites (links in this guide) or reputable third parties like Get Your Guide and Viator.

Are NY Passes Legit?

Yes, the New York passes are legit. We’ve personally used Sightseeing and CityPASS in New York, and we’ve also used other passes around the world. You will save both time and money if you take the time to plan your trip.

More New York Guides

Want more New York content? Head over to our New York Travel Guides to explore the Finger Lakes, Adirondacks and the best of NYC.


We hope this detailed comparison of the various New York attraction passes helps with planning your trip to NYC!

Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.

Happy Travels,

Mark and Kristen

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8 thoughts on “New York Pass Comparison (+ Discount)”

  1. Hello, this is an awesome article, thanks!
    However, it seems like the NY Sightseeing have changed their prices, as they are not the same as found in your article…
    Could it be that they have updated them not long ago?
    We will be staying from the 12th to the 17th of August and I want to show my kids the most interesting vistas and neighborhoods.
    Is there a coupon code that can be used as the links don’t seem to work?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Hi Oli, We recently updated this guide with 2023 summer prices mid-June, but now that we are in the middle of summer, unfortunately prices will be at their highest. The prices fluctuate throughout the entire year so our prices are only meant to be a guideline to show how much you can save. That being said our links will always give you 10% off the current price.🙂 You will need to use our links to receive the 10% discount. We just checked our links and can confirm they are working so we recommend you clear the cookies on your browser and try again. Since you will be visiting in August, we also recommend you make reservations for attractions when possible and for the attractions you can not reserve, try to arrive early in the day when the attractions open so you make the most of your trip. Hope you have an amazing time in NYC with your kids!

      Reply
  2. Hi! I love your posts. You helped me a lot with my out west trip 2 years ago. We are going to NYC -5 of us in June. Debating the passes. Can you help me understand which of the NY sightseeing pass I should get – flex or day – want to do 9/11 museum for sure and I read about the issue with this pass. With either- do I need to book 9/11 directly with the museum ? We will be there 6/7-11. Any thoughts on which pass you would buy ? Want to do the bus hop on and off tour, 9/11, Statue of Liberty, Empire State , top of rock and possibly a boat tour. Also a Broadway show. Debating lion king , wicked and Hamilton. And a Yankees game. Would love any help !

    Thank you so much. Jenny

    Reply
  3. Hi. I have clicked the link to purchase the NY pass with your 10% discount but this doesn’t seem to be applied. Can you please help?

    Reply

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