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UP to 30% OFF

Flag day sale, offer ends: fri 14 jun 2024, sightseeing pass prices are going up on june 30th. buy in advance and take advantage now. you have 12 months from the date of purchase to activate your passes - all non-used passes are refundable with sightseeing pass insurance..

• 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 Esim with 10 GB data, airport transfer and many attractions with "visit anytime" pass holder privileges

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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An expert guide to new york.

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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Reserve Your Spot with Confidence! Full Refunds with 24 Hrs Notice. Reschedule at any point, even after tour, if space allows!

NYC Subway Pass

Which metrocard to buy.

How to pay for your NYC subway ride can be confusing if you are visiting NYC.

Should you get a pay-per-ride or an unlimited MetroCard, or maybe you just pay with OMNY using a contactless credit card?

But, once you understand the basics, the choices aren't so daunting.

As local tour guides who not only use the subway for personal transport but also for our tours, this is definitely one of the topics we get asked about the most.

And, it's our hope, that this post will help you determine which form NYC subway MetroCard is best for you.

And, if you would like to have someone show you how to use the subway in NYC, then consider taking our subway tutorial.

Like most of our tours, it's free to book and runs on the pay-what-you-wish model.

Let's get going!

• Unlimited vs. Pay-Per-Ride Card vs. OMNY
• How to Purchase a MetroCard
• Tips on Using the Subway
• Which Subway App is Best?
• Subway or Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus?
• Things to Do in NYC

Is There a New York Subway Pass for Tourists?

New York City does not currently offer a subway pass intended only for tourists. However, you don't have to worry!

We'll show you where and how to purchase a card, and how much to spend, with special tips for tourists and visitors.

UNLIMITED vs. PAY-PER-RIDE METROCARDS 

There are two types of cards to choose from: a Pay-Per-Ride card and an Unlimited Ride card.

With a Pay-Per-Ride card, your card will deduct $2.90 every time you take the subway/bus.

An Unlimited Card costs a flat fee and you can use the subway/bus as many times as you want within a set number of days.

When deciding which card is best , think about how long your trip is and how many times you think you might be taking the subway.

Also, consider the number of people in your party. 

*Before buying a MetroCard, read below about NYC's OMNY program which began its rollout in 2019.

Pay-Per-Ride MetroCards

• Add money to your card and each time you 'swipe' your card to enter the subway, $2.90 will be deducted from your card balance.
• There is a one-time $1 fee when you purchase a card. Don't throw your card away when it runs out of money, or you will have to pay $1 again when you buy a new card.
• You can buy a single-ride card for $3, but it is unlikely you will need this type of card.
• See below for what deals are available.
• Up to 4 people can use the same MetroCard. It will still cost $2.90 per person per ride but you do not need to pay the $1 fee for multiple cards.
• Each ride includes a free transfer (within two hours) between subway lines, bus, and subway, or between buses.
• This card can be used on the JFK AirTrain connecting the airport to the subway system (additional cost applies). See our  Manhattan to/from JFK Airport .
• See below for other transportation systems that accept the Metrocard.

Before we continue, we are running this poll in our  NYC Travel Tips  Facebook group.

Would you like the option of a 1-hour subway tutorial tour? Click the link to vote or  email us .

Unlimited MetroCards

This card is valid for unlimited subway and bus rides until midnight from the day of first use. You can choose a 7-day unlimited card or a 30-day unlimited.

There is a $1 fee when you purchase a card. *Do not throw away your card when it expires, or you will have to pay $1 again for a new card.

An unlimited 7-Day MetroCard costs $33 and allows unlimited swipes. See below for what deals are available.

While a single ride costs $2.90, the Unlimited card saves you money because the more you use it, the cheaper each ride is.

• for 13 trips = $2.53/ride
• for 15 trips = $2.20/ride
• for 20 trips = $1.65/ride

If your stay is 30 days or longer, consider a 30-day unlimited card for $127 ($63.50 reduced fare).

Important rules that apply to Unlimited MetroCards:

• It can only be used by 1 person.
• Once you have swiped the card to enter the subway, it cannot be used again for 18 minutes. 
• Unlimited Ride MetroCards are not accepted by the JFK AirTrain , Express buses or PATH trains.
• See below for other transportation systems that accept this card.

As an alternative to using a MetroCard, riders can now tap to pay at the turnstile!

Metrocard machines were scheduled to be phased out in 2023, but this date is now 2025.

With the new OMNY system, you can tap a credit or debit card onto the OMNY reader, smartphone, or wearable device.

You also have the option of buying an OMNY card, a durable hard card ( see more below ).

The OMNY tap-to-pay method is available at all subway stations in NYC and all MTA-operated buses. 

A great feature of the OMNY system is the weekly fare cap .

Starting on a Monday, once you pay for 12 rides, with the same device or card, you can ride for free for the rest of the week through Sunday.

A few important things to know: 

• OMNY only offers the “pay-per-ride” option so you will pay full price every time you tap to pay. Unlimited passes and other concessionary prices will be added to the system later.
• You get most of the same features of a MetroCard such as free transfers and the ability to pay for yourself and up to 3 other people on the same card. 
• OMNY accepts Visa®, Mastercard®, American Express®, Discover®, and JCB networks. But debit cards requiring a pin cannot be used at this time. Be sure to check the MTA website to see if your card is accepted by OMNY.

If you want to switch to the OMNY tap system but do not have a credit card or contactless form of payment, you can purchase an OMNY card.

OMNY cards are not sold in subway stations yet. You can buy them and reload them at stores like Walgreens, CVS and 7-Eleven.

Since MetroCards are still available until the end of 2024, so until then, it may not be worth buying an OMNY card, which costs $4 more than a MetroCard.

On the other hand, if you use a pay-per-ride MetroCard, you do not get to take advantage of the OMNY fare cap mentioned above .

Find out more about the OMNY card here .

You could also listen to our NYC Travel Tips podcast episode on the NYC subway. You can get our podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

What other transportation systems accept the MetroCard?

In addition to the New York City subway and bus system, both unlimited and pay-per-ride cards can be used on:

• Staten Island Railway (stay and explore Staten Island after taking the free  Staten Island Ferry )
• Roosevelt Island Tram (to get one of the best  skyline views of NYC . Learn more by reading our post on riding the tram and visiting Roosevelt Island . 
• New Jersey PATH trains between Manhattan and certain locations in New Jersey (an extra fee applies for the pay-per-ride MetroCard). 

See the official MTA website  for:

• subway and bus maps
• service status and delays
• planned service changes
• the MTA TripPlanner to figure out your route.

DECIDING WHICH CARD IS BEST FOR YOU 

When deciding what card to get, ask yourself how many times you think you will be taking the subway within the number of days you will be here.

Also, take into account the number of people in your group and their ages as there are offers for seniors and toddlers. (See  below ).

If you think you will be taking the subway  at least 12 times,  the Unlimited Card will likely save you money.

If you think you will take the subway just a few times, go for the Pay-Per-Ride card. 

Remember that an Unlimited Card can be used only by one person, and you would each have to buy your own Unlimited card.

But if you are traveling with several people, it makes sense to buy a Pay-Per-Ride card since up to 4 people can enter the subway with the same card.

The card will deduct $2.90 for each person when you enter.  

Deals to take into account:

For families, up to 3 children can ride for free with one fare-paying adult, provided all the children are under 44 inches (112 cm) tall.

This policy is good for subways and local buses, no matter which type of MetroCard you choose.

Seniors 65 years+ and also individuals with qualifying disabilities may qualify for reduced fares.

See  below  to learn how Reduced Fare cards work. 

Reduced-Fare Customers - Deals to take into account:

Seniors 65 years and over and those with qualifying disabilities can get a reduced fare.

• Bring your valid ID, such as your passport or driver's license that shows your age
• Go to the station agent in the booth where you will show your ID and pay $2.90 for a non-refillable MetroCard good for TWO rides.
• You do not have to pay the $1.00 new card fee.
• Not all stations have agent booths.
• This 2-trip MetroCard will be accepted at all subway stations, local buses, and Staten Island Railway.
• This card is not accepted  for any other bus lines or the Roosevelt Island Tram.
• For more information, click here .

Student MetroCards

Student MetroCards are distributed by NYC schools and allow eligible students 3 free rides per school day to and from school and school-related activities and events.

Note: To receive a refillable reduced-fare MetroCard, you must apply and wait a few weeks to receive it. So unless you plan on staying in NYC for a very long stay, stick with the non-refillable card.

Taxis and Uber

If you like to take taxis, then having a pay-per-ride MetroCard may be your best choice. 

You might find that taking a taxi makes more financial sense, especially if you are going short distances.

Not only does a taxi save you time (if there is no traffic), but in some cases, a taxi can be cheaper for most trips under 2 miles (3.2 km), especially if you have 3 or 4 people in your group.

 See our posts on  how to take a taxi in NYC and use Uber in NYC .

PURCHASING YOUR METROCARD 

MetroCards can be purchased from the vending machines at subway stations and some shops and newsstands around the city.

Check here to see what merchants near you sell MetroCards nearest you.

The easiest way is to purchase your card at a station from the vending machines.

There are two types of machines pictured here: the larger machines on the right let you pay with cash, credit cards, or ATM/debit cards.

The smaller machines are for credit or debit cards only.

Paying with a credit or debit card:

If you pay with your credit card, you will be asked to enter your zip code after you dip your card.

If you do not have an American zip code, you can use 99999 for a zip code. 

Paying with cash:

If you pay with cash and pay with a large bill and not the exact amount, you will receive the difference back but in $1 coins, not bills. 

The machine can only return up to $9 in change.

Tip:  Always get a receipt in case you lose your card or it does not work. 

Here is a step-by-step instructional video.

TIP:  A good way to have fun and get an in-person lesson about the subway is to take our  Manhattan in One Day Tour . 

Once you have purchased your card, here are some tips on how to use it! 

Make the most of your metrocard and subway travel.

Foreign Language Speakers 

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) website offers translations of their site.

Simply look in the lower left-hand corner of the page and you will see an option for Google Translate.

Ride the Subway with a Tour Group

Our New York Subway Art Tour , our  All-in-One Tour , and our Manhattan Night Tours use the subway.

This will help you familiarize yourself with the New York Subway System.  

You'll get an expert lesson on using your card, including how fast to swipe your card through the turnstile.

Swiping too fast or too slow won't work - you have to find just the right speed!

MetroCard Offers Offers and Deals

For certain attractions, theater tickets, and events. Most New Yorkers do not even know this!

Click  here for what concessions are being offered currently.

We can also tell you where to find cheaper tickets for major attractions and Broadway shows .

Enjoy the ride!

Perhaps the best part of riding the subway is the great free musical performances you'll come across. 

Our post on  where to find NYC street performers and music in the subway will lead you straight to them!

Other means of traveling around NYC

• Travel by various  ferries .
• Take a  hop-on, hop-off bus tour .
• Take a hop-on, hop-off boat tour, or cruise .

See which bus tours, cruises, and ferries are included in  NYC concessionary tourist passes .

Choose a Destination... I want them all PLUS general travel tips. Amsterdam Berlin Boston Charleston Chicago Dubai Lisbon London Los Angeles Miami Nashville New York City New Orleans Paris Philadelphia Prague Rome San Francisco Washington DC

About The Author

Courtney Shapiro

North america, united kingdom & ireland, middle east & india, asia & oceania.

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 June!

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 “NYP5LOVING” to get an extra 10% 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

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New York Pass Comparison

Which city sightseeing pass should you buy.

Latest update: May 13, 2024

In a nutshell

• There are 4 city sightseeing passes with which you can save time and money.
• There are time-based passes (for as many attractions as you want in a limited amount of time) and attraction-based passes (for a certain number of attractions).
• If you want to see as many attractions as possible , we recommend the New York All-Inclusive Pass or the New York Sightseeing Pass .
• The All-Inclusive Pass or the New York City Pass are the best choice if you want to see the most important sights in a short amount of time.
• If you want to visit the major sights without any stress , you should pick the Sightseeing Flex Pass , Explorer Pass or New York City Pass.

In our article we’ll show you which New York passes are available, what advantages and disadvantages they have and which one is the best for you.

Our recommendation for those in a hurry: this is the best New York pass

In this article, we compare all of the New York passes in-depth and show you through detailed sample calculations which pass is the best choice for each type of traveller. If that’s too much information for you though, we can totally understand that.

That’s why, for those of you in a hurry, we’ll start right away with a very brief summary of the article and answer the question: which New York pass is the best?

#1 The best New York pass if you want to see as many attractions as possible:

Best choice: New York All-Inclusive Pass or New York Sightseeing Pass

If you’d like to see as many attractions in New York as possible, the New York All-Inclusive Pass is the best option according to our calculation.

But the New York Sightseeing Pass hardly does any worse here, so it’s worth comparing the included attractions and matching them to your personal agenda.

Depending on how many sights in New York you’d like to visit and how much time you have, you can save more than a hundred dollars with the New York All-Inclusive Pass.

You can buy the New York All-Inclusive Pass here You can buy the New York Sightseeing Pass here

#2 The best discount pass if you want to see the most important sights quickly (in 3 days):

Best choice: New York All-Inclusive Pass or New York City Pass

If you want to see the most important sights in a short amount of time, the savings aren’t very high with any of the passes.

In this case, you can think about whether you might want to buy your tickets individually instead. You’ll still have the most savings with the New York City Pass here, which we always like to use ourselves.

You can buy the New York City Pass here

If you’d like to use the Hop-on-Hop-off-busses as well and rent a bike in Central Park, then the savings with the New York All-Inclusive Pass and the New York Explorer Pass are the biggest.

You can buy the New York All-Inclusive Pass here You can buy the New York Explorer Pass here

#3 The best New York pass if you leisurely want to see the most important sights:

Best choice: Sightseeing Flex Pass, Explorer Pass or New York City Pass

If you want to give yourself a little more time (e.g. 5 or 7 days) and would rather visit the most important sights in New York a little more gradually, you also have the choice between three passes.

The differences of savings between these three passes are not very great. It really just depends on which sights you’d like to see the most. Simply take a look at what’s included in each pass and compare it with your personal to-do list.

You can buy the Sightseeing Flex Pass here You can buy the Explorer Pass here You can buy the New York City Pass here

#4 If you only want to see very few attractions

Best choice: buy individual tickets instead of a New York pass

If you’d only like to visit a very few selected attractions or want to decide what you’ll see on short notice and prefer to be flexible, a pass is generally not worth it.

To avoid having to stand in never-ending lines everywhere you go, we’d recommend that you always get your individual tickets online.

Now you know which passes are the best choice. If you also want to know exactly why that is, then keep reading the rest of our great New York pass comparison. If our brief summary was enough for you, we’re happy to have helped.

How do the New York passes work?

The New York passes are offered specifically for tourists. Maybe you’ve already seen something similar in other cities. These passes are often called City Cards as well.

You buy the passes for a certain amount and can then use them to visit different sights, museums and attractions . Besides that, you can take part in numerous guided city tours for free and take various bus and boat rides .

There are two types of New York passes:

#1 Time-based passes

There are passes that are valid for a specific amount of time , e.g. for 3, 5 or 7 days. In this time, you can go to all of the sights, tours and attractions that are included in the pass.

#2 Attractions-based passes

The second type are passes that can be used for a certain number of sights and attractions . So you buy these passes for 5, 7 or 10 attractions, for example, and are more flexible time-wise.

All of the New York passes now work on your mobile phone too. You used to have to pick up the passes somewhere, which was always a little time-consuming.

Today, you’ll simply get an email with a mobile pass after your purchase. You can then comfortably present it on your smartphone at all sights. You don’t necessarily need internet when on the go, as you can easily save your pass and then show it offline as well.

