Go City New York vs CityPASS 2026: Which Pass Wins for Your Trip?

Go City vs CityPASS New York: Side-by-Side Comparison Table

Last checked June 2026. All adult prices verified directly from operator sites. Individual attraction prices sourced from official venue websites.

Go City All-Inclusive Pass New York (The New York Pass)

The Go City All-Inclusive, sold under the New York Pass branding at newyorkpass.com, is the broadest tourist card in New York. You choose a number of consecutive days — 1 through 10 — and from the moment you first scan the pass at an attraction, the clock starts. For those days you can visit as many of the 107 included attractions as you want, once per venue, with skip-the-line or priority access at most sites.

What is included

107 attractions span the full spectrum: observation decks (Empire State Building, Edge, Top of the Rock, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, One World Observatory), museums (American Museum of Natural History, MoMA, 9/11 Memorial Museum, Intrepid, Brooklyn Museum, Whitney Museum), experiences (Circle Line Cruise, Madame Tussauds, Central Park bike rental, food tours, Citi Bike day pass), and borough extras. The network is genuinely comprehensive — there is no comparable breadth on any other pass.

What is NOT included

Free attractions such as the High Line, Central Park, and the Staten Island Ferry. Broadway shows and most restaurant experiences. The Statue of Liberty official ferry to Liberty Island — Go City covers the Circle Line harbor cruise that sails near the statue, not Statue Cruises' actual dock-at-Liberty-Island service. Empire State Building tower access (102nd floor) requires a paid upgrade at the desk. SUMMIT One Vanderbilt's Levitation and Affinity add-ons cost extra.

Worked worth-it math — 3-day All-Inclusive at $274

Day 1 (observation deck blitz): Empire State Building 86th floor ($44) + Edge ($47) + SUMMIT One Vanderbilt ($47) = $138. Day 2 (culture): Top of the Rock ($42) + 9/11 Memorial Museum ($30) + Circle Line Cruise ($29) = $101. Day 3 (mix): MoMA ($30) + Intrepid ($38) + Central Park bike rental ($25) = $93. Three-day à-la-carte total: $332 vs pass price $274 — a saving of $58 at this density. Push to four stops on day three (add Madame Tussauds at $42) and the à-la-carte total climbs to $374, a saving of $100.

Where the 3-day pass loses money: if you visit only two attractions per day — say, one observatory and one museum — your daily à-la-carte spend runs $72–$90. Over three days that is $216–$270, under or level with the $274 pass price. The 3-day All-Inclusive only pays off at roughly 2.5 or more paid attraction visits per day. Be honest with yourself about your pace.

One-day reality check: $169 for one day. You need $169 in individual tickets to break even — roughly four standard-priced attraction entries. Empire State ($44) + Edge ($47) + 9/11 Museum ($30) + Circle Line ($29) = $150, still $19 short. The 1-day pass only wins if you add a fifth stop or choose the pricier observatory combos.

Best for

First-timers with a dense 3-to-5-day itinerary who want to maximize sightseeing without deciding at each door whether to pay. Also strong for families — the per-child savings compound fast across multiple people and multiple days. Activate the pass on your first full sightseeing day, not your arrival day, to avoid burning a counted day on an airport transfer.

Buy

Buy the Go City All-Inclusive Pass from $169 (1-day). The same product and price is also available at newyorkpass.com. A SUMMER promotional code for up to $25 off adult 4-day-plus passes was live on gocity.com in June 2026 — check at time of purchase. Full Go City review here.

Go City Explorer Pass New York

The Go City Explorer works on a completely different model. Instead of consecutive days, you buy a fixed number of attraction entries — anywhere from 2 to 10 choices — and use them at any pace within 60 days of first use. Adult prices run from $89 (2-choice) through $179 (5-choice) to $304 (10-choice). The attraction menu is the same 107-option list as the All-Inclusive, so you get the same skip-the-line priority access at most venues.

What is included

Access to all 107 Go City New York attractions, same as the All-Inclusive, with identical skip-the-line or priority access at most sites. The 60-day window is the most generous of any NYC pass — the clock does not start until you use your first entry, so you can buy weeks in advance without losing validity days to travel logistics.

