New York City Attractions Passes Price Comparison Guide

New York is one of the world’s leading metropolises that has earned its name as ‘The City That Never Sleeps’ because of its electrifying, infectious energy- all day, all night! Also, renowned as ‘The Big Apple’, New York is home to stunning skyscrapers in all five boroughs, mash-up of global cuisines, and unparalleled magnum opuses from the internationally acknowledged artists, to name a few!

There is no doubt that ‘The Concrete Jungle’ is an absolute wanderer’s delight as it spreads an irresistible feast for all to savor and not get tired of it. From experiencing the propulsive beat to which the city marches, to marveling the gigantic beauties to encountering a dizzying list of trendsetting ideas, New York proffers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to every travel.

And in order to help you enjoy the most budget-friendly and hassle-free way to explore the city, we’ve carefully compared the attractions passes that will help save you quite some dollars.

How to select the best New York Pass?

There are multifarious attractions passes that bless you with instant access to major tourist hubs in the city which cuts down the inconvenience of queuing up for hours and exchanging currency every now and then. As there many kinds of passes, it becomes quite a time-consuming task to decide which pass fits the bill so you can enjoy it without worrying about spending a lot of cash.

To not make the decision complex, you can first decide what category of pass you are looking for. While there may be some similarities, each pass has its own benefits that make it popular among the visitors. In fact, most of these magic passes fall under three categories- ‘all-inclusive pass’, ‘pick your attractions’ and ‘build your own’.

Get an all-inclusive pass

The first category is considered to be the most extravagant out of the three classifications. But the good news is using this kind of pass you can also save the most amount of money while you take selfies with your favorite celebrity’s wax statue at Madame Tussauds or revel in a hop-on-Hop-off bus tour.

Moreover, this group of passes can be compared to the buffet where you pay a limited price to devour unlimited food. Yes, you read it right you get a card for one set of the price for certain days and enjoy hassle-free entries to as many attractions, itineraries, and experiences that you would like to be a part of. Sightseeing pass and The New York Pass are the most widely used all-inclusive passes in the Big Apple.

• Sightseeing Pass official website

• The New York Pass official website

P.S. With all-inclusive passes you will be blessed with the skip-the-line privilege and also enjoy discounts at various shops and restaurants.

Pick an attractions pass

This pass is for the visitors who have already made up their minds to visit certain tourist attractions and tours. You will have a plethora of options to choose from in a set of 3, 5 or more as per your preference. What’s the best part about this pass, you may ask? The answer: you will straightaway save 50% on the retail cost of each attraction.

Furthermore, with convenient flexibility to enjoy you can make the sets as per the attractions that have always lured you. Also, with this pass, you will be successful in saving more if you purchase the pass with more number of hotspots to visit. New York Explorer Pass and Sightseeing Flex Pass are the prevalent ‘pick your attraction’ passes that let you enjoy the crème de la crème of New York City.

• NYC Explorer Pass official website

• Sightseeing Flex Pass official website

P.S. You will enjoy the fast track entry by skipping the lines at the chosen attractions that will save you a lot of your invaluable time and energy.

Booklet pass

‘Booklet pass’ offered by New York CityPass is a booklet of 6 tickets that grant you admission into 6 of the most famous NYC attractions. Therefore you don’t need to worry about paying for tours and attractions that you don’t use. You can choose from 9 top attractions.

This is the pass you should go for in order to make your presence felt in the selected attractions. The pass allows you plenty of time to visit the chosen ones and make the most of your holiday with your near and dear ones.

• CityPass official website

P.S. The pass is valid for 9 days from the day of activation.

Now that you are well-versed in the fundamental categories of the passes, have a detailed look at each pass in the given classifications. A piece of in-depth information will make your life a bed of roses when it comes to deciding what pass fits your bill.

Also, there are a number of resellers that make discounts on the passes. TourScanner lists over 20 resellers in a easy way for you to compare their prices. Check the page linked here and use the filters to select the pass that you prefer.

• NYC passes on TourScanner

Popular New York passes

1. Sightseeing Pass

 Sightseeing Pass is one of the most budget-friendly passes that will let you marvel at unlimited tourist hotspots of the Big Apple in a convenient way. Depending upon the duration of your stay in New York City you can plan to purchase a pass for 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 or 10 days, and visit over a hundred featured attractions and tours that you have listed on your bucket list for eons.

Moreover, with the passes starting at an economic price of only $129 for adults and $99 for children you can have a savings of up to 70% on regular admission prices when you visit 3 attractions in a day. In fact, you will be able to save over $800 in the admission costs of the attractions by getting a weekly sightseeing pass.