Alternatively, there’s also the possibility of printing out the pass yourself. Anyone who doesn’t have a smartphone or doesn’t trust their battery-life can choose this option. In any case, there’s no annoying pick up on-site.

What New York passes are there?

In most cities there’s only a single City Card. In New York, there are four offers to choose from. There are actually five, because one of the passes is available in two very different options. That doesn’t make it any less difficult, but that’s what our New York pass comparison is for.

In the following table, you’ll find an initial overview of the available passes. You’ll then find more detailed information about every pass, as well as the advantages and disadvantages.

#1 The New York All-Inclusive Pass

The New York All-Inclusive Pass is one of the most popular and extensive passes for New York.

What does the New York All-Inclusive Pass offer?

The New York All-Inclusive Pass enables access to more than 100 attractions , such as:

• Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, One World Observatory and Statue of Liberty
• The new observation deck Edge
• Around 30 museums
• 1 day Hop-on Hop-off busses with Big Bus
• Boat rides with Circle Line
• Numerous tours

What does the New York All-Inclusive Pass cost?

You can find the prices for the New York All-Inclusive Pass in the following table.

On the website of the New York All-Inclusive Pass, there’s a year-round sale. That means that you don’t actually have to pay the regular prices for the pass, there’s always around 20 to 30% discount on the regular price.

We’ve therefore written the reduced prices directly on the overview as well:

Beware of supposed discount codes for the New York All-Inclusive Pass: discount codes for the New York All-Inlusive Pass circulate on some websites that allow you to get a 20% rebate off the pass. This discount is only on the original price of the pass though. Because the prices on the site are always reduced anyways, sometimes you’ll pay more with a discount code than without.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of the New York All-Inclusive Pass:

• Very large selection of attractions
• The longer the pass is, the cheaper it is per day

Disadvantages of the New York All-Inclusive Pass:

• Only one day Hop-on Hop-off-Bus
• Slightly non-transparent pricing

Our verdict on the New York All-Inclusive Pass

The New York All-Inclusive Pass is especially worth it if you’d like to visit a lot of attractions or want to go on guided tours.

If you want to see only a few select museums and sights, it won’t get any cheaper with the New York All-Inclusive Pass.

But if you want to visit a ton of attractions, you can save over a hundred dollars with the pass.

You can buy the New York All-Inclusive Pass here

#2 New York Sightseeing Pass

Along with the New York All-Inclusive Pass, the New York Sightseeing Pass is the most extensive of all the New York passes.

What does the New York Sightseeing Pass offer?

More than 100 attractions are included in the New York Sightseeing Pass, such as:

• Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Statue of Liberty and One World Observatory
• The new viewing platform Edge is included in the Sightseeing Pass.
• Almost 30 museums
• 1 day Hop-on Hop-off busses from Big Bus
• Large selection of boat rides

What does the New York Sightseeing Pass cost?

The New York Sightseeing Pass is the only pass that exists in two different variations :

1. The normal Sightseeing Pass, also called the Day Pass, which is valid for a certain number of days . On these days, you can use all of the attractions.

2. Alternatively, you can opt for the Flex Pass. With this, you decide how many attractions you’d like to visit with the pass beforehand. You then have 30 days to visit these attractions.

Advantages of the Sightseeing Pass:

• In all, the best offers of all passes
• Empire State Building and One World Trade Observatory are included
• All popular museums are included

Disadvantages of the Sightseeing Pass:

• The Sightseeing Pass is expensive
• The two different price models can be confusing

Our verdict on the New York Sightseeing Pass

The New York Sightseeing Pass is definitely the most extensive of all the passes , and with the two pricing schemes, the Day Pass or the Flex Pass, the pass is an interesting option for almost all travelers .

Anyone who’d like a little more flexibility and who doesn’t want to visit 3 attractions per day would be well advised with the Sightseeing Flex Pass.

You can buy the Sightseeing Pass over the booking platform GetYourGuide. It’s usually a little cheaper there.

Buy the Sightseeing Flex Pass from GetYourGuide Buy the Sightseeing Day Pass from GetYourGuide

#3 New York Explorer Pass

What does the New York Explorer Pass offer?

The New York Explorer Pass includes more than 95 attractions , such as:

• The Empire State Building, Top of the Rock and the Statue of Liberty
• 1 Day Hop-on Hop-off busses with Big Bus can be chosen as an attraction
• Various boat rides

What does the New York Explorer Pass cost?

With the New York Explorer Pass, you don’t decide on a certain number of days, but rather on a certain number of attractions , which you can visit within 60 days.

Advantages of the Explorer Pass:

• All major museums in New York are included
• Fair pricing: you only book as much as you need
• No time stress, since it’s valid for 60 days
• Empire State Building and One World Observatory are included

Disadvantages of the Explorer Pass:

• Hop-on Hop-off busses are only bookable as an attraction, but not part of the standard package

Our verdict on the New York Explorer Pass

The New York Explorer Pass is a good option for anyone who doesn’t want to visit countless sights and museums .

Through it’s simple pricing scheme , you can figure out very easily whether the pass is worth it for you. Almost all of the important sights are included in the pass, so you’ll be all set for your New York trip.

The Explorer Pass is very similar to the Sightseeing Flex Pass. The savings with each pass are often nearly the same.

Both passes are very good options. If you want to save every dollar you can, you should calculate exactly which pass is cheaper.

You can buy the Explorer Pass here

#4 New York City Pass

The New York City Pass is the smallest of the five New York passes , but it can still be worthwhile.

What does the New York City Pass offer?

8 attractions are included in the City Pass, of which you can visit 5 .

Two of them are set. For the other three attractions, you have a choice between two options for each:

• Empire State Building
• American Museum of Natural History
• Top of the Rock OR Guggenheim Museum
• The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island OR boat ride with the Circle Line
• 9/11 Memorial and Museum OR Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

What does the New York City Pass cost?

The pricing scheme of the New York City Pass is very easy. There aren’t any price scales, like with the other passes. The pass simply costs 121 dollars .

After you visit the first attraction with the pass, you have 9 days to see the rest of the sights and museums.

Advantages of the City Pass:

• Simple pricing
• Many important sights are included
• High flexibility because of the long validity period of 9 days
• The only pass with which you can visit the Empire State Building twice (day and night)

Disadvantages of the City Pass:

• No Hop-on Hop-off bus
• One World Trade Center and the Museum of Modern Art are not included

Our verdict on the New York City Pass

The New York City Pass is an ideal choice for anyone who’s looking for a simple and uncomplicated pass and doesn’t want to busy themselves with countless attractions and options.

Because the attractions are more or less fixed and only a few possible variations exist, it’s relatively easy to decide whether the pass is of interest.

If you want to visit all 5 attractions, the City Pass is a good option. If one of the attractions doesn’t interest you, the pass is generally still a good choice. If two or more attractions don’t interest you, then the City Pass isn’t for you.

You can buy the City Pass here

Differences of the New York passes

We’ve now introduced the different New York passes. Since that’s a lot of info to take in all at once, in this section, we’d like to sum up the significant differences and similarities of all the New York passes.

That way you’ll get a better impression of which New York pass you should buy and which ones aren’t worth it for you.

Difference #1: time-based or attraction-based

To start with, there are two types of New York passes:

• Passes that are valid for a specific amount of time. In this time, you can visit all of the attractions included in the pass.
• Passes that are only valid for a certain number of attractions.

Both types of passes have their advantages and disadvantages. You can see which pass works by which model in this summary:

Time-based passes:

• New York All-Inclusive Pass (1 to 10 days)
• New York Sightseeing Pass (1 to 10 days)

Attraction-based passes:

• New York Sightseeing Flex Pass (2 to 12 attractions)
• New York Explorer Pass (2 to 10 attractions)
• New York City Pass (5 attractions)

The time-based passes are especially worth it if you want to see as many attractions as possible . The longer the validity of the pass, the cheaper it becomes per day.

Besides that, these passes are a good choice if the additional offers , such as bike rentals, city tours or boat rides, are important to you. In these cases, you usually get away cheaper with a time based pass.

Those passes where you decide on a fixed number of attractions are especially recommended if you only want to visit the most important sights in New York and want to remain as flexible as possible.

Difference #2: included attractions

The New York passes don’t all include the same sights and attractions. For most travelers, the most important difference is surely the tickets for the famous lookout points in New York.

If you’d like to see very specific museums or do specific activities, it’s worth checking beforehand whether these activities are included in each of the New York passes.

So that you don’t have to do the strenuous work of searching for all this information, we will show you which attractions are included in the passes in the following table. Alongside the must-sees, we’ve also included other very popular attractions, so you can get a good overview.

As you can see, the Sightseeing Pass is something like the all-around worry-free package. All of the important attractions are included here.

Difference #3: Hop-on Hop-off busses

A significant difference between the passes is the use of the Hop-on Hop-off busses. Many travelers really like to use this mode of transportation to explore a city like New York.

The busses go along a fixed route and generally stop at all points relevant to tourists. With a ticket for the busses, you can get on or off at any time , so you can conveniently get from one sight to the next.

What’s more, there’s an audio commentary on the busses. So you can use these busses either for a classic city tour, or really just to get from one attraction to the next.

There are two big providers of these bus tours in New York: Big Bus and Grayline. Both companies each offer two different routes through Manhattan. Grayline also operates a further line that brings you to the most important places in Brooklyn.

If you’d like to use these busses, then we suggest the New York Sightseeing Pass , the New York All-Inclusive Pass , and the New York Explorer Pass . All three offer the Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with two different routes, valid for one day

The City Pass does not offer any Hop-on Hop-off busses.

Which New York Pass is suitable for whom?

Now we of course want to answer the question of all questions: which New York pass is the best?

Needless to say, we can’t give the ultimate answer here, since not every New York pass is the best option for every person.

So we’ve put together three different types of travelers and our recommendation for the best New York Pass for each type of traveler .

These are the types of travelers:

• Those who want to visit as many ticketed attractions as possible
• Those who quickly want to visit the most well known sights
• Those who want to visit the most well known sights calmly

Traveler #1: as much as possible

Are you one of the travelers who wants to see as much as possible in New York? Then the time based New York passes are interesting for you.

A typical itinerary could look like this:

Empire State Building ($48) Top of the Rock ($44) One World Observatory ($45) Edge ($44) 9/11 Museum ($28) MoMA ($25) Guggenheim Museum ($25) Museum of Natural History ($23) Bicycle rentals in Central Park ($25) Hop-on-Hop-off-Bus tour ($60) Boat ride, for example with Circle Line ($35) 2 further attractions according to your interests (ca. $60) 2 guided tours ($70) Total price: $532

In total, that’s 15 attractions, which you can manage well over 7 days. For all of that, you’d have to spend around 530 dollars for individual tickets.

In the following table, you can see how much you’d save with one of the New York Passes.

Note : the New York City Pass isn’t made for this type of travel, since they both only include relatively few attractions. We’ve therefore not included it in this table.

If you want to see a ton of attractions in New York and also have enough time (in our example, 7 days), then the New York All-Incusive Pass is the best option for you.

The savings with the New York Explorer Pass and the New York Sightseeing Flex Pass is only a little lower, so it’s worth taking a look at the included attractions. Your own itinerary will probably look a little different than our example itinerary.

Traveler #2: quickly see the most important sights

If you’d like to visit as many attractions as possible in New York in as little time as possible, we’ve put together a small example itinerary that you can be done in three days .

If you’re really fast, you can probably even complete it in 2 days, but then it’d be really stressful. So we’d prefer to base it on 3 days.

For us, the following attractions are some of the highlights in New York:

Empire State Building ($48) Top of the Rock ($44) One World Observatory ($45) 9/11 Museum ($28) Two museums, for example Met, MoMA or Guggenheim ($50) Boat ride, for example with Circle Line ($35) Total price: 250 dollars

Optional: Bike tour through Central Park with a rental bike ($20) Optional: Hop-on Hop-off bus tour ($60) Total price with Hop-on Hop-off bus und bike rental: $330

In retail sales, you’d pay a total of 250 dollars for the most important sights if you don’t incude the Hop-on Hop-off busses and would rather explore Central Park by foot. If you’d like to use the busses and to go through Central Park on a bike, you’re up to 330 dollars.

Why isn’t the Statue of Liberty included? We find that the Statue of Liberty isn’t really worth it if you don’t have a lot of time in New York. The trip to the island is relatively time consuming. So we’d instead suggest a boat tour that also takes you very close to the statue. That’ll save time and is just as impressive.

In both of the following tables, we’ve listed how much you’d save for all passes – both with and without a bus ticket and a bike rental.

Savings without Hop-on Hop-off bus and bike rental:

Without the Hop-on Hop-off bus, the New York Explorer Pass , the New York City Pass and the New York Sightseeing Flex Pass are the best options.

Depending on which attractions are the most important to you, another one of the passes could be a good choice. The differences of savings aren’t so big here that we could make an ultimate recommendation.

Savings with Hop-on Hop-off bus and bike rental:

Note : The New York City Pass doesn’t offer the Hop-on Hop-off tours or bike rentals. We therefore haven’t factored it into this table.

If you’d also like to use the Hop-on Hop-off buses and would like to rent a bike in Central Park, then either the New York All-Inclusive Pass or the New York Explorer Pass  is the cheapest option.

Traveler #3: see the most important sights without any stress

We like to see all of the important attractions in a city, but we don’t like to do it in a rush.

We also sometimes enjoy just wandering through the streets and neighborhoods of a city, instead of rushing from one attraction to the next. Just the same, we of course want to see the major highlights.

So we would rather distribute the attractions mentioned above across a longer time period , for example, 5 or 7 days.

For this scenario, we’ve also created two tables in which we show you which pass is the best solution for you then.

Savings without Hop-on-Hop-off-Bus and bike rental:

With the unhurried options, the savings aren’t so huge , as with the fully packed 3 day itinerary. The City Pass , the Sightseeing Flex Pass and the Explorer Pass are very close to one another here.

Savings with Hop-on-Hop-off-Bus and bike rental:

Note : The City Pass isn’t taken into account in this table, since it doesn’t include buses or bicycles.

Because the Hop-on Hop-off tours and bike rentals are relatively expensive, the savings are higher again. The New York Explorer Pass or the Sightseeing Flex Pass are once again the most lucrative here. You can also save a couple of bucks with the New York All-Inclusive Pass .

In our example, the Explorer Pass was a little better than the Sightseeing Pass.

New York without a pass

Does there absolutely have to be a New York Pass? Of course not! You can also discover the best attractions in New York without a pass.

If you don’t plan on visiting a lot of ticketed attractions , we’d suggest that you do it without a pass. You can also jump the line for the ticket desk at most attractions, even without a pass, by booking your tickets online ahead of time. We’d definitely recommend doing that.

You do always save some money with the passes, but with just a few sights, the savings usually aren’t so high. It’s then better to stay flexible and go without a pass.

In the following table, we’ve shown you an overview of which ticket you can buy beforehand online, also without using any of the passes.

Frequently asked questions

To conclude, we’ve put together the answers to frequent questions about the different passes for you.

Do you have another question? Then just write a comment to us below and you’ll receive an answer from us very shortly.

Do the New York passes also work for the subway?

In many cities, you can also use the City Cards for public transportation. Unfortunately, that’s not the case in New York and actually not with any of the providers.

To use the subway in New York and public busses, you have to buy a separate metrocard.

Are there reduced passes for kids?

Yes, for all of the New York passes that were introduced here, there’s also a reduced option for kids. Little kids (usually up to 3 years) are usually free.

How do I get my pass after ordering it?

You used to have to pick up the passes in New York, which was time consuming. Luckily that isn’t so anymore. Nowadays, you receive your pass by email directly after your purchase.

