ny travel pass

What Is The Best New York Pass For You In 2024? My Tips After 25 Visits!

How to find the best sightseeing pass for nyc.

With so many different sightseeing passes out there, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. This New York Pass comparison guide is here to help you easily spot the differences between all major New York attraction passes so that you can quickly determine the very best NYC pass for you.

You will also like:

• Try our NYC Attraction Pass Savings Tool
• New York on a Budget

I have visited New York more than twenty times and have tested every sightseeing pass multiple times on my many visits. None of the pass providers have paid me to write about them; my reviews of New York attraction passes and my experiences are 100% authentic. If you have any questions, always feel free to contact me at  [email protected] !

In my New York pass comparison, I’ll show you which attraction pass is the best for you. With it, you will not only save money but also time!

Attention, the prices will increase in March, make sure you get the cheaper February prices now!

Looking for a shortcut? Click here to  👉 compare the NYC attraction passes , 👉  see my personal recommendation  or 👉  calculate your savings with the New York Attraction Passes.

Don't know where to start? Then try THIS!

Want a New York trip that’s as unique as you are? Our New York Pass comparison tool is here to help. Answer two simple questions and I’ll show you the two best sightseeing passes to suit your needs. Make it easy for yourself and start planning your New York visit now!

Question 1: How many attractions are on your itinerary?

Depending on how many attractions there are, this limits the choice of the right passes considerably.

more than 10

Question 2: Would you like to spread your visit to the attractions over your entire trip? Or are you planning full days of sightseeing?

In the first case, attraction-based passes are ideal. They are valid for 2 to 12 attractions.

In the second case, day-based passes are better. With them, you can visit as many attractions as you like on 1 to 10 consecutive days.

I want to see it all and visit unlimited New York attractions each day.

I would like to visit my attractions flexibly on several days and also plan days without sightseeing.

1. Why should you buy a New York Attraction Pass?

Quite simply, they save you a ton of money ! There are nine different New York Sightseeing Passes available which are all slightly different, meaning that you will be able to find one that suits your specific needs. As you will see here, they can make your NYC trip much easier and help you save money & time.

Before my many trips, I often found it hard to know beforehand how much I would save with each of the attraction passes for the city and whether they would be worth purchasing. Here I will share my knowledge and experience with you so that you don’t have the same issues I had.

2. How do New York Attraction Passes work?

All New York Attraction Passes function identically . After you purchase a pass, you have 12 to 24 months to activate it, which will automatically happen when you visit your first attraction.

You can visit each attraction only once when using a pass; the only exception to this is the New York CityPASS . With this pass, you can visit the Empire State Building twice within the same day!

Once you purchase an NYC pass, you will be able to select from several delivery options. The easiest way to obtain your pass is the mobile pass, as it will be emailed to you right away. To use your pass, simply present it at your selected attraction . Attendants will then scan the QR Code and give you your ticket!

3. Comparison: Which New York Attraction Pass should you choose?

So, what is the best attraction pass for visiting attractions in New York City? Let’s find out by comparing them:

Which Museums are included in the New York Sightseeing Passes?

The New York City tourist passes are the best way to save money on entry fees at the NYC attractions. Many museums and exhibitions in New York City like The Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum , the 9/11 Memorial and even the Fotografiska New York are included in the different sightseeing passes. But which are the best museum passes for New York City? Here is a quick overview:

How can I make reservations at attractions with my New York Pass?

It depends on the attractions and your sightseeing pass. At the Empire State Building, you ALWAYS need a separate ticket (it’s free) because you must commit to a specific time and date. For most attractions, you just go to its location and you will receive the next free time slot. You can also choose the time slot that suits you best. From my experience, I have found that this is always in periods of 15 minutes to 4 hours.

• How to reserve with your New York Pass
• How to reserve with your Go New York Explorer Pass
• How to reserve with your Sightseeing DAY Pass
• How to reserve with your Sightseeing FLEX Pass
• How to reserve with your All-Inclusive Pass

4. My recommendations

I have been to NYC more than twenty times and have tested every attraction pass multiple times , so you can be sure that these are real and honest reviews from me!

My top picks

For those who want to visit many attractions and plan with a fixed budget, the New York Pass is the best day-based sightseeing pass. With it, you can visit as many attractions as you like and take as many tours as you want. It is the best “all you can eat” pass in my opinion, also providing the most ‘fast lanes’ and attractions.

👇 Don’t forget to use my promo code “GO5LOVING” to get up to 31% off 👇

BUY NEW YORK PASS

If you want to spread your visits to attractions out over several days, or you want to take a break from sightseeing for a day, the Explorer Pass New York is perfect. For me, it is the best attraction-based pass because it includes all the major attractions and tours in NYC!

Note: If you don’t want to take the ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, get the New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass  – it will be much cheaper!

GET EXPLORER PASS »

5. How To Find The Best Sightseeing Pass

Finding the right New York attraction pass is not as hard as it looks. Due to the different makeup of each pass, each one serves a specific purpose!

It’s important to understand a key difference: some New York City sightseeing passes are attraction-based , meaning you choose the number of attractions you can visit beforehand, while others are day-based , meaning that you choose the number of days you can visit attractions beforehand. Besides the type and validity, other differences can be found when it comes to included attractions, advantages, pricing, and discounts.

Day-Based Passes

When purchasing NYC day passes, you will select the number of days you would like to go sightseeing in New York City. During the selected time frame, you can visit as many attractions as you want ! You could also say that these types of passes are all-inclusive passes.

If you want to see a lot in a short period of time, you should go for a day-based pass!

Please note that day-based NYC passes work on calendar days , rather than 24-hour periods, meaning that if you activate your pass at 7:00 pm, you only have five hours left on your first day. Your New York Attraction Pass will only be activated when you visit your first attraction.

• You can visit as many attractions as you want within the time frame you purchase, which may be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 days.
• All costs are covered
• Huge savings are possible
• The days must be used consecutively.

These are all day-based NYC Tourist Passes that are currently available. For each, I’ll show you which attractions you can visit with it, how much it costs, and if the pass is worth it!

New York Pass

• Sightseeing Day Pass

New York All-Inclusive Pass

Attraction-based passes.

Attraction-based passes are sightseeing passes such as the New York Sightseeing Flex Pass, CityPASS, and the Go New York Explorer Pass . They allow you to visit up to twelve attractions and are very flexible in terms of time; from the first use, the passes are valid for up to 60 days.

If you want to be flexible and do your sightseeing spread out over several days, then this type of New York Attraction Pass is the way to go!

• Valid up to 60 days
• You do not commit to see any particular attraction, just the number of attractions you wish to see.
• Limited to the number of attractions you selected (3 to 12)

Here are all current attraction-based passes for New York City. For each, I’ll show you which attractions you can visit, how much it costs, and if the pass is worth purchasing!

• Sightseeing Flex Pass

Go New York Explorer Pass

You’re still not quite sure 🤔.

Then our New York Pass Savings Calculator is the answer to all your questions! It calculates instantly which New York Pass is the best for you – individually tailored to your sightseeing. He will also show you if a NYC pass is not worth it.

Try NYC Attraction Pass Savings Calculator

Extra tickets are required here

For these attractions, you must book a separate ticket and present it TOGETHER with your respective New York Attraction Pass at the ticket counter:

6. What is the best attraction pass for New York City?

If you are looking for a shortcut to the best NYC attraction pass right away, here is my list of the best, including alternatives:

#1 The best New York City Tourist Pass for first-time visitors

Especially if you are in New York for the first time and want to see as many of the attractions and sights as possible, the day-based passes are a good idea. My favorites are the Sightseeing Pass NYC and the New York Pass .

They are quite similar, and you will not go wrong with either one. The good thing about these sightseeing passes is that you can see as many attractions as you want!

#2 The best New York Attractions Pass for selected attractions

If you already know exactly what you want to do in New York City, then I recommend the Sightseeing FLEX Pass , New York Explorer Pass (now called Go New York Explorer Pass) or the CityPASS New York .

All three sightseeing passes are attraction based and you can choose exactly how many attractions you wish to see.

#3 The best NYC Pass for families

In my opinion, the best sightseeing pass for families is the Sightseeing FLEX Pass , which I have used several times with my family. With it, you can be flexible with your time, and it offers a 50% discount on children’s passes.

Still not sure? Calculate your savings here .

7. What are the day-based sightseeing passes for New York?

For each of the passes, I’ll show you which attractions you can visit with, how much it costs, and if the pass is worth purchasing! At the end of the section, you can compare which is the better pass for you in the New York Pass vs. Sightseeing Pass comparison.

NOTE: The newest observation deck SUMMIT One Vanderbilt , is not yet included with any attraction pass for New York. Tickets for the One Vanderbilt observation deck can be purchased here .

What attractions are included in the New York Pass?

The New York Pass includes an extensive list of attractions, museums, walking tours, bus tours, and cruises. The Empire State Building, the 9/11 Memorial Museum, The Edge at Hudson Yards and the One World Observatory are included.

Here is a small selection of the 110+ attractions:

• Empire State Building
• One World Observatory
• Edge Hudson Yards
• Top of the Rock
• Ferry to Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
• Circle Line Cruises
• 1-Day Hop on Hop off with BIG BUS (valid for 24 hours)
• 9/11 Memorial Museum
• The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
• American Museum of Natural History

You can find the full list of included attractions here.

How much does the New York Pass cost?

New York Pass prices start at $142 for the 1-day pass and go as high as $399 for the 10-day pass. You save more, the larger your pass is and the more attractions you visit.

Is the New York Pass really worth it?

Yes!  If you visit at least 2 attractions a day, the New York Pass will be worth the money. Compared to other passes, the New York Pass offers most fast lanes , including main attractions like the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock , MoMA, and Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises.

Just like the Sightseeing Pass, the New York Pass includes over 100 unique attractions and tours. The biggest advantage you’ll get when you buy the New York Pass is the access to fast lanes. It offers fast tracks for many of New York’s top attractions, such as the Empire State Building and the Top of the Rock.

How to use the New York Pass?

The New York Pass is a great unlimited pass option, ideal for seeing a large number of attractions in a short period of time. Purchase the pass online to receive your mobile pass. You can then show this at the counter when entering the attraction in order to receive your entrance tickets – simple!

👇 Don’t forget to use my promo code “NYP5LOVING” to get up to 31% off! 👇

  BUY NEW YORK PASS

New York Sightseeing DAY Pass

On top of that, our promo code LNYOffer can save you up to an additional 40% !

What attractions are included in the New York Sightseeing DAY Pass?

This day-based pass also has a lot to offer; with it you can visit more than 100 of the most popular attractions. You can visit four observation decks, use the hop-on hop-off buses, and visit the American Museum of Modern Art or the Guggenheim Museum.

