New York Pass

What Does the New York Pass Offer?

The New York Pass promises several benefits when using the pass. We will see to what extent these promises are actually true.

Free admission to 100+ top attractions including the #1 Empire State Building. This is completely correct! However, ‘free’ is a bit of a generous description since you have to pay for the pass itself. When calculated, you pay around $34 to $51 per day for the pass. The more days you buy, the lower the price is per day. If your trip is well planned, this costs considerably less than individual tickets.

Fast-track access to selected attractions is also a promise which is made by the New York Pass. This is true but it does sound nicer than it actually is. You won’t receive a big welcome at the attractions, and in most cases, you will still have to queue (even with a pass). There are special queues for pass holders at several attractions but since many people have a pass, it is often necessary to still wait in line. Also, don’t forget that there is always another line to go through for the security check.

One of the advantages of the New York Pass is the Hop-on Hop-off bus is included. All pass holders are entitled to a one-day Big Bus ticket. This lets you use the Uptown and Downtown route. However, it should be noted that this applies to most attraction passes. There are also other passes that offer a more extensive bus ticket.

The New York Pass also claims to have special deals and discounts for New York Pass holders. This refers to discounts in shops and restaurants, along with other things. This promise is correct; you do receive some discounts and deals, such as a free sandwich and discount at a department store. However, most of these deals aren’t that worthwhile and they aren’t the main reason to buy the pass. For example, a discount is offered on a helicopter flight but this is a discount on local prices. These are generally higher than online prices so you’re probably cheaper booking your helicopter flight online well before departure.

Benefits With the New York Pass

The last promise from the New York Pass is 100+ attractions from $34 per day. This is quite easy to check as it is based on the 10-day pass. Including the current online discount this pass costs $339, so $34 per day. However, most people will opt for a pass with fewer days, say for 5 or 7. In that case, the cost per day will be slightly higher. The pass for 7 days calculated costs $38 per day and the pass for 5 days calculated at $51 per day.

Based on the latter option and planning 4 attractions per day, the average price per attraction is $13. This is ordinarily very low, however, this price only applies if 4 things are planned for 5 days. There are also activities that charge a relatively low entrance fee. In those cases the amount of $13 is not always cheaper. If you don’t want to experience more expensive attractions like the Hop-on Hop-off bus, Empire State Building and Top of the Rock, it immediately becomes more difficult to save money with the pass. You probably have to plan a little more than 4 things a day, in that case, to keep the savings from the pass financially interesting.

Deals and Discounts

You can purchase the New York Pass both online and (in some places) in New York. On the site of the New York Pass, there are often interesting discounts and promotions. These promotions don’t apply when you buy the pass physically in New York. Therefore, it’s recommended to purchase the pass online before departure so you can take advantage of a deal. This sometimes involves discounts of up to 30%! This discount is in addition to the discount that the pass itself offers compared to individual entrance tickets, so all together you save a lot of money. Are you looking for a discount code for the New York Pass? Look here.

The New York Pass is valid for 24 months after purchase. If you come across a great offer, you can buy the pass well before you leave for New York. In addition, the price is increased annually around February / March. This is useful to take into account so you might be able to order the pass before the price increase.

Prices

Below you will find an overview of the prices of the New York Pass. Buy the New York Pass here.

Where to Buy the New York Pass?

The best option is to order the pass directly on the New York Pass site. From here, you can choose to have a physical pass sent by post. If you don’t choose this option, you will receive the digital pass by email.

Delivery Method

Once you order the New York Pass online, you can opt for (free) digital delivery. You can choose from two options: print at home and mobile app. When you choose the first option, you will receive the pass in PDF form. You can use this option both physically and digitally, by showing it on your phone or by printing it. When you choose the mobile app, you can upload the pass in the New York Pass app using the order number. It isn’t possible to print the pass with this option, you can only use it within the app. Due to this restriction, the choice of print at home is recommended more.

If you prefer a printed guide or find a pass easier to use, you can opt for a physical pass through home delivery or pick up in New York (delivery to the hotel is not recommended due to the risk of loss). However, delivery costs are high at $30 per order (regardless of your location). If you order several passes e.g. for the whole family this is still an acceptable cost per order. But when it comes to 1 or 2 passes, the shipping costs are relatively high. The pick-up option is free of charge. When you choose this option, you will receive a confirmation number by email. With this number, you can collect your pass(es) at the redemption centre in New York. The address details are as follows:

Big Bus Information Center

712 7th Avenue

New York

As a final option, you can buy the pass in New York rather than online in advance. There are some addresses in New York where this is possible, often these are shops or attractions. However, even if you decide at the last minute you would like to use a (physical) pass; it’s still more beneficial to order online so you can still use the online promotions and discount codes. You can choose the option ‘pick up in New York’ and pick the pass up at a central location in Manhattan.