What is NOT included

Same exclusions as the All-Inclusive: free attractions, Broadway shows, Statue of Liberty crown access, the official Statue Cruises ferry to Liberty Island. Each attraction counts as one choice entry regardless of its à-la-carte price — choosing the $30 9/11 Museum and the $47 Edge Observatory both cost you one entry. Choosing strategically (premium-priced attractions first) maximizes the Explorer's value.

Worked worth-it math — 5-choice Explorer at $179

Best-value five selections (pick the priciest on the menu): Empire State Building ($44) + Edge ($47) + Top of the Rock ($42) + SUMMIT One Vanderbilt ($47) + One World Observatory ($48) = $228 à la carte vs $179 pass — saving of $49. That also includes skip-the-line access at all five, worth another $15–$20 in queue time saved at peak-season New York.

3-choice Explorer at roughly $129: Empire State ($44) + Edge ($47) + 9/11 Museum ($30) = $121 à la carte vs $129 pass — technically a $8 loss on raw value, but skip-the-line access bridges that gap. Swap 9/11 Museum for Top of the Rock ($42) and the à-la-carte total rises to $133, a $4 saving. At 3 choices, always prioritise observation decks over museums to make the math work in your favour.

Best for

Selective visitors who know exactly which two to six attractions they want and do not want a day-clock ticking while they eat, shop, or wander. The Explorer is also the best pick for visitors splitting a New York trip across multiple shorter stays within 60 days — something neither CityPASS nor the All-Inclusive can accommodate. It is the most forgiving pass for itinerary-light travelers. Pair it with our Go City New York pass worth-it guide to check your specific attraction shortlist.

Buy

Buy the Go City Explorer Pass from $89 (2-choice).

New York CityPASS

The New York CityPASS is the city's most established fixed-bundle pass. At $164 for adults (child $136 for ages 6–17), it covers five specific attractions over a 9-consecutive-day window — two mandatory inclusions plus your choice of three from a list of six. Priced at $164 and covering attractions worth roughly $195–$205 à la carte depending on your choices, it delivers a clear but modest saving of $31–$41. It is the most predictable pass in the market: no allocation decisions beyond your initial three choices, and a known all-in price before you travel.

What is included

Mandatory (both): Empire State Building Observatory (86th floor experience plus 2nd-floor museum) and American Museum of Natural History (general admission plus one included ticketed special exhibition). Choose 3 from 6: Top of the Rock Observation Deck, Statue of Liberty Grounds and Ellis Island ferry (official Statue Cruises — the one that actually docks at Liberty Island), 9/11 Memorial Museum, Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise, Intrepid Museum, Guggenheim Museum. Reservations are handled through the My CityPASS app and are required at all nine included attractions before you arrive.

What is NOT included

Edge, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, One World Observatory, and MoMA are all absent from the CityPASS menu. The list is fixed — you cannot swap in Edge instead of the Guggenheim, or add a sixth stop. If those omissions matter to your itinerary, Go City or C3 is the right call. CityPASS also does not include traditional skip-the-line access — it operates on advance reservations, which achieves a similar practical result but requires you to book time slots before you arrive, not at the door.

Worked worth-it math — CityPASS at $164

Combination 1 (Statue of Liberty focus): Empire State ($44) + AMNH ($28) + Top of the Rock ($42) + 9/11 Museum ($30) + Statue of Liberty ferry ($25.50) = $169.50 à la carte vs $164 pass — saving of $5.50. Modest, but the Statue of Liberty ferry inclusion is meaningful because it is not available on any Go City product at equivalent access. Combination 2 (observatory stack): Empire State ($44) + AMNH ($28) + Top of the Rock ($42) + Intrepid ($38) + Circle Line ($29) = $181 à la carte vs $164 — saving of $17. Combination 3 (maximum value): Empire State ($44) + AMNH ($28) + Top of the Rock ($42) + Guggenheim ($30) + Intrepid ($38) = $182 à la carte vs $164 — saving of $18.

