A city pass is worth it only if you're visiting several paid attractions on the same trip — for a single Empire State Building visit, the direct $44 official ticket is cheaper than any pass. Three passes currently include the building: CityPASS, its smaller C3 option, and the New York Pass.
- #1
CityPASS (New York)
Five attractions for one price, with the Empire State Building's own AM/PM bonus visit built in.
Priced at $149 for adults and $129 for children (6–17), valid across 9 consecutive days from first use. Includes the Empire State Building AM/PM Experience — 86th-floor entry plus a same-night return visit during the last three hours of opening — alongside a choice of attractions such as the American Museum of Natural History, Top of the Rock, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, and a Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island ferry.
- #2
C3 by CityPASS
A smaller three-attraction version for shorter trips.
Priced from $109, letting you choose three attractions rather than five — a better fit if your trip only has time for the Empire State Building plus one or two more stops rather than the full five-attraction CityPASS.
- #3
New York Pass
Unlimited attractions for a set number of days, if you're planning a packed itinerary.
Starts from around $134 for a single day, with multi-day options, and covers 115+ NYC attractions including the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum and Big Bus tours. It suits a dense sightseeing schedule rather than a couple of stops, since the per-attraction value only pays off with heavy use.
Ready to compare prices? Empire State Building Sunrise Experience Ticket, from $147 See times Frequently asked questions
Is a city pass worth it just for the Empire State Building?
No — for one attraction, the $44 direct official ticket is cheaper than any pass. Passes only make sense once you're combining it with several other paid NYC attractions.
Which pass includes the Empire State Building?
CityPASS, C3 by CityPASS, and the New York Pass all currently include Empire State Building admission as one of their attraction options.
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