The New York Sightseeing Pass is available in two distinct formats. The Day Pass is an all-inclusive multi-attraction pass admitting you to an unlimited number of popular New York City attractions throughout your choice of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 days. During that time period, you’ll be able to visit or use over 150 unique attractions and deals. Whether you want to experience quintessential New York landmarks like the Empire State Building, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Rockefeller Center’s Top of the Rock Observation Deck, or take advantage of discounts on rental cars, deals on shopping at Hudson Yards, and special prices for Broadway shows, the Day Pass option has you covered. The Flex Pass is a flexible, multi-attraction pass granting you admission to your choice of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 or 12 attractions from a list of over 100 NYC attractions. If you’ve got your list of dream New York City destinations at the ready, it’s more than likely they’ll be included as part of the New York Sightseeing Pass Flex Pass option. It includes all your favorite New York attractions and so much more.
Top Included New York Attractions
- Empire State Building
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Top of the Rock Observation Deck at Rockefeller Center
- American Museum of Natural History
- One World Observatory
- Circle Line Landmarks Cruise
- 9/11 Memorial & Museum
See the complete list of available attractions and tours in the sidebar, divided by type of activity.
How the New York Sightseeing Pass Works
Both the Day Pass and the Flex Pass work the same way. When you purchase either of these New York Sightseeing Pass options, you pay one flat rate for a pass that will serve as your single ticket into every attraction you visit. There’s no paying out of pocket at each attraction, which saves you a lot of time and money in the long run.
Your New York Sightseeing Pass will be delivered to you via e-mail just moments after you buy it. All you have to do is download it onto your smartphone via the free Sightseeing Pass app. Then you can simply have it scanned for entry at whatever attraction you choose to visit.
No matter when you purchase your New York Sightseeing Pass—and regardless of whether you opt for the Day Pass or Flex Pass—you have 24 months (two full years!) to activate it. Your Day Pass must be used on consecutive days for however long it’s good for, while the Flex Pass is valid for 60 days from the time of initial activation.
What’s the New York Sightseeing Pass Good For
If you’re not interested in downloading another app to your smartphone, you can simply print out a paper copy of your New York Sightseeing Pass before embarking on your outing. It’ll work just the same way as the digital version.
New York Sightseeing Pass provides its passholders with complimentary PDF maps of New York City and its public transportation system. These will be helpful tools to consult as you plan your trip, and convenient, too: as PDFs, you can keep them right there with you on your smartphone.
Your New York Sightseeing Pass also comes with a free digital guidebook. It contains resources like attraction information, hours of operation, quick tips, tour bus pick-up stops, and much, much more.
What Could Get Better?
As is the case with any attraction pass covering over 100 different possible destinations, things are always subject to change. From time to time, attractions will be added and subtracted from the New York Sightseeing Pass. Naturally, this cuts both ways—it can be good or bad, depending on what comes and goes. Regardless, it’s something to monitor as you make plans.
New York Sightseeing Pass has a more restrictive return policy than some other attraction passes on the market today. If your pass is unused, you may return it for a full refund—but only if you purchased it with insurance. If you opt-out of pass insurance at the time of purchase, you’ll be out of luck trying to return it down the road (even if it’s still unused).
Get Your Money’s Worth with a New York Sightseeing Pass
When using the Flex Pass version of the New York Sightseeing Pass, how much you save depends on how many attractions you visit. Visit the official Flex Pass website for a rundown on how to maximize your savings. There you’ll find details on how to save as much as 50% even when visiting only 2 different attractions each day.
As for the Day Pass version of the New York Sightseeing Pass, here’s the best plan of attack: Read over the admission prices for the attractions you’re most interested in visiting, then prioritize the ones with the most expensive tickets. This way you’ll get the most bang for your buck, all while leaving yourself the option of paying only for less-expensive attractions out of pocket (if you decide you still really want to visit them no matter what, even if you’ve used up your Day Pass).
New York Sightseeing Pass Insider Tips
As long as you haven’t activated your New York Sightseeing Pass, you may still upgrade it. This isn’t always the case with other attractions passes, and it could prove very useful if you decide to tweak your plans in the build-up to your trip.
Make sure to activate your Flex Pass first thing in the morning. Even if you activate it at an attraction near the end of business hours, it’ll still count as a full day’s use. This would be the worst thing you could do if you want to get the most out of your Flex Pass.
New York Sightseeing Pass proudly touts having a number of exclusive relationships with several different attractions, tour companies, restaurants, and more. If you’re strongly considering New York Sightseeing Pass for your New York City attraction pass needs, you’ll want to go over this list to see if any one or more of these special exclusives are particularly appealing.
In addition to providing passholders with a complimentary digital guidebook, the official New York Sightseeing Pass website is home to a rotating series of monthly guides. These monthly guides are worth checking out as you prepare to use your Sightseeing Pass. They routinely feature the absolute latest in tips, suggestions, and even weather reports.
Where to Buy The New York Sightseeing Pass
You can purchase either the Day Pass or the Flex Pass directly from the official New York Sightseeing Pass website for the best prices when they are having a sale.