You can then just show your pass on your smartphone at each attraction. If you don’t have a smartphone, you can also easily print out the passes.

Are the passes cheaper on site?

No, you always get the best prices online.

Can I visit individual sights more than once with the pass?

No, unfortunately that’s not possible. You can only visit each attraction once with your pass.

Only exception : with the City Pass, you can go up the Empire State Building twice in one day, once in the morning and once in the evening.

We drew a detailed conclusion at the very beginning of our New York pass comparison. So here’s just a very brief summary again:

Cheapest pass with as many attractions as possible:

New York All-Inclusive Pass New York Explorer Pass Sightseeing Flex Pass

Cheapest pass for the most important sights in 3 days:

New York All-Inclusive Pass New York Explorer Pass New York City Pass

Cheapest pass for a relaxed New York itinerary:

New York Explorer Pass Sightseeing Flex Pass New York City Pass

Info: Our New York pass comparison is updated regularly. Nevertheless, some things can suddenly change. It’s best to check the conditions and included attractions before you make the final decision to buy one of the passes. Thank you!

That was our New York pass comparison

We hope that we could make your search for the perfect New York pass a little easier. After we almost got desperate during our own search for the right pass, we’ve put extra work into this comparison to make it easier for you.

Do you still have questions or ideas? Then we’re happy to hear your comments!

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February 28, 2023 By Lyndsay

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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Home » Nordamerika » The ultimate New York Pass Comparison – Which New York Pass is the best for you?

The ultimate New York Pass Comparison – Which New York Pass is the best for you?

If you look at the prices for the most popular New York attractions , you will soon realize that the more places you plan to visit, the more money you need to spend. And to be honest, the admission fees for some of the sights are not particularly cheap.

But hear me out before you cancel your trip and start looking for a budget option. Like many other major tourist cities, New York offers some great tourist cards that can save you a lot of money.

Since you can quickly lose track of the wide range of different New York passes, we would like to compare the most popular tourist cards in this New York Pass comparison. This way, you can quickly figure out which pass is the best for your trip to the city that never sleeps.

After a brief overview and a quick NYC Pass comparison, let’s take a closer look at the individual cards and their advantages and disadvantages. That way, you’ll know exactly which New York discount pass is right for you.

What to find out in this post

• 1 New York Pass Comparison – An Overview
• 2 Which New York Pass is the best?
• 3.1 Based on attractions
• 3.2 Based on days
• 4 The different New York Cards compared
• 5.1 Included Highlights in the New York Pass
• 5.2 Attraction- or Day-based?
• 5.4 Included Days
• 5.5 Available Attractions
• 5.6 Pros & Cons New York Pass
• 5.7 Is suitable for…
• 6.1 Included Highlights in the New York Sightseeing Pass
• 6.2 Attraction- or Day-based?
• 6.4 Included Days
• 6.5 Included number of attractions
• 6.6 Available Attractions
• 6.7 Pros & Cons New York Sightseeing Day Pass
• 6.8 Is suitable for…
• 6.9 Pros & Cons New York Sightseeing Flex Pass
• 6.10 Is suitable for…
• 7.1 Included Highlights in the New York City Explorer Pass
• 7.2 Attraction- or Day-based?
• 7.4 Included number of attractions
• 7.5 Available Attractions
• 7.6 Pros & Cons New York City Explorer Pass
• 7.7 Is suitable for…
• 8.1 Included Highlights in the New York CityPass
• 8.2 Attraction- or Day-based?
• 8.4 Included number of attractions
• 8.5 Available Attractions
• 8.6 Pros & Cons New York Citypass
• 8.7 Is suitable for…
• 9.1 Included Highlights in the New York Freestyle Pass
• 9.2 Attraction- or Day-based?
• 9.4 Included number of attractions
• 9.5 Available Attractions
• 9.6 Pros & Cons New York Freestyle Pass
• 9.7 Is suitable for…
• 10 Included Attractions – An Overview
• 11.1 Sample Itinerary 1
• 11.2 Sample Itinerary 2
• 11.3 Sample Itinerary 3
• 12 Conclusion
• 13.1 First-timer
• 13.2 Museum Lovers
• 13.3 Short-time visitors
• 13.4 Average Visitor
• 14 FAQ about New York Tourist Cards
• 15.1 About the AuthorVicki

New York Pass Comparison – An Overview

Which new york pass is the best.

After you’ve been able to get a small overview of which passes to choose from in the table above, we now want to find out which of the New York passes is the best (for you personally). First of all, let’s take a closer look at the individual passes.

To check the passes in more detail, we have to determine the main differences between the passes.

What kinds of New York Passes are available?

Based on attractions

This pass type includes various attractions from which you can choose a specific number. For example, if you book a pass including five attractions, you can visit five attractions with that pass (Makes sense, right?). You usually have a big time frame (around 30 days) to see all the attractions you have chosen.

Pros of Attraction-based Passes

• You are more flexible regarding time (You have around 30 days to visit the attractions)
• You only pay for the attractions that you really want to see

Cons of Attraction-based Passes

• You can only see the number of attractions that you have booked
• Often just worth it for the more expensive attractions

The Attraction-based pass is great for you if…

• You already know which/how many attractions you want to see
• The chosen attractions are cheaper with the pass than the single tickets
• You want to see only a few or some attractions

The Attraction-based pass is NOT great for you if…

• You only want to see one attraction
• the single tickets together are cheaper than the pass
• you want to see a large number of sights
• rather decide spontaneously which and how many attractions you would like to see

Attraction-bases Passes

• New York Sightseeing Flex Pass
• New York City Explorer Pass

New York Citypass

• New York Freestyle Pass

Based on days

When purchasing one of the passes based on days, you choose a specific time slot, e.g., three days, in which you can theoretically visit all the attractions included in the pass.

Pros of Day-based Passes

• You have a wider choice of attractions to visit
• You are more flexible because you don’t have to commit yourself to attractions in advance

Cons of Day-based Passes

• You’re under time pressure because you only have a certain amount of time to see all of your desired sights

The Day-based pass is great for you if…

• want to see a lot of attractions in New York City
• the pass is cheaper than the admission fees of your attractions

The Day-based pass is NOT great for you if…

• you only want to see a few sights
• you are rather flexible in terms of time

Day-based Passes

• The New York Pass
• The New York Sightseeing Day Pass

The different New York Cards compared

The New York Pass is one of the most popular passes available. This is an attraction-based pass that includes more than 100 attractions and tours.

Included Highlights in the New York Pass

• Empire State Building Observatory
• Top of the Rocks Observation Deck
• 1 Day Hop-on-Hop-off with Big Bus
• Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
• Museum of Modern Art
• Madame Tussauds
• 9/11 Memorial & Museum
• American Museum of Natural History
• Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Central Park Bike Tour
• Guggenheim Museum
• and many more

Attraction- or Day-based?

From $ 142 (2 Days $ 170, 3 Days $ 206 …) Check all Prices here

On the website, as with GetYourGuide , you can always find discounts, so you never really pay the full price (full price starts at $ 240).

Included Days

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, or 10 Days

Available Attractions

Pros & cons new york pass, pros new york pass.

• Most highlights in New York are included
• If you want to see a lot, you can save a lot

Cons New York Pass

• One World Observatory is not included
• only worth it if you really see many attractions
• possible time pressure

Is suitable for…

• Travelers who want to see many attractions
• The more, the more you can save

Check further information and prices of the New York Pass

• The New York Sightseeing Pass

The New York Sightseeing Pass is unlike the other passports presented here, available as both: a time-based option (Day Pass) and an attraction-based version (Flex Pass). This pass also contains more than 100 attractions in the City.

Included Highlights in the New York Sightseeing Pass

• One World Observatory
• Hop-on-Hop-off Bus
• Ripley’s Believe it or not

Both available

Day Pass from $ 154 ( Check the exact prices here ) and Flex Pass from $ 74 ( Check the exact prices here )

Included number of attractions

2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, or 12 Attractions

Pros & Cons New York Sightseeing Day Pass

Pros new york sightseeing day pass.

• If you visit a lot, you can save a lot
• Includes Hop-on-Hop-Off Bus every day

Cons New York Sightseeing Day Pass

• The Empire State Building Observatory is not included
• travelers that want to see many attractions
• The more days you choose, the more money you save

Check further information and prices of the New York Sightseeing Day Pass

Pros & Cons New York Sightseeing Flex Pass

Pros new york sightseeing flex pass.

• You can choose between most highlights in New York
• Time flexible (You have 30 days after activating your card)

Cons New York Sightseeing Flex Pass

• Only the attractions you choose are included – more attractions cost more
• Travelers that want to see a few attractions
• Travelers that have been to New York before

Check further information and prices of the New York Sightseeing Flex Pass

The New York Explorer Pass is great for anyone who wants to visit just a few attractions in the city. It is an attraction-based pass where you can choose between over 85 attractions. Simply choose how many attractions you want to have included in your pass.

Included Highlights in the New York City Explorer Pass

Attraction bases

From $ 74 (3 Attractions $ 94…) Check all prices here

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, or 10 Attractions

Pros & Cons New York City Explorer Pass

Pros new york city explorer pass.

• Many of the highlights in New York are included
• You pay only for the attractions you really want to see

Cons New York City Explorer Pass

• Travelers who want to see a few attractions
• Travelers who are not first-time visitors

Check further information and prices of the New York City Explorer Pass

This pass is a bit differently designed than the other New York Passes on our list. For the price, you get access to 6 attractions. There are a total of 9 attractions to choose from, of which three are already fixed. For the other three attractions, you can choose between two attractions for each. After activating the pass (when visiting the first attraction), you have nine days to see all six selected attractions.

Included Highlights in the New York CityPass

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Top of the Rocks Observation Deck or Guggenheim Museum
• Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island or Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise
• 9/11 Memorial & Museum or Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

Attraction-based

You can find the ticket currently at GetYourGuide .

6 Attractions

Pros & Cons New York Citypass

Pros new york citypass.

• If you want to see exactly these attractions, this is a great deal
• Time flexible (you have 9 days after activating your card)
• One World Observatory & other major attractions are not included
• Little flexibility in the choice of sights
• travelers that want to see precisely those attractions

Check further information and prices of the New York CityPass

New York Freestyle Pass (Currently not available)

This passport is similar in concept to the other Attractions Passes, except that you only have 72 hours to explore them. You can choose the number of included attractions when purchasing the pass. All passes include 72 hours of hop-on-hop-off.

Included Highlights in the New York Freestyle Pass

Currently not available

3, 5, or 7 Attractions

Pros & Cons New York Freestyle Pass

Pros new york freestyle pass.

• Many of the main attractions are included
• Many tours & restaurant visits, which are not included in other passes
• Hop-on-hop-off for 72 hours included

Cons New York City Freestyle Pass

• Empire State Building is not included
• Low flexibility & time pressure as you only have 72 hours to visit the attractions
• Pass must be picked up in New York
• Travelers who have little time
• Travelers who want to use the hop-on-hop-off buses for 72 hours

Included Attractions – An Overview

Savings per Pass

Sample itinerary 1.

• 9/11 Memorial: $ 26
• Empire State Building Observatory or One World Observatory: $ 44
• 1-Day Hop-on-Hop-off Bus: $ 45
• Metropolitan Museum of Art: $ 30
• Central Park Bicycle Rental: $ 7.50
• Museum of Modern Art: $ 25
• Top of the Rock Observation Deck: $ 40
• Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island: $ 24
• Guggenheim Museum: $ 25
• American Museum of Natural History: $ 28

Sample Itinerary 2

• Empire State Building Observatory: $ 44
• Boat Cruise around Manhattan: $ 41

Important! As you can see in this example, you should always check if all the sights you want to visit are included before (!) you purchase your pass. If you have to pay for certain attractions separately from your pass, the money you can save with your pass is way less.

Sample Itinerary 3

• Top of the Rocks Observation Deck: $ 40

As you can see on the example routes, the daily passes are perfect for those who want to see many things. The easiest way to find out which pass is most beneficial to you is, to sum up the cost of each attraction you want to visit and compare it to the cost of each pass. (The same way we did it in our sample itineraries above)

Below, we’ve re-assigned the passes to different travel types to make it even easier for you to find the perfect fit for you.

Which pass fits which kind of traveler?

First-timer

First-time visitors usually want to see everything New York has to offer. And you should do it, too. New York has so many places you need to visit. That’s why the day-based passes are perfect for first-time visitors. The more attractions you visit, the more you can save.

Nevertheless, make sure also to check the attraction-based pass as it might be a good fit as well (it all depends on the prices and amount of your chosen sights and tours).

Museum Lovers

It is usually worthwhile for museum lovers to purchase an attraction pass. Again, the more museums you visit, the more you can save. With many museums, day-based passes pay off, and with fewer to a few museums, you should opt for an Attractions-Based Pass. Especially the New York CityPass can be an excellent deal for museum enthusiasts if you want to discover the museums included in the pass.

Short-time visitors

Short-term visitors often don’t have enough time to see everything they want. It depends on how many attractions are part of your New York itinerary. Depending on the price of your desired attractions, an attractions-based pass can be worthwhile from 2 attractions. If you have, e.g., a boat tour around Manhattan and a visit to the Empire State Building on your list, a pass purchase is totally worth it. If you want to rent a bike in Central Park and visit the Statue of Liberty, purchasing a pass is not really worth it. So make sure to compare prices before purchasing a pass.

• New York CityPass

Average Visitor

Sure, an average visitor is hard to define. As an average visitor, you will most likely see a few attractions. Accordingly, an Attraction-Based Pass is probably best for you.

Could you find the perfect pass for your trip to New York? Let me know in the comments which pass is best for you and your experiences with it. If you have difficulties choosing one, let me know in the comments as well. Who knows? Maybe I can even help. PS. I definitely won’t judge, as I am the worst when it comes to making decisions 😉

FAQ about New York Tourist Cards

Whether and which New York Pass is worthwhile depends on your personal itinerary. If you want to see a lot, theoretically, any of the New York Passes is worth it.

Buying a New York Pass is not always worth it. If you want to see only a few inexpensive attractions, it may happen that paying the entrance fee is cheaper without a pass.

Day-based New York Passes allow you access to unlimited attractions during the desired pass period. The attraction-based New York Passes give you access to the selected attractions over a more extended period of time.

For first-time visitors who want to visit the essential sights quickly, the New York Pass, the New York Sightseeing Pass, or the New York CityPass is likely to be the most worthwhile. The New York City Explorer Pass can also be profitable if you have more time.

We personally used the New York City Explorer Pass on our last trip and were totally satisfied.

More New York?

Make sure to also read our other New York articles that help you plan a perfect trip.

• New York 4 Days Itinerary
• How to visit New York on a Budget
• The ultimate New York Neighborhood Guide

Interested in the United States?

About the Author Vicki

Hi, we are Vicki & Eduardo, an international travel couple on a mission to help you save money for priceless travel experience. Follow us through the miracles of this world and you will be rewarded with a bunch of practical travel tips.

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The New York CityPASS® Tourist Card

With the New York CityPASS® you can have an 'open bar' and explore New York's best attractions without worrying about your budget.

Alex Grande

Fifth Avenue | ©Hellotickets

The New York CityPASS® is a sightseeing card to make organizing your trip to New York City easier and more convenient, and a way to get discounted admission to the city's top attractions.

New York CityPASS® Tourist Card

Pay only for the number of attractions you want to visit.

If you have already chosen the museums, skyscrapers or attractions you want to visit (you can choose up to five), get this card and pay only for the number of places you want to visit, thus saving time and money.

When you book the New York CityPASS® from $148 , you pay for the number of attractions you want to visit. The pass includes 2 fixed attractions and 3 attractions of your choice , for a total of five attractions, which you can visit within 9 days of first use.