• The Edge Hudson Yards
• Hop on Hop off with BIG BUS (1 Day Classic Ticket, valid for 24 hours)

Here you can find the list of all attractions included in the Sightseeing DAY Pass .

How much does the Sightseeing DAY Pass cost?

Is the New York Sightseeing Pass worth it?

Yes!  The New York Sightseeing Pass can save you a ton of money, provides you with a lot of flexibility in terms of attractions, as well as removes a lot of the hassle from your NYC Sightseeing trip. As the pass with the best value for money of the lot, it is definitely worth it if you are planning on up to 10 days of consecutive NYC sightseeing.

In order to get the most out of your sightseeing pass, you should plan on visiting around 2-3 NYC attractions with your pass each day.

The longer you purchase the pass for the fewer attractions you need to visit per day to make sure the pass is worth the money. If you purchase a Sightseeing Pass for 6 days for example (~$334, you get unlimited sightseeing for ~$56 per day, which is below the price of many attractions tickets purchased on their own. This means that you only need to visit one attraction a day for 7 days to make this pass worth it! This is what makes this the best value for money pass of the bunch.

How to use the NYC Sightseeing Pass?

The NYC Sightseeing Pass is a piece of cake to use! After purchasing the pass online, you will receive an email with your pass. You can from here print the pass or save it to your phone. Once you are in NYC and ready to go sightseeing with your New York tourist pass, choose which attraction you want to visit on the go and head towards it with your Sightseeing Pass in hand. Choose as you go, simply show your Pass at each attraction for free admission; easy!

Buy Sightseeing Day Pass

New York Pass vs. Sightseeing Pass

I often get the question whether the New York Pass or the New York Sightseeing Pass is better. While there are differences, both passes are worth the money and you won’t go wrong with either of them.

For both New York Day Passes, the attractions and included tours are almost identical. You can visit all the major attractions, except for SUMMIT One Vanderbilt and The Met. Both include a 1 Day Classic Hop-on Hop-off bus ticket and many of the boat and walking tours!

So, what are the differences between the two? New York Pass is a little better in terms of boat tours because it’s the only one that includes the Circle Line Best-Of Cruise (which takes you all the way around the island of Manhattan). The Sightseeing Pass is better in two aspects: first, it is cheaper than the New York Pass with our exclusive discount code (as you can see in the table), and it’s also available in a 6-day version!

The All-Inclusive Pass is managed by the same company as the New York Pass. It functions the same as the New York Pass in how it works, the available attractions and tours, and prices. Since it is quite new compared to the New York Pass, I would recommend the original.

8. What are the attraction-based sightseeing passes for New York?

Note: The newest observation deck,  SUMMIT One Vanderbilt , is not yet included with any NYC pass. Tickets for the One Vanderbilt observation deck can be purchased here .

New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass

It also gives you a large amount of flexibility since you do not need to decide on which attractions to visit beforehand. All that you have to do is show your Sightseeing Pass at the first attraction (included in your pass) that you wish to visit.

Attractions included in New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass

These are what I consider to be the top attractions and tours you can visit with the Sightseeing Pass FLEX (there are over 100 in total):

Here you can find the list of all attractions included in the Sightseeing FLEX Pass .

How much does the Flex Pass cost?

     BUY NYC SIGHTSEEING FLEX PASS

Is the New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass worth it?

The NYC Sightseeing Flex Pass is most definitely worth it if you are looking to visit up to 12 NYC attractions on non-consecutive days, all while saving money and remaining flexible during your trip. If you visit all of the attractions you have purchased with your pass, it is definitely worth it alone for the amount of money you can save. It is however also extremely worth it because of the flexibility that the New York tourist pass gives you. Choose as you go, simply show your NYC Sightseeing Pass at each attraction for free admission, for as many attractions as you purchased!

Compared to the cost of tickets individually, you save over 40% with the Sightseeing Flex Pass for 10 attractions. This is quite relaxed possible, because you have 30 days to visit these attractions.

How to use the NYC Sightseeing FLEX Pass?

The NYC Sightseeing Flex Pass is super simple to use. Once you have purchased the pass you will receive an email with a QR code (that you can either print or save to your phone), which you can then scan at attractions to gain free entry.

Does the NY Sightseeing FLEX Pass include the NY Sightseeing Bus (Hop-On Hop-Off) Tours?

Yes! The New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass includes the Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tours (Uptown & Downtown Bus Loops) which count as just one choice and are valid for 24 hours.

Attractions included in Go New York Explorer Pass

With the Explorer Pass, you can visit many amazing attractions like the Empire State Building, the Top of the Rock, and the observation deck Edge Hudson Yards, as well as take walking tours, the hop-on hop-off bus tours, and boat tours.

Also included are major museums like MoMA, the Guggenheim, the 9/11 Memorial Museum, and the American Museum of Natural History. Here is a selection of the most popular attractions and tours you can visit with the Explorer Pass (there are over 110 in total):

• 20+ Walking Tours
• Hop on Hop off with BIG BUS (1 Day Classic-Ticket, valid for 24 hours)

Here you can find the list of all attractions included in the Go New York Explorer Pass .

How much does the Go New York Explorer Pass cost?

The prices depend on the number of attractions you want to visit with it:

Is the New York Explorer Pass worth it?

The Go New York Explorer Pass also pays off pretty quickly, in the example I spread 10 paid attractions over 3 days (and a few free ones too) – saving you $135 per person compared to the single tickets. You could also spread them over even more days, after all you have 60 days to use the Explorer Pass in New York.

How to use the New York Explorer Pass?

After deciding on how many attractions you would like to purchase the Explorer pass for, you can make the purchase online for your desired pass. You do not need to decide beforehand which attractions you would like to visit!

👇 Don’t forget to use my promo code “GO5LOVING” to get up to 31% off! 👇

GET EXPLORER PASS

New York CityPASS

You can choose 5 out of 8 attractions:

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

How much does the New York City Pass cost?

The New York CityPASS costs $138 for adults, meaning that you pay an average of $27 per attraction. For kids from 6 – 17 years, the CityPASS costs $118. A CityPASS is likely not worth it for kids younger than 6, as many attractions will be free for them anyway. Because the pass is already heavily discounted, there is no further New York City Pass promo.

Is the New York CityPASS worth it?

If you want to focus on museums, the New York CityPASS is an option for you. It is limited to the most important attractions and is also quite affordable. If you also want to do hop-on hop-off bus tours or more boat tours, then the New York Pass , Sightseeing Pass NYC and the Explorer Pass are better.

GET New York CityPASS

9. Other NYC attraction passes

In addition to the options mentioned so far, there are three other sightseeing passes that I’ll briefly name here for the purpose of being a comprehensive NYC Pass Guide. I can’t really recommend any of them, because they don’t offer you more than the New York Pass, DAY Pass, Explorer Pass, FLEX Pass and the CityPASS.

It is rather the other way around: with them you are less flexible, if you change your sightseeing program on the trip. The reasons can be manifold: maybe the weather is worse or better than planned or you spontaneously feel like visiting another sight!

C3 Pass by CityPASS

Recently, the company behind CityPASS New York has started offering two more options: the C3 Pass (limited to 3 attractions) and the C-All Pass, which lets you visit 10 attractions. The C3 Pass is – once activated in NYC – valid for 9 days. You can save up to 36% (depending on the attractions and tours you choose).

Attractions included in C3 Pass

You can choose 3 attractions from these 10:

• The Edge at Hudson Yards
• Top of the Rock Observation Deck
• Guggenheim Museum
• Ferry Access to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
• Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
• 9/11 Memorial & Museum
• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
• City Cruises

How much does the C 3 Pass cost?

The C 3 Pass costs $96 for adults (13+), the price for children (5-12 years) is $74.

Is the C 3 Pass worth it?

It depends! If you select the attractions whose regular ticket price is the highest with the C3 Pass, you can save up to 36% with it.

However, I personally recommend another NYC Pass – either the Sightseeing FLEX Pass or the Go New York Explorer Pass . Why? Both have a much larger selection of attractions and the popular hop-on hop-off buses are also included. Plus, both alternatives are at least as reasonably priced.

If you’re not sure whether the C3, Explorer Pass or Sightseeing FLEX Pass is right for you, just try my free New York Pass savings calculator ! It will calculate in a few seconds which one will save you the most!

C-All Pass by CityPASS

The C-All pass is a bit of a cheat because its name is misleading. With this pass you can visit up to 10 attractions. You can choose from 11 attractions and boat tours, which are these:

Attractions included in C-All Pass

You can choose 10 attractions from these 11:

How much does the C-All-Pass cost?

The C-All Pass costs $212 for adults (13+), the price for children (5-12 years) is $157.

These Sightseeing Passes are better

As with the C 3 Pass, however, I recommend other NYC Passes for the same reasons.

With up to 10 attractions, both the day-based and attraction-based passes are an option for you. It’s best to try my free New York Pass savings calculator !

Are the New York City Attraction Passes worth purchasing?

I’ve put together two very common itineraries for a visit to New York City that will help you see if a New York sightseeing pass is worth purchasing, and which would be best.

New York City in Two Days

This itinerary includes seven attractions that I spread over two days.

Several of the sightseeing passes are worth purchasing – you can customize and recalculate here , and here is my itinerary for two days in New York City  in full detail.

New York City in Three Days

This itinerary includes eight attractions that I spread out over three days.

With a three-day itinerary, several New York passes are worthwhile – you can customize and recalculate here, and here is my itinerary for three days New York City in full detail.

Is the New York MetroCard included in the New York Pass?

In many cities, the discount passes also include free use of public transportation. Unfortunately, this is not the case with the New York Passes. They cover the tourist attractions and tours, but not fares for the subway and buses. For public transportation use, you need an OMNY account, the new digital version of the MetroCard.

What about fast lanes at attractions?

Attraction passes primarily focus on price, not on time. That being said, the passes do include a few fast lanes that allow you to skip the standard waiting line. However, there are not that many of them, and the CityPASS does not offer any fast lanes. You can, however, upgrade your tickets at the attractions for an additional cost.

Which hop-on hop-off buses are included with New York passes?

We often get the question which hop-on hop-off bus tour providers are included with the sightseeing passes and which loops you can take.

Since Covid, there is only one provider: BIG BUS! All sightseeing passes (except the CityPASS New York) include the 1 Day Classic Ticket. This allows you to do both the Uptown and Downtown loops within 24 hours. Taking both loops counts as one attraction, not as two.

Which New York passes are available in 2023?

There are six main sightseeing passes: the New York Pass, the Explorer Pass, the CityPASS New York, the Sightseeing FLEX Pass, the Sightseeing DAY Pass, and the New York All-Inclusive Pass. In addition, there are three more to choose from with the C 3 Pass, C-All Pass, and the Turbopass New York, but I can’t recommend them to you without some hesitation.

Which New York Pass is best to buy for one day?