P.S. When you purchase this pass you get a credit of $40 that allows you to visit one more attraction like Broadway shows and dinner cruises which otherwise would not be included in the Sightseeing Pass.

The top attractions you can visit with the pass include:

Attractions

• Empire State Building
• One World Observatory
• Top of the Rock – Observation Deck at Rockefeller Center
• 9/11 Memorial Museum
• Gray Line CitySightseeing Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tour (Uptown, Downtown, Brooklyn & Night Tour)
• Madame Tussauds New York
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden
• Bronx Zoo
• Brooklyn Unplugged – Street Art Workshop
• Central Park Zoo
• Go Airline airport shuttle – LaGuardia, JFK, or Newark
• Ground Zero Museum Workshop
• LOL Times Square Comedy Club
• LOL Times Square Magic
• New York Botanical Garden
• Riddle Me Out – Escape Rooms
• Ripley’s Believe it or Not
• Snug Harbour Cultural Center & Botanical Garden
• Spyscape
• The Downtown Experience
• TimeLooper – Virtual Reality Experience
• Woodbury Common Premium Outlets
• Luna Park
• Trolls the Experience

Museums

• 9/11 Tribute Musem
• American Museum of Natural History
• Brooklyn Historical Society
• El Museo del Barrio
• Fraunces Tavern Museum
• Gulliver’s Gate
• International Center of Photography
• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
• MoMA
• MoMA PS1
• Museum at Eldridge Street
• Museum of American Finance
• Museum of Jewish Heritage
• Museum of the City of New York
• National Geographic Encounter – Ocean Odyssey
• National Lighthouse Museum
• New-York Historical Society Museum and Library
• Guggenheim Museum
• Staten Island Children’s MuseumStaten Island Museum
• Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
• The Chocolate Museum & Experience with Jaques Torres
• The Met Breuer
• The Met Cloisters
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Whitney Museum of American Art

Bike Tours & Rental

• Bike and Roll – Inside Central Park Tour
• Bike Rent NYC – Brooklyn Bridge Bike Rental
• Bike Rent NYC – Brooklyn Bridge Bike Tour
• Bike Rent NYC – Central Park Bike Rental
• Bike Rent NYC – Central Park Bike Tour

Walking & Bus Tours

• Brooklyn Unplugged – Best of Brooklyn Walking Tour
• Brooklyn Unplugged – Graffiti & Street Art Walking Tour of Brooklyn
• Food on Foot Tours – East Village Variety Food Tour
• Food on Foot Tours – Go West Food TourFood on Foot Tours – Midtown Mix Food Tour
• Food on Foot Tours – Midtown Winter Food Tour
• Grand Central Terminal Audio Tour
• Gray Line CitySightseeing Best of Manhattan Experience
• Inside Out Tours – Bronx’s Little Italy & Arthur Avenue Tour
• Inside Out Tours – NYC Slavery and Underground Railroad Tour
• Macy’s Historical Tour
• Madison Square Garden All Access Tour
• NewYorkTour1 – Greenwich Village Walking Tour
• NewYorkTour1 – Inside Broadway Walking Tour
• NewYorkTour1 – Lower Manhattan Walking Tour
• NewYorkTour1 – High Line and Chelsea Walking Tour
• NewYorkTour1 – SoHo and Little Italy Walking Tour
• On-Location Tours – Central Park TV and Movie Sites Tour
• On-Location Tours – When Harry met Seinfeld Bus Tour
• Radio City Music Hall Stage Door Tour
• The Ride
• The Tour
• Tour Central Park – Central Park Walking Tour
• Urban Oyster Tours – Hamilton Happy Hour Tour
• Wall Street Walks – Secrets of Downtown Walking Tour
• Wall Street Walks – Wall Street Walking Tour

Cruises

• CitySightseeing New York Hop-On Hop-Off Ferry Tour
• Manhattan By Sail – Clipper City Daytime Statue Sail
• Manhattan By Sail – Craft Beer Tasting Sail aboard Clipper City Tal Ship
• Manhattan By Sail – Clipper City Jazz Sail
• Manhattan By Sail – Shearwater Daytime Statue Sail
• Hornblower Cruises – Alive After Five
• RIBNewYork – High-Speed Harbor Tour

Restaurants

• Buca di Beppo Restaurant – $15 Towards Lunch
• Buffalo Wild Wings Restaurant (Times Square) – Prix Fixe Menu
• Buffalo Wild Wings Restaurant (Harlem) – Prix Fixe Men
• Buffalo Wild Wings Restaurant (Brooklyn) – Prix Fixe Menu
• Planet Hollywood Restaurant – $15 Towards Lunch
• Bella Napoli – Receive a free entrée, with pasta or salad, soda, and garlic bread

Does the Sightseeing Pass include the Hop-on Hop-off bus tours?

