Which New York City pass actually saves you money?
New York City has four different city passes, and they overlap just enough to make comparison shopping annoying. New York CityPASS, C3 by CityPASS, the Explorer Pass and the New York Pass all bundle discounted admission to attractions across Manhattan, but they use different math: some lock you into a fixed set of stops, others let you pick as you go. This guide breaks down what each pass actually covers, what it costs, and which one fits the pace of your trip.
About This Experience
Digital passes used across New York's top attractions; no single location. Most are shown on your phone at each entrance.
Not applicable; each pass is used at the attractions you choose across the city.
Validity runs by the pass: CityPASS and C3 give you 9 days from first use, the Explorer Pass 60 days, and the New York Pass a set number of consecutive days.
New York CityPASS is $164 for five attractions, C3 by CityPASS is $114 for any three, the Explorer Pass starts at $89 and lets you pick a set number, and the New York Pass is $169 for a day-based, all-you-can-visit pass.
Four overlapping bundles that discount New York's big attractions, each built for a different pace of trip.
CityPASS covers five top attractions including the Natural History Museum for up to around 40% off; C3 by CityPASS covers any three from a curated shortlist; the Explorer Pass lets you pick from 90-plus options over 60 days; the New York Pass gives unlimited attractions on a day-based clock. All four are digital and shown on your phone.
Check Live Availability & Prices
Prices and attraction lists shift, so check live pricing before you commit to a pass.
Which New York City Pass to Pick
New York CityPASS costs $164 and locks you into five specific attractions, including the Natural History Museum and a choice of observation deck. It rates 4.7 stars from 11,298 travelers, and it delivers real savings, up to around 40% off buying those five separately, but only if you were already planning to visit exactly that set. C3 by CityPASS is the lighter version at $114: any three attractions from a shorter list, rated 4.6 stars, built for a weekend rather than a full week.
The Explorer Pass starts at $89 and works differently. Instead of a fixed bundle, you pick a set number of attractions from more than 90 options, and you get 60 days to use it, far longer than the 9 days on CityPASS or C3. It suits travelers who want to decide day by day rather than commit up front, and it holds a 4.6-star rating from 8,499 reviews.
The New York Pass, at $169, flips the model again: it is an all-you-can-visit day pass, so the math only pays off if you pack four or more attractions into every single day you hold it.
There is no universally right answer here. If you already know you want the Natural History Museum plus a handful of other icons, New York CityPASS wins on savings. If your trip is loose and only stretches to two or three stops, skip the passes altogether and buy individual tickets instead, since none of these bundles beat that math at a slower pace.
For a broader sense of which sights are worth the ticket in the first place, our guide to New York's top museums breaks down the individual options pass by pass.
Compare All Four New York City Passes
Here's how the four passes line up before you commit to one.
from $164 New York CityPASS
- 5 attractions
- Up to 40% off
- Best for a short trip
from $114 
from $89 
from $169 Side by Side
| Ticket | Duration | Price | Book | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York CityPASS | 9 days from first use | $164 | Check | 4.7★ | Five headline attractions |
| C3 by CityPASS | 9 days from first use | $114 | Check | 4.6★ | A relaxed weekend, any three |
| Explorer Pass | 60 days | $89 | Check | 4.6★ | Choosing attractions as you go |
| New York Pass | Day-based, consecutive days | $169 | Check | 4.6★ | Fast-paced, four-plus a day |
What You'll See
Between the four passes, the pool of attractions covers most of the city's big draws: the Natural History Museum, an observation deck, the Met, harbor cruises, and dozens of smaller sights layered in depending on which pass you hold. CityPASS and C3 pull from a shorter, curated shortlist, so you know exactly what you are getting before you buy. The Explorer Pass and New York Pass draw from a much longer list, more than 90 options on the Explorer Pass and over 100 on the New York Pass, which means more choice but also more research before your trip.
None of the passes cover every museum in the city, and a few of the smaller institutions worth a visit sit outside all four bundles. Treat the pass as a discount on the big, popular stops, not a single ticket to everything New York has to offer.
How a Visit Flows
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8:30 AM
Redeem your pass
Activate the pass on your phone at your first attraction; the clock for CityPASS and C3 starts the moment you scan in.
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9:00 AM
Morning at the Natural History Museum
Arrive near opening to beat the school groups and use one of your five CityPASS admissions here.
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12:30 PM
Lunch break
Refuel near the museum before heading to your next stop; none of the passes cover food.
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2:00 PM
Observation deck or harbor cruise
Use a second admission on an observation deck or a boat tour, whichever your pass includes.
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4:30 PM
One more attraction
Fit in a third or fourth stop if your pass allows it. Fast movers on the New York Pass often stack four attractions into one day to make the math work.
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7:00 PM
Save the rest for later
CityPASS and C3 give you 9 days to use the remaining admissions, so there is no need to rush everything into one day.
Know Before You Go
Not suitable for
- Travelers with only two or three attractions on their list
- A single-day trip that only fits one or two stops
- Anyone who wants a physical, printed ticket instead of a phone screen
What to bring
- A charged phone to show the digital pass
- A form of ID matching the name on the pass
- Comfortable shoes for walking between attractions
- A backup way to pay for meals and transit, since passes don't cover those
Not allowed
- Sharing one pass across multiple travelers
- Using a pass past its validity window
- Skipping advance reservations at attractions that require timed entry
Insider Tips
A few things that make the math work better in your favor.
- Map out your must-see attractions first, then pick the pass that covers the most of them
- Book time-sensitive attractions like observation decks in advance, even with a pass in hand
- Start the clock on CityPASS or C3 on a day you can commit to visiting right away
- Compare the per-attraction cost of your specific list against the pass price before buying
- Skip the pass entirely if your trip is slow-paced with only two or three stops
- Keep the digital pass loaded and screenshot it in case of spotty signal underground
Where You're Headed
New York City Pass Tickets FAQ
How much does the New York CityPASS cost?
New York CityPASS costs $164 for admission to five attractions, including the Natural History Museum, for up to around 40% off buying those tickets separately.
What is the difference between CityPASS and C3 by CityPASS?
CityPASS covers five attractions from a set list. C3 by CityPASS is the lighter option at $114, covering any three from a shorter, curated shortlist, better suited to a weekend trip.
How long do I have to use the Explorer Pass?
The Explorer Pass, which starts at $89, gives you 60 days to use it, far longer than the 9 days on CityPASS or C3 by CityPASS.
Is the New York Pass worth it?
The New York Pass costs $169 for unlimited attractions on a day-based clock. It only pays off if you pack four or more attractions into every day you hold it; for a slower trip, it is not worth the price.
Do city passes have a closing day?
The passes themselves have no closing day. Each individual attraction keeps its own hours and closures, so check those before you plan your route.
How do I get to the attractions covered by these passes?
There's no single location. Each pass is used at whichever attraction you visit, shown on your phone at the entrance, so getting there depends on where you're headed that day.
Should I book attractions in advance even with a pass?
Yes, especially for observation decks and any attraction with timed entry. A pass covers the cost but not always a guaranteed time slot.
Is it cheaper to skip the pass and buy individual tickets?
For a trip limited to two or three relaxed museums, yes. None of the four passes beat individually priced tickets at that slower pace.
What Visitors Say
We hit five attractions in four days with New York CityPASS and the savings were obvious by the third stop.
C3 by CityPASS was the right size for our long weekend. Any more and we would have felt rushed.
The Explorer Pass let us decide each morning instead of locking in a plan the week before we flew.