Many may recommend the New York Pass for one day, and while it is a good option, I recommend its main competitor, the New York Sightseeing DAY Pass. With it, you can do just as much as with the New York Pass, but it is much cheaper ($129 compared to $142) with my discount code: LNYOffer!

You can buy the Sightseeing Pass for one day in New York cheap here.

Is the Sightseeing Pass for New York worth it?

Absolutely! The New York Sightseeing Pass is available in two options, suitable for every type of travel. The FLEX Pass is an attraction-based pass, which I have used on my last four visits to New York. The day-based version is the DAY Pass. With either pass, many major attractions and tours are included, and you can save a lot of money. With my exclusive discount code, LNYOffer, you can save even more!

You can buy the Sightseeing Pass for New York  here.

Where can you buy the New York Pass?

You can now only get the New York Pass online (with a discount!). I strongly recommend that you buy the New York Pass online in advance; on the official site, there are additional discount promotions that will help you to save even more.

Is a New York Pass worth it for you?

In general, the more paid attractions you want to visit, the faster a New York Pass will pay off for you. You can easily visit two to three attractions per day without any added stress.

Furthermore, the longer that the New York Pass is valid, the cheaper it will be for you. Most of the attractions cost between $30 and $60, and with a New York Pass valid for seven days or more, you only need to visit one attraction per day to make it worth your while. The most popular New York Pass is the New York Pass for five days, making each day cost just under $50.

My tip: Here you can calculate if and which New York Pass is useful .

Can I visit an attraction more than once with the New York Passes?

With the New York Pass, the Go New York Explorer Pass, the Sightseeing DAY Pass, and the FLEX Pass, you can visit each attraction exactly once. Only with the CityPASS New York can you visit the Empire State Building on the same day; once during the day and again in the evening.

Are the New York Passes activated at the time of purchase?

No; all sightseeing passes are not activated at the time of purchase. They will activate when you use them for the first time at one of the valid attractions and are valid for 1 to 60 days, depending on the type of NYC pass.

NYC Attraction Pass Savings Calculator

New York on a Budget: The 19 Best Money-Saving Tips for 2024

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New York Passes Comparison: Which Pass is Right for You? (2024)

• 1.1 Overall Best NYC Pass
• 1.2 Best Pass for a First-Time NYC Tourist
• 2 How do New York City sightseeing passes work?
• 3 What are the benefits of using an NYC pass?
• 4.1 Day Pass
• 4.2 Attraction Pass
• 5 Is a New York City attractions pass worth it?
• 6.1 How much does the CityPASS cost?
• 6.2 What are the features of the CityPASS?
• 6.3 Pros of the CityPASS
• 6.4 Cons of the CityPASS
• 6.5 How to Use your CityPASS
• 6.6 Why should you choose a CityPass?
• 7.1 How much does the New York Pass cost?
• 7.2 What are the features of the New York Pass?
• 7.3 Pros of the New York Pass
• 7.4 Cons of the New York Pass
• 7.5 How to Use your New York Pass
• 7.6 Why should you choose a New York Pass?
• 8.1 How much does the Explorer Pass cost?
• 8.2 What are the features of the Explorer Pass?
• 8.3 Pros of the Explorer Pass
• 8.4 Cons of the Explorer Pass
• 8.5 How to Use your Explorer Pass
• 8.6 Why should you choose an Explorer Pass?
• 9.1 How much does the Sightseeing Pass cost?
• 9.2 What are the features of the Sightseeing Pass?
• 9.3 Pros of the Sightseeing Pass
• 9.4 Cons of the Sightseeing Pass
• 9.5 How to Use your Sightseeing Pass
• 9.6 Why should you choose a Sightseeing Pass?
• 10.1 How much does the Freestyle Pass cost?
• 10.2 What are the features of the Freestyle Pass?
• 10.3 Pros of the Freestyle Pass
• 10.4 Cons of the Freestyle Pass
• 10.5 How to Use your Freestyle Pass
• 10.6 Why should you choose a Freestyle Pass?
• 11.1 How much does the New York Tourist Card cost?
• 11.2 What are the features of the New York Tourist Card?
• 11.3 Pros of the New York Tourist Card
• 11.4 Cons of the New York Tourist Card
• 11.5 How to Use your New York Tourist Card
• 11.6 Why should you choose a New York Tourist Card?
• 12.1 What major landmarks are included in each pass?
• 12.2 What pass can you use at the best observation decks in NYC?
• 12.3 What popular New York City tours can you take with each pass?
• 13 Travel Tips for Visiting New York City with a Sightseeing Pass
• 14 What major attractions are not included in the best New York City sightseeing passes?
• 15 Which is the best New York pass to buy for my trip?
• 16 New York Attraction Pass Comparison: FAQs
• 17 NYC Pass Comparison: Wrap-Up

This post may contain affiliate links! I will receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you purchase something recommended here.

If you’re planning a trip to New York City, you probably already know that it’s hard to find a decent deal on hotel accommodation, and even harder to organize the logistics of your itinerary.

You know all the sites you want to see, you might even know how to get there, but how will you plan out your days?

And, everything is so expensive, can you bundle entries for discounts?

Enter New York City sightseeing passes.

There are many different types of New York City sightseeing passes.

Some are good for a limited time period, while others are good for a fixed amount of days, or even a fixed amount of attraction options.

If you’re looking for a New York City attractions pass that allows you to save money on your excursions, you need to take a look at the variety of options. 

Take a look at my comparison guide to choose what’s best for you and your group!

Get your list of Free Activities in New York City

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase – the best things in life are free. Why not begin your adventures with this book of the best free activities in New York City!

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Editor’s Choices: New York Attraction Pass Comparison

Don’t have time to read the whole post? No worries, I’ve got my prime recommendations right here.

Although you can’t go wrong with any of these New York City sightseeing passes, here are my top choices.

Overall Best NYC Pass

With more than 90 major attractions, sites, and experiences, the GO City New York Pass offers the best passes for New York.

Best Pass for a First-Time NYC Tourist

With nine top choices in New York City of which you can choose six, the CityPASS offers the best “bang for your buck.”

How do New York City sightseeing passes work?

Although each discount pass has its own unique offers, they all basically work the same way. For a fixed price, you can access admission to a set of attractions that you choose.

What are the benefits of using an NYC pass?

There are several benefits to including a pass in your New York City sightseeing plans.

• Savings on time and additional costs – These passes save you time, since you’re purchasing a number of entries at once, and money since there’s a saving to bundling your admission to several locations.
• Flexibility with choices and offerings – You get to choose! Pick from the list of the pass’s participating attractions to customize your experience.
• Helps plan your New York City itinerary – You know of the big sites you want to see, but not sure of others? Use your sightseeing pass’s offerings and time limitations as a guide to planning your itinerary. Some passes even have sample itineraries on their websites to inspire you!

What New York City sightseeing passes are there?

There are six major New York City sightseeing passes to choose from:

New York Pass

Explorer pass, sightseeing pass, freestyle pass, new york tourist card.

But within the big five, there are two different types of passes–day-based passes and attraction-based passes.

With a day-based pass, you can visit multiple attractions (in some cases, unlimited attractions) over the course of a day based on its rules, but it will expire after a set number of days. 

Attraction Pass

With an attraction-based pass, you can visit multiple attractions per day or over the course of several days, but you can only visit a set number of attractions offered. 

Is a New York City attractions pass worth it?

Yes, a New York City sightseeing pass is a great way to see all the sights that you want without having to worry about paying for each attraction individually.

They’re also a good deal if you plan to visit multiple attractions during your stay.

Read on to figure out which one is the best New York pass to buy for your trip!

The New York CityPASS is a great attraction-based pass choice for you if you know which major sites you want to visit ahead of time.  

How much does the CityPASS cost?

The CityPASS costs $138 for an adult and $118 for children (aged 6-17 years.) The New York C3 costs $92 for adults and $72 for children (aged 5-12 years.)

What are the features of the CityPASS?

• Attractions : It offers eight iconic attractions from which you can use your pass for five. Each CityPASS comes with access to the Empire State Building and the American Museum of Natural History. Then, you can select up to three more attractions from the following list: Top of the Rock® Observation Deck, Ferry Access to Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, 9/11 Memorial & Museum , Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises, Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, and the Guggenheim Museum. With the C3 Pass, you can only choose three sites.
• Validity : This pass is valid for nine consecutive days once you activate it for the first time. Once you buy it, you can start using it at any time within one year from the date of purchase.
• Returns : If you can’t use your pass in that year, you can seek returns for it at any point within those 365 days—as long as you have not already activated it.
• Savings : You can save nearly 41% on expenses as compared to buying admission tickets individually from ticket booths at the attractions.

Pros of the CityPASS

• You can save a lot of money by buying this New York attractions pass for yourself. You will pay 41% less than what you usually would while buying individual tickets.
• You have the option of skipping long queues at some of the attractions if you possess this pass, allowing you to save plenty of time.
• It allows you to have an adaptable and workable schedule. You can visit the select attractions in the order of your choice. You also have nine whole days to cover all the places so that you don’t have to rush too much.
• You can use it for nine days at any point within the year of your purchase. If you cannot, you can easily get your money back.
• If the attractions of your choice match the attractions offered by this pass, you can simply opt for this pass and enjoy a flexible schedule.

Cons of the CityPASS

• If you want to visit attractions beyond the ones mentioned here, you will need to buy tickets separately.
• There might be some additional alterations depending on the location itself. For example, you might need to make a prior reservation beforehand for some attractions.

How to Use your CityPASS

You will first need to buy the tickets online, after which the tickets will be delivered to you digitally. Then, you can go ahead and make your reservations for the attractions and start visiting them.

Why should you choose a CityPass?

The CityPass is a worthwhile choice for your New York trip if you’re looking for ways to minimize your expenses and maximize savings.

The attractions are also fixed for you, so you don’t have to spend time figuring out where to go.

The GO City New York Pass is another great option when it comes to New York sightseeing passes.

These day-based all-inclusive passes allow you to visit as many popular attractions as you want to in a time period of your choice.

How much does the New York Pass cost?

There are several cost options for the New York Pass depending on the number of days you want to purchase the pass for. 

Check their website for any discounts available. 

What are the features of the New York Pass?

• Attractions : Purchasing this pass allows you entry to over 100 attractions using a single pass depending on how many days you buy the pass for. You can visit as many landmarks as you want within the given time period. 
• Validity : The validity of your pass depends on the length of pass you purchase. Remember, there are options that range from one day to ten days. However, once you activate it, you have to use it up within the time period. The New York Pass can be used at any point within two years of its purchase.
• Returns : There is a 90-day cancellation period, which means that you can return your inactive pass and get your money back if you request it within 90 days of purchase. If that return window isn’t long enough for you, you can purchase extra insurance.
• Savings : You can end up saving nearly 40% on your expenses or approximately $400 as compared to buying tickets individually.