The pass offers quite a number of hop-on hop-off bus tours to get around the city like a tourist.

Will I get a refund if I do not use the Sightseeing Pass?

With the purchase of the pass from www.sightseeingpass.com you will get an assurance that if you are unable to use the pass for some unexpected reasons, you will receive a full refund without any hassle.

How does the Sightseeing Pass work?

To make it more convenient for the visitors of the Big Apple, the pass can be collected in physical as well as digital form. Once you purchase the pass online you instantly receive the email with the pass in your name which you can keep as a digital pass, printable QR code, and even plastic card. You also get a complimentary map and guidebook with the purchase of every pass.

When does my Sightseeing Pass get activated?

The pass gets activated when you use it at the first attraction and lasts till midnight of the last valid day.

How do I make the most out of the Sightseeing Pass?

In order to save as much money as you wish to, plan to visit two to three attractions every day. Also, the more the number of days you have bought the pass for, the lesser number of hotspots you can visit per day at your leisurely pace!

Is there any limitation while using the Sightseeing Pass?

Nope! You can use the pass for entry at the attractions once every hour. However, you can visit each included attractions just once by using one Pass. In the case of the bus tours, once the pass is scanned and you have the tickets, you can enjoy as many bus tours as you want during their route times.

• Visit official website

2. The New York Pass

Get free admission to over 100 amazing NYC’s remarkable attractions and a 1-day Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour with a purchase of the ultimate New York Pass. With this great resource, you are in for a treat as you take delight in having access to unlimited attractions for the preferred number of days and soak in what the five boroughs have to offer.

You can purchase the pass for the length of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 10 days and save up to a whopping 70% compared to the price of the tickets at each attraction and get a 230-colored guidebook which is available in several languages. With the popular bus, bike and boat tours, the pass allows you to take delight in exploring the city in different ways.

All you have to do is choose the duration that fits your visit, purchase the pass starting at $134 for adults and $99 for kids, and get physical or instant mobile passes at your disposal. While the money you save differs as per the duration of the pass and the number of attractions that you visit, visitors can easily save up to $400 or more.

P.S. You can save Big in the Big Apple of over 50% off the retail price if you visit 3 attractions per day.

The pass that ranks near the top of the value scale includes top attractions like:

Attractions

• Empire State Building
• Top of the Rock Observatory (Fast Track Entry)
• 1-day Hop-On Hop-Off Big Bus New York Bus Tour
• Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Immigration Museum – Ferry Ticket
• Madame Tussauds New York (Fast Track Entry)
• 9/11 Memorial & Museum
• Luna Park at Coney Island
• Deno’s Wonder Wheel
• The Cathedral of St. John the Divine
• Fraunces Tavern
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden
• Staten Island Yankees Game
• New York Botanical Garden
• Staten Island Zoo
• Snug Harbor Botanical Garden in Staten Island
• LEGOLAND® Discovery Center

Museums

• 9/11 Tribute Museum: Gallery Admission
• American Museum of Natural History
• Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) (Fast Track Entry)
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) (Fast Track Entry)
• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and Space Shuttle (Fast Track Entry)
• Guggenheim Museum (Fast Track Entry)
• Whitney Museum of American Art
• Ground Zero Museum Workshop: Hands-On 9/11 Tour
• Museum of Sex
• The MET: Cloisters (Fast Track Entry)
• Museum of the City of New York
• New-York Historical Society Museum
• Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
• Museum of Arts and Design
• International Center of Photography Museum
• New Museum
• Museum of American Finance
• South Street Seaport Museum
• Brooklyn Museum of Art
• MoMA PS1
• New York Transit Museum
• Museum of Jewish Heritage-A Living Memorial to the Holocaust
• Museum at Eldridge St.
• New York Hall of Science
• The Skyscraper Museum
• Staten Island Museum
• Staten Island Children’s Museum

Bike Tours & Rental

• Central Park Sightseeing Bike Tours & Rentals
• Brooklyn Bridge Sightseeing Bike Tours and Rentals
• Blazing Saddles Bike Rentals & Tours
• Harlem Bike Tours
• Harlem Bike Rentals
• Hudson River Sightseeing Bike Rentals
• The Paley Center for Media