When you purchase a New York CityPASS® , you will receive individual tickets for each attraction that you must present at each site's box office. You can choose to receive these tickets on paper or have them emailed to you, print them out, or carry them on your cell phone and scan them at the entrance to each attraction. Once you use the pass for the first time, you have 9 days to use your tourist pass before the end of its validity period.

Why I like this option : You will be pleased to know that compared to buying individual tickets to each attraction, you can save up to 72€ with this pass, plus skip the line to buy the ticket at each site you visit.

What's included with the New York CityPASS® sightseeing pass

Empire state building tickets with audio guide.

The Empire State Building is one of the icons of the New York skyline, with an iconic architecture and design that will transport you back to the 1930's. However, the great attraction of the Empire State Building are the views from its observatory, undoubtedly one of the most impressive ways to see the city. Put this visit at the top of your list of things to see in the Big Apple!

• Ticket price if purchased outside the pass: about 35 Euros.
• How the pass works : Skip the line to buy tickets and go directly to the security checkpoint, where you can show your pass and they will let you through. Please note that the NY CityPASS® includes two entrances at different times to the Empire State Building.
• About the attraction : Open from 8:00 am to 2:00 am, and a typical visit lasts 2 hours.

Natural History Museum Tickets

This museum is one of the perfect New York attractions to visit with the family. Its permanent exhibition is dedicated to the history of Planet Earth , with very interesting spaces dedicated to marine life, fossils and meteorites.

9/11 Memorial and 9/11 Museum tickets (optional)

The 9/11 Memorial and 9/11 Museum tell the story of the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. This is a very sensitive visit that will give you a very intimate view of what happened during the attacks. Although this experience is not for everyone, it will give you a context about the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers that you may not otherwise have, changing your perspective on New York City.

• Price when buying tickets to the museum outside of the pass: from 24 Euros.
• How the pass works : Skip the ticket line, go directly to the security checkpoint and present your CityPASS® card for direct access to the 9/11 Museum.
• About the attraction : Open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Most people take a 2-hour tour.

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum (optional)

This museum is every engineering fan's fantasy, offering the unique opportunity to see inside the Intrepid aircraft carrier, whose deck features a variety of aircraft and helicopters from various eras; the Growler submarine, which can be explored in its entirety; and the supersonic Concorde aircraft.

Tickets to the Top of the Rock (optional)

The Top of the Rock (the name given to the observatory of the Comcast Building in Rockefeller Plaza) offers the best views of New York from a skyscraper: it is from here that all those wonderful postcard photos of the Empire State have been taken. If you are passionate about photography, you will be amazed by the pictures you can take of this icon of New York architecture, especially if you go up to the Top of the Rock at sunset or on a foggy morning.

Guggenheim Museum (optional)

Every Guggenheim in the world is famous for being a blast inside and out, and the New York Guggenheim is no exception. Its modern art collection features works by artists such as Van Gogh, Gaugin, Picasso and Malevich among others, and its gift store is the perfect place to pick up a souvenir of the city.

Ferry to the Statue of Liberty (optional)

The Statue of Liberty represents New York City like no other monument to any other city in the world. Seeing it up close is breathtaking, and almost even more impressive are the views of Manhattan from Liberty Island . To visit, you'll need to take a ferry from Battery Park and with the New York CityPASS® Tourist Card you don't have to worry about the ticket, because it's included.

In addition, it also includes the ferry to Ellis Island , where you can visit the Immigration Museum and explore an exhibit about the times when New York became a place of welcome for immigrants from all over the world in search of a better future.

• Price buying tickets outside the pass: from 24 Euros.
• How the pass works : You don't need to buy a ticket, so head straight to the security checkpoint and wait for the ferry to arrive.
• About the attraction : You can go to the Statue of Liberty from 9:30 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. The typical visit lasts around 4 to 5 hours.

Book a New York CityPASS® Tourist Pass

Before you purchase New York CityPASS® Card

Too much information! I know: choosing your New York City Pass is not easy. In case you're not entirely clear, here's the rundown to help you make a decision. The New York CityPASS® Tourist Card is for you if:

• You're going to be in New York for a week.
• You want to see the most "typical" New York City sights
• You have little time to organize your trip
• You like to explore a new city at your own pace
• You have a tight budget for your trip

Book the New York CityPASS® sightseeing pass

Recommendations

Keep in mind that the New York CityPASS® Tourist Card lasts 9 days from your first use, so you don't need to do it all in your first two or three days in New York. The best use of your pass is to spread out your visits and use it at least two or three times a day.

If you are traveling with children in New York , you can get a New York CityPASS® for them at a 40% savings over the adult pass for children ages 6 to 17. Children 17 and older pay the adult pass and children under 6 are generally free at many New York City attractions.

Other passes available

In case the New York CityPASS® isn't quite what you're looking for, keep in mind that there are three other types of New York City Passes available, so there may be another one that better fits the trip you're planning.

• New York Pass
• New York Explorer Pass
• New York Sightseeing Pass
• New York Pass and other passes

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Best New York attraction passes – Comparison

New York is a city with thousands of activities, tours and attractions to visit. Many of its most visited places are totally free, but there are also many paid attractions with very expensive tickets. That is why there are several tourist cards that allow you to visit NY attractions for a lower price. In this post I will review the best New York attraction passes and help you find the one that fits your trip.

This post contains affiliate links. That means, if you click on certain links within this post and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read more about it here .

*this article was updated on April 2024

In this post you will find:

Is it worth buying a tourist card in New York?

New York Pass

• Sightseeing Day Pass
• Comparison table of passes
• New York CityPASS
• New York C3

Explorer Pass

• Comparative table of passes
• Tips to buy an attraction pass

The different tourist or attraction passes allow you to save some money but their prices are high. That’s why it’s important to evaluate which card is the one for you according to what you want to visit and what your priorities are. In general, if you want to visit several attractions we can say that it is worth buying a tourist card .

If it’s your first time in New York, buying a tourist card is definitely worth it. There are many things to do in New York and it’s your first time in the city you’ll probably want to see everything.

In addition, some tourist cards allow you not only to save money but also time , since you get skip the ticket line entry to some of the attractions.

Comparison of the best New York attraction passes

Among all the New York tourist cards or passes, there are two broad categories: passes sold by the number of days (and unlimited attractions) and cards by the number of attractions . I will explain how each card works and what are the main differences between them.

CARDS BY NUMBER OF DAYS:

The New York Pass is one of the most complete passes to see New York. This card allows you to entry more than 100 attractions in the city including tours, museums, buildings and more.

The New York Pass is available with durations of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 10 days. The pass is valid for consecutive days. Within the duration of the pass you can visit all the attractions you want, without daily limit. You can visit each attraction just once.

A great thing about buying the New York Pass is that you can skip the lines at most attractions as there are is fast track entry at selected attractions . This willl allow you to save a lot of time, especially during busy periods like summer season.

I particularly already used the New York Pass on two visits to New York and it was totally worth it. For more information read my exclusive review of this pass: Is the New York Pass worth it?

They regularly offer big discounts on The New York Pass website so I strongly recommend to buy the pass online:

• Sightseeing DAY Pass

The New York Sightseeing Day Pass is a pass which price depends on the number of days you choose to use it, just like the New York Pass. You can buy the pass for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 days.

It allows you to access more than 100 attractions and tours in New York and you have the possibility of accessing with a fast track entry in some of them. Sightseeing DAY pass is different from the Sightseeing FLEX pass, which I will review later in this article.

The Sightseeing Day Pass is one of the few attraction passes that includes access to Edge observatory and One World Observatory .

New York Pass vs Sightseeing Day Pass

The New York Pass and the Sightseeing Day Pass are very similar, but they vary a bit in terms of the attractions that each card includes. In the following table you can see the comparison:

*Prices updated in April 2024.

These are just some of the attractions included in the passes which I selected to compare them. You can see the complete list of tours and attractions included in each card here : list of attractions included in the New York Pass or list of attractions included in Sightseeing Day Pass .

The New York Pass and Sightseeing Day Pass are convenient for you if :

✓ You plan to visit many attractions

CARDS BY NUMBER OF ATTRACTIONS:

These type of cards allow you to see a certain number of attractions for a lower price, and the duration of the passes is longer, thus allowing you to explore the city at your own pace.

The New York CityPASS is a good alternative for those who don’t plan to visit too many attractions. This pass includes only the entrance to 6 attractions and is valid for 9 consecutive days .

The attractions included in New York CityPASS are : Empire State, American Museum of Natural History, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Top of the Rock Observatory or Guggenheim Museum, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island or Circle Line Cruise, 9/11 Memorial & Museum or Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

Find more information about the pass here .

New York C3 by CityPASS

The New York C3 card is from the same company as the CityPASS. It includes only 3 attractions (being able to choose between 12) and is valid for 9 consecutive days .

It is a good alternative for those who have previously visited New York and only want to see 3 of the main attractions.

Sightseeing Flex Pass

The Sightseeing Flex Pass card allows you to select the number of attractions you are going to visit, being able to choose from more than 100 attractions and tours.

You can choose to visit 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 or 12 attractions . The pass is valid for 30 days , so it allows you to explore the city at a much quieter pace and without rushing from one place to another to see everything.

This card is very flexible and is ideal for those who want to visit fewer attractions at their own pace.

The Explorer Pass is a sightseeing pass offered by Go City that adapts to your preferences and needs. You can choose to visit 3, 4, 5, 7 or 10 attractions and it is valid for 30 days . There are more than 90 attractions and tours to choose from.

If you don’t plan on visiting too many attractions, this pass is ideal. With a 30 day duration, you can visit the places much more calmly.

New York CityPASS vs New York C3 vs Sightseeing Flex Pass vs Explorer Pass

These are all cards that are sold according to the amount of attractions instead of days. They vary slightly depending on the flexibility and attractions available. In the following table you can see the comparison:

*Prices updated in June 2022.

These are just some attractions that I used to compare. To see exactly what each pass includes, I recommend entering the official website of each pass.

✓ You don’t plant to visit SO many paid attractions.

Tips for buying a New York attraction pass:

• Before making a decision, make the list of attractions you want to visit.
• Did you know that some museums in New York offer a free entry day? If you want to save money, you can visit the museums on these days and use the tourist card for all the other attractions.
• In my opinion the most complete cards in terms of attractions are The New York Pass , the Sightseeing Day Pass and the Sightseeing Flex Pass . They not only include attractions but also tours.
• The New York CityPASS and New York C3 cards are only convenient if you plan to visit only some attractions, but in my opinion they leave out many places worth visiting. That’s why I only recommend them if you have already visited NY and want to repeat only certain attractions.
• With any of the cards it is not necessary to make a reservation to visit the attractions. You simply go with the card to each attraction and show it at the entrance.

I hope I have helped you choose among the best attraction passes of New York. If you have ay questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.

Other posts about New York:

• Best things to do in New York City
• Is the New York Pass worth it?
• Best cheap hotels near Times Square
• New York winter packing list

Disclaimer : This post contains affiliate links. That means, if you click on certain links within this post and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read more about it here .

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Tourist Cards in New York: Prices and what is included

Discover how to save money and time on your trip with tourist cards for New York and how to connect to the internet

Carolina S.

April 27, 2023

In this article

Holafly saves you +30% compared to other roaming fees

Plans that may interest you

If you’re planning a trip to the Big Apple, you may have heard of these cards. They are passes that give you access to multiple attractions and popular tours of the city at lower prices and rates than if you bought tickets and entry passes separately. In addition, many of these cards also include other benefits such as access to public transportation and discounts at shops and restaurants. Before we start, it’s important that you know that there are different types of tourist cards for New York.

From those that only focus on specific attractions, to those that offer entrance to multiple tourist sites in the city. And some include additional discounts, subway passes, etc. So, if you’re interested in learning more about this small world of tourist cards, here you’ll find everything you need.

eSIM for International travel

Buy the Best eSIM for New York with 5% OFF . Code: MYESIMNOW5

What tourist cards are there in New York?

Before going into further details about the different tourist cards available in New York, it’s important to remember how these cards work. They are purchased in advance and give you entrance to a list of popular attractions and tours at a reduced price . In addition, many tourist cards also offer other benefits, such as discounts in shops and restaurants, ingress to public transport and skip-the-line passes to certain attractions.

So, if you are eager to know more, below we present the most relevant tourist cards for New York.

New York Pass

The New York Pass is a tourist card that includes more than 100 popular attractions and tours in the city. It comes with some of the most famous tourist attractions, such as the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, the Met, and the Top of the Rock Observation Deck. The card also offers additional discounts in restaurants and shops, as well as access to the city’s public transport for the duration of the card . Finally, the New York Pass includes the option to skip the lines at some attractions.

Explorer Pass

The Explorer Pass is another popular tourist card that allows you to choose from a list of more than 80 attractions and tours. It includes many of the same attractions as the New York Pass, like the Empire State Building, but also has options for attractions that are not so popular, like the Central Park Bike Tour. The card also offers additional discounts at restaurants and shops.  Although it doesn’t include public transportation , there are other transportation options available.

Finally, the CityPASS card covers six top tourist attractions in New York, including the Empire State Building, the Museum of Modern Art, and One World Observatory.  It also covers public transportation for the duration of the card and additional discounts in restaurants and shops. Like the New York Pass, the CityPASS card includes the option to skip the lines at some attractions.

Sightseeing Pass in New York

The Sightseeing Pass is a tourist card that offers access to more than 100 tourist attractions in New York, including the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, the Top of the Rock Observation Deck, and much more. In addition to the attractions, the card also includes a two-day hop-on hop-off tour , a Hudson River cruise, and a variety of discounts on shops, restaurants, and other activities. To buy one of these cards you can visit their website or at one of the tourist information centers in New York.

Best eSIM for New York

As a matter of fact, the eSIM for New York is not a tourist card per se.  But it’s one of the most important cards for travelers when it comes to visiting the Big Apple. Even though you can’t get into any attraction with an eSIM, you can ensure one of the best internet connections during your trip. Certainly, this is also something very important while you travel.

If you’re interested in connecting to the internet in the best possible way during your trip to New York, the Holafly eSIM is an excellent option. Most compelling evidence, this virtual eSIM for New York offers full coverage in the United States, clearly including New York. Moreover, it provides a high-speed connection with no data limits using AT&T cellular networks, one of the best operators in the country with good coverage in New York, Miami , and Orlando .

What attractions are included in the tourist cards for New York?

Tourist cards for New York include entry to a wide variety of popular attractions and activities in the city. However, it’s advisable to always check the list of included attractions before purchasing any tourist card. Next, we present a table of tourist places that each card includes.

How does the activation and use of the tourist cards for New York work?

For instance, New York City Cards are activated on first use at an attraction included on the card. Therefore, it’s important to plan your itinerary to make sure your first attraction is the right one. Once activated, the card is valid for the number of consecutive days specified at purchase.

So, to use the tourist card, simply show the card to security at the entrance of the attraction or activity. Another key point, the cards often include a guidebook that provides detailed information on each included attraction, opening and closing times, and directions. Keep in mind that in some tourist places, you’ll have to book in advance.

Which tourist card is the best for children?

Traveling with children can be an exciting adventure, but it can also be expensive. Fortunately, there are many tourist card options available in New York that can help reduce the cost of tourist activities for families. But what is the best tourist card for children?

The New York Pass tourist card is an excellent option for families with children , as it includes a wide variety of popular attractions and activities for children, such as the Empire State Building, the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Hall of Science, the Bronx Zoo, and the amusement park Luna Park at Coney Island. The New York Pass card also includes a free 1-day public transportation pass, making getting around the city that much easier for families.

Do the tourist cards for New York include public transport?