Pros of the New York Pass

• There are multiple cost options that you can choose from depending on the length of your stay or visit. This allows you to manage your costs effectively as well.
• The pass is accompanied by a guidebook about the locations that can give you more information about them. It also comes in various languages such as English, French, German, Dutch, Mandarin, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.
• You can essentially get access to nearly all the major landmarks in New York City through this pass, allowing you to handpick your attraction choices while saving a ton of money.
• You can use it at any point within two years of its purchase. Once you activate it at your first location, you will have to use its days consecutively.
• You can skip long lines at a few of the locations, giving you an opportunity to save time and energy.

Cons of the New York Pass

• The 90-day free cancellation period is a bit limited. If your trip gets canceled or postponed beyond this period, you will not be able to get your money back unless you paid for extra insurance.
• Since you have the opportunity to choose between 100 locations, it can be a bit overwhelming to cover as much as you can within the limited number of days.

How to Use your New York Pass

You can buy the pass online and then download the app on which your tickets will be delivered. Either make reservations in advance or simply walk into the location to begin your sightseeing.

Why should you choose a New York Pass?

If you want to visit as many major New York City landmarks as possible in a given time period, going with a New York Pass is a fantastic choice which will grant you access to over a hundred locations.

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With a selection of attractions handpicked by experts, the Explorer Pass New York is a great attraction-based choice for thrifty and tech-savvy travelers.

How much does the Explorer Pass cost?

There are several cost options that you can choose from: 

 Discounts might be available separately on the website. 

What are the features of the Explorer Pass?

• Attractions : Depending on which number choice pass option you choose, there are over 90 attractions that you can visit.
• Validity : You can use this pass at any point within 60 days of activating it. Further, the pass itself is valid for two years, so you can choose to use it for 60 days at any point within the two years.
• Returns : You can cancel the pass and get your money back within 90 days of purchase as long as you have not yet activated it. This will, however, include a processing fee that you will need to pay.
• Savings : You can save up to 50% on your expenses if you opt for this pass as compared to buying at the regular ticket price for each attraction.

Pros of the Explorer Pass

• It is a highly flexible option since you can not only choose how many attractions to visit but you can also do so within 60 days, giving you plenty of time to carry out other activities as well.
• You can end up saving plenty of money and time with this pass since you only need to pay for a certain number of attractions that you know you want to visit.
• Since it is valid for two years, you get plenty of flexibility when it comes to choosing when you want to activate it.
• It comes with a booklet with information about the sites in various languages such as English, Spanish and German.
• You do not need to decide which locations you want to visit beforehand; you can simply decide as you go along.

Cons of the Explorer Pass

• While you can choose from over 90 locations, you can only visit a minimum of two and a maximum of ten in a period of two months.
• You cannot cancel or return the pass after 90 days of purchasing, which limits your timeframe in case of any cancellations or postponements.

How to Use your Explorer Pass

Once you purchase the pass online, you will need to download the app to access your tickets. You can then simply show your mobile ticket at the location. In some cases, you might need to make a prior reservation.

Why should you choose an Explorer Pass?

If you only have a limited amount of time to visit some of your favorite attractions in New York City, then an Explorer Pass is an excellent solution for you.

It also give you two whole months to explore after activating it.

From walking tours to interactive experiences, the Sightseeing Pass offers a diverse set of experiences, in addition to the standard attractions.

How much does the Sightseeing Pass cost?

The New York Sightseeing Pass is unique in that it has both a day-based pass and an attraction-based pass. There are two options to choose from:

With the Sightseeing DAY Pass , you choose the number of days you want the pass to be active for and once activated, there’s no limit to the number of fun attractions you can visit.

If they’re a partner of the Sightseeing Pass, you can visit it.

With the Sightseeing FLEX Pass , you choose a set number of attractions you want to visit throughout your trip. 

While a DAY pass expires at midnight on the last day of its cycle, a FLEX pass is active for 60 days after its first use. Both types of passes become active at the time of their first use.

Find available discounted rates on their website.

What are the features of the Sightseeing Pass?

• Attractions : With more than 90 attractions, you’re sure to find several that interest you. There are also 8 sites listed exclusively with the Sightseeing Pass–the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Intro To New York – Live Interactive Presentation & Prizes, LOL Times Square Comedy Club, LOL Times Square Magic, National Lighthouse Museum, NY Aquarium, and the St. Patrick’s Cathedral Tour’s Gold Pass.
• Validity : You can purchase this pass up to 24 months in advance. This pass is valid for nine consecutive days once you activate it for the first time. Once you purchase it, you can start using it at any time within a year.
• Returns : All unused passes are available for returns up to one year after purchase, as long as you’ve bought Sightseeing Pass insurance with it. 
• Savings : With a DAY Pass, you can save up to 70% instead of buying individual tickets, or you can find city attractions coming in as low as $22 per visit with a FLEX pass.

Pros of the Sightseeing Pass

• Both the Sightseeing DAY and FLEX passes have some of the best savings values compared to the other passes. 
• If you really love visiting observatories in NYC , they’re the only pass to include four options.
• With the FLEX Pass, you have an exclusive Product Voucher Option. You can use one of your attractions to receive a $40 credit to use at CitySightsNY.com .
• They have free maps and a guidebook that you can download on their website to help you plan your trip.

Cons of the Sightseeing Pass

• Since you can choose over 90 locations, it can be a bit overwhelming to cover as much as you can within a short period of time.
• With a DAY pass, you must use the pass in consecutive days once the pass is activated. 

How to Use your Sightseeing Pass

You can either use their app for a mobile pass or have a paper copy of your pass available at check-in.

Why should you choose a Sightseeing Pass?

The Sightseeing DAY Pass is great for first-time tourists who have at least 10 of the top headline attractions on their bucket list.

But if you’ve already been to New York City before for sightseeing, the Sightseeing FLEX Pass is perfect to catch some of those sites that you haven’t seen yet at a discount.

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The choice of attractions-based Freestyle Pass allows you to opt for a certain number of sites that you can then explore in a given period of time.

How much does the Freestyle Pass cost?

The cost differs based on the number of attractions you opt for:

What are the features of the Freestyle Pass?

• Attractions : You can choose from more than 50 attractions if you purchase this pass. Depending on the cost option you go with, you can get access to any three, five, or seven of this list of attractions.
• Validity : You will need to use this pass within 72 hours of activation. You can, however, activate it at any point for 72 hours within 14 days of purchase.
• Returns : You can redeem this pass within one year of purchasing it. However, this pass with online tickets is also non-refundable, which means that you will not be able to get your money back in case of cancelations or postponement.
• Savings : You can end up saving up to 40% on your expenses and is a lot more convenient than purchasing individual tickets from each attraction visit.

Pros of the Freestyle Pass

• You can hop on and off any of their tour buses as many times as you want within 72 hours.
• You also get access to a Night Bus Tour and a hop-on and hop-off ferry service.
• You have a pool of over 50 locations that you can choose from, depending on where you want to go and how many valuable attractions you want to visit.
• You can redeem the pass within one year of purchasing it, which allows for some amount of flexibility.

Cons of the Freestyle Pass

• You must use up the pass within 72 hours of activation, which might lead to a packed schedule without too much room for flexibility.
• There are no refund options available for this pass. Once you buy it, you cannot get your money back even if you cancel your trip. This can waste the money that you spend on buying it.
• Even though you receive an online voucher, you must visit one of their visitor centers to exchange the voucher for your tickets to then use at your chosen sites, which can be a hassle.

How to Use your Freestyle Pass

You can buy the pass online, after which you will receive a voucher.

Once you arrive in the city, you will need to exchange your voucher for tickets at any of their centers in New York.

You can then start exploring any of the attractions on offer based on how many tickets you have.

Why should you choose a Freestyle Pass?

If you only have a short trip planned but want to choose from multiple locations, then the Freestyle Pass is a great addition to your trip.

The New York Tourist Card is a basic but convenient pass that provides access to three popular attractions, the Empire State Building, the Museum of Modern Art, and a 1-hour Circle Line cruise of NYC. 

How much does the New York Tourist Card cost?

The New York Tourist Card costs $83 for adults, $81 for seniors (65+), $70 for youth (13-16), $59 for children (6-12), and $19 for children (3-5). Infants (0-2) are free.

What are the features of the New York Tourist Card?

• Attractions : You can visit three major landmarks in New York City–the main deck of the Empire State Building, the MoMA, and pass by the Statue of Liberty on a 1-hour cruise offered by Circle Line. You also receive access to an audio tour of NYC and a 10% discount for additional attractions. 
• Validity : When you purchase the pass, you will select the dates and times of your admission at check-out. The pass will only be active during that time. 
• Returns : This pass is non-refundable. Once you’ve scheduled your entry dates and times, you can not reschedule or postpone.
• Savings : The New York Tourist Card is the perfect pass for travelers who are looking to get a taste of the Big Apple without splurging. 

Pros of the New York Tourist Card

• You will receive access to an audio tour of NYC and a 10% discount on additional attractions.
• You won’t be wasting money on attractions you have no interest in visiting.
• The pass comes with an interactive map of New York City with more than 140 points of interest.

Cons of the New York Tourist Card

• You cannot reschedule your entry dates and times once they’ve been scheduled

How to Use your New York Tourist Card

Once you buy the pass online, you’ll be prompted to schedule your entry times for the three offered attractions.

Then, you’ll present the correct digital ticket on your day and time of entry to access the landmark. 

Why should you choose a New York Tourist Card?

The New York Tourist Card is the perfect option for travelers who want to experience a few of the most famous attractions in NYC without having to spend too much money.

Not only will you get access to three major landmarks in the city, but also an audio tour and discounts on additional attractions.

The pass comes with an interactive map of NYC with more than 140 points of interest, so you can easily plan your trip.

New York City Attraction Passes Comparison Charts

What major landmarks are included in each pass, what pass can you use at the best observation decks in nyc, what popular new york city tours can you take with each pass.

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Travel Tips for Visiting New York City with a Sightseeing Pass

• Utilize New York City’s public transportation – While it might be tempting to jump into a taxi, public transport is actually the fastest mode of transportation in the city! I have a whole guide to learning how to use the subway for you if you need help.
• Take note of individual entry instructions – Many locations require you to wear masks, show proof of vaccination, or have social distancing guidelines that need to be followed. Check online or ask when you arrive to make sure you comply with each site’s rules, and make sure to check hours of operation for each of your attractions in advance.
• Stay hydrated – It’s important to stay hydrated with all of the walking you’ll do. You should always keep a reusable water bottle on hand. If you can’t find a public refill station, you can “buy” filtered water at Starbucks for free! If you need more suggestions on what to add to your travel style, check out my top travel essentials list .

What major attractions are not included in the best New York City sightseeing passes?

👉 A MetroCard for the New York City subway – None of the five passes listed here include a MetroCard for you to get around the city.