Walking & Bus Tours

• The RIDE
• The TOUR
• Madison Square Garden: MSG All Access Tour
• Radio City Music Hall: Stage Door Tour
• Rockefeller Center Tour (Fast Track Entry)
• Inside Broadway Walking Tour
• Fashion Windows Walking Tour
• The Downtown Experience: Virtual Reality Bus Tour
• Food on Foot Tours
• Hamilton Happy Hour Tour
• Harlem Gospel Tour (Sunday Service)
• Yankee Stadium: Classic Stadium Tours
• Central Park Sightseeing Walking Tour
• Central Park TV & Movie Sites Walking Tour
• When Harry Met Seinfeld Bus Tour
• Grand Central Terminal Audio Tour
• Greenwich Village Walking Tour
• High Line-Chelsea-Meatpacking Tour
• SoHo – Little Italy - Chinatown Walking Tour
• The Brooklyn Bridge and DUMBO Neighborhood Tour
• Brooklyn Bridge Walking Tour
• Catacombs by Candlelight Tour
• Great Women of New York Walking Tour
• NYC Slavery and Underground Railroad
• Graffiti & Street Art Walking Tour of BrooklynBest of Brooklyn Walking Tour in Williamsburg
• Wall Street Walking Tour
• Harlem Gospel Tour: Wednesday Service
• Wall Street Tour: Tour the New York Financial District
• Carnegie Hall Tour
• Gospel Walking Tour of Brooklyn
• Bronx’s Little Italy and Arthur Avenue Walking Tour
• Secrets of Downtown: Lower Manhattan Walking Tour
• Highlights of Midtown Architectural Tour
• Alternative Street Art Tour of the Lower East Side
• Harlem Cultural Walking Tours

Cruises

• Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises (Fast Track Entry)
• Hop-On Hop-Off Water Taxi: All Day Access Pass
• Downtown Liberty Express Cruise by Circle Line Downtown
• Clipper City Tall Ship Cruises
• Shearwater Classic Schooner Cruise
• Surrey Rental on Governors Island

Does The New York Pass include the Hop-on Hop-off bus tours?

The New York Pass comes with a 1-day Hop-on Hop-off bus tour so that you can cover the ground of the massive New York City quickly. This includes Uptown, Downtown, Brooklyn and Harlem Loops.

What is Fast Track Entry that’s included in The New York Pass?

The major tourist hotspots are well-known to have an unbelievably long queue for entrance. The Fast Track Entry feature of the pass allows you to skip past the line at fifteen attractions and saves your invaluable time when traveling.

Will I get a refund if I do not use The New York Pass?

When making the purchase you can pay an additional 4.5% of the cost of the pass to get money back guaranteed insurance. This ensures hassle-free insurance if you are unable to use the Pass because of some circumstances.

How does The New York Pass work?

Once you purchase the pass online you will immediately receive an email with the mobile pass which you can also download on your smartphone and show it at the entrance of iconic places. You can also choose to get the card delivered at your address if you are dubious about the functioning of the phones.

When does my New York Pass get activated?

The pass instantly gets activated as soon as you swipe the card or show the mobile ticket at the first attraction.

How do I make the most out of The New York Pass?

To reap benefits out of the pass you can plan to purchase the card for more days and visit as many attractions as you possibly can. While the Pass is comparatively expensive, you can save a huge amount of money swiping the cards at various destinations. A 3, 5, and 7-day passes are the most popular passes among the visitors to take the utmost advantage of the pass.

Is there any limitation while using The New York Pass?

The pass allows entry to each attraction just once. If you wish to visit the same place twice, you will have to pay the admission ticket cost. For this reason, it also cannot be shared between two people.

Does The New York Pass have an option to add public transportation to the card?

The only glaring omission that can be mentioned is the pass doesn’t have an option to add public transportation to the card. This addition would be cherry on the cake to the already perfect Pass for the first-time visitors in the Empire City.

• Visit official website

3. New York Explorer Pass

 The New York Explorer Pass is a one-stop-for-all pass that allows the visitors to visit more than 90 tourist destinations for free, as well as enjoy highly discounted rates at some of the restaurants. Higher the number of attractions you choose to visit, the more savings you will have! The pass is perfect for those who have already made up their mind to visit a handful of destinations.