Many of the New York tourist cards include the use of public transportation, which can be very convenient for tourists who want to get around the city easily. For example, the Sightseeing Pass card includes unlimited access to Big Bus Tours double-decker buses, and Gray Line buses, as well as a 72-hour pass for New York public transportation . The New York Pass card also offers unlimited access to Big Bus Tours and Gray Line buses, as well as a 2-day pass for the New York subway.

Important to realize that although most tourist cards offer entry to public transport, this may have some limitations. For example, some cards may limit the number of times public transport can be used in a certain period, or limit use to only certain areas of the city.

How to choose the best tourist card for New York?

Choosing the best tourist card for your trip to New York can be overwhelming, but by considering a few key factors, you may be able to find the ideal option for you.

• Length of stay: If you’re only going to stay a few days in New York, you may want to opt for a short-term tourist card that allows you to visit the most popular attractions.
• Desired attractions and activities: Different tourist cards offer different attractions and activities, so it’s important to check which ones you want to visit and make sure they are included on the card you choose
• Budget: Tourist cards may vary in price and may not all suit your budget. If you’re on a tight budget, you may want to opt for a cheaper tourist card.
• Connectivity needs: If you would like to stay connected during your trip, the eSIM can be an excellent option to complement your tourism experience in New York. In the case of the Holafly eSIM for New York , this will give you unlimited data and data sharing on your smartphone, allowing you to explore the city and stay connected with your friends and family. If you cannot use them, you can also count on SIM cards for New York .

What we recommend

On the whole, if you’re planning a trip to New York, a tourist card can be an excellent investment to save money and time while visiting the most popular attractions in the city. The New York Pass, Explorer Pass, and CityPASS are popular options, each with its benefits and limitations.

In addition, we recommend that, to complement and improve your travel experience, you use the New York eSIM card with data because with this, you can ensure your high-speed internet connection throughout your trip. All you have to do is click here and start browsing . Without further ado, enjoy your trip to the Big Apple!

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Digital ID Cards Now Available For New Yorkers: How To Get Yours

NEW YORK, NY — No physical ID? No problem.

New Yorkers are now able to show a “highly secure digital version” of their state-issued driver license, learner permit or ID on a smartphone, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday. The application is currently available to IOS and Android users through the Apple Store and Google Play, respectively.

“We’re thrilled to give New Yorkers access to this cutting-edge technology which provides convenience and added security for Mobile ID users and those who accept it,” Hochul said in a statement. “Not only will New Yorkers be able to quickly display their IDs, but they will have control over the personal information they share.”

Dubbed “MiD,” the free digital identification card will be registered to a user's phone number and require a six-digit ID, face ID or touch ID fingerprint to unlock. Users can also opt to show some data and not others, such as their date of birth while leaving their address hidden.

The card is a "voluntary product" designed for convenience and security, Hochul added, but won't replace physical cards entirely — at least, not yet.

The mobile ID be accepted at restaurants, bars and entertainment hubs that accept them, as well as nearly 30 airports across the nation (yes, that includes all terminals at LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports). Other states that accept mobile forms of identification, like California, Colorado and Maryland, will accept New Yorkers' cards.

“We are pleased to be able to add this state-of-the-art digital ID to the list of acceptable IDs at our security checkpoints,” TSA’s Federal Security Director for LaGuardia Airport Robert Duffy said in a statement.

“Travelers who want to take advantage of this new capability will find that their New York mobile drivers license is a convenient option when going through the security process.”

How to Get a New York Mobile ID

New Yorkers can get a New York MiD by taking the following steps, according to the governor’s website:

• Download the New York MiD app from the App Store or through Google Play.
• Register the phone number of the device the Mobile ID will be on. An individual’s Mobile ID can only be on one device at a time to help protect their identity.
• Take a picture of the front and back of their physical ID (driver license, non-driver ID, or Learner Permit), using their phone’s camera.
• Pose for a selfie. The app checks your photo and ID against information on file with the DMV to ensure you are who you say you are.
• Once your information is verified, your MiD is active and ready to use wherever it is accepted.

Still having trouble registering? Watch a step-by-step tutorial on how to enroll.

The article Digital ID Cards Now Available For New Yorkers: How To Get Yours appeared first on New York City Patch .

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Help! A Gas Station Charged Me $1,500 and My Bank Won’t Believe It’s Fraud.

After returning home from a wedding in Mexico, a traveler found a huge charge on his credit card and suspected a gas station attendant was responsible. Wells Fargo didn’t believe him.

By Seth Kugel

Dear Tripped Up,

Last October, my extended family spent a week in Todos Santos, in Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, for a wedding. All went well, but when I got back, I noticed an unusual charge on my credit card: $1,500.49, made on the day we flew home to the United States from San José del Cabo. The merchant appeared to be a restaurant in Mexico City. I recalled that when we went to fill up the rental car at a Chevron station near the airport, the attendant placed the card in a hand-held machine and then told me it had been rejected, requiring me to use a second card. Nothing else unusual happened that day, and reviews on Google for this gas station contain eerily similar accusations of fraudulent charges from other tourists. I disputed the charge, but Wells Fargo repeatedly denied my claim, even when I asked the Better Business Bureau to intercede. Can you help? Nate, Wayland, Mass.

We cannot be sure the fraud occurred at the gas station, but if so, it’s a clever scam. The worker presumably slipped your card into a bogus card reader and charged you $1,500 just as you were rushing to return your rental car and catch a flight out of the country, knowing you were unlikely to report the crime to Mexican authorities. It’s a good reminder for travelers that we need to be ever vigilant on vacation, even when we’re cranky or tired or stressed or otherwise out of our element.

It’s also a good excuse to consider how dependent we have become on our credit card issuers to save the day in such situations. As you found out, that doesn’t always happen.

Humor me while I consider the situation from the perspective of a bank like Wells Fargo. What might seem like obvious fraud when it happens to us is not necessarily a crystal clear crime to a fraud claims team tasked with sifting out their clients who are honest vacationers from others who may themselves be fraudsters.

Since I trust you are in the former camp, I reached out to Wells Fargo and soon afterward, a representative got in touch with you by phone and agreed to refund the charge, plus interest. A week later, you received a check for $1,609.96.

“We take customer concerns seriously and seriously investigate all customer claims,” wrote Jennifer Langan, a spokeswoman for the company, in an email statement to me. “We worked directly with our customer on this matter, and it is resolved.”

But, of course, it should have been resolved earlier and without my intervention. Was there anything you should have done differently? Was there anything Wells Fargo should have done differently?

The answers are yes and yes.

Though you explicitly gave your permission for Wells Fargo to discuss the incident with me, Ms. Langan told me the company would not talk about the particulars of your case. But she did leave a clue, writing to me that Wells Fargo encourages customers to act “when they receive a fraud alert, phone call or correspondence about a transaction.”

So I asked you to look through your phone and email messages with Wells Fargo at the time of your travel, and the bank did send you a fraud alert, via text, at about the time of the transaction. You didn’t get it at the time, you said, because you had not been able to receive messages while in Mexico. And you somehow missed it when you got back home.

Though I encourage everyone to disconnect while traveling, I will henceforth recommend an exception for text messages so you can monitor your credit card transactions. (You might even consider having your bank alert you every time a transaction occurs, even if it is not suspicious, which can also be helpful in monitoring what exchange rate you’re getting.)

What happened on Wells Fargo’s end that led them to reject your claim multiple times? Though I couldn’t get specific details from Ms. Langan, we do know exactly what the Wells Fargo representative said, since you recorded the call with her permission.

The agent told you it was “normal procedure” for Wells Fargo’s fraud teams to deny fraud claims if a chip card was in the owner’s possession the entire time, which you told them it was. But technically speaking, that was incorrect: The card was briefly out of your hands when the station attendant took it and inserted in a hand-held machine at your car window.

OK, so you didn’t see the text alert and didn’t correctly parse exactly what “in your possession” meant. But given your continued appeals and the online reviews of the gas station and others in the area that corroborate your account, it’s disappointing Wells Fargo continued to be so stubborn.

The representative you spoke to conceded the team who worked on your case could have done better. “We are going to try to revise our procedures,” she said, noting that she had coached the person who made the decision on how to do “better, thorough research.”

That’s good to hear, although I’d feel more confident if I had heard it straight from an official company source rather than on a recorded phone call.

Here’s another piece of advice for travelers as mobile card readers become the default form of payment in many places: When possible, ask for the machine and to insert (or tap) the card yourself, watching the screen carefully. In much of the world (though for some reason, not in many American restaurants), the days of a merchant taking your card to the back to run it through a machine (and potentially a skimmer to steal your information) are long gone.

Though you were quite reasonably frustrated with Wells Fargo, let’s be clear here. The real villains are those who committed this crime in the first place and somehow, whether at the gas station or elsewhere, managed to charge $1,500 to a business called Comida Corrida in faraway Mexico City.

I got in touch with Grupo Horizon, which operates the Chevron Emerald gas station you went to, as well as dozens of Chevron stations in the states of Baja California Sur and Sinaloa.

Gilberto Gómez, the company’s business director, responded by email, saying he was unaware of such issues and encouraged you to send him details. “We take follow-ups to this kind of complaint very seriously and meticulously,” he wrote in Spanish. “If there is any harm to our customers attributable to the gas station, we address it.” (I’ve given you his email address and you told me you would follow up with him.)

But considering the Google reviews at this location and several other (non-Chevron) gas stations in the region, I am skeptical that Grupo Horizon is not aware of the problem. Mr. Gómez did not respond when I followed up twice about whether he had seen the Google reviews.

I also got in touch with the Los Cabos Tourism Board. When its managing director, Rodrigo Esponda, got back to me, he said he was “deeply concerned about the situation,” and had spoken to the Baja California Sur state attorney’s office, which told him it was investigating the matter. He also recommended that tourists who have complaints about a business in the region should register them with Mexico’s federal consumer protection organ, Profeco.

In the meantime, could the solution simply be to pay cash at Cabo-area gas stations? Alas, no: There are also reports of gas station attendants switching out large bills customers pay with for smaller ones and demanding more. And don’t even get me started on the Tripped Up complaints that come about the poor customer service travelers encounter in car rental agencies near Mexican beach destinations. The best solution for sun-seekers may be to skip the car rental altogether and hire a driver, use car-share services or take public transportation.

If you need advice about a best-laid travel plan that went awry, send an email to [email protected] .

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation.

Seth Kugel is the columnist for “ Tripped Up ,” an advice column that helps readers navigate the often confusing world of travel. More about Seth Kugel

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

The Alaska Highway:  On an epic road trip, a family plots a course from Alaska to the Lower 48, passing through some of Canada’s most spectacular scenery .

Minorca:  Spend 36 hours on this slow-paced Spanish island , which offers a quieter and wilder retreat than its more touristy neighbors.

Japan:  A new high-speed train stop unlocks Kaga, a destination for hot springs, nourishing food and traditional crafts , as an easy-to-reach getaway from Tokyo.

London:  The Victoria and Albert Museum is a treasure trove of art and design. Here’s one besotted visitor’s plan for taking it all in .

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TSA expands acceptance of digital IDs to New York State

NEW YORK –The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is now accepting New York-issued mobile driver licenses (mDLs) at checkpoints with digital ID readers nationwide.

Travelers who have downloaded the New York Mobile ID app to their smart phone can use that for identity verification during the screening process in lieu of handing over a physical photo ID and boarding pass to the TSA security officer at the entry to the checkpoint.

The State of New York has made the New York Mobile ID available to all state residents at no additional cost. First make sure that you have been issued a license, permit, or non-driver ID card by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Then just download the New York Mobile ID app from the App Store or Google Play to add it to your smartphone.

“We are pleased to be able to add this state-of-the-art digital ID to the list of acceptable IDs at our security checkpoints,” said Robert Duffy, TSA’s Federal Security Director for LaGuardia Airport. “Travelers who want to take advantage of this new capability will find that their New York mobile ID is a convenient option when going through the security process.”

“Digital credentials are the future of identity verification, and New York is proud to be among the States leading this innovation in partnership with the TSA,” said DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder. “This is an exciting way to prove who you are without having to dig through your wallet or purse to find your physical document. Rather than handing over your physical ID with lots of personal information, the Mobile ID gives you greater control over what personal data you share, making it both more convenient and much safer for you,” he said.

New Yorkers can use their TSA approved Digital ID for identity verification at the checkpoint at John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia Airports, and at 26 other airports where TSA has credential authentication technology units. These units are equipped with digital ID readers and a camera that captures a real-time photo of the traveler to match the face of the person with the face on their ID. After the TSA officer clears the person into the checkpoint, the photos are deleted.

The units are also able to verify that an individual is ticketed for air travel that day, so the traveler does not need to show a boarding pass to the TSA officer, although a boarding pass is needed to present to the airline gate agent.

New York is now the ninth state that offers digital IDs with interoperability with TSA’s credential authentication technology. The other states offering digital IDs are Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland and Utah.

TSA continues to integrate new technologies into its identity verification process. Read more about these programs at www.tsa.gov/digital-id .

14 best travel credit cards of June 2024

The best travel credit cards offer an array of premium perks and benefits . For both occasional travelers and frequent flyers, adding a travel credit card to your wallet is a great way to earn rewards and save money on every trip you take. At The Points Guy, our team has done the legwork and curated a selection of the best travel credit cards for any globe-trotter, whether you prefer to backpack through mountains or settle into a luxury villa for some relaxation. From generous travel credits to premium lounge access, we’ve chosen the cards packed with the best benefits to elevate your next travel experience.

Check out our list below and discover which travel credit card from our partners makes the best addition to your wallet for all of your adventures.

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card : Best for beginner travelers
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card : Best for earning miles
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card : Best for premium travel
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card : Best for maximizing business purchases
• The Platinum Card® from American Express : Best for lounge access
• American Express® Gold Card : Best for dining at restaurants
• Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card : Best for no annual fee
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express : Best for business travel
• Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card : Best for unlimited point earning
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® : Best for travel credits
• Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card : Best for variety of bonus categories
• American Express® Business Gold Card : Best for flexible rewards earning
• Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card : Best for travel rewards beginners
• Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card : Best for Alaska Airlines miles

Browse by card categories

Comparing the best credit cards, more details on the best credit cards, credit pointers with brian kelly, what is a travel credit card, helpful tools, how we rate cards, how to maximize travel credit cards, how to choose the best travel credit card, ask our experts, pros + cons of travel credit cards, frequently asked questions.

• Airport Lounge Access

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the most popular travel rewards credit card on the market. Offering an excellent return on travel and dining purchases, the card packs a ton of value that easily offsets its $95 annual fee. Cardholders can redeem points at 1.25 cents each for travel booked through Chase or transfer points to one of Chase’s 14 valuable airline and hotel partners. Read our full  review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card .

• You’ll earn 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services and online grocery store purchases, 2 points per dollar on all other travel and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
• Annual $50 Chase Travel Hotel Credit
• Premium travel protection benefits including trip cancellation insurance, primary car rental insurance and lost luggage insurance.
• The card comes with a $95 annual fee.
• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 75,000 points are worth $937.50 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

When it comes to simplicity and strong rewards, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a solid choice for most travelers. You’ll earn earns 2 miles per dollar on every purchase with no bonus categories to memorize, making it an ideal card for those with busy lives. Read our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card .

• This flexible rewards card delivers a solid sign-up bonus of 75,000 miles, worth $1,388 based on TPG valuations and not provided by the issuer.
• You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories.
• Rewards earned are versatile as they can be redeemed for any hotel or airline purchase for a statement credit or transferred to 15+ travel partners.
• Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
• Capital One airline partners do not include any large U.S. airlines.
• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

If you can maximize the  $300 credit toward Capital One Travel, the Venture X’s annual fee effectively comes down to $95, the same annual fee pegged to the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees ). Add in a 10,000-mile bonus every account anniversary (worth $185, according to TPG valuations ) and lounge access, and the card may become the strongest option out there for a lot of travelers. Read our full  review of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card .