However, since taking the subway is the best way to get anywhere, you need to consider what makes the most sense for your trip.

As I go over in my subway navigation guide , an unlimited weekly MetroCard costs $33 for 7 days of unlimited rides on the subway, but you can’t share the card with anyone else, which means that each person will need their own.

Since each swipe costs $2.75, if you plan on taking the subway at least 12 times (or 6 roundtrips), you break even.

Honestly, I highly recommend you take advantage of this flexibility when you’re using a New York attractions pass!

👉 Tickets to a Broadway show – One of the most iconic things to do in the city isn’t included in New York sightseeing passes!

Picking the right show for your trip is a very personal choice, based on you and your group’s interests and preferences, which is why you won’t find a pass adding show tickets anytime soon.

And, you need to choose a performance that fits into your schedule!

While I’ve shown up at a theater and purchased tickets 20 minutes before showtime before, if you only have a limited time in New York City, I would make sure to purchase your tickets in advance.

You can check Playbill for its updated weekly schedule of currently running Broadway shows .

Which is the best New York pass to buy for my trip?

Quite frankly, after comparing all of the New York City sightseeing passes, they each have their own unique benefits. They are each a great choice depending on your needs! However, these are my recommendations:

⭐️ The Overall Best Pass for New York City – With more than 90 major attractions, sites, and experiences, the GO City New York Pass offers the best passes for New York.

There are no limits to the number of attractions you can visit as long as your pass is active, and because there are so many different ways to see New York City, this pass gives you access to everything from walking tours to museums and experiences. 

⭐️ The Best Pass for a First-time Tourist to New York City : – With nine top choices in New York City of which you can choose six, the CityPASS offers the best “bang for your buck.”

It’s the least expensive option relative to the number of attractions included–and with major sites included like the Empire State Building Observation Deck, American Museum of Natural History, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, there are plenty of reasons why you should consider this pass.

⭐️ The New York Attractions Pass with the Most Observation Decks – Both the Sightseeing DAY Pass and Sightseeing FLEX Pass options include four observatories in New York City, more than any other pass.

New York Attraction Pass Comparison: FAQs

Yes, all of these New York passes are real and valid for access to what is advertised. They can help you save both time and money while getting the most out of your trip to NYC by providing you with a convenient way to access the most popular attractions in the city. The passes offer a variety of options such as the Intrepid Air & Space Museum Pass, Hop-off Bus Tour, Empire State Building Observation Deck, Guggenheim Museum, Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, and much more.

No, the New York Metro Card is not included in any of the New York Passes. Although these passes cover many of the popular tourist attractions and tours around the city, they do not cover fares for the subway or buses. For public transportation use, you will need to get an OMNY account, which is a digital version of the MetroCard. If you need more information, take a look at my guide on navigating the subway ! However, if your itinerary includes some of the more expensive attractions, such as the Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island, then investing in a pass like the Explorer Pass could be worth it as it allows access to multiple attractions and can help you save up to 50%.

No, none of these passes will allow you to visit a landmark more than once. The only pass that allows you to access the same landmark twice is the CityPASS New York. However, you’re only permitted entry to the Empire State Building observation deck twice–once during the day and then again at night.

When it comes to getting the most out of your New York attraction passes, planning is key. Before buying a pass, map out your itinerary and list all of the attractions you want to visit, along with their estimated price. This will help you decide if purchasing a pass makes sense for your budget. Once you have your list ready, use this guide to compare New York passes to determine which one offers the best value for your money. For example, if you’re planning on visiting several expensive attractions like the Empire State Building or Ellis Island, then an all-inclusive Go New York Explorer Pass might be worth considering. Alternatively, if you want more flexibility and don’t want to commit to just one activity or attraction, then a Sightseeing DAY Pass or FLEX Pass could work better for you. Also make sure that whichever pass you choose covers all the major attractions that appeal to your family so everyone can enjoy their time in NYC. You can also look for discounts on admission fees for additional activities, such as boat tours and bike rentals, that aren’t included in some passes. With careful planning and research into what each pass offers, you’ll be able to get great value from your New York attraction passes!

Yes, you can visit all of the top NYC attractions without a pass! You just have to purchase each attraction individually, which can mean long ticket lines and extended wait times. However, now that you’ve read our full New York pass comparison of all the different options available, you know the benefits of purchasing a pass, even for one day of jam-packed sightseeing. You can visit some of the most expensive attractions in New York City with a cost-savings sightseeing pass.

NYC Pass Comparison: Wrap-Up

Sightseeing passes for New York City can be a great way to save money and time on your trip.

From the all-inclusive Go New York Explorer Pass, to the flexible Sightseeing DAY Pass and FLEX Pass, there are plenty of options to choose from that cater to different budgets and interests.

With the right research and preparation, you will be able to find the perfect New York City sightseeing pass that fits your needs.

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Comparing the best NYC passes | Find the best one for you

Things to do in New York New York Attractions New York City Passes

New York occupies a privileged place at the top of many lists of places to visit in ones lifetime. A powerhouse of a city , New York is the one of the world's major commercial, financial and cultural centers. The city is a heaven for tourists too. From some of the tallest skyscrapers to the richest museums in the world, from stunning parks and vibrant neighborhoods to the biggest center of theatre, New York has it all. The best way to explore NYC as a tourist is to go for any of the many New York City Passes . While New York has a plethora to see, choices for ways to explore to New York are plenty too. However, the most budget friendly and hassle-free method is opting for a New York City Pass that suits your itinerary.

A single card that allows you instant access to all the major attractions and museums in the city, removes the hassle of queuing up and handling foreign currency is an absolute boon while in the Big Apple. With access to almost every attraction in NYC and savings of up to 40%, these New York City Passes will help you save on money as well as time in New York City.

Navigate the Guide

• New York City Passes - What Are My Options?
• NYC Explorer Pass
• New York Pass
• New York All City Pass
• Freestyle New York Pass
• New York City Passes Comparison
• What convenience factors do the New York City Passes bring?
• Handy Tips for using the New York City Passes

More New York Guides

New york city passes - what are my options .

You have 4 New York City Passes to choose from - The New York Explorer Pass, The New York Pass, New York City Tour Pass and Freestyle New York City Pass. Read in detail about each of these cards, the pros & cons, who should buy it, the inclusions & exclusions, freebies available, validity and more on this blog post. Click on the one you'd like to learn more about!

Best New York City Passes Comparison

What is new york explorer pass.

The NYC Explorer Pass allows you to choose a select number of attractions to visit from a list of 77 attractions. The pass is available in four options. Each variant lets you choose a different number of attractions – 2, 3, 4 and 7 attractions. With potential savings of upto 50% on admission prices and 77 attractions to choose from, the NYC Explorer Pass is the perfect pass for your New York holiday.

Once you buy your Explorer pass, the pass will remain valid for one year. Only after its first usage will the pass get activated. After activation, the pass will expire in 30 days. In these 30 days, you can use your pass whenever you want to visit the selected number of attractions.

NYC Explorer Pass Attractions

• Empire State Building • 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 • 9/11 Tribute Museum & Guided Memorial Tour • American Museum of Natural History • The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) • Landmarks Cruise: Circle Line Sightseeing • The Met • Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and Space Shuttle • Central Park Bike Rental: Full Day • Central Park Sightseeing: 2-Hour Bike Tour • Ripley's Believe It or Not!® Times Square • NFL Experience, Times Square • Guggenheim Museum • The RIDE • Radio City Stage Door Tour® • Madison Square Garden®: All Access Tour™ • The TOUR • Night Tour by Big Bus New York • Luna Park at Coney Island: 24 Ride Pass • Harlem Gospel Tour (Sunday Service) • Hamilton Happy Hour Tour • Yankee Stadium: Classic Tour • Lady Liberty Cruise: Circle Line Sightseeing • Rockefeller Center Tour • Inside Broadway Walking Tour • Fashion Windows Walking Tour • Secrets of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island: Walking Tour • National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey • Gulliver's Gate • Wall Street Walking Tour • Spyscape • Woodbury Common Bus Tour (Round Trip + VIP Coupon Booklet) • The Downtown Experience by THE RIDE • Brooklyn Bridge: Full-Day Bike Rental • Brooklyn Bridge Sightseeing: 2-Hour Bike Tour • Ground Zero Museum Workshop: Hands-On 9/11 Tour • The Whitney Museum of American Art • Museum of Sex • Food On Foot Tours

• Spirits On Foot: Beer, Spirits & Wine Crawls • 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 • Gossip Girl Sites Bus Tour by On Location Tours • Clipper City Tall Ship: Daytime Statue Sail • 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 • The Met Cloisters • SoHo – Little Italy – Chinatown Neighborhood Walking Tour • The Met Breuer • Brooklyn Bridge and DUMBO Walking Tour • New York Historical Society Museum • Great Women of New York: Walking Tour • Catacombs by Candlelight Tour • Harlem Bike Tour by Unlimited Biking • Harlem Full-Day Bike Rental by Unlimited • Alternative Street Art Walking Tour of the Lower East Side • NYC Slavery & Underground Railroad Walking Tour • Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Guided Tour • The New York Botanical Garden: All Day Garden Pass • Bronx's Little Italy & Arthur Avenue Neighborhood Walking Tour • Highlights of Midtown Architectural Walking Tour • Brooklyn Museum & Brooklyn Botanic Garden Combo • Hudson River Sightseeing: Full-Day Bike Rental • Secrets of Downtown Walking Tour • Graffiti & Street Art Walking Tour in Brooklyn • Best of Brooklyn Walking Tour in Williamsburg • Sopranos Sites Bus Tour by On Location Tours • Best of NYC Cruise: Circle Line Sightseeing • Harbor Lights Cruise: Circle Line Sightseeing • LEGOLAND® Discovery Center • Surrey Rental on Govenors Island • When Harry Met Seinfeld Bus Tour by On Location Tours • Graffiti & Street Art Workshop

New York Explorer Pass - 3 Attractions : from

New york explorer pass - 4 attractions : from, new york explorer pass - 5 attractions : from, new york explorer pass - 7 attractions : from, new york explorer pass - 11 attractions : from, nyc explorer pass - 3, 4 , 5 , 7 , 11.

• Choose from 3, 4, 5, 7 or 11 attractions from a list of 82 available attractions like Yankee Stadium, the Empire State Building and the Met.
• Valid for 30 days from activation

Top Attractions For Free With NYC Explorer Pass

Cost Benefit Analysis - NYC Explorer Pass

Cost of 7 prime attractions in nyc.

The 7 day NYC Explorer Pass will cost you while you will be spending $342 if you were to buy individual tickets for these attractions. This translates to savings of around $187 !

What is New York Pass?

With the New York Pass, the ticket to exploring NYC is quite literally in your palms. The New York Pass allows free, one-time access to over 100+ attractions in New York, including the Empire State Building and American Museum of Natural History, with the option of skipping the line at attractions like Madame Tussauds and the Museum of Modern Art! You can choose from the 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 or 10-day pass as per your itinerary and experience New York at your pace.