Buy the New York Pass here

Payment Methods

You can pay for your online purchase on the New York Pass site using a credit card or Paypal.

Return Policy

The New York Pass offers a free 30 day Money Back Guarantee, which means that an unused pass can be cancelled for up to 30 days after purchase.

Validity Period

The New York Pass is valid for 24 months after purchase, so you can safely purchase it well before departure if you spot a good deal. The days will only be activated when you first use the pass. The New York Pass is valid on consecutive days. For example, if you bought the pass for 5 days then you must use it on 5 consecutive days. It is not possible to use the pass for 2 days, then take a break one day and afterwards use the remaining 3 days.

For Children and Senior Citizens

There is a New York Pass available for adults, whereas a separate pass is available for children. The child pass is available for children between the ages of 3 and 12. Children 13 and older must use an adult pass. No pass is required for small children from 0 to 2 years old. Babies and toddlers at this age can enter everywhere for free. At some sights, older children are allowed to enter without paying. However, in this case, it’s still usually more worthwhile to buy a pass for them so the whole family can enter at the same time. There is no need to collect a separate (free) ticket for the children if you all have a pass.

There is no discount for other age groups. Seniors, students, etc. must purchase an adult pass.

Is It Worth It?

If you plan to do a lot during your New York trip, it’s definitely worth buying the New York Pass. Since it is a day pass and you pay per day, not per attraction; the pass is worthwhile when you plan a lot of (paid) activities in one day. If you plan to do 4 to 5 sights and/or hours per day, you’ll definitely get the most out of the New York Pass. It is advisable to make an overview of the attractions you want to visit before you buy the pass, including the entrance costs. You can then calculate exactly whether the New York Pass would be worth it or whether you might be better off choosing another pass. You can find an overview of different reviews for the New York Pass here.

Is the 3 Day New York Pass Worthwhile?

The New York Pass is available for a variety of days, from 1 to 10. In particular, the 3 Day pass is doubtful whether it is worth it. The 3 Day New York Pass currently costs $204. Therefore, calculated per day that’s approximate $68 The most expensive activities, such as the Hop-on Hop-off bus, a visit to the Empire State Building and several popular tours cost about $40 to $50 separately. But there are also attractions which the single tickets are cheaper, such as the Statue of Liberty. If you take part in 4 to 5 activities per day, which of several have a high entrance fee, the pass for 3 days is worthwhile. However, if you also want to do ‘unpaid’ activities during this limited time, such as shopping, it will be more difficult to get the most out of the 3-day pass.

With the 1 and 2 Day pass, it is even more difficult to get “value for money”. The daily price is higher with these passes so the benefit is smaller. Often, it turns out that in this case, the attraction passes which you buy for a certain number of attractions (rather than days) have more benefits.

Savings

The exact savings with the New York Pass differ per situation. This depends on the chosen pass and the sights/tours you do with it. When you plan 6 expensive activities per day, your savings will be higher than if there are 3 cheaper things on the programme. Below is a calculation of the possible savings with the New York Pass for 5 days.

What Is Included With the New York Pass?

The New York Pass is one of the oldest discount passes for New York. It has long term collaborations with many well-known attractions. For example, you can visit the Empire State Building, 9/11 Museum, American Museum of Natural History and One World Observatory with the pass. Below is an overview of all the major attractions you can visit with the New York Pass.

Hop-on Hop-off Bus

With the New York Pass, you can use the Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off buses for a full day. During this day, you are allowed unlimited touring on the Uptown and Downtown routes. Start the Downtown route in the morning when the bus is not so affected by busy traffic. In the afternoon, board the route that passes through Uptown Manhattan and see Central Park, the museums on Museum Mile and other sights.

Exclusive Attractions

The New York Pass website marks several attractions as “exclusive”. It is usually not the case that the attraction or activity itself is exclusive but the organisation that offers it. Central Park bike rental, for example, is considered exclusive. This is also included with other passes. However, the New York Pass is the only pass that offers this through the rental: Unlimited Biking. This is the reason for the “exclusive” label.

An activity that can be considered more exclusive is the skate rental at Bank of America Winter Village in Bryant Park. This is also included with the Go City Explorer Pass, but this pass belongs to the same organisation as the New York Pass. This attraction is only available in the winter months.

Buy the New York Pass here