• 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
• 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary
• $395 annual fee
• $300 credit annually, only applicable for bookings made through Capital One Travel portal
• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card’s sign-up bonus is among the highest we’ve seen from Chase. Plus earn points across the four bonus categories (travel, shipping, advertising and telecommunication providers) that are most popular with businesses. The card comes with travel protections, shopping protections and will also have primary coverage when renting a car for business purposes for you and your employees. Read our full  review of the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card .

• One of the highest sign-up bonuses we’ve seen — 100,000 bonus points after $8,000 worth of spend in the first three months after card opening.
• Access to the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal for points redemption.
• Reasonable $95 annual fee.
• Bonus categories that are most relevant to business owners; primary car insurance.
• Perks including cellphone and purchase protection; extended warranty; trip cancellation/interruption insurance; trip delay reimbursement.
• Yearly cap on bonus categories.
• No travel perks.
• Subject to Chase's 5/24 rule on card applications.
• Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
• Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
• Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
• With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
• Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
• Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠
• Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

The Amex Platinum is unmatched when it comes to travel perks and benefits. If lounge access, hotel elite status and annual statement credits are important to you, this card is well worth the high annual fee. Read our full  review of the Platinum Card from American Express .

• The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. TPG values it at $1,600.
• This card comes with a long list of benefits, including access to Centurion Lounges, complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott, and more than $1,400 in assorted annual statement credits and so much more. (enrollment required)
• The Amex Platinum comes with access to a premium concierge service that can help you with everything from booking hard-to-get reservations to finding destination guides to help you plan out your next getaway.
• The $695 annual fee is only worth it if you’re taking full advantage of the card’s benefits. Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost.
• Outside of the current welcome bonus, you’re only earning bonus rewards on specific airfare and hotel purchases, so it’s not a great card for other spending categories.
• The annual airline fee credit and other monthly statement credits can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards.
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.
• See Rates & Fees

American Express® Gold Card

This isn’t just a card that’s nice to look at. It packs a real punch, offering 4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar). There’s also an up to $120 annual dining credit at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com ,  Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations, plus it added an up to $120 annually ($10 per month) in Uber Cash, which can be used on Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. All this make it a very strong contender for all food purchases, which has become a popular spending category. Enrollment is required for select benefits. Read our full review of the Amex Gold .

• 4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar)
• 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with the airline or with Amex Travel.
• Welcome bonus of 60,000 points after spending $6,000 in the first six months of account opening.
• Weak on travel and everyday spending bonus categories.
• Not as effective for those living outside the U.S.
• Some may have trouble using Uber/food credits.
• Few travel perks and protections.
• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

If you’re looking to dip your toes into the world of travel rewards, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is a great way to get started. With no annual fee and a simple 1.25 miles per dollar on all your purchases, you won’t have to keep up with multiple bonus categories — just earn rewards on everything you purchase! Coupled with the 20,000-mile sign-up bonus, you can use your rewards to book travel, transfer to Capital One’s loyalty partners and more. Read our full review of the  Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card .

• No annual fee.
• Earn a bonus of 20,000 bonus miles once you spend $500 within the first three months from account opening.
• Use your miles to book or pay for travel at a 1-cent value, or transfer your miles to loyalty programs to gain potentially even greater value for your rewards.
• Earn 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Other credit cards can offer you higher rewards for your common purchase categories.
• Capital One airline transfer partners do not include any large U.S. airlines.
• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
• Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
• Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

The Business Platinum Card from American Express is a great card for frequent travelers looking to add a touch of luxury to their business trips. While the card does come with a high annual fee, you’re also getting a ton of valuable benefits in return. They include generous annual travel credits, unparalleled lounge access that includes Amex Centurion Lounges and more. Read our full  review on The Business Platinum Card from American Express .

• Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry every 4 years or $85 TSA PreCheck credit every 4.5 years (enrollment is required)
• Up to $400 annual statement credit for U.S. Dell purchases (enrollment required)
• Gold status at Marriott and Hilton hotels; access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts program and Hotel Collection (enrollment required)
• Steep $695 annual fee.
• High spend needed for welcome offer.
• Limited high bonus categories outside of travel.
• Welcome Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
• 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
• Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
• Unlock over $1,000 in statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless in the first year of membership with the Business Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. See how you can unlock over $1,000 annually in credits on select purchases with the Business Platinum Card®, here.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to the Card.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use the Business Platinum Card®.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023.
• $695 Annual Fee.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey credit card offers healthy reward earning rates on top of uncapped point-earning meaning the sky's the limit — especially if you strategize and spend in popular categories.

• No foreign transaction fees
• Uncapped earning potential
• $50 annual statement credit
• Solid point earning rates in popular categories
• This card features an annual fee
• Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
• Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s $600 toward your next trip.
• Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels, 4X points on airlines, 3X points on other travel and restaurants, and 1X points on other purchases.
• $95 annual fee.
• Book your travel with the Autograph Journey Card and enjoy Travel Accident Insurance, Lost Baggage Reimbursement, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection and Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver.
• Earn a $50 annual statement credit with $50 minimum airline purchase.
• Up to $1,000 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
• Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of our top premium travel cards. With a $300 travel credit, bonus points on dining and travel purchases and other benefits, you can get excellent value that far exceeds the annual fee on the card. Read our full  review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card .

• $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Access to Chase Ultimate Rewards hotel and airline travel partners.
• 10 points per dollar on hotels, car rentals and Chase Dining purchases through the Ultimate Rewards portal, 5 points per dollar on flights booked through the Chase Travel portal, 3 points per dollar on all other travel and dining, 1 point per dollar on everything else
• 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel directly through Chase Travel
• Steep initial $550 annual fee.
• May not make sense for people that don't travel frequently.
• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,125 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 75,000 points are worth $1125 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

The Wells Fargo Autograph card packs a punch for a no-annual-fee product, with an array of bonus categories plus solid perks and straightforward redemption options. Read our  full review of the Wells Fargo Autograph here .

• This card offers 3 points per dollar on various everyday purchases with no annual fee. It also comes with a 20,000-point welcome bonus and an introductory APR offer on purchases. Plus, you'll enjoy up to $600 in cellphone protection when you pay your monthly bill with the card. Subject to a $25 deductible.
• Despite the lucrative earning structure, Wells Fargo doesn't offer any ways to maximize your redemptions — you're limited to fixed-value rewards like gift cards and statement credits.
• Select "Apply Now" to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
• Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value.
• Earn unlimited 3X points on the things that really add up - like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases.
• $0 annual fee.
• 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR thereafter.
• Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
• Redeem your rewards points for travel, gift cards, or statement credits. Or shop at millions of online stores and redeem your rewards when you check out with PayPal.

American Express® Business Gold Card

The Amex Business Gold card is a solid choice for high-spending small businesses with the flexibility to earn 4 points per dollar in the two categories where you spend the most. The card is ideal for businesses who value simplicity above all. Read our full  review of the American Express Business Gold Card .

• You'll earn 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar in the top 2 spending categories each month (on the first $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year).
• Hefty $375 annual fee.
• There may be better options for small businesses who don't spend a lot.
• Welcome Offer: Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.
• Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.
• Get up to a $12.95** statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. **Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.
• Your Card – Your Choice. Choose from Gold or Rose Gold.
• *Terms Apply

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

The Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card is a great starter card thanks to its no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees when you travel internationally. Earning and redeeming is effortless, with no confusing bonus categories to keep track of and the ability to redeem your points for all of your travel needs. Read our  full review of the Bank of America Travel Rewards  card.

• 1.5 points per dollar on all purchases
• No annual fee
• Bank of America does not offer airline or hotel transfer partners like other banks such as American Express, Chase or Capital One.
• No travel and purchase protections.
• Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
• 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
• Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
• Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
• 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 19.24% - 29.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
• If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
• Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
• This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card

There’s a lot to love about the Alaska Airlines credit card, in part due to its highly valuable loyalty program: Alaska Airlines MileagePlan. Whether you’re a loyal Alaska flyer or a points maximizer looking to diversify your rewards portfolio, this card has a lot to offer. For starters, you’ll receive Alaska’s Famous Companion Pass each year from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year, free checked bags for you and up to six guests on your itinerary, 20% back on in-flight purchases and more. Plus, Alaska has joined the oneworld alliance, opening up endless redemption opportunities. Read our  full review of the Alaska Airline credit card.

• Free checked bag for you and up to six guests on your reservation.
• Alaska discounts, including 20% back on in-flight purchases.
• Limited Time Online Offer—60,000 Bonus Miles!
• Get 60,000 bonus miles plus Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) with this offer. To qualify, make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
• Get Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year. Valid on all Alaska Airlines flights booked on alaskaair.com.
• Earn unlimited 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases. Earn unlimited 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, cable, streaming services and local transit (including ride share) purchases. And earn unlimited 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. And, your miles don’t expire on active accounts.
• Earn a 10% rewards bonus on all miles earned from card purchases if you have an eligible Bank of America® account.
• Free checked bag and enjoy priority boarding for you and up to 6 guests on the same reservation, when you pay for your flight with your card — Also available for authorized users when they book a reservation too!
• With oneworld® Alliance member airlines and Alaska’s Global Partners, Alaska has expanded their global reach to over 1,000 destinations worldwide bringing more airline partners and more ways to earn and redeem miles.
• Plus, no foreign transaction fees and a low $95 annual fee.
• This online only offer may not be available elsewhere if you leave this page. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

You’ll earn a solid return on dining and travel (6% back and 4% back, respectively, based on TPG valuations ) on top of your generous sign-up bonus, and you also have access to some of the best travel protections offered by any travel rewards credit card.

We’ve long suggested the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card   as an excellent option for those who are new to earning travel rewards because it lets you earn valuable, transferable points  with strong bonus categories and a reasonable annual fee.

“The Chase Sapphire Preferred has remained a top card in my wallet for years. Between the consistently strong sign-up bonus, low annual fee and continual improvements that have been made over the years, it’s hard for any other mid-tier rewards card to compare. I love that I can earn bonus rewards on travel, dining, streaming and online grocery purchases — all with just one card. Plus, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are valuable and easy to use whether you’re new to points and miles or an expert.” — Madison Blancaflor , senior content operations editor

To add more luxury to your travel experience, consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve® . Though it comes with a higher annual fee, you’ll enjoy Priority Pass lounge access plus a $300 annual travel credit.

With the Capital One Venture, you’re earning 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which makes it easy to rack up rewards without having to juggle different bonus categories or spending caps. And with flexible redemption options and a manageable annual fee, this card is an excellent choice if you’re looking to keep just one credit card in your wallet for all spending.

Those looking to earn flexible rewards should use the Capital One Venture card as it allows you to redeem miles for a fixed value or transfer the miles you earn to 15+ airline and hotel transfer partners , including Avianca, Etihad Airways, Turkish Airlines and Singapore Airlines.

“The Capital One Venture is a great card that can add value to pretty much anyone’s wallet. I use it to earn 2 miles per dollar on the purchases that fall outside of my other cards’ bonus categories. The annual fee is low, Capital One miles are easy to redeem and the card does come with a few nice perks — including TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee reimbursement.” — Madison Blancaflor , senior content operations editor

Even if you’re a casual traveler, consider jumping to the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card  (see  rates and fees ). The card’s up to $300 annual credit for purchases made with Capital One Travel immediately covers the higher annual fee — and that’s not even considering the added perks you’ll enjoy.

At $395 per year (see rates and fees ), this premium card is cheaper than all of its competitors without sacrificing the breadth of valuable perks it includes. Cardholders will get unlimited visits to Capital One’s premium network of lounges and 1,300-plus Priority Pass lounges worldwide  and able to bring up to two guests for no additional charge.

For frequent travelers, the Capital One Venture X is a must-have and is well worth the $395 annual fee. If you travel frequently with your significant other, family or friends, you can even add some authorized users for no additional cost. This will grant them their own lounge access (and the ability to bring up to two guests for no fee), among many other benefits, making this a huge cost-saver for those who travel in groups.

“With an annual fee that is $300 less than The Platinum Card® from American Express (see Amex Platinum rates and fees ), the Capital One Venture X card is my favorite travel credit card. The card comes with an annual $300 Capital One Travel credit, which I use to book flights. That effectively brings the annual fee down to $95 per year (see rates and fees ). Cardholders enjoy a Priority Pass Select membership. Authorized users — you geta number of them at no cost — also enjoy their own Priority Pass Select membership. I use my Venture X card to earn 2 miles per dollar (a 3.7% return at TPG’s valuations ) in spending categories where most cards would only accrue 1 mile — like auto maintenance, pharmacies and medical bills.” — Kyle Olsen , former points and miles reporter

Those turned off by the Venture X’s annual fee could opt for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card , which has a $95 annual fee (see rates and fees ), identical sign-up bonus and similar earning and redemption options.

The Ink Business Preferred earns 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 in combined travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone services and advertising purchases made on social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. TPG’s most recent valuations  peg the value of Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 2 cents apiece, so you’ll get a fantastic return of 6% on purchases in these categories.

If you spend a lot on business travel or social media advertising, you’ll be able to earn significant points using the Ink Business Preferred card .

“I originally signed up for the Ink Business Preferred primarily for its sign-up bonus. But, over the last year, I’ve found myself making it my go-to card when booking travel. After all, the Ink Business Preferred earns 3 points per dollar spent on travel and provides excellent travel protections, including trip delay protection and rental car insurance.” — Katie Genter , senior writer

If you don’t want to worry about maximizing specific purchases and are looking for a lower spending requirement to earn a sign-up bonus, consider the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card , which offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases and carries no annual fee.

The Amex Platinum is a stellar premium travel card that can provide amazing redemptions . Besides the welcome offer, it comes with more than $1,400 in credits each year and various lounge access options. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Anyone looking for luxury travel benefits will find that the ton of annual statement credits make the annual fee worth it. Plus, you’ll get unparalleled lounge access , automatic Gold status with Hilton and Marriott, and extra perks with Avis Preferred , Hertz Gold Plus Rewards and National Car Rental Emerald Club . Enrollment is required for select benefits.

“While this card has a high annual fee, it more than justifies itself for frequent travelers like me. The lounge access options that come with the Platinum are unrivaled by competitors. I put all of my flights on this card to earn 5 points per dollar spent and trip protection insurance. I make sure to take full advantage of the Uber, Saks Fifth Avenue, Hulu/Disney+ and Clear credits (enrollment is required). And, honestly, pulling a Platinum card out of your wallet to pay for something does feel pretty fancy.” — Matt Moffitt , senior credit cards editor

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card  can be a great alternative to the Amex Platinum, with a notably lower annual fee, similar perks and a more rewarding earning rate on everyday purchases.

The Amex Gold earns 4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants, with no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees ), meaning you’ll get an 8% return on purchases (based on TPG’s valuations ). While a few other cards temporarily offer higher return rates on dining, this is the best option for long-term spending, making it one of the best dining cards and best rewards cards .

Those looking for a great return on dining and purchases at U.S. supermarkets will get a lot of value from this card.

“Groceries and dining at restaurants are two of my top spending categories, and I love that the Amex Gold rewards those purchases with 4 points per dollar. When you factor in the $10 dining credit and $10 in Uber Cash each month, the $250 annual fee is a net cost of $10.” — Senitra Horbrook , former credit cards editor

For those who dine out a lot and also want additional bonus categories and other valuable perks for a lower annual fee, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card .