A money and time saver, the New York Pass does not require pre-booking, so you can simply turn up with your New York Pass and enter, hassle-free! The New York Pass is valid for 12 months from the day of purchase, and after the first usage, it is valid for consecutive days not for random 24-hour periods. For instance, with the 3-day pass, if you first use your pass on a Monday, it is then valid on the following Tuesday and Wednesday. The pass expires at midnight.

New York Pass Attractions

• Empire State Building Fast Track • Big Bus New York Hop on Hop off Bus Tour • Top of the Rock Observatory Fast Track • 9/11 Memorial & Museum • Madame Tussauds Fast Track Fast Track • Statue of Liberty Ferry & Ellis Island • Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Fast Track • Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises Fast Track • American Museum of Natural History • Central Park Sightseeing Bike Tours & Rentals • Metropolitan Museum of Art (The MET)Fast Track • The RIDE • Food on Foot Tours • Radio City Music Hall: Stage Door Tour • Madison Square Garden: MSG All Access Tour • Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Fast Track • Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Fast Track • Rockefeller Center Tour • Hop-On Hop-Off Water Taxi: All Day Access Pass • NFL Experience, Times Square • The TOUR • 9/11 Memorial Audio Tour & 9/11 Tribute Museum • Whitney Museum of American Art • Inside Broadway Walking Tour • Fashion Windows Walking Tour • Museum of Sex • The Downtown Experience: Virtual Reality Bus Tour • Brooklyn Bridge Sightseeing Bike Tours and Rentals • 9/11 Ground Zero Museum Workshop • Luna Park at Coney Island • Deno's Wonder Wheel • Hamilton Happy Hour Tour • Harlem Gospel Tour (Sunday Service) • Yankee Stadium: Classic Stadium Tours • Downtown Liberty Express Cruise by Circle Line Downtown • Clipper City Tall Ship Cruises • Shearwater Classic Schooner Cruise • Blazing Saddles Bike Rentals & 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 MET: Cloisters • Museum of the City of New York

• New York Historical Society Museum • The Cathedral of St. John the Divine • Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum • Museum of Arts and Design • International Center of Photography Museum • New Museum • Museum of American Finance • Fraunces Tavern • South Street Seaport Museum • 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 Walking Tour • Brooklyn Museum of Art • Graffiti & Street Art Walking Tour of Brooklyn • Best of Brooklyn Walking Tour in Williamsburg • MoMA PS1 • Wall Street Walking Tour • Brooklyn Botanic Garden • Harlem Gospel Tour: Wednesday Service • New York Transit Museum • Carnegie Hall Tour • Gospel Walking Tour of Brooklyn • Staten Island Yankees Game • Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust • Museum at Eldridge St. • Bronx’s Little Italy and Arthur Avenue Walking Tour • New York Botanical Garden • New York Hall of Science • Lincoln Center Tour • Harlem Bike Tours • Harlem Bike Rentals • Hudson River Sightseeing Bike Rentals • Secrets of Downtown: Lower Manhattan Walking Tour • Highlights of Midtown Architectural Tour • Alternative Street Art Tour of the Lower East Side • The Skyscraper Museum • Staten Island Zoo • Harlem Cultural Walking Tours • HighFlyer Zipline at Foxwoods Resort Casino • Staten Island Museum • Staten Island Children's Museum • Snug Harbor Botanical Garden in Staten Island • The Paley Center for Media • Surrey Rental on Governors Island • LEGOLAND® Discovery Center, Westchester

New York Pass - 1 Day : from

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• Free, one-time access to over 100+ attractions & experiences in NYC.
• Get a downloadable guide containing travel tips, attraction information, subway map, city map, contact information and more

Top Attractions For Free With New York Pass

Cost benefit analysis - new york pass.

The 2 day New York Pass will cost you while you will be spending $332 if you were to buy individual tickets for these attractions. This translates to savings of around $143 !

What is the New York All City Pass?

If your style of exploring New York involves a double decker bus ride, then the New York All City Pass is your best bet. Hop on board the iconic red bus and enjoy the sights and streets of the Big Apple from a vantage point like no other. You can choose the duration you'd like - 24, 48, 72 and 120 hour variants and explore attractions from the carefully selected curation that comes with the New York All City Pass. The pass is valid from the time it is activated at the first attraction for consecutive days, and not 24-hour periods.

The New York All City Pass' tours include a live tour guide who usually provides useful information about each attraction. With free, one-time tours of downtown Manhattan, Brooklyn and Harlem and even bike rentals, this pass covers the length and breadth of the city.

New York All City Pass Inclusions

Downtown Bus Tour • DT Turn 9 - Right on Broadway from 8th St • Port Authority • Garment District • Highline • Battery Park • City Hall • Canal Street • Soho • Washington Square Park • Union Square • Flat Iron Building • Empire State Building • Macy's • Times Square North • Rockefeller Center • Times Square West Uptown & Harlem Bus Tour • Times Square North • Carnegie Hall • Central Park South • Central Park Zoo • Metropolitan Museum of Art • Guggenheim Museum • Museum of the City of New York • Apollo Theater • Morningside Heights • Cathedral of St. John of the Divine • American Museum of Natural History • Dakota Building • Columbus Circle • Theater District • Port Authority

Brooklyn Bus Tour • The Botanical Gardens • The NY Transit Museum • Grand Army Plaza • Ebbet’s Field • The Brooklyn Museum • Brooklyn Bridge Bronx Bus Tour • Yankee Stadium • Harlem • Midtown Night Bus Tour • Times Square (down 5th Avenue) • Empire State Building • Greenwich Village • Chinatown • Little Italy • Noho • Brooklyn Bridge • United Nations Building • Rockefeller Center • Chrysler Building • Soho • Grand Central Terminal 2 Hours Bike Rental (With Purchase) - Central Park Liberty Cruise • New York Harbor • Statue of Liberty • Manhattan skyline Museum of NYC

NYC All City Pass - 24 Hours : from

Nyc all city pass - 48 hours : from, nyc all city pass - 72 hours : from, nyc all city pass - 120 hours : from, new york all city pass - 1, 2, 3 or 5.

• Ride in style on the iconic red double-decker buses with a live guide onboard.
• The pass is valid for selected consecutive hours once redeemed.

Cost Benefit Analysis - New York All City Pass

While doing all of the above in a day is not possible, even opting for 2 of the above will translate to 40% savings! The 1 day Classic NYC All City Pass will cost you while you will be spending double the amount for even 2 activities on the list without the pass!

What is Freestyle New York City Pass?

The Freestyle New York City Pass is another extremely popular pass amongst tourists visiting New York. There are 2 types of Freestyle New York Passes:

1. Freestyle New York City Pass -

• The Freestyle City Pass allows you to choose a select number of attractions to visit from a list of 50 attractions.
• The pass is available in three options. Each variant lets you choose a different number of attractions – 3, 5 and 7 attractions.
• With the pass, you get 3 days unlimited Hop-on Hop-Off sightseeing tours across 4 routes: Downtown, Uptown, Brooklyn and the Bronx. You can even add a special Night tour from Manhattan to Brooklyn to get picturesque views of the skyline lit up.
• Once you buy your Freestyle pass, the pass will remain valid for one year. Only after its first usage will the pass get activated. After activation, the pass will expire in 14 days. In these 14 days, you can use your pass whenever you want to visit the selected number of attractions. The Hop on Hop off Pass is valid for 72 consecutive hours from the time you redeem the vouchers at one of the NYC Visitor Center locations.

2. Freestyle New York Cruise Pass -

• The Freestyle Cruise Pass is ideal for first-time short term visitors who want to explore the city without a strict itinerary.
• It gives you unlimited Hop-on Hop-Off ferry access for one day along with a choice of entry to 1 or 3 New York City attractions. Get a chance to choose from over 40 New York attractions, including the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in your one-day pass.
• Traverse through the Big Apple from a unique vantage point over New York's waterways and get a chance to see the gorgeous New York City skyline with exquisite views of the Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, South Street Seaport and more iconic landmarks.
• The Freestyle Cruise Pass is available in 2 variants. Each variant lets you enter a different number of attractions, either 1 or 3 attraction combo.Each variant comes with unlimited Hop-on, Hop-off ferry services.
• Your Hop-On Hop-Off ferry tour is valid for 14 days from the time of purchase, and after the first usage, it is valid for 24 hours.

Freestyle New York City Pass Attractions

Attractions

• 9/11 Memorial & Museum
• Empire State Building Observatory
• Madame Tussauds Celebrity Ticket
• Ripley’s Believe It or Not (Includes Impossible LaserRace)
• Top of the Rock Observation Deck
• One World Observatory
• National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey
• State of Liberty Ferry & Ellis Island
• Gulliver’s Gate
• The Radio City Stage Door Tour
• Rockefeller Center Tour
• When Harry Met Seinfeld Tour (On Location Tours)
• Madison Square Garden All-Access Tour
• Go Airlink Airport Shuttle Share Ride

Please note: The TOUR, When Harry Met Seinfeld Tour and Go Airlink Airport Shuttle Share Ride all need prior reservations for bookings.

• American Museum of Natural History
• The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
• Cloisters Museum
• Guggenheim Museum
• Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum
• Museum of the City of New York
• El Museo Del Barrio
• 9/11 Tribute Museum
• New York Historical Society
• Brooklyn Museum/Botanical Garden
• Whitney Museum of American Art
• Ground Zero Museum Workshop: 100 Images & Artifacts Tour

Walking Tours & Cruises

Please inquire about the walking tours and cruises when you redeem your voucher at the office. These are seasonal and subject to reservation.

• Brooklyn Navy Yard Past, Present, Future Tour
• World War II of the BK Navy Yard Tour
• Inside Industry Tour of the BK Navy Yard
• Bronx’s Little Italy and Arthur Avenue Tour
• NYC Slavery and Underground Tour
• Alternative New York Street Art Tour
• Brooklyn Bridge and Dumbo Tour
• Highlights of Midtown Architectural Tour
• Soho, Little Italy, China Town Tour
• Highline, Chelsea, Meatpacking Tour
• Greenwich Village Tour
• Broadway Walking Tour
• Lower Manhattan Walking Tour
• Lunch at Dave and Buster’s - 234 W. 42nd St., 3rd Floor
• Lunch at Grotta Azzurra (Little Italy)
• Lunch at Bella Napoli (Near the Empire State Building)
• Breakfast/Lunch at Applebee’s 42nd Street & 50th Street
• Lunch/Dinner at Planet Hollywood
• Lunch/Dinner at Buca di Beppo

Freestyle Attraction Pass

• Choose from 3, 5 or 7 attractions/activity tickets from a list of 40 available attractions.
• 3-day, unlimited, all around town Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing doubledecker bus across 4 routes

Freestyle New York Cruise Pass Inclusions

• Ripley's Believe It or Not** (Includes LaserRace)
• Statue of Liberty Ferry and Ellis Island
• NFL Experience
• Lincoln Center Tour
• Madison Square Garden All Access tour
• When Harry Met Seinfeld Tour
• American Museum of Natural History*
• The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)*
• Cloisters Museum*
• Metropolitan Museum of Art*
• El Museo del Barrio

*May be subject to change. Please call and confirm attraction availability beforehand.