With the validity of 30 days from the moment the pass gets activated, you have enough time to explore the attractions. You can choose to pay one flat price for 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 10 different hotspots and you could potentially save from 30% up to as much as 50% off of retail prices. The starting price of the 2-attractions Pass for an adult is $65 while for children, aged 3-12, the cost is $51.

P.S. The New York Explorer Pass also includes skip-the-line privilege which saves a lot of your time by avoiding potentially long queues.

The attractions you can choose to visit from the pass include:

• 9/11 Tribute Museum & Center
• Empire State Building
• One World Observatory
• Top of the Rock Observatory
• Hop-On Hop-Off Big Bus New York: Classic 1-Day Tour
• Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Immigration Museum – Ferry Ticket
• Madame Tussauds New York
• 9/11 Memorial & Museum
• Ripley’s Believe It or Not!® Times Square
• SPYSCAPE
• Woodbury Common Bus Tour (Round Trip + VIP Coupon Booklet)
• Luna Park at Coney Island: All-Day 24-Ride Wristband
• New York Botanical Garden
• LEGOLAND® Discovery Center

Museums

• 9/11 Tribute Museum & Guided Memorial Tour
• American Museum of Natural History
• The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
• The MetIntrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and Space Shuttle
• Guggenheim Museum
• National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey
• Gulliver’s GateThe Whitney Museum of American Art
• Ground Zero Museum Workshop: Hands-On 9/11 Tour
• Museum of Sex
• The Met Breuer
• The Met Cloisters
• New-York Historical Society Museum
• Brooklyn Museum & Brooklyn Botanic Garden Combo

Bike Tours & Rental

• Central Park Bike Rental: Full Day
• Central Park Bike Tour
• Brooklyn Bridge: Full-Day Bike Rental
• Brooklyn Bridge Bike Tour
• Harlem Full-Day Bike Rental
• Harlem Bike Tour
• Hudson River Sightseeing: Full-Day Bike Rental
• Surrey Rental on Governors Island

Walking & Bus Tours

• The Ride
• Radio City Stage Door Tour®
• Madison Square Garden®: All Access Tour™
• The TOUR
• Night Tour by Big Bus New York
• Rockefeller Center Tour
• Inside Broadway Walking Tour
• Fashion Windows Walking Tour
• Secrets of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island: Walking Tour
• The Downtown Experience by THE RIDE
• Spirits On Foot: Beer, Spirits & Wine Crawls
• Food On Foot Tours
• Harlem Gospel Tour (Sunday Service)
• Hamilton Happy Hour Tour
• Yankee Stadium: Classic Tour
• Gossip Girl Sites Bus Tour by On Location Tours
• Central Park Walking Tour
• NYC TV & Movie Bus Tour by On Location Tours
• Greenwich Village Walking Tour
• High Line – Chelsea – Meatpacking District Neighborhood Walking Tour
• Central Park TV & Movie Sites Walking Tour
• SoHo – Little Italy – Chinatown Neighborhood Walking Tour
• Brooklyn Bridge and DUMBO Walking Tour
• Catacombs by Candlelight Tour
• Great Women of New York: Walking Tour
• Alternative Street Art Walking Tour of the Lower East Side
• NYC Slavery & Underground Railroad Walking Tour
• Highlights of Midtown Architectural Walking Tour
• Lincoln Center Tour
• Secrets of Downtown Walking TourGraffiti & Street Art Walking Tour in Brooklyn
• Best of Brooklyn Walking Tour in Williamsburg
• Sopranos Sites Bus Tour by On Location Tours
• When Harry Met Seinfeld Bus Tour by On Location Tours

Cruises

• Landmarks Cruise: Circle Line Sightseeing
• Best of New York Cruise: Circle Line Sightseeing
• Lady Liberty Cruise: Circle Line Sightseeing
• New York Water Taxi: All-Day Access Pass
• Statue by Night Cruise by Circle Line Downtown
• Downtown Liberty Express Cruise
• Shearwater Classic Schooner: Daytime Statue Sail, or City Lights Sail
• Clipper City Tall Ship: Daytime Statue Sail
• Best of NYC Cruise: Circle Line Sightseeing
• Harbor Lights Cruise: Circle Line Sightseeing

Does the New York Explorer Pass include the Hop-on Hop-off bus tours?

A 1-day hop-on hop-off bus tour ticket is included in the New York Explorer Pass which you can use as one of the attractions on the pass.

What is a skip-the-line privilege that’s provided by the New York Explorer Pass?