The honest verdict on whether the New York CityPASS is worth it: it is worth it if you genuinely want all five attractions you select, including both mandatory ones. It loses value if you are not interested in AMNH — at $28 à la carte, it is the pass's lowest-value inclusion. Visitors who would skip AMNH should look at C3 instead, where the museum menu has no mandatory entries.

Best for

First-timers visiting 3 to 9 days who want a no-fuss bundle of New York's most iconic sights with a predictable all-in price. Also the best choice for visitors who specifically want the Statue of Liberty ferry — the official Statue Cruises access to Liberty Island that Go City does not offer in equivalent form. Check our full CityPASS operator review for the multi-city picture.

Buy

Buy the New York CityPASS at $164 per adult. Purchase at least 48 hours before your first visit to secure the reservation slots you want at Empire State Building and AMNH, both of which fill up days ahead at peak-season (May–September).

New York C3 by CityPASS

The C3 is CityPASS's shorter-stay, more flexible product. At $114 for adults (child $92 for ages 6–12), it lets you choose any three attractions from a 10-option menu — wider than the full CityPASS's 6-option list, with no mandatory inclusions. Valid for 9 consecutive days from first use, with one year from purchase to activate.

What is included

Choose any 3 from: Empire State Building Observatory, Top of the Rock, Statue of Liberty ferry, 9/11 Memorial Museum, Edge Observatory, American Museum of Natural History, Circle Line Cruise, MoMA, Intrepid Museum, Guggenheim Museum. The 10-option menu gives C3 both major observation deck families (Empire State and Top of the Rock on the standard menu, plus Edge — which is absent from the full CityPASS), and MoMA, also absent from full CityPASS.

Worked worth-it math — C3 at $114

Best 3-choice combination for raw savings: Empire State ($44) + Edge ($47) + Top of the Rock ($42) = $133 à la carte vs $114 C3 — saving of $19, plus advance reservation access at all three. Alternatively: Edge ($47) + Top of the Rock ($42) + Intrepid ($38) = $127 à la carte vs $114 — saving of $13. The C3 performs best when you select the pricier observation decks, not the museums — choosing MoMA ($30) + Guggenheim ($30) + 9/11 Museum ($30) = $90 à la carte vs $114, actually a loss of $24.

Best for

Short-stay visitors (2–4 days) with a clear list of three specific sights that includes at least two premium observation decks. Particularly useful if you want Edge (unavailable on full CityPASS) plus one or two other premium stops. The C3 bridges the gap between the Explorer and the full CityPASS: more flexible than the bundle, cheaper than Go City's closest equivalent.

Buy

Buy New York C3 by CityPASS at $114 per adult.

Price and Value Math: 2026 Individual Ticket Baseline

Pass math only works against real standalone prices. We verified these directly from official attraction websites in June 2026.

Free attractions worth building around: Central Park, the High Line, the Staten Island Ferry (best free Statue of Liberty view), the Brooklyn Bridge, the 9/11 Memorial plaza, and Governors Island. A smart itinerary mixes paid and free stops so you are not burning pass days on things that cost nothing.

Go City vs CityPASS New York: Who Should Pick Which?

First-timer, 3–5 days, want to see as much as possible

Go City All-Inclusive 3-day ($274) or 5-day ($354). At three or more attraction entries per day, the All-Inclusive wins by a clear margin. Empire State + Edge + Top of the Rock + SUMMIT + 9/11 Museum + MoMA + Intrepid + Circle Line = $313 à la carte. The 3-day All-Inclusive covers that entire itinerary for $274 — $39 cheaper, plus skip-the-line priority across all of them. Activate the pass on your first full-day sightseeing day, not your travel arrival day. Book Empire State and Edge time slots immediately after buying — slots at popular times fill several days ahead in peak season.

First-timer, 5 iconic sights, 3–9 day window

New York CityPASS ($164). If your list is Empire State + AMNH + two observation decks + the Statue of Liberty ferry, CityPASS delivers a predictable all-in price with clear savings of around $5–$18 depending on your three choices. The key advantage over Go City is the official Statue Cruises ferry to Liberty Island — Go City's Statue of Liberty coverage is a Circle Line harbor cruise, not the actual ferry that lands at the island. For that specific experience, CityPASS (or C3 with Statue of Liberty selected) is the only pass that delivers it.