Walking Tour

• Twilight Cruise
• Lunch at Dave and Buster's -234 W. 42nd St., 3rd Floor
• Breakfast or Lunch at Applebee's 42nd Street & 50th Street
• $25 towards lunch or dinner at Planet Hollywood
• $25 towards lunch or dinner at Buca di Beppo

Live Events

• NYCFC (New York City FC) Tickets
• NY Mets home game at Citi Field
• Baseball Game at Yankee Stadium

FreeStyle Cruise Pass

• Free, one-time entry to one or three New York City attractions
• Unlimited one-day Hop-on, Hop-off Ferry
• Valid for 14 days from the time of purchase, and after first usage, it is valid for 24 hours.

Cost Benefit Analysis - Freestyle New York Pass

Cost of 5 attractions + 3 day hop on hop off in nyc.

The Freestyle New York City Pass costs while you will be spending $310 if you were to explore NYC without the pass. The 40% Savings is definitely worth purchasing the pass!

What Convenience Factors do the New York City Passes bring?

1. Huge savings These passes can help you save anywhere between 30-50% on the cost of tickets as opposed to buying a separate ticket for each attraction. These savings mean you can increase your budget for souvenirs, shopping or other experiences. 2. Convenience The travel pass provides you instant access entry to all attractions without having to queue up to purchase tickets. The pass will help you skip these lines, providing you with more time to spend in actual sightseeing. 3. Save time The priority access feature of these passes allow you to save time on purchasing individual tickets for each attraction. With only one pre-purchased card in hand, you can wander in to any attraction of your choice and not worry about standing in line and buying tickets. 4. Choice and flexibility The pass offers an array of attractions and monuments to see, the entry fee of which is included in the pass. This allows you to choose your pace of visiting the attractions. The pass is also flexible and does not have any limitations on entry or timing. 5. Ideal for traveling with kids Traveling with kids can be made a whole lot easier by making the trip more comfortable for them. A pass allows you to plan better and cut waiting in lines for hours, making sure your kids don’t get cranky!

Handy Tips for using New York City Passes

• Plan Plan Plan - With tons of attractions to choose from in the city, it is best that you plan the attractions for which you'll be using the pass. Make sure that you use the pass in the most optimum manner to ensure highest savings. • Prioritize - Prioritize attractions with higher entrance fees, it is the easiest way to save money and recover your costs. • Check the timings - Do ensure that you have checked the timings of the attractions that you would like to visit. It would be quite a downer to visit an attraction only to know that it is closed. • Use the money saving techniques - Use the hop-on-hop-off feature of the passes to get around the city. The advantages of it are two fold - free transportation as well as guided sightseeing. • Know the free days - Certain museums have free entries on some days. Visit these museums on the free days to increase your savings. Try to avoid start using the pass on these days.

Looking for more detailed New York Guides? Here are a few that will help you plan your NYC vacay!

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Sachin Kumar

Having lived and worked in Bangalore and Singapore before moving to Dubai, Sachin is one of the many expatriates who've come together over the years to knit the fabric of Dubai’s global culture. An avid urban explorer and photographer, he has spent countless hours uncovering hidden gems in these cities - eating in ramshackled establishments that only the cab drivers frequent, discovering underground markets, exploring abandoned buildings and staying with families that may or may not like him.

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UP TO 33% OFF

Easter sale, offer ends: sun 31 mar 2024.

• Choose from 150+ attractions and offers
• One digital pass to enter top attractions
• NYC Pass with 4 Observation decks
• Huge savings and ticket-free entry
• 2 Great Pass options for every budget

The only Pass that includes Empire State Building, Top of The Rock, Edge, One World Observatory and $60 discount on NY Helicopter Tour

Choose the right Pass for you

Two simple money-saving options: DAY or FLEX

Choose 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 days of unlimited Sightseeing for the duration of the Pass.

• Best for first time visitors wanting to see all of New York.
• Great for families with children , who like to relax and enjoy hop-on, hop-off buses and food offers.
• Also for visitors with an open plan, who enjoy visiting attractions on the go .

Save up to 70% when visiting 3 attractions per day.

Prices: From $35 per day.

Visit any 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 or 12 attractions from 100 options over 60 days.

• Best for locals or visitors who may have already been to New York and want to visit only a few popular attractions.
• Great for visitors with a tight budget for sightseeing.
• Also for visitors on a business trip , with limited time for sightseeing.

Save 50% or more when visiting just 2 attractions per day.

Prices: from $22 per attraction visit.

Why Sightseeing Pass

NYC Sightseeing Pass is designed to save you money even when visiting just 2 Attractions. Created by local New Yorkers for visitors and locals alike, Sightseeing Passes have already helped over 1 Million customers.

Plan your Trip before you arrive

Sign up to NYC travel tips, free subway, bus and attraction maps. Planning in advance is a key to a successful trip.

Entry to 4 Observation Decks & $60 Heli Offer, Central Park and Bronx Zoos, NY Aquarium, Go-Airlink Airport transfer, The Cauldron NYC - Potion making for Beginners and the Museum of Broadway only with The Sightseeing Pass.

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Read our monthly guides and learn what to expect, what the weather is usually like, what to wear, how to get around easily and what are the best events in the city during your trip.

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New York State prepares for the upcoming Total Solar Eclipse

R OCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — In just two weeks — people will be looking to the skies for the upcoming Total Solar Eclipse, Governor Hochul and state leaders are preparing residents for the big day.

The eclipse will take around two hours to pass across all of New York State, with only a brief window of being in the path of totality. State officials say they have been planning for the eclipse for 18 months.

State officials said if you plan to travel in order to view the eclipse, you are encouraged to leave lots of time for traveling and be patient. Hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected in New York State and this may lead to congestion.

In order to aid with congestion, Commissioner Jackie Bray of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management says the state is sending out assets such as heavy tow trucks and help trucks from the Department of Transportation to help those driving in. Residents and travelers are encouraged to use 511NY for updates. All gas stations are topped off for April 8.

Those parking for the eclipse are told to park in designated spots so emergency vehicles can maneuver on the roads safely. Residents are encouraged to try and not travel on the day of the eclipse.

Those heading to a state park are warned that state parks’ campgrounds are 100% sold out for Sunday and 93% sold out for Monday, the day of the eclipse.

Residents are also encouraged to purchase a pair of Eclipse-viewing glasses for safe viewing and to check to make sure the glasses you buy are effective.

Those traveling from outside New York to view the eclipse are encouraged to “arrive early and stay late.” The state has a website set up dedicated to the eclipse, such as glasses, merchandise, and a music playlist.

Everyone is warned that cell phone service will be overloaded on the day of the eclipse, but 911 calls will still go through.

Many people, businesses, and organizations are preparing for the eclipse. Several schools are closed for the day , police are preparing to handle traffic , Wegmans is closing some stores for half an hour for employees to view the eclipse, and residents are grabbing their Eclipse-viewing glasses .

Full News Conference:

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.

What time is the solar eclipse? Search your ZIP code for a viewing guide

Get ready for a spectacular show: A total solar eclipse will occur above the U.S. on the afternoon of April 8. Most Americans will be able to see it in some form, but the distance between your location and the path of totality will determine how much of the sun will be covered by the moon. Many places in the U.S. − Rochester, N.Y., Cleveland, and Austin, Texas, to name a few − will see a total eclipse, in which the sun is completely obscured. Other locations will see a partial eclipse. Search for your ZIP code below or select a major city to reveal the time, duration, peak and percentage of the eclipse in your area.

What time is the eclipse? How long will it last? What will it look like?

Can't see our graphics? Click here to reload the page.

When is the eclipse?

On April 8 the moon will travel along the path of totality in North America starting in northern Mexico. The shadow of the moon will pass into Texas a little before 1:30 p.m. local time. It will then cover portions of the Midwest and East Coast and touch southeast Canada before it moves out to sea, according to NASA .

Learn more: What is the path of totality for the total solar eclipse? Follow as it crosses the US.

Lea en Españo l: ¿Cuál es la trayectoria de totalidad del eclipse solar total? Siga mientras cruza México y los EE. UU.

Are free eclipse glasses safe? How can I view the eclipse safely without glasses?

If you buy or are given eclipse glasses, be sure they are made by companies the  American Astronomical Society  and NASA have certified as safe. Eclipse glasses should all have the "ISO" (International Organization for Standardization) icon. The glasses also must have the  ISO reference number 12312-2 .

If you cannot find certified glasses, there are other ways to view the eclipse, including with a shadow box you can make yourself. Whatever you do, don't look at the sun without proper protection.

Learn more : What happens if you look at a solar eclipse? A viewing guide for this year's sky show.

Lea en Españo l: ¿Qué pasa si miras un eclipse solar? Una guía para ver el espectáculo celeste de este año.

How does an eclipse work? How often do eclipses occur? Where can I learn more about the science?

A total eclipse occurs when the moon appears the same size as the sun and blocks the entire disk, leading to a period of darkness lasting several minutes. The resulting "totality," when observers can see the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere, known as the corona, confuses animals – nocturnal creatures stir, and bird and insects fall silent.

Learn more : A total solar eclipse will cross the US in April: Here's where and when to see it

Lea en Españo l: El eclipse solar total cruzará EE. UU. en Abril: dónde y cuándo verl

Contributing: Janet Loehrke, Javier Zarracina and Shawn J. Sullivan

Follow a mile-by-mile map of the total solar eclipse

On April 8, the sun, moon and Earth will enter the precise alignment of a total solar eclipse. The moon will block the sun, casting a shadow across a strip of North America from the Pacific Ocean west of Mexico, through 15 U.S. states, to the Atlantic off Canada.

This strip, roughly 4,000 miles long and 115 miles wide, is called the path of totality. For a short while, everyone and everything in this path will experience midday darkness.

The beginning

2:07-2:11 p.m.

Total time eclipsed

Historic cloud coverage

The moon’s shadow makes landfall in Mexico at 2:07 p.m. Eastern time, casting the first region into darkness. Here, darkness lasts for about four minutes near the center of the path, but decreases in time toward the edges.

A populous path

Nearly 32 million people live in the path of totality this year. The eclipse crosses the homes of more people in Texas alone than the 2017 eclipse crossed nationally.

Eagle Pass, Tex.

2:27-2:31 p.m.