Visiting the internationally famous sites in New York City is a dream come true for many globetrotters. However, they dread the nightmare of queuing for hours at the entrance of the major destinations. The pass helps you overcome the nightmare with the skip-the-line privilege which lets you enter the destinations of your choice.

Will I get a refund if I do not use the New York Explorer Pass?

If you doubt what happens when the pass remains unused after you have already paid for it, you don’t have to worry about it. Why you may ask? The answer: buyers can get a full refund for the non-activated pass at any time within the first 30 days of purchase.

How does the New York Explorer Pass work?

The easiest way to purchase the pass is by buying it online and getting a confirmation email which you can print to have a hard copy or download it in your phone as a soft copy. After this, all you have to do is show the pass to be scanned for admission at every attraction you have hand-picked to make your stay a memorable one.

When does my New York Explorer Pass get activated?

As soon as you use the pass to go inside the premise of the first attraction, the pass gets activated with a validity of 30 days from the very moment of activation.

How do I make the most out of the New York Explorer Pass?

If your stay at the Big Apple is more than that of a week and you have already made up your mind to visit exclusive destinations at a leisurely pace, this pass will be the best deal for you in the market.

Is there any limitation while using the New York Explorer Pass?

With New York Explorer Pass you can enter one attraction just once as multiple entries are not permitted. Also, you have a year’s time to download the voucher from the day of the purchase and once activated the Pass ought to be used within 30 days.

Does the New York Explorer Pass get activated if I make advanced reservations at certain attractions?

When you decide to visit selected attractions, it’d be wise to check each attraction’s official page to find the relevant information regarding the reservation. You may require an advanced reservation but it will not activate the pass.

• Visit official website

4. New York City Pass

Immerse yourself in the aesthetic beauty of New York’s top six attractions with one of the most economic passes – the New York City Pass! Due to the validity of a good nine days, you won’t have to rush into hitting all the biggies in the city and spend as much time as you wish to in each hotspot. With the price of the pass starting at $138 for adults and $108 for children, you easily save 44% of the retail price at the attractions which otherwise would cost $235.39 for adults and $216.89 for the kids.

To increase your convenience three out of six attractions are already selected for you. The choice of the next three attractions is completely up to you and you can select between the two options that are provided. And with the skip-the-line treat, you won’t have to kill the excitement of the visit by queuing for hours for admission.

Buying the pass is a piece of cake! All you have to do is purchase the City Pass ticket online and get it either printed or delivered to your smartphone, and wait for the day to swipe the card at the first attraction.

P.S. The admission to the iconic Empire State Building encompasses two visits that allow you to make one trip during the day and the other at night.

Three attractions are included in every New York City Pass are:

• Empire State Building
• Natural History Museum
• Metropolitan Museum of Art

You can choose one of each of the following options:

• 9/11 Memorial & Museum – OR – Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
• Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island – OR – Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
• Top of The Rock – OR – Guggenheim Museum

Does skipping one attraction in the optional group allow me to visit both destinations of the other option?

Unfortunately, you cannot skip an attraction and get access to visit both hotspots in another group. The best part is you do not have to make a quick decision and choose the destinations while buying the pass. You are free to decide as you start the exploration of the Empire City.

How do I make the most out of the New York City Pass?

In order to enjoy the maximum utility of the pass, you should plan the visits to all six destinations. You can make an itinerary so that you can explore the mains of the city without any hurry.

How do I use the New York City Pass?

After you buy the pass online you get a QR code that you can print or save it on your phone. You will have to show the code at the entry point in one of the listed attractions and get a New York City Pass booklet which includes the coupons for other highlights with important details.

Is the hop-on hop-off bus tour included in the New York City Pass?

While New York City Pass is one of the simplest passes that you can buy, it does not incorporate New York Sightseeing Bus Tours like a hop-on hop-off bus to facilitate commuting for the visitors.

How can I save time by avoiding the long queues?

This pre-selected pass comes with the line bypass privilege which lets you jump the queue and enjoy the highlights without wasting much time.

Will I get a refund if I do not use the New York City Pass Booklet?

You can get a full refund if you make a cancellation at least 24 hours prior to the starting date of the experience.

What is the perk of purchasing the New York City Pass?

The CityPass ticket booklet you get at the first attraction encompasses other highlights, insider tips, a map, transportation details, directions, and money-saving coupons.

• Visit official website

5. Sightseeing Flex Pass

Sightseeing Flex Pass is the discounted voucher that lets you select a certain number of highlights from an extensive list of 100+ options in the Big Apple. You can get the pass that includes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 or 12 highlights of the New York City and that’s valid for 30 days after it gets activated at the first attraction.