Short-stay visitor, 2–3 days, three specific sights

New York C3 ($114) or Go City Explorer ($89–$129). At two to three attraction entries, the All-Inclusive day-based pass is expensive — a 2-day at roughly $199–$209 requires you to visit $100+ per day in attractions just to break even. The Explorer or C3 lets you pay for exactly what you will use. If your three sights include Edge (absent from CityPASS), choose Explorer or C3. If your list includes the Statue of Liberty ferry, choose C3. If your list is all Go City exclusives (SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, One World Observatory), choose the Explorer. See our New York CityPASS worth-it guide for a full C3 vs CityPASS breakdown.

Family with children

Go City All-Inclusive or CityPASS, depending on days. The All-Inclusive child rate makes per-person math compelling across a family of four for 3-plus-day visits. CityPASS is particularly strong for families who want AMNH — one of the best child-friendly inclusions on any New York pass, and at $28 à la carte it adds meaningful savings per person across a family. The C3 child rate ($92) is also competitive for families doing a focused 3-sight visit. See our full New York City Pass comparison for the complete family scenario math.

Art or culture-focused visitor

A museum-heavy itinerary typically does not benefit from any pass. MoMA ($30) + Guggenheim ($30) + AMNH ($28) = $88 à la carte — still cheaper than the C3 at $114, and you keep Friday MoMA free evenings and Saturday Guggenheim pay-what-you-wish hours available to you. A pass makes sense for art-focused visitors only when they pair at least one premium observation deck ($42–$48) with their museum visits.

Repeat visitor or budget traveler

Skip every pass. If you have already seen the observation decks, New York's free attractions — the High Line, Central Park, the Oculus, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Chelsea galleries, the Staten Island Ferry — easily fill a trip without spending a dollar on admissions. If you want one specific paid experience, buy it individually. No pass breaks even at one or two stops.

Visitor splitting a New York trip over multiple stays

Go City Explorer (60-day validity). If you are in New York for a long weekend now and returning in a month, the Explorer's 60-day window from first use is the only pass structure that accommodates that. CityPASS and C3 both use 9 consecutive days from first use. The All-Inclusive uses consecutive calendar days. The Explorer is the only pass designed for non-consecutive visits.

Booking Gotchas and Practical Tips

Book observation deck slots immediately after purchasing any pass. Empire State Building, Edge, Top of the Rock, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, and One World Observatory all require advance time-slot reservations through the respective pass app (Go City app or My CityPASS app). At peak-season New York (May–September), popular slots — especially sunset windows at Edge and Top of the Rock — book out 3–5 days ahead. Securing your slots is more time-sensitive than choosing your pass.

CityPASS operates on reservations, not walk-up skip-the-line. When CityPASS says it provides "skip-the-line" benefits, it means advance reservation access — you book a slot in the app and arrive at your reserved time, bypassing the same-day queue. This is different from Go City's skip-the-line, where you can sometimes walk up and use a priority lane directly. The practical outcome is similar, but CityPASS requires more advance planning.

Go City All-Inclusive: activate on your first sightseeing day, not your arrival day. The clock starts at the moment you scan the pass at any attraction. If you land at JFK on a Thursday and go straight to your hotel, do not be tempted to scan the pass at an airport lounge or ferry counter — save day one for your first full sightseeing morning.

The Statue of Liberty split matters. CityPASS and C3 include the official Statue Cruises ferry that actually docks at Liberty Island and Ellis Island ($25.50 à la carte). Go City includes the Circle Line Statue of Liberty harbor cruise — a boat tour that sails near the statue but does not land on the island. If walking around the base of the Statue or visiting Ellis Island is on your must-do list, CityPASS or C3 is the right choice.

Where to buy. Always buy directly from gocity.com or citypass.com, or through authorised resellers (GetYourGuide, Viator) at the same list price. Costco has occasionally offered the Go City 2-day All-Inclusive at a slight discount — check before buying direct. Do not buy at airport kiosks or hotel concierge desks; prices are list rate or above. For a cross-city view of which pass wins in other destinations, see our Go City vs CityPASS operator comparison and the best US city passes guide.