The no-annual-fee Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (see  rates and fees ) has the same redemption options as its sibling card (the Venture Rewards card) but with a lower rewards rate and fewer perks. The miles earned on the card can also be transferred to airline and hotel partners, a benefit not usually seen with a no-annual-fee card.

The VentureOne is a strong card to have in your arsenal and great if you are budgeting. After all, there aren’t many no-annual-fee cards with the ability to transfer points and miles directly to travel partners, so it’s a big bonus that this card offers that (see rates and fees ).

“I wanted a credit card that earns Capital One miles without an annual fee, and this is a winner (see rates and fees ). It doesn’t have the bells and whistles of some other cards, but I’m happy earning 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases without paying a fee to keep this card year after year. I’ll never cancel this card.” — Ryan Smith , former credit cards writer

For a small annual fee, many travelers could benefit from the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card . You’ll earn at least 2 miles per dollar on all purchases and receive a statement credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry membership.

There are certain ways to earn bonus points for spending on the Amex Business Platinum Card, but it’s the array of perks on the card that make it a great option. Beyond airport lounge access and automatic hotel elite status, there are a number of statement credits that are specifically targeted to common business expenses.

If you travel for business frequently, this card could help you upgrade your experience in the air and on the ground while saving you money on select business-related services. And the current welcome bonus is just the icing on the cake.

“I find that the annual perks and credits vastly outweigh the large annual fee. And that’s even without using some of them. By using the benefits with Priority Pass and Amex lounges, the airline incidental credits, plus the statement credits for Clear, our cellphone plan and restocking my home printer with ink and paper from Dell (enrollment required), I get more value out of the card than it costs to keep it. Plus, it earns my favorite points — American Express Membership Rewards — earning 5 points per dollar on flights and hotels booked with Amex Travel.” — Ryan Smith , former credit cards writer

For less-frequent travelers, consider the American Express®  Business Gold Card , which offers 4 points per dollar spent on your top two spending categories each month on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1 point per dollar thereafter).

The Autograph Journey offers cardholders the chance to earn elevated rates across travel categories including 5 points per dollar spent on hotels, 4 points per dollar on airline purchases and 3 points per dollar on restaurants and 'other travel' which includes timeshares, car rentals, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites and campgrounds. On top of this, cardholders also get the added benefit of earning a flat rate of 1 point per dollar on other purchases for a $95 annual fee.

If you travel frequently and are looking for a card to help you rack up points you can redeem for future travel, this card is a decent option. Additionally, those looking for a way to fill gaps in their points earning strategy will benefit from the flat 1 point per dollar spent on other purchases outside of the main travel categories.

Another great perk the Autograph Journey features is an annual $50 statement credit triggered by an airline purchase of at least $50. This is on top of elevated earning rates in the certain travel categories and a solid welcome offer for new applicants. There's also no foreign transaction fees on the Autograph Journey card making it a good first travel card as well as a decent supplemental card to add to your travel credit card roster.

If you're looking for a more general use credit card with no annual fee, consider the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (see  rates and fees ). It earns a flat rate of 2% cash rewards on purchases making an excellent choice to help fill gaps in your reward earning strategy. The best part? Like the Autograph Journey card, the Active Cash Card doesn't put a cap on the amount of cash back you can earn.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve comes with an annual $300 travel credit to offset a variety of expenses — such as airfare, hotels, rental cars, transit and more. You’re also getting an up-to-$100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit  once every four years along with Priority Pass Select membership. And Chase’s slate of transfer partners allows plenty of opportunity to get the maximum value from your points.

Those looking for elevated earning rates and extensive travel protections should have this card in their wallet. The 50% redemption bonus when you use your points to pay for travel through the Chase portal  is also a nice perk.

“I’ve had the Sapphire Reserve for years, and it’s going to stay in my wallet for the near future. I get $300 off travel every year along with great earning rates on travel and dining (3 points per dollar) and various trip protections that can reimburse me when things go wrong. And by leveraging other cards in the Ultimate Rewards ecosystem, I’m able to maximize the earnings across all of my purchases.” — Nick Ewen , director of content

If you just can’t stomach the Sapphire Reserve’s $550 annual fee, go for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card  instead. It has similar perks, redemption options and travel protections — for a much lower $95 per year.

The Wells Fargo Autograph is a great no-annual-fee card that offers quality earning categories and travel and shopping protection.

Travel card beginners who are looking to get into points earning should consider the Wells Fargo Autograph, which offers a welcome bonus, 3 points per dollar on a variety of everyday spending categories and cellphone protection.

If you’re just getting into the travel credit card world and are not sure travel cards are for you, consider the Wells Fargo Autograph, which will allow you to earn bonus points on travel spending without the commitment of an annual fee.

If you’re looking to earn transferable reward points but still maintain a similar earning structure, consider the Bilt Mastercard® (see rates and fees ). The card earns 3 points per dollar on dining and 2 points per dollar on travel purchases for no annual fee. Plus, Bilt points can be transferred to any of its multiple travel partners. 

The American Express Business Gold card comes packed with perks and benefits, but its most unique feature is the ability to shift your monthly bonus categories. Cardholders will automatically earn 4 points per dollar in their top two spending categories on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1 point per dollar thereafter), so if your business spending varies month to month, you won’t have to commit to a bonus category.

The American Express Business Gold card is an excellent choice for business owners who are looking for a premium business card with premium business perks like monthly office supply statement credits, travel and shopping protection and access to The Hotel Collection.

The American Express Business Gold is an excellent choice for small businesses that have changing bonus categories but still want more premium business perks and benefits.

If you still want to earn Membership Rewards points without paying an annual fee, consider The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (see rates and fees ), which earns 2 Membership Rewards points on all business purchases (up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar).

The Bank of America Travel Rewards card operates similarly to the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card . You’re earning flat-rate rewards across all spending, and then you can use those rewards as a statement credit to cover eligible travel purchases.

It’s perfect for low-budget beginner travelers  who want a card with no annual fee and a simple way to earn and redeem points.

“I’m happy earning 1.5 points per dollar on all purchases on a card without an annual fee. I can’t pay for everything in life with transferable points, and it’s nice to have a card with fixed-value points for those situations. I use this card for travel purchases where I need to pay in cash, then I can reimburse myself with the points.” — Ryan Smith , former credit cards writer

If you’re interested in a card with transferable miles that still has no annual fee (see  rates and fees ), consider the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card .

The Alaska Airlines Visa earns 3 miles per dollar on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases; 2 miles per dollar on eligible gas, EV charging stations, cable, streaming services and transit (including local ride share purchases); and 1 mile per dollar on everything else. You get a free checked bag on Alaska flights for you and up to six guests on your reservation, an annual Companion Fare on your account anniversary and 20% back on all inflight purchases.

Whether you live on the West Coast or not, the Alaska Airlines Visa is a good cobranded airline card to consider adding to your wallet. The Seattle-based airline is mostly limited to North American routes, but international destinations through Oneworld partners make this card valuable for all travelers.

“With new benefits, this card is even more valuable to me — even with its higher annual fee. It provides a free first checked bag, discounts on inflight purchases and priority boarding. My favorite feature, however, is the annual Companion Fare. I get hundreds of dollars in annual value from this perk.” — Ryan Smith , former credit cards writer

If you’re not looking to collect airline-specific miles, a general travel card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card might be a better option.

Travel rewards credit cards earn points, miles or cash back that are redeemable for travel expenses or are geared toward travel spending. The cards on this list are some of the best credit cards to book flights , hotels and more with their many perks and rewards . 

Travel credit cards offer rewards on different purchases that can help you book flights, hotels and more for little to no out-of-pocket expenses. Some cards also provide valuable perks and benefits that upgrade the overall travel experience — from Global Entry application fee credits to lounge access to complimentary elite status . If you have the right card (or cards) in your wallet, the sky is the limit on where your travels can take you — literally.

Additionally, it’s often advantageous to travel with more than one credit card for a variety of reasons. Carrying a backup credit card when you travel can provide peace of mind in the case of bank or issuer problems or if you have a card flagged for fraud while you travel. (In this case, knowing if your card requires you to set up travel alerts for lengthy travel could be worthwhile).

Are you new to travel rewards? Check out our beginner’s guide to all things points and miles . You’ll learn about top loyalty programs, how to maximize your credit card strategy to reach your travel goals and so much more.

Related: The complete history of credit cards, from antiquity to today

We have researched various types of travel credit cards to help you figure out which one is best for you.

Travel vs cash back credit cards

A travel credit card is a card that is geared toward travel spending and a cash-back credit card is a card that earns cash back on purchases made with the card.

Generally, when we are talking about travel credit cards we refer to cards that earn points and miles like the Platinum Card from American Express or the Hilton Honors Aspire card. The Platinum Amex earns transferable points which can be used with any of Amex's travel partners while the Hilton Honors Aspire card only earns Hilton points which can be redeemed at Hilton properties. These cards do not earn cash back on any purchases.

Cash back cards generally offer cash back as a flat rate or feature bonus categories that earn an elevated cash back rate. Select cash-back cards can also be a great travel card such as the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express which offers 3% cash back on transit including rideshare, trains, buses, and more. Even though it is a cash-back card, the Blue Cash Preferred offers an elevated return on select transportation which potentially makes it a solid travel card option.

How do travel credit cards work?

Travel credit cards work like other reward credit cards: They help you earn rewards, primarily points and miles, on your purchases. This section will primarily focus on transferable rewards credit cards, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and The Platinum Card® from American Express, as they are what are typically considered travel credit cards.

Related: How to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for maximum value

How to earn transferable points

Transferable points credit cards earn points or miles when you make a purchase on the cards. These points and miles can then be transferred to travel partners for rewards like flights, hotel stays and more. Different cards will have different currencies, but they are generally called either “points” or “miles” (depending on the issuer). All transferable reward credit cards, airline credit cards and hotel credit cards will have their own currency that is redeemable for travel rewards. 

Travel cards have varying rates for different purchase categories. For example, the American Express® Gold Card card earns 4 points per dollar spent on restaurants but only 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or Amex Travel. While the Amex Platinum may be a better card for travel as it earns 5 points per dollar spent on flights (booked directly with airline or Amex Travel and up to $500,000 per calendar year), the Amex Gold can be a good addition for Platinum holders who spend a lot of money on dining out.

Related: How to redeem American Express Membership Rewards for maximum value

How to redeem points and miles  

Once you’ve decided on a travel credit card and earned a welcome bonus, it’s time to put those points or miles toward free travel. There are many ways to redeem your rewards with travel credit cards. Many cards feature an online booking portal through which you can use your rewards to book things like flights, hotels and car rentals. Before booking your flight, you should consider doing a  flight portal comparison to ensure you're getting the best redemption. Others allow you to transfer your points or miles to individual loyalty programs. Depending on the redemption, this could unlock even more value.

There are plenty of ways to ensure you don’t make mistakes with your travel rewards . For instance, be sure you do your research with your rewards to get a high-value redemption and make sure your accounts are in good standing so you don’t risk losing them.  

Related: Tips and tricks to get maximum value from your Capital One miles

It’s up to you to decide whether a specific trip is worth spending your rewards. You can use TPG’s monthly valuations to help you determine if the price of your flight or hotel room is worth your points and miles. Some travels are more affordable in cash, but you can always save your points to splurge on a business-class flight to Europe or an overwater bungalow at a luxury resort. 

How to use travel credit card portals  

In the world of travel credit cards, the four major players are American Express, Capital One, Chase and Citi. These issuers also have their own travel portals which can be used to earn and redeem points for travel. 

Some issuers, like Capital One and Chase , offer an incentive to book travel through the bank’s portal but it is not always worth booking through a portal. 

We do not recommend booking hotel travel through card portals as it typically does not honor elite-status benefits or elite-qualifying stay credits. 

Luckily, flights typically allow you to earn bonus points through a card issuer’s portal and with the airline. Keep in mind that this does not apply to all cards. When purchasing in cash, there generally is little variance in booking through a portal or on the airline’s website so if your travel credit card offers incentives to book through the portal , it can be a great way to earn extra points. 

Related: Ultimate guide to the Citi travel portal

Points and miles redemptions will have a fair variance, especially if there are incentives to book through the travel portals. Overall, travel portals can be a great addition to your points redemption journey if properly used. Always remember to compare the price or redemption value of booking through a portal or directly with an airline. 

Booking through a portal may make matters complicated if you ever need to change or cancel your flight. 

Related: Battle of the credit card travel portals: Which is the best for booking flights?

Types of travel credit cards

Travel credit cards are cards that are geared towards travel spending. Luckily, there are many types of travel credit cards which means there is a good option for any traveler. Typically, when talking about travel credit cards, we are referring to transfer rewards credit cards, airline credit cards and hotel credit cards. There are additional types of travel credit cards that are less popular but can still be a good option for the right traveler.

Transferable rewards credit cards earn points and miles that can be redeemed through a card’s rewards program directly or by transferring them to a travel partner . Many of our best travel credit cards fall under this category because they are the most valuable type of points you can earn. Transferable rewards give you the flexibility to redeem your rewards in a way that will be most beneficial to you. Examples of top transferable rewards cards are the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express .

Airline cobranded cards earn a specific type of airline miles. These cards also generally come with perks specific to that airline. For example, an airline card may offer free checked bags , a certain number of elite-qualifying miles to help you reach status, priority boarding privileges, inflight discounts and more.

Hotel cobranded cards work like airline cards. You’ll earn rewards that are redeemable for a particular hotel program, such as Hilton or Marriott. Hotel cards come with their own benefits, such as complimentary elite status or free award-night stays. In addition, hotel cards can help you stack your earnings on hotel stays with the hotel’s program.

For example, if you have a Marriott credit card , you’ll earn bonus points for every dollar spent at participating Marriott properties on top of the 10 base points you get as a member of the Bonvoy program. This can really amplify the rewards you can earn when you use your hotel card to pay for your booking.

The points and miles world can be confusing for new credit card users but it doesn’t have to be. While transferable rewards cards are arguably the best way to earn points and miles for travel, they can also be incredibly confusing. Fixed-value credit cards and cash-back credit cards are good alternatives for beginners who are looking to get into the travel credit card world.

Fixed-value cards earn points or miles that are always redeemed for the same value. For example, the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card earns points worth 1 cent each. These cards are great for beginners who haven’t quite gotten the hang of maximizing transferable points or casual travelers who are looking for their first travel credit card . Fixed-value credit cards are often the best travel credit cards for beginners. 

As more hotels and airlines move to a dynamic pricing model where award pricing shifts dramatically, fixed-value rewards programs are becoming more popular.

Another great credit card option for casual travelers or credit card beginners is cash-back credit cards. You don’t have to worry about points, transfer partners or maximizing your rewards with these cards. Cash-back cards provide a percentage of cash back on your spending and provide a simple way to save on your upcoming travels. 

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees ) is a great option for beginners to travel rewards. It earns unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and has no annual fee.

Travel credit card benefits

Some travel cards offer automatic elite status with various programs when you sign up and can also accelerate the journey to elite airline status by converting points to air miles. If you are loyal to a particular hotel brand, status with that brand will be valuable. You’ll be entitled to room upgrades, resort credits, early check-in, late checkout and more. If you’re not loyal, it won’t. The same goes for elite status with an airline — you’ll get lounge access, upgrades, increased baggage allowance, etc. When comparing the perks of various cards like elite status, be realistic about which ones you will and won’t use.

One of the coveted perks of premium travel credit cards is complimentary airport lounge access. Many premium travel credit cards come with Priority Pass lounge access , a membership that allows access to airport lounges across the world. These lounges are a great place to relax before your flight or have a snack during a long layover. Amenities will vary between lounges but most lounges provide wifi, private seating and refreshments. Be sure to check the priority pass guest policy as many lounges allow you to bring a complimentary guest (or guests).