You can get the maximum discount if you choose to buy the pass with more number of attractions- the more, the merrier! With the Pass, you can have a saving of up to 50% at each attraction and also fast-track entry to several attractions.

P.S. With the purchase of every Sightseeing Flex Pass one of your preferred attractions can be a $40 voucher which lets you get the thrill of experiences like helicopters, flights or musicals.

The attractions that you can visit with this very flexible pass in your possession are:

Attractions

• One World Observatory
• Top of the Rock – Observation Deck at Rockefeller Center
• 9/11 Memorial Museum
• Gray Line CitySightseeing Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tour (Uptown, Downtown, Brooklyn & Night Tour)
• Madame Tussauds New York (Fast Track Entry)
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden
• Bronx Zoo
• Brooklyn Unplugged – Street Art Workshop
• Central Park Zoo
• Go Airline airport shuttle – LaGuardia, JFK, or Newark
• Ground Zero Museum Workshop
• LOL Times Square Comedy Club
• LOL Times Square Magic
• New York Botanical Garden
• Riddle Me Out – Escape Rooms
• Ripley’s Believe it or Not (Fast Track Entry)
• Snug Harbour Cultural Center & Botanical Garden
• SPYSCAPE
• The Downtown Experience
• TimeLooper – Virtual Reality Experience
• Woodbury Common Premium Outlets

Museums

• 9/11 Tribute Musem
• American Museum of Natural History
• Brooklyn Historical Society
• El Museo del Barrio
• Fraunces Tavern Museum
• Gulliver’s Gate
• International Center of Photography
• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum (Fast Track Entry)
• MoMA
• MoMA PS1
• Museum at Eldridge Street
• Museum of American Finance
• Museum of Jewish Heritage
• Museum of the City of New York
• National Geographic Encounter – Ocean Odyssey
• National Lighthouse Museum
• New-York Historical Society Museum and Library
• Guggenheim Museum
• Staten Island Children’s Museum
• Staten Island Museum
• Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
• The Chocolate Museum & Experience with Jaques Torres
• The Met Breuer
• The Met Cloisters
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Whitney Museum of American Art

Bike Tours & Rentals

• Bike and Roll – Inside Central Park Tour
• Bike Rent NYC – Brooklyn Bridge Bike Rental
• Bike Rent NYC – Brooklyn Bridge Bike Tour
• Bike Rent NYC – Central Park Bike Rental
• Bike Rent NYC – Central Park Bike Tour

Walking & Bus Tours

• Brooklyn Unplugged – Best of Brooklyn Walking Tour
• Brooklyn Unplugged – Graffiti & Street Art Walking Tour of Brooklyn
• Food on Foot Tours – East Village Variety Food Tour
• Food on Foot Tours – Go West Food Tour
• Food on Foot Tours – Midtown Mix Food Tour
• Food on Foot Tours – Midtown Winter Food Tour
• Grand Central Terminal Audio Tour
• Gray Line CitySightseeing Best of Manhattan Experience
• Inside Out Tours – Bronx’s Little Italy & Arthur Avenue Tour
• Inside Out Tours – NYC Slavery and Underground Railroad Tour
• Macy’s Historical Tour
• Madison Square Garden All Access Tour
• NewYorkTour1 – Greenwich Village Walking Tour
• NewYorkTour1 – Inside Broadway Walking Tour
• NewYorkTour1 – Lower Manhattan Walking Tour
• NewYorkTour1 – High Line and Chelsea Walking Tour
• NewYorkTour1 – SoHo and Little Italy Walking Tour
• On-Location Tours – Central Park TV and Movie Sites Tour
• On-Location Tours – When Harry met Seinfeld Bus Tour
• Radio City Music Hall Stage Door Tour
• The Ride
• The Tour
• Tour Central Park – Central Park Walking Tour
• Urban Oyster Tours – Hamilton Happy Hour Tour
• Wall Street Walks – Secrets of Downtown Walking Tour
• Wall Street Walks – Wall Street Walking Tour

Cruises

• CitySightseeing New York Hop-On Hop-Off Ferry Tour
• Manhattan By Sail – Clipper City Daytime Statue SailManhattan By Sail – Clipper City Jazz Cruise
• Manhattan By Sail – Craft Beer Tasting Sail aboard Clipper City Tall Ship
• Manhattan By Sail – Shearwater Daytime Statue Sail
• Hornblower Cruises – Alive After Five

Restaurants

• Buca di Beppo Restaurant – $15 Towards Lunch (Fast Track Entry)
• Buffalo Wild Wings Restaurant (Times Square) – Prix Fixe Menu (Fast Track Entry)
• Buffalo Wild Wings Restaurant (Harlem) – Prix Fixe Menu (Fast Track Entry)
• Buffalo Wild Wings Restaurant (Brooklyn) – Prix Fixe Menu
• Planet Hollywood Restaurant – $15 Towards Lunch (Fast Track Entry)
• Bella Napoli – Receive a free entrée, with pasta or salad, soda, and garlic bread

Does the Sightseeing Flex Pass incorporate hop-on hop-off bus tours?

