Empire State Building Ticket Prices

If you're planning a trip to New York, you've probably thought about visiting the Empire State Building, one of the city's most famous tourist attractions. But how much do tickets cost, is there a discount for visitors, do children pay for admission?

In the following post we clarify all these questions and more, so you can evaluate in more detail how much budget you need to see New York at your feet in all its splendour.

From €39 you can get a skip-the-line, self-guided and cancellable ticket to the Empire State's Main Deck, which is important to consider for greater flexibility on your trip and can be useful when planning your stay in New York.

Climbing to the Empire State Building's 86th floor observation deck is a must-do on your trip. You may have seen it many times in films and on television, but seeing this jewel of the Art Deco movement in person is a different story.

From this open-air vantage point you'll have spectacular panoramic views of the New York skyline (Flatiron Building, Bryant Park, Chrysler Building, Times Square, the Statue of Liberty...) and on clear days you can even see other states such as Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut.

A supplement of more than 25 Euros will have to be paid on the Empire State website to go up to the glass observation deck (Top Deck) on the 102nd floor of the Empire State Building, which will increase the price of admission to the observation deck and which, to tell the truth, is not really worth it, having enjoyed the magnificent views from the Main Deck, which are quite similar.

What is the difference between the Empire State Main and Top Deck?

The main difference between the two is the height at which each observation deck is located inside the skyscraper (320m vs. 373m.) and the fact that going up to the Top Deck on the 102nd floor is a more exclusive visit as it is done with a transparent glass lift that offers unique views during the ascent.

If you like to see the Big Apple from above, my advice is to invest that money in another of the skyscrapers with observation decks in the city, for example:

• The Edge
• One World Observatory
• Top of the Rock

When buying tickets to the Empire State Building you should keep in mind that prices go up during high season in the city, i.e. in summer and on special dates such as Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas. In addition, there will be a greater number of visitors who will share the visits with you.

So if you're not a fan of crowds when it comes to sightseeing and prefer to keep your travel budget low, a good time to go to New York and climb the Empire State Building is around spring or autumn when you can find good prices and less crowds compared to the high season.

Children under the age of 6 get free admission to the Empire State Building while older children need a ticket to enter, although there are reduced rates for the Main Deck for children aged 6 to 12 from €33.

This way you can save a little on your budget for a family visit to the Empire State - it never hurts!

With Empire State's reduced rates, you can save a little bit of money on your wallet. For example, certain age groups such as the over 62s and children aged 6-12 can benefit from reduced rates with tickets starting from €33 compared to the general adult ticket price (from €39).

Keep an eye out for reduced rates when booking your Empire State tickets as they will help you save money to spend on other activities during your stay.

From €116 you can get the New York CityPASS to go to the Empire State in the morning and at sunset to take the pulse of the city at two very different times of the day.

However, as the Empire State Building is one of New York's most iconic attractions, most of the available sightseeing passes include it, but except for the New York CityPASS, you'll only be able to access it once.

If you want to know more about New York tourist passes, I recommend you read the post The best New York City Sightseeing Card.

New York City Sightseeing Passes

In any case, in this table we compare at a glance all the tourist cards that allow you to enter the Empire State Building.

Inside the skyscraper there are several restaurants where you can eat after visiting the Empire State Building if you get the itch: Tacombi, State Grill & Bar or Chipotle.

However, if after enjoying the views of the New York skyline you want to take a walk near the skyscraper and discover other places to try American cuisine, in the post Where to eat around the Empire State Building I give you some ideas.