The eclipse crosses into the United States in Eagle Pass, Tex. The border town will be dark for 4 minutes and 23 seconds — over a minute longer than the 2017 eclipse lasted anywhere.

2:35-2:39 p.m.

A 195-mile stretch of Interstate 35 between Austin and Dallas is in the path. Texas officials are already warning drivers not to stop on roadways during the eclipse. You'd have to drive 1,950 miles an hour to keep up with the moon's shadow.

2:40-2:44 p.m.

The nation’s second busiest airport, Dallas Fort Worth International, lies in the path of totality. The airport said flights will not be affected. Some airlines are even offering special flights timed to the eclipse to extend your time in totality.

Hot Springs National Park

2:48-2:53 p.m.

In Arkansas lies Hot Springs National Park, one of two national parks in the path of totality. Parks across the country, even those not in totality, are planning livestreams, shows and talks for the eclipse.

Ozark National Scenic Riverways

2:55-2:59 p.m.

Just like many humans, Smokey Bear is also traveling into the path of totality. A 97-foot-tall hot air balloon bearing Smokey’s face is traveling from New Mexico to the Ozarks to remind visitors how to prevent wildfires.

Carbondale, Ill.

2:59-3:03 p.m.

Just past the Mississippi River is Carbondale, Ill., which has billed itself the “Eclipse Crossroads of America” because it sat in the path of the 2017 eclipse.

Check the forecast

At this point in the path, the weather forecast becomes critical for eclipse seekers. The areas from here on are typically cloudier in April than the previous areas, according to an analysis of cloud cover data.

3:13-3:17 p.m.

The eclipse crosses the Cleveland Guardians’s baseball stadium on the team's home opener at about 3:15 p.m. But rather than be interrupted by nearly four minutes of darkness, the game will start two hours after the moon’s shadow passes by.

An influential eclipse

The eclipse next passes over land historically populated by the Haudenosaunee, also known as the Iroquois. Researchers disagree on when the Iroquois Confederacy was established. But tribal oral history indicates the Seneca joined the alliance shortly after witnessing a solar eclipse, which researchers suggest occurred in this area in 1142.

Burlington, Vt.

3:25-3:28 p.m.

About 13,000 schools are in the path of totality, including more than 300 in Vermont. Some plan to incorporate experiencing the eclipse into their lessons, but others plan to let kids out of school early to help avoid traffic bottlenecks.

Piscataquis County, Maine

3:30-3:34 p.m.

The final 150 miles of the Appalachian Trail lie in the path of totality, including Mount Katahdin, the highest point in Maine.

Gulf of St. Lawrence

3:32-3:35 p.m.

The eclipse finally passes over Prince Edward Island before its last hurrah over Newfoundland in Canada, completing its North American journey in a bit more than two hours.

Totality at 2:07 p.m. EDT

About this story

Population calculated by summing 2020 population estimates in 30 arc-second grid cells within the path of totality. Distance covered calculated from the centerline of the path.

Sources: NASA, European Space Agency, U.S. Geological Survey, Natural Earth Data, Census Bureau, OpenStreetMap, GOES imagery analysis by University of Wisconsin at Madison Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, Center for International Earth Science Information Network

Szu Yu Chen and Lauren Tierney contributed to this report. Editing by Emily M. Eng, Tim Meko and Victoria Jaggard. Copy editing by Angela Mecca.

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Boeing's Dave Calhoun to step down as CEO at the end of year

CHICAGO -- Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said Monday he intends to leave the beleaguered company by the end of the year in a major shakeup of the company's leadership. Boeing's chairman and the head of the commercial airplane unit are also leaving.

Boeing's chairman, Larry Kellner, will not stand for re-election as a board director. The board has elected former Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf to succeed him.

The company also announced that Stan Deal, CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, is retiring. Stephanie Pope, Boeing's chief operating officer since January, is taking his place effective immediately.

Boeing has been buffeted by more than five years of problems with its airplanes, including two fatal crashes of the 737 Max in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people, and most recently a door plug that blew out of the side of an Alaska Airlines 737 Max in January, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the plane. The problems have led to multiple groundings for safety issues and more than $31 billion in cumulative losses.

In a letter to Boeing employees Monday, Calhoun called the Alaska Airlines incident "a watershed moment for Boeing."

RELATED: FAA to take closer look at United Airlines after series of incidents involving Boeing jets

"The eyes of the world are on us," he said in announcing his departure plans. "We are going to fix what isn't working, and we are going to get our company back on the track towards recovery and stability."

The decision to leave was "100%" his choice, Calhoun said in an interview on CNBC Monday morning.

But Calhoun has become the focus of many who are critical of the way Boeing has been run in recent decades and the string of safety and quality issues.

"He's the very best CEO that Airbus has ever had," said Richard Aboulafia, managing director at AeroDynamic Advisory and a leading aerospace analyst, recently referring to the advantages gained by Boeing's main rival during his tenure running Boeing.

His departure also comes in the face of widespread criticism of the company by CEOs of many of the world's major airlines Boeing depends upon to buy its planes. CEOs of numerous airlines had asked to speak directly to the Boeing board last week, which Calhoun tried to characterize Monday as a normal process, even if it's rare for customers to speak directly to directors.

As to why Calhoun decided to stay on through the end of the year rather than leave immediately, he told CNBC: "We have another mountain to climb. Let's not avoid what happened with Alaska Air. Let's not avoid the call for action. Let's not avoid the changes that we need to make in our factories."

"We will get through that," he said. "I've committed myself to the board to do exactly that."

Airlines' problems with Boeing

The airlines are upset both by the quality of the planes they are getting from Boeing, and the fact that Boeing won't be able to deliver the planes they were counting on this year, as passenger demand continues to surge to record levels.

Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair, Europe's largest airline and one that flies only Boeing 737 planes, told CNN last week that whenever it takes deliveries of Boeing jets "we spend 48 hours going through the plane checking it for errors, omissions or anything else."

And O'Leary said while it hasn't found anything major in those checks, it regularly finds minor problems such as tools under floorboards and missing seat handles, that "shows, I think, a lack of attention to detail quality issues in Boeing."

Ryanair issued a statement Monday saying, "We welcome these much-needed management changes in Seattle."

United Airlines, which flies Boeing jets for more than 80% of its mainline fleet, has expressed disappointment in quality issues at Boeing and a delay in its scheduled deliveries.

The airline is a primary customer for a stretched version of the Boeing 737 Max, known as the Max 10, but Boeing's inability to get the plane certified to carry passengers is also causing headaches.

Scott Kirby, CEO of United, described the Alaska Airlines incident as the "straw that broke the camel's back" for its plans to get the Max 10 this year, as planned, and it is now looking at possibly buying jets from Boeing rival Airbus to take the place of the Max 10s it has ordered.

But it is difficult for airlines to shift to Airbus, which has a long backlog of jets it has already committed to build for its existing customer base. Any Boeing customer shifting to Airbus could find itself waiting until 2030 or beyond to get its planes delivered.

And operating two types of aircraft of the same class is costly, since pilots are certified to fly specific aircraft, and most cannot shift back and forth between an Airbus and a Boeing without training. And the airline needs to keep a supply of expensive spare parts on hand for every type of aircraft it operates.

Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci estimated recently it cost his airline $75 million to $100 million a year to operate both Airbus and Boeing single-aisle jets after it merged with Virgin America, which is why it got rid of its Airbus jets after the merger was complete. And Alaska is a smaller national airline, only America's fifth largest. Larger airlines face even greater costs from splitting fleets between manufacturers.

Facing numerous safety probes

The Boeing 737 Max 9 was grounded for three weeks after the Alaska Airlines incident as airlines completed inspections of their own planes' door plugs. Minicucci disclosed that many of his planes were discovered to have loose bolts, although he did not mention missing bolts.

An audit of Boeing procedures by the Federal Aviation Administration in the wake of the Alaska Airlines incident found numerous "non-compliance issues." The agency gave the company 90 days to come up with a plan to fix its safety and quality issues.

But the probes at Boeing aren't limited to the FAA audit. A preliminary investigation found that the plane left the Boeing factory in October without the four bolts needed to keep the door plug in place. While the NTSB has not identified who is at fault for the missing bolts, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy criticized Boeing for not providing the agency with the documentation for who handled the installation of the door plug.

Calhoun told investors in January after the incident that "we caused the problem, and we understand that. Whatever conclusions are reached, Boeing is accountable for what happened."

And Boeing is also facing an investigation by the Justice Department, which could open it up to criminal liability, and upend a controversial deferred prosecution agreement the company reached in January 2021 to settle charges it defrauded the FAA during the original certification process for the 737 Max last decade. It was days away from having that probation-like period end when the Alaska Air incident happened.

The company has also had problems not related to the Max during Calhoun's time in charge at Boeing, including a couple of halts in deliveries of the 787 Dreamliners, one of its main widebody jets, due to quality issues with that plane.

"Boeing's been in a world of hurt. They lost the trust of some of the airlines, the production delays, the mechanical problems. Something had to give," DePaul University transportation expert Joseph Schwieterman said.

Schwieterman said a fresh start may be the answer for the embattled corporation.

"Wall Street hammered the company. It's clearly lost confidence that things are going to get fixed anytime soon. I think that's when the board and leadership sees a need for a different kind of leader," Schwieterman said.

Finance, not engineering background

Calhoun, 66, a longtime board member at Boeing, became chairman of the company in late 2019, when the board stripped his predecessor Dennis Muilenburg of that title. He was tapped as CEO after Muilenburg was ousted in December of that year, starting in the job in January 2020.

Boeing was once known as a company that put engineering excellence ahead of financial performance, and produced planes that were the gold standard in the industry. Critics of the company say that focus has changed in the last 25 years, citing the 1997 merger with competitor McDonell Douglas for the shift in focus on saving money.

Calhoun is one of the executives since that time with no engineering background, having served as senior managing director and head of portfolio operations at investing firm The Blackstone Group, as well as CEO of Nielsen after 26 years at General Electric.

Calhoun's tenure began about halfway through a 20-month grounding of the 737 Max due to a design flaw that was determined to have caused the two crashes; and just before the Covid pandemic broke out globally, causing a near halt in air travel and massive losses for the airlines Boeing depends upon to buy its planes.

Asked about what he would like to see in his successor, Calhoun told CNBC Monday that "I want somebody who knows how to handle a big, long, long-cycle business like ours. It's not just the production of the airplane. It's the development of the next airplane. It will be a $50 billion investment. I would like somebody who clearly has the experience inside our industry."

Shares of Boeing, which have lost more than 26% of their value since the start of the year, were 4% higher at the market open Monday, but they soon lost most of that gain and closed slightly above 1%.

It's been nearly two years since Boeing announced it was moving its headquarters out of Chicago, but there are still employees based there.

CNN's Allison Morrow and ABC7 Chicago's Rob Hughes contributed to this report.

The-CNN-Wire & 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

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