Yes, the pass includes a hop-on hop-off bus bonus that has a validity of 72 hours which lets you take delight in Uptown & Downtown Bus Loops. And the best part is the fact that this is counted as just one of the numbered choices you make.

How do I use the Sightseeing Flex Pass?

After the purchase of the pass, you will receive an email with a QR code that is scanned for admission at your first attraction, bus tour or restaurant it gets activated. Once the voucher is redeemed you will just have to show the card at each entrance of the attractions. However, you will have to remember to wait for an hour before you visit another destination.

Will I get a full refund if the Sightseeing Flex Pass is left unused?

If you have purchased the pass and it’s been left unused for a year from the day of the purchase, you can receive a full refund. In case you have activated the pass and left it unused, then it is non-refundable.

Do I have to premeditate the attractions when I buy the Sightseeing Flex Pass?

It gets overwhelming to plan the destinations beforehand so you do not have to decide the attractions while purchasing the Pass. You can pick the attraction, show the Pass and you are set to marvel at the amazing highlights of the Empire City.

What’s the perk of buying the Sightseeing Flex Pass?

This is the only ‘choice’ pass that includes a visit to the One World Observatory. Also, you get various offers in several restaurants like Buca di Beppo, Buffalo Wild Wings and many more.

• Visit official website

How much do New York City attractions passes cost? Price comparison

With each pass having its own unique selling points; it becomes quite an uphill task to decide which pass you should purchase to explore the incredible highlights of the city. So it boils down to the monetary aspect i.e., weighing all your options and streamlining the one that is not just highly economic but also lets you visit the hotspots you wish to. Considering this in mind New York Pass becomes the choice of many visitors.

With a maximum saving of up to 70%, you will save a fortune with New York Pass and choose the places of your preference, as every new day unfolds, from 100+ attractions the pass has to offer. If you have One World Observatory to visit in your mind then you definitely should go for either Sightseeing Pass or Sightseeing Flex Pass. While the former one lets you buy the pass as per the number of days, the latter one lets you pick certain highlights to visit.

New York City Pass would be your go-to-choice if you can manage to spare some to marvel at the incredible hotspots during your stay in the Big Apple. New Explorer Pass is going to be the choice of the visitors who have already decided to visit a definite number of attractions. To assist you in your decision-making process we have categorized different passes as per their cost for visiting a fixed number of highlights or unlimited hotspots for a limited time.

Price table of each New York attraction pass for adults

Price table of each New York attraction pass for children

What New York City attractions passes include the best attractions? Inclusions comparison

If you already know which NYC attractions you wish to visit, check the table below so you can easily compare what pass is best for you.

How to book a NYC attraction pass? Are there any discounted passes?

All the aforementioned passes can be booked and purchased both on-site and online to maximize the visitor’s convenience. When you land in New York and begin your much-awaited itinerary to explore the city’s major tourist destinations you will come across numerous vendors who sell the passes on-site. While this may seem like an easy option, this is not recommended because you will not be to avail any discount.

Compare prices on official websites & online travel agencies

Booking and buying passes online via official websites or any reliable travel agency has numerous perks. All you have to do is visit the website, book the ticket for the day you wish to start marveling at the major attractions of New York City and make an online payment.

Doing this will not only assure you a good discount but also give an assurance of a refund if you pay some amount for travel insurance. So if you are unable to use the card due to any reason you can get the cashback without any hassle. Moreover, you will also be able to make a comparison of all the available deals on TourScanner and find the one that suits you the best.

While each has its own perks, you should give it thoughtful consideration and then make the call to buy the one that fits your bill. It is always best to double-check the offerings of each pass as they are updated on a regular basis. This way you won’t get any last-minute unpleasant and disappointing surprise to spoil your vacation.

Don’t hesitate to comment below if you have any questions.

We wish you an excellent visit to New York. Have fun 🙂