TSA PreCheck and Global Entry are both expedited screening programs for travelers. TSA PreCheck is reserved for expedited security screening for domestic flights and Global Entry provides expedited customs screening for international travelers when entering the United States. 

The application fee for TSA PreCheck is up to $85 and $100 for Global Entry. If you are approved for the program, the membership is valid for 5 years. Many travel credit cards will offer statement credit for the application . 

What TPG readers have to say about their favorite travel credit cards

Fan favorites among top travel credit cards include those that earn both points and miles. In addition to helping offset the cost of travel — whether it’s for rental cars, hotel stays or flights — some TPG readers love that travel cards also offer travel insurance (including protections for things like delayed or lost baggage). We asked our readers which credit card has made the biggest impact when they travel and why — here are their responses.

Note: Responses have not been edited.

“Allowed me to justify staying at nicer hotels and just overall leveling up with how I travel.” — Jackie C via Facebook  

“ Venture X for me - lounge access and my first long haul biz [sic] class flight on points! Changing my travel game for the better!” — Lauren R via Facebook

“Can't beat the flexibility of the $300 travel credit from the Chase Sapphire Reserve .” — Armando S via Facebook

• Awards vs cash calculator Compare the cost in points or miles to cash.
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Earn the welcome bonus

One of the best ways to maximize your travel credit cards is to earn the welcome bonus . Most travel credit cards will offer a welcome or sign-up bonus that allows cardmembers to earn points or miles that would otherwise require a very high spend. Welcome bonuses are a crucial part of a card’s value, so before you apply for your next travel card, be sure to plan for how you will meet the spending requirement. Ideally, you would align large purchases with your card opening so that you don’t need to spend frivolously to earn that lucrative welcome bonus .

Use a travel card that matches your travel style

There is a travel credit card for everyone, but not every travel card is the best fit for your wallet . Consider what type of traveler you are, whether you have any brand loyalty and what perks you are looking for from your next credit card. If you travel often and in luxury, consider premium cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express or Chase Sapphire Reserve® . These cards are loaded with tons of luxury perks like lounge access and automatic elite status . 

Alternatively, if you’re a more thrifty traveler who likes to maximize your travel earnings, consider a mid-tier travel card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card . These cards allow you to earn points on your travel, and while they don’t come with a long list of luxury perks, they’re much more cost-effective for a traveler on a budget .

And even beginners don’t have to veer away from travel cards, since many products out there offer an introduction to the travel rewards world without incurring an annual fee.

It’s important to consider where you’re looking to go when you book trips, as certain cards are especially useful for international travel . Plus, if you’re someone who frequents the skies (such as a digital nomad), there are certain credit cards best for long-term travelers .

Knowing what your travel style is like will help you determine what type of travel card you need.

Use loyalty programs to stack your rewards

You don’t have to limit your earnings to just travel credit cards . Many airlines and hotel chains have loyalty programs that can be used in conjunction with your travel card to unlock added perks when doing business with a specific brand. In addition, many travel credit cards allow you to transfer points from your card to your eligible loyalty programs . This can open up nearly endless redemption options, including award chart sweet spots that can get you the most maximized redemptions for your points and miles.

• 1 Sign-up bonus Choosing a card with a healthy sign-up bonus will help jumpstart the possibility of unlocking elite status across different areas, including airline and hotel loyalty programs.
• 2 Annual fee Premium travel credit cards typically feature higher annual fees. Double-check that the card you choose suits your spending habits and travel needs before applying.
• 3 Bonus categories It also helps to check which bonus categories a card offers to ensure that they align with your spending, whether it’s at restaurants, at grocery stores or on streaming subscriptions.

What's your favorite travel credit card — and why?

• Using credit cards responsibly can help build your credit score
• Travel credit cards can earn cash back, points or miles on every dollar you spend.
• Travel credit cards can provide purchase, theft and fraud protection.
• Travel credit cards provide perks like travel insurance, complimentary hotel stays and more.
• Credit cards can encourage overspending.
• Carrying a balance and using your card irresponsibly can damage your credit score
• The cost of borrowing on credit cards is higher than traditional loans
• Having too many card applications can negatively affect your credit score
• Travel credit cards may be too complicated (or expensive) for those who aren’t frequent travelers.

Generally speaking, you need at least a very good credit score in order to get many popular travel credit cards. According to FICO, the scoring model used by most lenders, this is a score of at least 740. However, there’s no hard-and-fast rule, as each individual credit card issuer looks at a variety of factors in addition to your credit score when deciding whether to approve or decline your application.

Thankfully, there are a number of ways to check your credit score for free , so you can get an idea of where you stand before wasting an application (and a hard inquiry on your credit report) for a card for which you’re unlikely to qualify.

Points and miles are simply two different ways to describe the same thing: the rewards you earn on a credit card. As an example, many popular Capital One credit cards earn miles, whereas cards that participate in Chase Ultimate Rewards accrue points. There’s no appreciable difference between the two words.

This gets a little more complicated when you begin discussing cash-back credit cards. Some of these show earnings with a dollar amount, while others show cash-back rewards in points. However, here too there’s no significant difference. It’s simply how the card issuer chooses to describe the rewards you’re earning.

It depends entirely on your typical travel habits. Many popular travel credit cards feature rewards, benefits and redemption options that only come into play when you’re actually on the road. This includes perks like airport lounge access,  rental car insurance  or statement credits for certain travel purchases. Ultimately, you should look at how much value you expect to get out of a given travel card in one year. Then, compare that to the card’s annual fee to make sure you’re getting at least that much value.

It depends. Generally speaking, you should aim to use your rewards from travel credit cards for travel-related purchases – like flights or hotel rooms. However, everyone has a different version of what “value” looks like here. Some travelers are perfectly content redeeming 25,000 miles for a $250 economy flight. Others would rather save up and use 100,000 miles for a $5,000 business-class ticket. The important thing is to avoid redemptions like gift cards or merchandise, since those typically offer poor value for your points and miles.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to determine whether you want to keep cash in your pocket by using rewards for a particular purchase instead.

Many of the luxury travel cards on this list offer hundreds of dollars in annual travel statement credits. However, not all annual travel statements are created equal. While some cards feature easy redemptions, other cards feature redemptions that come with more restrictions. 

Out of the various cards that offer annual travel credits, the Chase Sapphire Reserve has the easiest redemption process for travel credits . The Chase Sapphire Reserve's travel credit covers a broad selection of charges, including flights, hotels, campgrounds and more. Additionally, the travel does not have to be booked through Chase’s travel portal, and the statement credit will automatically post when you make an eligible purchase. 

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How to apply for or renew a U.S. tourist visa

If you visit the U.S. for tourism or business, you may need a visitor visa, also known as a tourist visa. Learn how to get and renew this type of nonimmigrant visa.

Find out if you need a visa to visit the U.S.

Check if your country participates in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) . If it does, you can get a waiver and will not need a visa. If you do not see your country listed, you will need a visitor visa.

Visitor (tourist) visas and other travel documents for entering the U.S.

The visitor visa is a type of nonimmigrant visa for people who wish to temporarily enter the U.S. There are two categories:

• B-1 for business travel
• B-2 for tourism and medical treatment

Learn about B-1 and B-2 visas , including:

• Reasons you would need each type of visitor visa
• How to apply
• What documents you will need
• Application fees
• How to prepare for your interview at your U.S. embassy or consulate

Along with your visa, you must bring a passport issued by your country of citizenship. When you arrive at your port of entry into the U.S., officials will issue you a Form I-94, which electronically records your arrival and departure dates. Learn more about Form I-94.

How to renew a visitor visa

The process to renew a visitor visa is the same as getting one for the first time. Follow the process to apply for a visitor visa from the Department of State.

Find the contact information for your nearest U.S. embassy or consulate and contact them for visa renewal information.

Understand expiration dates for visas and I-94 forms

• The date you must depart the U.S. will be shown on your Form I-94. This date is determined by the Customs and Border Protection officer when you arrive at the port-of-entry into the U.S. 
• Only diplomatic visa holders and their dependents can renew their visas while they are in the U.S.

LAST UPDATED: May 31, 2024

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• Do not sign your child's form until asked to do so by a passport acceptance agent or employee. 
• You can apply for a passport book , a passport card , or both documents.
• You may ask for a larger passport book with more visa pages, at no extra cost, by checking the 'large book' box at the top of the DS-11.

2. Get Evidence of U.S. Citizenship (and a photocopy)

Your evidence must be an original or replacement copy. The document must have the official seal or stamp of the office which issued it. You must submit one of the following documents for your child:

• Issued by the city, county, or state of birth
• Lists applicant's full name, date of birth, and place of birth
• Lists the parent(s)' full names
• Has the date filed with registrar's office (must be within one year of birth)
• Has the registrar's signature
• Has the seal or stamp of the city, county, or state which issued it
• Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth
• Certificate of Citizenship
• Please note you must also provide a document, such as a birth certificate, that lists the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of the child. Full validity means the document is or was valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for children under 16. 

If you cannot submit one of these documents, go to our  Citizenship Evidence page  for more information.

Paper only : You cannot submit digital evidence of U.S. citizenship such as a mobile or electronic birth certificate. You must submit physical evidence of U.S. citizenship and a photocopy of the document. 

Returning your child's document : We will return your child's document in a separate mailing up to 8 weeks after you receive the new passport.

Tips for making a photocopy :

• Black and white (no color)
• Use 8.5 inch by 11 inch paper
• Use a single side of the paper

If you do not submit a photocopy, you must submit a second copy of your citizenship evidence. We will keep this copy for our records.

3. Show Your Relationship to Your Child

You must submit a document that lists the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of the child. Examples include:

• U.S. birth certificate (also evidence of U.S. citizenship)
• Foreign birth certificate
• Adoption decree
• Divorce or custody decree
• A court order

Some documents, like a U.S. birth certificate, show  both  U.S. citizenship and parental relationship. These documents must be originals or certified copies (not photocopies).

You and your child may have different last names, as long as the document showing your relationship to your child lists your full name.

If your name is different than the one on the document showing your relationship to your child, submit proof of your legal name change.

4. Get a Photo ID (and a photocopy)

Both parents or guardians must bring a physical, photo ID and a photocopy of it. If your photo ID is from a different state than the state in which you are applying, bring a second photo ID. 

You must show at least  one  of these photo IDs:

• Valid or expired, undamaged U.S. passport book or passport card 
• In-state, fully valid driver's license or enhanced driver's license with photo
• Certificate of Naturalization 
• Certificate of Citizenship 
• Government employee ID (city, county, state, or federal)
• U.S. military or military dependent ID
• Current (valid) foreign passport
• Matricula Consular (Mexican Consular ID) used by a parent of a U.S. citizen child applicant
• U.S. Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) used by a parent of a U.S. citizen child applicant
• Trusted Traveler IDs (including valid Global Entry, FAST, SENTRI, and NEXUS cards)
• Enhanced Tribal Cards and Native American tribal photo IDs
• In-state, fully-valid learner's permit with photo
• In-state, fully-valid non-driver ID with photo
• Temporary driver's license with photo

If you do not have one of these photo IDs, go to our  Identification page  for more information.

5. Show More Documents (if both parents or guardians cannot apply)

• Both parents or guardians must approve that we can issue a passport to a child, and go with the child to apply in person.
• If one or both parents or guardians cannot apply in person with their child, you will need to show more documents.

Important : Submit  Form DS-3053  and other notarized statements within three months of signing them.

6. Provide a Photo

You must provide one photo with your child's application. Go to our  Passport Photo page  for photo requirements and to see examples of photos. 

• Do not attach or staple your child's photo to the form. The acceptance agent or passport employee will review the photo and staple it to your form.
• Some  passport acceptance facilities
• A company which offers photo services
• Home. Ask your friend or family member to take your child's photo. Print it on glossy or matte photo quality paper. 

7. Calculate Fees

When applying using Form DS-11, you will pay two separate fees - an application fee and an execution (acceptance) fee. You will pay the application fee to the U.S. Department of State, and the execution (acceptance) fee to the facility which takes your application. 

• Add $60 to your application fee if you want  expedited service .
• Add $19.53 to your application fee if you want us to ship your completed passport in 1-2 days after we issue it.  

Child Applicants :

For more information on how to pay and a full list of fees, go to our  Passport Fees  page.

*How to fill out your check and pay the application fee to the U.S. Department of State. Please note you must pay a separate execution (acceptance) fee. 

Families may write one check or money order to the U.S. Department of State if they are applying at the same time. The check or money order must include the name and date of birth of each applicant.

8. Find Location to Apply

In the United States:

• Traveling in more than 3 weeks?  Go to a  passport acceptance facility  such as a post office, library, or local government office. Check with the facility to see if you need to make an appointment. 
• Traveling in less than 3 weeks?   Make an appointment  to apply at a passport agency or center.

In another country:

• Contact your  U.S. embassy or consulate .

9. Track Your Application Status

You can  subscribe to email updates  about your application status, and  learn more about each status update .

It may take 2 weeks from the day you apply until your child's application status is “In Process.” 

Frequently Asked Questions

How will you send my child's passport and supporting documents.

You will get multiple mailings. The number of mailings depends on what document(s) you asked for.

Passport Book : You may get your new passport and citizenship documents in two mailings. You may wait 8 weeks after getting your passport before you get a second mailing with your citizenship documents. We will return the passport book using a trackable delivery service.

Passport Card : You may get your new passport card and your citizenship documents in two mailings. You may wait 8 weeks after getting your passport before you get a second mailing with your citizenship documents. We only send the passport card via First Class Mail. We do not send cards using 1-2 day delivery services.

Both a Passport Book and Card : You may get three separate mailings:

• New passport book
• New passport card
• Citizenship documents

Contacting Us : If you have been waiting more than 8 weeks for your documents, call us at  1-877-487-2778  to report that you have not received your documents. 

If you want us to reimburse you for a lost supporting document, you must contact us within 90 days of the date which we mailed your passport. You will also need to provide a receipt to show the cost of replacing the document. 

Can I pay for faster delivery and return shipping?

Yes. You may choose one or both of the following shipment options:

• Delivering application to us : Pay for Priority Mail Express for faster shipping. The price for this service varies depending on the area of the country.
• Returning the passport to you : Pay $19.53 for 1-2 day delivery. This means you will receive your passport   1-2 days after we send it. Include this fee with your check or money order payable to the U.S. Department of State. Do not submit a return envelope to us with postage pre-paid. 

You may receive your passport and supporting documents in separate mailings. If you are renewing a passport card, we will send it to you via First Class Mail. We do not use 1-2 day delivery services if you only applied for a passport card.

What countries require Form DS-3053 "Statement of Consent" to be notarized at an embassy or consulate?

In certain countries, a DS-3053 must be notarized at a  U.S. embassy or consulate  and cannot be notarized by a local notary public. Currently, these countries include:

Special Passport Fairs

Find a Special Passport Fair  near you!

We're holding special passport fairs all across the United States to help you get your passport more easily. New events are added to our site every week.

Most events are for first-time applicants and children, (who use Form DS-11). If you can use Form DS-82, you can renew by mail at your convenience!

Processing Times

Routine:  6-8 weeks*

Expedited: 2-3 weeks and an extra $60*

*Consider the total time it will take to get a passport when you are booking travel.  Processing times only include the time your application is at a passport agency or center.

• It may take up to 2 weeks for applications to arrive at a passport agency or center. It may take up to 2 weeks for you to receive a completed passport after we print it. 
• Processing times + mailing times = total time to get a passport

Urgent Travel:  See our Get my Passport Fast page. 

How to Apply for your Child's Passport

Watch this video to learn how to apply in person for your child's U.S. passport!

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